When was the last time you had a better idea than God?
I’m waiting…. ;-)
Can I cut to the chase and tell you that God has NEVER had a ‘bad idea’?
No, seriously…He’s never paused and thought to Himself, “Gee….I wish I had done this instead.”
Never.
Take His Law, for example.
How many believers today understand just what the ‘law’ is and how it impacts us in our walk? Many would, if asked about God’s Law, shrug and wave it off as irrelevant since they are ‘under grace’.
I have referenced here before, the amazing story found in 2 Kings 22 where Josiah is the reigning king in Judah and is seemingly doing what is ‘right in the eyes of the Lord’. The construction repair work he has going on the temple turns up a lost ‘book’, which turns out to be the ‘Book of the Law’. When he hears it read before him, he is overcome with remorse and repentance, tearing his clothes. It was as if in that moment, the scales were removed from his eyes and he clearly could see why his country was in shambles and why so much destruction from the enemy had been allowed to wreck havoc among the people and nation.
It was a common or reoccurring issue that arose throughout the history of God’s people…where the law was lost, or ignored, or disregarded. Why God even declared through His prophet Amos that one of several reasons He would: “not turn away Judah’s punishment, … was because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray.” (Amos 2:4)
So much we could unpack in that one verse alone.
And I believe the case could be made that once again, the Law has been lost; or actually ‘laid aside’ as Jesus accused the Pharisees of doing with it. (Mark 7:8-9)
I would also submit for your further study, that because of our lack of understanding the role that Law plays today, (NOT in making men righteous or saved), countless people have been lulled to sleep, deceived, and are suffering in many ways because of it.
So once again, let’s turn to the scriptures to see if maybe we had read over, or skipped some important parts of this beloved book we call the Bible.
Keep in mind, as we study, that God is not one to change. (Malachi 3:6)
The Law was given well after and apart from the covenant God established with Abraham. And it was added because of transgression (sin) (Gal 4:17, 19)
Moses spent a great deal of time reviewing and teaching all the Law to the next generation of Israelites who were about to cross over the Jordan River where they were going to take possession of the land God had promised them. The whole book of Deuteronomy covers this.
In fact when you study this out, you see how much it bore repeating of the importance of heeding God’s commandments and the consequences of ignoring them.
He also made it known that this was NOT going to be that difficult to follow and obey (Deut 30:10-11).
Now, it would help if they maintained their love and devotion to God. Why even John would write centuries later affirming this that “His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) And they really are not….IF…you truly love God with all your heart. Did Jesus not say: “If you love me, keep my commandments?” (John 14:15)
Important point to note here: When Jesus arrived on the scene, He made it quite clear that He did not come to do away with or to abolish the Law, rather He came to fulfill it. (Matt 5:17)
In fact, if the law was no longer going to have any bearing on our walk of faith, why did God bother making a point to ‘write His law on our hearts? (Heb 8:10; Rom 2:15)
The apostle Paul had much to say about the Law, (in this new age of ‘faith’) writing that the law was indeed, “Holy and the commandment holy and just and good”. (Rom 7:12)
He would later write to Timothy affirming that “we know the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, the ungodly and sinners and unholy…etc” ( 1 Tim 1:8-9)
And if you really want to muddy the waters on so many ‘faith doctrines’ that exist today, add Romans 2:13 to the pot as it reads: “for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”
Confused yet…tempted to go watch cat videos on Tik-Tok instead? Hold on for just another minute here…I cannot stress how important this is…
Let me wrap this up for today with some ‘bullet points’ with references.
The Law still stands today but it does NOT produce righteousness; rather it brings wrath and curses and death and condemnation for all those who break it.
(Rom 4:15; 2 Cor 3:7,9; Gal 3:13)
And the only way any of us can fulfill the righteous requirements of the law is through Christ. But contrary to popular opinion and thought, there is a little bit more to it than just saying: “I believe in Jesus”.
And just to drive the point home that none of us could fulfill the law on our own merits and ability, Jesus seemingly did in fact ‘raise the bar’ on what those requirements look like. Just read Matt 5:21-48.
i.e. – “you’ve heard it said you shall not commit adultery, but I tell you anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (5:27-28) Yeah…that one should have cleared the dance floor.
But here’s the connecting of the dots: We have ZERO chance of ever meeting the requirements of God’s law to be holy because of this thing we call ‘sinful nature’ a.k.a. ‘Old Man’.
Which is why Jesus came to lead us to our own ‘cross of death’, putting to death this old man in order that we might see the nature of God and Christ formed in us.
But we have to die first and commit to following Him in obedience.
When we are ‘led by His Spirit, we are no longer subject to the law, [or under the law’]. (Gal 5:18)
When we are set on following the spirit and not the flesh, we are no longer under condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
And as we follow Jesus and allow Him to do His work in us, then…the results are clearly stated in Romans 8:4 – ‘all the righteous requirements are fully met in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit’.
This is how we are ‘perfected in love’ and we know that love is the ‘fulfilling of the law’. (1 John 2:3-6; 4:12,17; Romans 13:8-10)
“ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek 36:26-27)
Now if you think you will ‘get this’ with just one read through, you are most certainly ‘smarter than the average bear’. I kid you not, this is one you really, really need to spend some time with and let the Holy Spirit confirm. Remember, you don’t have to be afraid of the Word.
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