14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

15 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

— 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 21

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

25 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

26 He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

— Romans 3:21-26

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

We need the truth of Sinai that still calls sin what it is. And we need the hope of the mountain of Beatitudes that says even the broken ones can be blessed because when we stand between the two, we don’t just see commandments or comfort, we see the cross. And maybe that is the point. Maybe Jesus didn’t give us two sermons but one story starting at Sinai, fulfilled at the cross of Calvary and lived out the mountain of the Beatitudes.

So let’s ask, “Have we been camping out at one mountain too long?” Have we stuck in sham at Sinai, believing we will never measure up, or have we drifted into grace without reverence, forgetting the weight of holiness. It’s time to climb both mountains because it’s only when we left the law, it shows our need and lets grace show us the way that we truly begin to live.