The Law of God Miscellanies (4)

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20.2, 3

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12.1

Reflect and discuss.
1.  Many “gods” other than the one true God seek for our devotion. Explain. 

2.  What’s “reasonable” about living as a sacrifice to God? Why does that make sense? Why is it the best life we might choose?

Think about it.
God’s purpose in giving His Law was to create a people for Himself who will refract His holiness, restore His creation, and resound His praises throughout the earth. As the first question of our Kingdom Catechism puts it:

  Q 1:    What is the Law of God?
  A 1:    The Law of God is God’s program, which Jesus fulfilled, for bringing into being a people holy and
             blameless before Him in love. (Eph. 1.3, 4; Rom. 7.12; Matt. 5.17-19)

The realization of this program depends on people being exclusively devoted to Him. If our focus, as His redeemed people, is in any way diverted from the Lord, that is, if we desire anything above Him or depend on anything apart from Him, or if we seek joy and meaning and fullness of pleasure anywhere other than in Him, then we shall not be able to realize the purpose of our redemption, and we will fall short of God's design for us. 

Holiness begins in and is sustained by devotion. Devotion is driven by the vision and knowledge of God and consists of a particular use of our time and a particular investment of our souls and bodies in seeking the face of the Lord and His glory. 

Devotion thus requires meditation, prayer, waiting on and listening for the Spirit, singing in our hearts and with our voices, envisioning the Lord, and responding to Him. The Christian should take as a goal developing and maintaining, not just an effective time of devotion, but a lifestyleof devotion, so that, increasingly, all our waking moments and conscious activities are engaged and pursued in the presence of and for the good pleasure of God. 

By nurturing the fear of God and practicing His presence, we learn to obey, serve, and love Him at all times (2 Cor. 7.1; Deut. 10.12-22). Thus, the image of God, in which we have been created and unto which we are being transformed daily (2 Cor. 3.12-18), is more fully formed in us, and we realize more of the purpose of our having been created and redeemed, and the abundance of life as God intends it. 

Holiness and blessedness – fullness of life in Jesus Christ (Jn. 10.10) – are realized in a devotional life.

Meditate and discuss.
1.  Is it really possible to have a “devotional life” – a life that is continuously focused on, devoted to, and committed to the Lord? What would you say are the keys to such a life?

2.  Other “gods” promise to make us happy, satisfy our needs, fulfill our desires, and give meaning to our lives. Why can they never completely deliver on their promises? How can we keep these things from being gods and use them instead as expressions of a devotional life?

3.  The first commandment reminds us that a devotional life depends on and is grounded in our having received the grace of God for salvation. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 6.19, 20. What does it mean to “glorify God in your body”? How does this relate to living a devotional life?

“In the first commandment of the Decalogue, just as the worship and service of the one Lord God is most clearly commanded, so for adoration and service to be shown by the faithful to any creature is most vehemently forbidden.” Fulgentius (467-532 AD)

Pray Psalm 100.
Why should we serve the Lord, according to this Psalm? How should we serve Him? As you pray, thank the Lord for all the reasons He gives you to be glad.

Psalm 100.1-5 (Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
Shout to the Lord with joy, O earth! With gladness serve His matchless worth!
Before Him sing with joyful words, and know that God alone is Lord!

He made us all, and not our hands – His people, we before Him stand.
A faithful Shepherd, He will keep and care for us as His own sheep.

Enter His gates with thanks and praise; extol His Name through all your days!
Give thanks to Him, and bless His Name! His praise forevermore proclaim!

Good is the Lord, so good and kind; His love we evermore may find.
His faithfulness is ever sure; to every age it shall endure!

T. M. Moore

For more insight to the Law of God and its role in the life of faith, order the book The Ground for Christian Ethicsby clicking here. If you’d like a free copy of our Kingdom Catechism, write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.and request it.

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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. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.