Those who are not yet sufficiently mature or wise to take up reading and study in God’s Law we must teach. “Children” here can stand for any who have not yet begun to internalize God’s Law on their own. Since we are all also children of our heavenly Father, we should seek out teachers who can help us to understand the beauty and blessedness of living within the Law of God.

We are to teach the Law of God diligently. The word conveys intentionality, consistency, earnestness, urgency, and clarity, with a view to practical outcomes in the lives of those we teach. Heads of households, pastors, teachers, friends – all must make the teaching of God’s Law as high a priority as that of learning the Law, for only in obedience to the Law of liberty do we find the blessedness God intends for us (Jms. 1.22-25).

Our teaching of God’s Law is primarily to be informal, “as you are going”, so to speak (Matt. 28.18-20). Throughout the day, at opportune moments, in ways related to what we are doing or thinking, in our normal, everyday conversation, we must endeavor to encourage and instruct one another in the things of God’s Law. The Law of God should inform our conversations and feature in our discussions about everyday issues and events.

This does not preclude more formal and structured teaching situations; however, those – what we most frequently associate with “Christian education” – are not the primary teaching venue. Everyday teaching and bearing witness to the Law and Word of God is the calling of every believer. As we take the Word of God into our souls, letting it dwell there richly and bear good fruit, we must then speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and teach and admonish one another throughout the day, as the opportunities present themselves in the life-based classroom of the Lord (Eph. 5.15-21).

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.