Living by God’s Law

GOLDEN TEXT “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” —Deuteronomy 6:4,5

DEUTERONOMY 6:1-3; 11:18-28

DAVID’S observation concerning the value of the law and statutes of the Lord is a fitting comment on today’s lesson. He wrote, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also then honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”—Ps. 19:7-11

The blessings which David says accrue from keeping God’s laws are attained only by those who, as our Golden Text states, love the Lord with all their heart, mind soul and strength. A perfunctory obedience in order to avoid punishment is not acceptable to the Lord. The Lord is pleased only with those who are in such heart harmony with him that the doing of his will is a pleasure, and any unintentional infraction of his law painful.

The basic requirements of God’s law never change. While the Law given to Israel at the hands of Moses does not apply to the followers of Jesus, every Christian should and will be in heart harmony with those Ten Commandments.

The Christian was given a “new commandment,” a commandment which called for the sacrifice of life on behalf of others. They are to love one another as Jesus loved them, and Jesus’ love for his followers led him to lay down his life for them, and not only for them, but also for the whole world.—John 13:34; I John 3:16

Obviously, those whose lives are governed by the principle of sacrificial love will at heart be in harmony with every aspect of God’s law. They will delight to do justly; they will love mercy, and they will walk humbly with their God, as stated in Micah 6:8.

The rewards of obedience offered to Israel under the Mosaic Law were of a material nature. They were promised that their days would be prolonged. Indeed, if they could have kept that Law perfectly, they would not have died at all—“which if a man do, he shall live in them”—that is, he shall live by doing them. (Lev. 18:5; Luke 10:28; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12) This is the reason that when the young man asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life, Jesus referred him to the Law.—Matt. 19:16-19

In Deuteronomy 11:21 the promise to Israel is that their days would be multiplied “as the days of heaven upon the earth.” Actually there is no death in heaven at all, so apparently the Lord is taking this method of assuring the Israelites that if they really kept his Law perfectly, in spirit and in letter, there would be no death among them; that they would have eternal life, even as Jesus implied to the rich young ruler who asked what he must do to live forever.

The Lord knew, of course, that no member of the fallen and dying race could fully live up to the requirements of his perfect Law. But it was by no means an injustice upon the Israelites to give them an opportunity to try. Paul wrote concerning the Law that it was a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, or to teach the need of a Redeemer. (Gal. 3:24) Few Israelites have as yet learned this lesson from the Law. Nor have many Gentiles learned it. But eventually they will, and then all will understand that the way of the ransom was, and is, the only possible way to life.

Spiritual Israelites of this age are not promised a land flowing “with milk and honey.” Instead we are offered the opportunity of sacrificing all things earthly, and to lay up treasures in heaven.

Nor is it a matter merely of attaining a home in heaven. This heavenly inheritance includes the high honor of joint-heirship with Christ in his thousand-year kingdom, that kingdom which is to rule and bless all mankind, giving to the entire human race a full opportunity to accept God’s provision of life through the Redeemer, obey the laws of the messianic kingdom, and live forever.

It will then be true of all the willing and obedient that their days will be as “the days of heaven upon the earth.” Since God’s will shall then be done on earth as it is in heaven, sickness and death will be no more; and the Law of God will be written in the “inward parts” of the people.—Jer. 31:31-34

QUESTIONS

Quote David’s comment on the beauty and value of God’s Law.

Are Christians under the Mosaic Law?

What seems to be implied by the expression, “days of heaven upon the earth”?

Since none could attain life under the Law, what was its purpose?

What is the inheritance promised to Christians during the Gospel age?

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