The Rule of God’s Law: First Things (8)

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“Then the LORDheard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORDsaid to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!’”Deuteronomy 5.28, 29

The rule that God prescribes for His people, and which He enforces by promises and sanctions, is a prescription for a pious, loving, and just society, in which love for God and neighbor are the defining characteristics. But, as Jesus explained with respect to the religious leaders of His day, this is not a government that can be achieved in a merely superficial manner (Matt. 23.25-26).

The rule of Law and the benefits of that rule are realized inside-out, or not at all.

Hence God’s charge against His people, even as He prepared to lead them into the land of promise: they did not have the kind of internal fortitude and character that would encourage or enable them to long abide by His covenant and rule. They lacked a heart for God; their souls were inadequate to the task and blessings He had marked out for them.

For the Law of God to perform its intended purpose of bringing the blessings of God to men, those who would enjoy those blessings must take the Law of God to heart. The rule of God begins with the government of the soul. Only where God is feared, loved, served, and obeyed from the inside-out will He grant the fullness of His blessings to those who seek them.

Next steps – Preparation: Have you memorized the Ten Commandments? This week, try praying through the Ten Commandments each morning, thinking about the day ahead and the opportunities you will have to show love for God and your neighbors by obeying His Law.

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 the 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.

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