Sunday 3 February 2013

Not The Law, But Grace

Victor Hugo’s classic ‘Les Miserables’ is a great story about two men in revolutionary France, which brilliantly shows the biblical ideas of the contrast between Law and Grace, the meaning of redemption.

les mis javert

On the one side, Officer Javert – totally committed to his calling, and his mind set upon justice, finding and punishing those who violate their parole, upholding the law in the smallest detail. He does his duty as he sees it to be right – but his heart is cold.

lesmis valjean

Jean Valjean, after twenty years penal servitude, violates his parole- but through the words and prayers of a generous priest, his life is redeemed. He understands grace and mercy. Valjean seeks henceforth to do right, and live a good life, correcting injustice, and trusting God. A heart full of love.

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace.When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end

10 comments:

  1. I've read the book --full length!! --seen the stage version --got the Tenth Anniversary DVD -- and saw the movie a week or two ago. It was magnificent! The theme, plot and development of characters as well as the unmistakable Christian message makes this an all time favorite of mine. It is truly brilliant -- so, of course is the music.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We loved the recent film, love the story, and now Bill's listening to the book (very long!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes. I'm going to have the girls come in and read this when they wake. They love the story, the music and they recognize the good and the evil. I think you put into words just the right place for our hearts to land in this story of justice and grace.

    Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes a brilliant film with a very strong Christian message.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oooh, I had no idea what it was about (apart from the French rev!) maybe I'll read it!x

    ReplyDelete
  6. We saw this film today and thought it was wonderful. A lovely thoughtful post Angela.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi there, just letting you know that you are in my Featured Personal Blog sidebar for February/March on Carole's Chatter. Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am reminded of the verse "Where sin abounds, there does grace much more abound."

    Thanks for the recommendation - we shall have to watch this.

    P.S. Hope your recovery is going well. Did you enjoy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful stage play and film, better than many sermons. Appalling though that the common people then, and in many countries now, live in such appalling conditions that they are forced into theft and prostitution in order to provide for their families.

    Strictly speaking Les Mis is set in Restoration France after the fall of Napoloen and the restoration of the monarchy, not in Revolutionary France, which was an earlier period.

    ReplyDelete

Always glad to hear from you - thanks for stopping by!
I am blocking anonymous comments now, due to excessive spam!