The Rule of Law: First Things (9)

Click here to watch a brief video introducing this week’s study.

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart…” Deuteronomy 6.5

Love for God, which is God’s primary intention in giving us His Law, as we have seen, begins in the heart. The heart is the primary component of the soul, for from it, Solomon explained, flow all the issues of life (Prov. 4.23). In Scripture “the heart” sometimes stands for the whole soul; more often, though, it speaks to a particular aspect of the soul, that region or component which generates and discharges the affections.

The soul consists of heart, mind, and conscience – three distinct regions or components with three distinct functions, each overlapping and interacting with the other in a continuous dialog, the fruit of which is the actions that come out in our words and deeds. The heart is that part of the soul which inclines us toward something or which leads us to avoid or resist something. Its dossier includes nurturing and deploying the various feelings, attitudes, sentiments, aspirations, and hopes which give definition and direction to our lives. In its natural, unredeemed, state, the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, so that we desire, love, and pursue all the wrong things in life (Jer. 17.9). In redeeming us, the Lord, by His Word and Spirit, according to the Gospel, gives us a “new heart”, so that we might begin to love Him as He intends (Ezek. 36.26, 27).

Unless we have such a “circumcised” heart, we shall not be able to keep the Law of God according to His design (Deut. 30.1-10). Hence, the importance of “keeping watch” over our hearts and of allowing the Law of God to instruct us concerning what to love and what to hate. We must focus our love, first and foremost, on God, in gratitude for His redemption, and with a determination to know His favor and pleasure as our ongoing expression of such gratitude.

The Law thus appropriately begins by instructing us to have only this God and no others as our focus of devotion (the first and second commandments). Moreover, not only must we strive to keep the focus of our hearts clear and constant; we must also work to improve the intensity of our affections, until we are increasingly learning to love God with all our hearts, all our affections oriented to Him and moving us ever more continuously to seek His Kingdom and righteousness in all things.

Loving God with all our hearts means not only continuous vigilance over our affections, but willingness for God to search our hearts by His Word and Spirit, as we wait on Him in prayer, and to renew our hearts wherever necessary, so that He might rule our souls by His Law unto our benefit and His glory (Ps.139.23, 24; Ps.51.10).

Next steps – Preparation: As you pray through the Ten Commandments today, ask the Lord to search your heart – your feelings, attitudes, desires, hopes, and longings – and to align them with 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.

We’re happy to provide In the Gates and other online resources at no charge. If this ministry is helpful to you, please consider joining those who support our work financially. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

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