Works vs Faith
Luke 5:33=39
Fasting
• Primary use is to lead people to repentance.
• Used by Jesus to represent work done to earn God’s favor in the Old Covenant.
The Bridegroom
• Messianic reference.
• The period of reflection that leads to repentance is constant while Jesus was physically present.
• However, the concern about fasting betrays the felt need to work for God’s favor.
The cloth and wine skin
• Jesus offers a new system that is not compatible with the old system.
• The old “system” was a bilateral covenant: God fulfills promises when Israel fulfills promises (by work).
• The new “system” is a unilateral covenant: Only God makes a promise and fulfills it if someone chooses to respond (by faith).
What this means for us
• We cannot earn God’s favor through good works.
• We have already gained his favor through faith in Jesus.
• Once this is realized there is no need for insecurity.
• When we are secure in this knowledge we can act fully out of love for the one who first loved us.