The Law of God

Some say that we are no longer under the Law of the Old Testament. That the Old Testament is just there so we can know history and see where we came from. I disagree. Obviously there are areas of the Law of the Old Testament that we no longer have to live under because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, like the many sacrifices that were required of God's children back then, but there is much of the law that we are still to keep.

 

Jesus, Himself, stated, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18).

 

Without the Law we would have no standards, and without standards how would we know the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness? The Bible states in 1 John 2:3-6, " And herby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." So, to recap, he who loves God will keep God's commandments -- or law?

 

Maybe you want to argue that our faith is not to be of works, but of grace. There is truth to that. Ephesians 3:8-10 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ultimately we are saved by God's grace. We cannot save ourselves by our own works. This is a fundamental truth that cannot be argued, but we should not stop there. The verse goes on to say, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works" or as some translations state, "for good works."

 

We were created to glorify God, we can do this, in part, through good works. We show God that we love Him by obeying Him and following His commandments -- obeying His Law. By doing that which His Word commands, by His grace, we will love others, which means we will serve others, which means we will do that which people consider to be "works." These works will not save us, no, because we have already been saved by grace through faith in the Son of God which is the only way we can be saved. No, these works are not our salvation, these works are the result of our salvation in Christ. They are an out pouring of our love for God.

 

This is a huge topic, and one that takes much thought and discussion to get to the bottom of. My thoughts in writing was to encourage you to study the topic for yourself. There are so many things that we have been told we should believe, even in our churches, that are not firmly grounded in God's Word. We should not blindly believe everything we hear, but take everything and hold it up against the Word of God to verify whether it is actual truth or a convincing lie.

 

The God that many supposedly Christian churches teach of is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is a God of order, a God of justice, a God of unfathomable love and mercy, but He is not a God who condones those who live in sin and disobey His commandments. If you think I am wrong, read His Word for yourself from cover to cover. I have, and it has challenged the way that I believe, the way that I think, and the way that I live. I am not perfect, but daily being conformed into His image. My prayer is that you too, will be drawn closer to Him through His truth each day.

 

"It is not the Law which separates me from God; it is my violation of that Law (sin)." ~ Michael Davis