Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart. Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). In this world we are in some ways under a yoke of some kind—whether it be the yoke of Government, the yoke of work, family, finances, health or even our own fleshly desires. Yet, Jesus bids us to take his yoke upon us that we might find rest. How is the Yoke of Jesus different and not the same as the Old Testament law? And how does His yoke provide us rest from all the other yokes that bind us?
In Acts 15, there rises a new challenge for the early church. There were many who spread a doctrine regarding the believers needing to all be circumcised and brought under the Mosaic law in order to be saved. There arose such an uproar among the believers in the church of Antioch that Paul and Barnabas were sent to the elders and Apostles in Jerusalem to secure an answer. Paul and Barnabas had stood for the truth of salvation through grace alone by faith alone; but their words were being drowned out by the crowds who questioned their authority in the matter. So, they returned to speak to the council in Jerusalem.
There in Jerusalem the council met. The Holy Spirit evidently strongly fixed within the council, filling every member with wisdom and truth to respond.
The Yoke of Jesus Not the Yoke of the Law
Once presented with the question, the discussion began. Peter stood up first to confirm that salvation to the Gentiles was certainly by grace alone through faith alone.
Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (Acts 15:7-11)
Note that with these words, Peter brought silence to the crowd; although, following him came more confirmations of the truth from Paul, Barnabas and James.
How did Peter silence the crowd? He pointed out first that it was God who chose to save the Gentiles and even sent Peter first to Cornelius and his family. There Paul with others witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon these Gentiles exactly in the same manner as had been shown at Pentecost. They had not been circumcised, nor had they been told to prove themselves with the Mosaic Laws. Rather, they were placed under the yoke of Jesus alone by grace through faith.
Furthermore, Peter asked, “why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Had not the Law of Moses proven that neither Jew nor Gentile could fulfill the law? Why place a yoke we cannot bear?
Romans 3:
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Indeed, that had always been the case. The law never justified anyone. Even for Abraham, it was his faith that was counted for him as righteousness.
Jeremiah 2:
19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.
20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
The Yoke of Christ and the New Law of Christ
We are taken under a yoke of Christ; but that is one of love. I serve Him because of love. He who gave everything that I might be saved, deserves no less than all my heart. Grace demands my surrender of all I am because of all He is. Therefore, the yoke of Christ is easy for He lifts me up with His strength. He pulls the load. Having paid the full price for my sin, He does so much more than merely save me. He indwells me with His Spirit and endows me with all the spiritual blessings, wisdom and strength. The yoke of Christ is easy because He lifts me high above the ground, as He labors to till the fields along side me.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:34). Even that we cannot do unless we are fully surrendered to Him. Because we by nature love ourselves more than anyone or anything else. Yet, it is by grace alone, that He transforms our heart. Oh, that one day yielded I might find myself with His heart of grace overflowing through me.
For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14).
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (I John 4:12). Let me take the yoke of Jesus upon me and learn of Him. Lord, transform my heart that I might love you more and thereby step by step fill my heart to overflowing with your spirit perfected Your love within me toward everyone I meet.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because, He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
PREVIOUSLY
Are You Ever Responsible for Another’s Salvation?
When You Step Forward for God and Satan Attacks
What Characteristics Really Define a Missionary?
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2019
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