The Only Thing That Counts

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love".Galatians 5:6 WOW!!! When you read this verse are you not amazed at how different what counts to us is from what counts to God? In the context Paul is talking about how the law, the old law that is, was enslavement and how we have been freed by Christ. We are freed from that law that would bind us and keep us from wholly experiencing God's love and forgiveness. When we are in Christ, the emphasis is on faith, expressing itself through love rather than lawkeeping.
Lawkeeping and faith expressed through love, which is best? Under old law, a sacrifice was required for every sin. Because I am not a sinless person, I would be offering sacrifices on the altar all day everyday, so I say, that faith expressed through love takes less effort. Under the old law, there were many rules about what one could and could not eat and how it should be prepared. I can't even seem to make spaghetti sauce turn out the same every time. So I say, love based faith, again. Under the old law, one must stone their children for disobedience. While my children were not perfect and frequently needed correction and discipline, it would have been a struggle to throw rocks at them until they died. So, again, I vote for love based faith.
This could go on and on. But we know where it is going, don't we? Under the new law, those in Christ, are indeed free. The one time for all time sacrifice has already been made. It is because we are in Him we have freedom from the law. The old laws were all important, each law counted and breaking one meant breaking them all. Under the new law, "faith expressed through love is the only thing that counts."How cool is that?

Faithfully,
Neva