Friday, March 21, 2008

Godly Man's Picture - The Law

Is the Law important for the Christian today?

A godly man strives to walk according to the full breadth and latitude of God's law. Every command had the same stamp of divine authority on it, and he who is godly will obey one commande as well as another: Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments' (Psa. 119:6). A godly man goes through all the body of religion as the sun through all the signs of the Zodiac. Whoever is to play a ten-stringed instrument must strike every string or he will spoil the music. The ten commandments may be compared to a ten-stringed instrument. We must obey every commandment, strike every string, or we cannot make any sweet music in religion. True obedience is filial. It is fitting that the child should obey the parent in all just and sober commands. God's laws are like the curtains of the tabernacle which were looped together. They are like a chain of gold where all the links are coupled. A conscientious man will not willingly break one link of this chain. If one command is violated, the whole chain in broken: 'whosoever shall keep the whole law, yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all' (Jas. 2:10). A voluntary breach of one of God's laws involves a man in the guilt and exposes him to the curse of the whole law. True obedience is entire and uniform. A good heart, like the needle, points the way in which the lodestone draws.
(pg. 166-167)

"Law to the Proud, Grace to the Humble"

1 comment:

Bob said...

Ahhh, but the good news is we've been given just ONE commandment (unlike Israel with 619 of them): we're only supposed to "love one another..." Heck, I can do that!

The bad news is what the rest of that commandment says: "... just as I [Christ] have loved you." Darn! Sorry Jerry, but can't say I love you all THAT much. You do your own crucifixion, don't wait up for me.

But if God has ordered me to love you just as Christ has loved me, then guess God has a problem, because I sure can't do that myself.