Our Perfect Defense

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other Gods before me".
Exodus 20: 2-3

With these words spoken to Moses, God set forth the rules that his chosen peoople, the Isrealites, were to follow.  The Isrealites, seeing Gods awesome power on that day, refused to speak with the Lord who had just delivered them out of bondage, but pleaded with Moses to relay Gods message.  So God delivered, giving Moses the commandments (not merely suggestions) that the Isrealites were to follow.  It didn't take the people long, however, to violate even that first commandment.  As Moses was decending Mount Siani with the commands given to him by the God of his people, down below the people, impatient that Moses would not return from that mountain, took matters into their own hands and made a God of their very own!  Understandably, God was displeased, as the Isrealites soon discovered.  We think of the ten commandments as "The Law" given to Isreal by God, and it was.  However, the people added to those commandments until "The Law" had become over 200 edicts.  Everything from hand washing to sacrafices was ultimately included in "The Law".

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stuumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it"
James 2:10 NIV

Seem like a tough act to follow?  Seeing that we are all born sin, I'd say YES.  However, these were Gods commandments, mostly.  Did the law provide for the forgiveness and removal of the inevitable sins that mankind would commit?  Well, in a symbolic way, but never completely.  Enter Gods perfect plan for mankinds redemption.  In perfect fashion, God provided a savior not only to his chosen people, but to all mankind.  The son of a Jewish carpenter would become Gods one and only perfect sacrafice.  By his death on the cross, Christ bore the iniquities of all mankind. The sacrafice has been made, it's a done deal!  But what about "The Law" that provided for the ceremonial removal of the sins of Gods people, what happened to those requirements?

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it".
Colossians 2: 13-15

Does it sound like the law is still with us?  With the death of Christ, the law died with him, according to Gods perfect plan.  So, as Christ suffered and was nailed to that cross, he bore ALL of our sins with him.  That means past, present AND future.  As Christ himself claimed as he died...IT IS FINISHED!  Granted, we'll still sin and will continue to do so.  But rest assured, God has provided for our complete forgiveness.