How can God require anything of human beings? There are three reasons.

First, He made all people, and He sustains them by His steadfast love and faithfulness. The all-powerful and all-wise God knows what conduces to humankind’s wellbeing, having conceived, created, and cared for us from the beginning. There is a way that seems right to men, but unless that way comports with what God requires, it must always disappoint (Prov. 14.12).

Second, He is Lord. He is holy, pure, righteous, good, true, and eternal. Whatever He does is right and true. The earth and everything in it are His (Ps. 24.1). He is able by virtue of Who He is to require of every creature whatever He ordains or determines; and we, His image-bearers, should realize that He only intends His commandments for our good, that we may know full and abundant life in them (Lev. 18.1-5).

Third, He is our Redeemer, Who has graciously given His own Son for our salvation, and Who, with Him, freely gives us all things (Rom. 8.28-32). He Who has done so much for us can in no way intend evil for us; thus, when our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer informs us what He requires of us, we, out of gratitude, must listen to, heed, and obey.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.