The law, the commands and the fear of the Lord

The Law and Commands are not what save us, however, IN THEM do we prove our faith by being obedient to that which Christ Jesus has given us to simply do for His glory (Matthew 22:36/40, Matthew 28:18/20).

Psalm 19:7/9

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes (precepts, commandments) 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.

• The unfortunate reality in the church today is that we have utterly stepped away from the law (Matthew 22:36/40), and the fear (Proverbs 3:5/6) of the Lord. Many become offended if you mention law or fear, not realizing that they are not ‘bad words’ per say, nor do they mean that we ‘work’ for our salvation. Quite the contrary… in these we simply serve the Lord in love and truth, understanding what He is capable of (who can throw both body and soul into hell), and choosing to do as Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18/20).

• Jesus did not ‘do away’ with the way in which God calls for us to live (simple and common sense, separated from the world), but in Christ, made it possible for us to do so in joy and love, and not as a ‘set of rules one must keep to be right with God’. If we believe that we will lose our salvation when we miss a church service, miss a celebration, miss the mark on some other ‘churchy’ thing, then we have fallen to the same fear which the people faced from the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. Placing ‘heavy burdens’ on the people that ‘they themselves do not carry’.

• Knowing and serving God is not merely some ‘feeling’, but it is actually being obedient (also not a bad word) to what Jesus commanded we do in the simplicity of Matthew 22:36/40. Because in the long run, if we truly love God, we will then love our fellow man not simply with words or good deeds, but by making Jesus known to them with our actions, leading into the beauty of Matthew 28:18/20.