As a boy I heard in church several times, “You shall know the Truth and The Truth shall set you Free!” What I never could figure out between all the “don’t do this” and “don’t do that” is where was the Freedom they were talking about!
To understand the first Freedom that Jesus brought to you it is necessary to understand that these people lived and died by The Law! It was ruthless as were the men who enforced it and forced it on everyone! Under this regime this was only the relationship of obedience to all Laws and the hope that God would smile on you!
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” – Luke 16:16-18
Jesus was and is night and day from the old Jewish law and everyone knew it really early on. In fact as soon as He met John the Baptist, John knew instantly! John was the one that had started telling people about what was coming – a New system, The Good News!
The Good News was simply this – The Law and the Prophets had done their job in issuing in Jesus and now with Him the Prophecies were complete and for those who believed the law was no longer needed – it was no longer the task master – Freedom had arrived!
So why did Jesus say what He did about divorce and least pen stroke of the law falling out?
Simply put He wants to make sure everyone sees the difference in what He is offering and what the law has to offer! He actually made the law harder to follow while He was here as you can see from the bit about adultery! He did this so everyone would find their need for His forgiveness beyond reason in The Gift beyond compare!
To have a Love based relationship with The Father understand the end of the law found in Christ! When Christ comes into a person the law is ended as it says “Christ is the end of the law for All who believe!
Trust and rest in what has been done and what was finished on the cross and what since John has been Proclaimed – Your Freedom!