The Wall God Built to Safeguard Civilization
"O that thou
hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then
had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness
as the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:18
The Bible presents a
positive and practical picture of God's Law.
In Deuteronomy 6:24, they are likened to a great protecting
wall. Inside this wall, the most
precious elements of civilized society are guaranteed and safeguarded: The
home, school, church. Just
government. Honourable
business methods. Peace, liberty,
health, prosperity and happiness; all are protected herein.
A practical way to
test the value of the Law is to ask these two questions: What sort of a world
would we have right now if everyone completely disregarded the law of
God? Would you like to live in a world
like that?
On the other hand,
what sort of a world would we have right now if everyone kept God’s Laws? Safety, law and order, and peace would
reign. There would be no need for banks,
nor jails. No
need for locks on doors, or a police force.
No need for an army—all would be safe.
Would you like to live in a world like that?
Yet for many,
serious doubts exist as to the law of God.
Then let us go to the Scriptures and discover the good news about God's
law!
FOR OUR GOOD ALWAYS
1. What is the nature of God's law?
Romans 7:12,14a
2. What, actually, is God's law?
Romans 13:8-10
Note: The essential principle of God's law is simply love.
3.
How did God proclaim his law to his
people?
Deuteronomy 4:12,13
4. What were these Ten Commandments?
Exodus 20:3-17
5. If God's law is simply "love", why do we have to be given
specific laws and statutes?
Galatians 3:19a
Note: The Law was "added" because of sin. When a father has to order his
children not to kill, steal, or lie to each other, the situation in that family
has gotten pretty bad. In our sinful,
fallen, degenerate state, when our natures are contrary to God and His love,
God has had to "command" us not to do the things which we would never
even think of doing if the mind of Christ is in us. When real love is present in the hearts of
all, there is no need for 10 commandments.
6. How did sin cause a need for the Law?
Romans 7:7
Note: Sin, little by little, dulls man's perception to its true nature,
so that we eventually don't even see wrong for what it truly is. God's law helps us realize when we're doing
wrong. God's law gives us clear
eyesight.
7. Did God just arbitrarily choose and set up his laws?
I Peter 1:16
Matthew 5:48
Note: The Ten Commandments are God's own character transcribed. (An in-depth study of this is available from
Midnight Cry Ministries; see "recommended study aides" to order.)
8. What two commandments sum up the law of God?
Matthew 22:37-40
Note: If you love God with all your heart, you will keep the first four
automatically; if you love your neighbour, it will be only natural to follow
the last six commandments.
9. Was the law given as a
means of salvation?
Romans 3:20-21
James 1:23-25
Psalm 19:7-11
Proverbs 6:23
Note: A mirror can reveal stains, but can in no way remove
them. So God’s law can expose our
sinfulness, but it cannot cleanse us from guilt, nor provide
strength for future right doing. This is
not its work. If we are to walk with
God, we must first be converted by his mighty saving power.
Let's read Exodus
20:2,3: "I am the Lord thy God,
1)
Who have brought thee out of the
2) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."
Note God's order: salvation first—then right
doing. Redemption
first, then right conduct.
This principle is illustrated all throughout Scripture:
Psalm
119:146
"1)
Save me, and
2) I shall keep thy testimonies."
Ezekiel
36:26,27
"1)
A new heart also will I give you... and
2) ye shall keep my judgments."
10. Will anyone then be
saved through obedience to the commandments?
Romans 3:20
Ephesians 2:8,9
Note: The law leads us to Christ, our Salvation (Galatians
11. Was the Law only for
the Jews?
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Romans 3:31
12. But didn't Jesus change
or abolish the law?
Matthew 5:17-19
John 15:10
Note: By his example of lifelong obedience and by his death on the
cross, Jesus demonstrated the unchangeableness of God's laws and the results
of disregarding them. If the law
could have been changed, there would have been no need for his
sacrifice. His death is conclusive proof
that the law cannot be abolished or changed!
13. What
should be our reason for obeying God's commandments? There could be three possible reasons a
person might have for keeping God's laws:
a) Fear of
judgment - Ecclesiastes 12:13,14
b)
Love for God - John 14:15
c) An
understanding of the logic and wisdom of God's law - Psalm 19:8,9, Psalm 33:4, Psalm 119:138,160,172
Note: Let us suppose you have a child.
When your child is very young, perhaps the only reason for his not
crossing a busy street is fear of being punished by you or the thought of being
rewarded for his obeying; and surely you would accept his obedience, even if
for the wrong reason, because you love him and don't want him to get hurt.
As your child grows
older, perhaps he will obey because he loves you, and wants to please you. But as a mature adult, your son will reason
that crossing a busy expressway is dangerous and illogical. he will
"obey" you because he agrees that it is the best and wisest thing to
do; he agrees fully and logically with your advice and views on the
matter.
In the same fashion,
we see that most people "obey" for the reasons in step a. And God accepts this obedience, because He
realizes at what level of understanding they are presently at.
Most likely He is
pleased when his children obey him out of love rather than fear of
punishment, as in step b. But God wants his
children to become spiritually mature (Ephesians
Only when we thus obey, because we agree
with God, will all ten commandments
be kept, for the tenth, in essence, says, "Not only will you not do
all these things, but you will not even want to."
14. Can man, in his present
state, obey God's laws?
Romans 8:7
15. How, then, are we to
obey the law of God?
John 15:5
Galatians 3:23-24
16. How will a renewed
heart regard God's law?
I John 5:3
17. Will the day ever come
when everybody in the world will love and keep God's commandments?
Answer: Not before Jesus comes.
But afterwards—YES!
Revelation 22:14
2 Peter 3:13
18. Will there be a law, as
we now know it, in Heaven?
Hebrews 10:15-17
Note: His law will no longer be on tables of stone, but love
will reign, and everyone will naturally do only what is right.
CONCLUSION
"If you really
keep the royal law found in scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you
are doing right... Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law
that gives freedom." James 2:8,12- NIV
Below are different
reasons for obeying God.
1) I do what God
says because he has the power to reward and destroy.
2) I do what God
says because I love him and want to please him.
3) I do what I do
because I find it is right and sensible to do so. My admiration, love, and reverence is continually increasing for the One who so advised me and
commanded me in the days of my ignorance and immaturity. Since I am still somewhat ignorant and immature,
I am willing to trust and obey the One whose counsel has always proven to be so
sensible, when he commands me to do something beyond my present
understanding.
Which do you
prefer?
My response to Christ is:______________________________