This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
It bothers me whenever I hear someone say that the Law no longer applies. Granted, we’re no longer under condemnation for failing to fully follow the Law (which would be impossible), but the Law itself remains God-given and therefor valid. Jesus himself said “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill it. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matt. 4:17 That means that either Jesus was wrong, or those who say the Law no longer applies are wrong.
So how does that apply today? It applies just as it did before. “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? “Deut. 10:12-13 (highlighting mine) Note that the Law is a gift from God, not a burden laid upon us, and is for our good..
“Fear the Lord” does not mean being frightened. It means to be overawed by Him, overwhelmed by His power, majesty, mercy, and grace. He commanded us to love Him, and, if we do, then we will want to walk in His ways and serve Him. And doing so is good for us, not burdensome. If it seems burdensome, then our heart is not in it. If we are truly His, and if we are working along side of Him, we will not be operating on our own strength, but on His, and we will not find it burdensome, but joy-filled.
There are 613 ordinances in the Law. When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, He gave two: “Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The fact is, all 613 ordinances can be listed under those two. Each “commandment” is a piece of one or the other – how we relate to God and to one another. Thus, the whole Law falls within those two ordinances.
G.K. Chesterton wrote: “The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion, but, on the contrary, of its liberality and humanity. It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted: precisely because most things are permitted, and only a few things are forbidden.” – ILN 1-3-20
So, if we are to be judged for good or evil, it behooves us to always “walk in His ways” in what we say and what we do. That means making Micah 6:8 a part of who we are. “He has shown you, O man, what is good,; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” That’s what the Law is all about. That is how we walk in His ways.
And if we walk in His ways, we will be able to embrace the goodness that accompanies it.
The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you for you presence in our lives. We thank you for your gift of the Law, guiding us in how to be, what to do to be pleasing to you. Help us, O Lord, to see as You see, to do whatever You call us to do, and to become all You would have us be. Amen
Emily Montfort
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