“…but whoever does [the commandments] and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5.19

While many people consider the Law of God to be a kind of bondage, or a yoke and shackle, Jesus explains that the Law of God is the key to going from good to great in the Kingdom of God.

How does that work? How does keeping and teaching the Law of God lead to greatness in the Kingdom? It’s really rather simple. The more we keep and teach the Law of God, the more we grow in love for God and our neighbors (Matt. 22.34-40), inclining us to serve them by whatever means may be at hand. The Law teaches the way of love. Keep the Law and you will learn the priorities, protocols, and practices of love, and, as you love, you will serve like Jesus did. And He promised that he who would be greatest of all must be servant of all (Mk. 10.43).

Serve greatly, be great; it’s really rather simple.

The Law of God is thus the ticket from the bleachers to the box seats, from the nose bleed section of the Kingdom to the orchestra row. On the mount of transfiguration, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord it is good for us to be here.” But he wasn’t satisfied with “good.” Peter wanted “great.” He wanted to stay there permanently, basking in the glory of God as it radiated through the person of the Law-keeping Christ.

Once you have truly tasted the goodness of God’s Kingdom, you won’t be content with anything other than greatness.

And the Law of God marks the way to greatness through loving service to God and neighbors.

The psalmist says that the righteous person meditates day and night in God’s Law (Ps. 1). Would like to get started in this discipline? Order a copy of The Ground for Christian Ethics and The Law of God. The first will explain the importance3 of God’s Law, and guide you in taking up the practice of daily reading and meditation. The second provides all the statutes, precepts, and rules of God’s Law organized under their proper number of the Ten Commandments.