The Outworking of the Law--What does obedience to the rule of God’s Law yield? What benefit may we expect to gain if, properly motivated out of fear of and love for God, we take up the yoke of obedience to His Law in every aspect of our lives?

The Rule of Law: First Things (6)

This answer may seem simplistic, but it is not mean.

T. M. Moore

“You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” Leviticus 20.26

What does obedience to the rule of God’s Law yield? What benefit may we expect to gain if, properly motivated out of fear of and love for God, we take up the yoke of obedience to His Law in every aspect of our lives?

All the benefits of God’s Law are summed up in this one good: we will be His holy people. We will be like Him!

This answer may seem simplistic, but it is not mean. God is full of majesty, glory, splendor, might, goodness, wisdom, joy, love, life, and strength. Wouldn’t it be nice to be more consistently like that ourselves? God does not experience fear or disappointment, defeat, discouragement, setback, self-doubt, or any of the other negative affections and consequences of our sinful state. Would we not truly enjoy our lives if they could be made free of such unpleasantness?

God uses His Law to make us like Himself – holy, set apart for the purposes of eternal glory. His Law is the gateway to His promises, by which we may partake of the divine nature, when we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pet. 1.4). As the Spirit of God leads us through the Law into the presence of God’s glory, we are there transformed, made to conform a bit more to the image of Jesus Christ, so that His righteousness lives through us, and His holiness comes to expression in all our words and deeds (2 Cor. 3.12-18).

Thus, as we grow in holiness, into the image of Jesus Christ, every aspect of our lives, even the most mundane, everyday activities, become platforms for the glory of God to display Him to the world around us (1 Cor. 10.31). The consequence, therefore, of rightly submitting to the rule of God’s Law is that we become holy, as He is holy, in the holiness only He can bring out through us, so that we are blessed beyond description and He is glorified in the world.

It would be difficult, I think, to describe a more desirable agenda for human life.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.