Tag: God’s law

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1 Timothy Devotionals

What the law is good for

But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.

We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. (1Timothy 1:8-11)

We live in a world where there are Christians, even pastors who are trying to “unhitch” the church from the Old Testament, saying God’s law has no relevance for us.

They then point to the ritual laws, such as circumcision, the sacrifices, and the seasonal festivals to try to prove their point.

But Paul makes very clear that the law is still good if we use it legitimately.

What is a legitimate use of the law? To point out what sin is. The list that Paul uses above is essentially an expanded version of the ten commandments.

And Paul says that these laws aren’t necessary for people who are righteous and living a life pleasing to God. They’re necessary for those who are living in rebellion against God to point out their sin.

As Paul points out in Romans 3:19-20, it’s through God’s law that we become conscious of sin.

On the other hand, Paul also points out in the same passage that the law is not good for actually making someone righteous before God because no one can keep the law perfectly.

And that’s why we need the good news that Paul proclaims.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… (1 Timothy 1:15)

But in order to define “sinners,” we need to define what “sin” is, and that’s what the law does for us.

Without that definition of sin, there is no gospel because there is nothing for us to be saved from.

Unfortunately, for those who seek to unhitch the church from God’s law, many end up as Hymenaeus and Alexander rejecting a good conscience before God, embracing their sin, and end up shipwrecking their faith. (20)

Let’s never do that. Instead, let us fight the good fight, living a life of love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. (5, 18-19)

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2 Samuel Devotionals

Justice?

2 Samuel

This is one of those passages where I wonder, “Was this God’s will?”

Saul had broken the treaty the Israelites had made with the Gibeonites by murdering them. (Joshua 9:3-17)

As a result, the land was spiritually polluted, and God sent a famine on the land. (Numbers 35:30-34).

After three years of famine, David sought God to find the reason for the famine and God told him.

But here, things get somewhat spiritually muddy.

David goes to the Gibeonites to ask what reparations could be made. They asked that seven of Saul’s descendants be handed over to them to be executed, and David acquiesced.

But was he right to do so?

For one thing, God said that only the blood of the murderer himself could atone for the murder. (Numbers 35:33).

For another, God specifically commanded that children could not be punished for the sins of the father. (Deuteronomy 24:16)

Finally, while God never addressed a situation where the murderer was already dead, he did address a situation where the murderer could not be brought to justice.

In that case, atonement was made by sacrifice and prayer. (Deuteronomy 21:1-9)

Perhaps, God would have given slightly different instructions in this situation, but I would guess that his instructions would have been fairly close to what he had commanded before.

But the key point is, David never did ask God what to do.

Ironically, Joshua made the same mistake when he first dealt with the Gibeonites. (Joshua 9:14)

By his grace, God did bring an end to the famine. But is there any hint that David’s action wasn’t what God was looking for?

I think there is. The famine continued even past the execution of Saul’s descendants.

In fact, we see another violation of God’s law. A person who was executed was not to be left hanging overnight. (Deuteronomy 21:22-23)

It was only when the bodies were taken down and buried that the famine ended.

What’s my point?

How well do we know God’s word? Do we know it well enough to know what pleases and displeases God?

If we don’t, well-meaning though we may be, we can still do things displeasing to him.

So let us daily read and study his word. Only then can we find out how to truly please him.

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Romans Devotionals

The limitation of God’s law

Romans

For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did.

He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)

I’ve been thinking of the story of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the bleeding problem this week (Mark 5).

And one thing that struck me is that God’s law declared a dead body and a woman with a bleeding problem “unclean.”

Anyone who touched either became “unclean” themselves. (Leviticus 15:25-32; Numbers 19:11-13).

But while the law could declare these things “unclean,” it could not make them clean.

It could not heal the woman. And it certainly could not raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

But what the law could not do, Jesus could, healing the woman, raising the girl from the dead, and making both clean.

In the same way, God’s law could declare sin “unclean” and call anyone who touches it “unclean.”

But the law could not make us clean nor could it give us life.

That’s the limitation of the law.

But what the law couldn’t do, Jesus could. By his death on the cross, our sins are cleansed, and we are given life.

All we have to do is what Jairus and the woman did: put our faith in Jesus.

Through their faith both were saved. And so are we.

So let us rejoice with Paul, declaring,

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

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Exodus Devotions

Seeing beyond the written law

It’s easy to see all the laws in Exodus and Leviticus and think, “What do these laws have to do with me?”

Take verses 4-5, for example.

If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.

If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, and you want to refrain from helping it, you must help with it. (Exodus 23:4-5)

What do you  think the odds are that you’re ever going to see any stray ox or donkey on the road, no less an enemy’s one?

But it’s important to see beyond the letter of the law to the principle behind it. What’s the principle behind it?

Jesus tells us.

But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…

But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.

Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:27-28, 35-36)

So as we look at all these commands in the Old Testament, look beyond the actual words, going to their heart.

And then most importantly, ask God, “What are you trying to tell me?”

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Romans

Looking at ourselves

Romans

Paul specifically talks to the Jews in this passage, and as he does, he’s trying to get them to understand one key thing:

If you’re going to claim you’re right before God based on his law, it’s not enough to just know it. You need to live it as well. And so he tells the Jews,

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth — you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?

You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? (Romans 2:17-23)

In other words, “You guys are so proud of yourselves because you have the law. You’re so proud of yourselves because you’re God’s ‘chosen people’ and he has given you his truth.

You think of yourselves as those who know it all. And if anyone wants to know about God and how to live, they need to come to you because, ‘You know.’

But are you practicing what you preach? Or are you saying one thing and doing another?

He then tells them,

As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:24)

I have to admit, as a teacher of God’s word, this passage scares me. Because I don’t want to have God’s name blasphemed because of me. I don’t want people to blaspheme God because I’m a hypocrite.

And yet, often times, I do fail. I am a hypocrite sometimes. And sometimes I really struggle to do what is right.

Worse, I struggle to do what I preach. So often, when I preach or write these blogs, I’m talking to myself.

In the end, all I can do is fall on my face at the throne of God and ask for his mercy.

And that’s the whole point. All of us need God’s grace. Because if we are going to claim righteousness based on God’s law, we need to keep that law perfectly. And none of us can.

How about you? Do you realize just how much you need God’s grace in your life?

If you’re thinking, “I’m pretty good. I’m much better than a lot of people I know,” then you need to take a much closer look at your life. Because none of us are as good as we’d like to think we are.

And until we truly understand that, we will never really understand our need for God.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?