Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The term quid pro quo is
the very basis of the principle of law. Whenever you see the
word if used, then a quid pro quo is usually not far behind.
The very first time that if is found in the scriptures is when
the Lord confronted Cain for his anger at the Lord and his
jealousy of Abel. If thou doest well, shalt not
thou be accepted, and if thou doest not well, send life at
the door. And unto thee shall be his desire,
and thou shalt rule over him. This is an incontrovertible principle
of the law which the Lord established. If a man walks in righteousness,
he will be blessed, and if he sins, he will die. Religious
men take delight in this principle, but those who know themselves
to be sinners crumble before it. The Lord demonstrated both
the power and the weakness of the law as he gave to Moses a
law which was written in tables of stone. This is a law which
held out great promise to those who kept it, and destruction
and death to those who did not. He made unto them this promise
based on an if. If you will walk in my statutes
and keep my commandments and do them, followed by, then I
will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her
increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
You shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land safely,
and I will give peace in the land. The power of the law is
in the hand of God. Yet the law could not provide
these benefits, because men could not keep it due to their natural
rebellion. In this they demonstrated the
weakness of the law, in that it was weak through the flesh.
For by the law is the knowledge of sin. Is the law then against
the promises of God? God forbid! For if there had
been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. The quid pro quo of the law must
minister condemnation to those who are under it. The soul that
sinneth shall die, for the wages of sin is death. By its very
nature, as the decree of God, it cannot be ignored, set aside,
or changed, but must be fulfilled according to the good pleasure
of him who gave it. Thus the law must be satisfied, or all
who are under it shall face the consequence of a broken commandment.
This is a dire and frightful dilemma which no man has within
himself the power to resolve. He must keep the law, or die
in his sin. Yet God, who is rich in mercy,
has demonstrated his power in grace, for what the law could
not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that have passed through the forbearance
of God, to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness,
that he might be just and the justifier, of him which believeth
in Jesus. The quid pro quo is not seen
by substituting faith for obedience, but rather by Jesus Christ entering
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for those he came to save. He made an atonement for their
sin and has satisfied the law in their behalf. This is no general
work done with a hopeful expectation that some may believe and receive
it, but rather it is a purchase price paid for a specific number
of sins committed by a specific number of people. The Lord has
exceeded all expectations in the behalf of those whom He has
loved with an everlasting love. For He has not only satisfied
the claims of the law which were against that people which He
chose in Christ, but He has set them free from the law of sin
and death which had them bound, and does administer His grace
to them not on the ifs of that law, but on the promises of the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. All law does indeed
have a quid pro quo, but Christ is the performer of all requirements,
and does bring peace to the sons of God by that which he has undertaken
for them. For there is verily a disannulling
of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof. For the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw
nigh unto God. Under this law, there is no penalty,
for it is a law of promise and life, due to the exercise of
the Spirit of Christ, who works in the sons of God, both to will
and to do of His good pleasure. We find that this new covenant
actually preceded that given to Moses, though it pleased the
Lord to keep it hidden until the times of the restitution
of all things. Now to Abraham and his seed were
the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of
many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. And this
I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in
Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after,
cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
How wondrous to consider the quid pro quo which is found in
Christ alone. He is the Savior. Christ is all. Is Christ your quid pro quo?
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