Ad Hoc

I am quite sure that most of us are familiar with the term ad hoc. We hear the term attached to the word committee as in ad hoc committee. Or in the fields of information technology, ad hoc connection.

The term ad hoc is actually a latin phrase which simply means "for this purpose." It generally signifies a solution that has been custom designed for a specific problem or task, is non-generalizable, and cannot be adapted to other purposes.

Galatians 3:21-25

"21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."

Remember the story of Moses whom God handed the Ten Commandments or the Law for which the people of God ought to follow in order to be found righteous before Him? In the Pentateuch or the first five books of the Bible we could read from their the different types of rituals that the people of God has to follow in order to gain their righteousness before God. Simply put, they were working their way for their Salvation based on the Laws that God Himself provided them.

Why is that so? Now here comes the latin phrase which I have been speaking of in the introduction. I believe, as confirmed to in my reading of the book of Galatians, that these Law is just an ad hoc solution for the people of God to attain the promised salvation before it is fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

It has been clearly stated in our scripture text that all of us are under sin and the promised salvation is given to those who has faith in Jesus Christ. Before that faith come, the people is under guard of this ad hoc way to salvation and serve as the tutor. And, when that faith has finally come, the people is no longer a tutor, thus the fulfilment of the purposes of the ad hoc law.

What I am simply stressing here is that, since Jesus Christ has already suffered, died, and resurrected about 2000 years ago, therefore we are no longer under the regime of working our way out to Salvation. With our belief in Jesus and His teachings is enough reason for us to be saved from eternal damnation.

My final message to everyone then is to stop doing the traditions and good works which you might have been thinking that by doing these things you can earn your way to heaven. As I have stressed it, these are ad hoc means which was already superseded by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Let us embrace the new and only means to our salvation...Jesus Christ.