WHY THE LAWS OF GOD?

                                                        WHY THE LAWS OF GOD? 
INDEX:
- INTRODUCING THE LAW OF GOD
- THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
- EEPERCUSSIONS FOR BREAKING THE LAW
- CONCLUSION


"Therefore the Law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Galatians 3:24
- INTRODUCTING THE LAW OF GOD
 
- God has given us the commandments to declare to us what He calls good and evil, right, wrong, or sin. The laws also reveal the just penalties for such acts. Under the Old Testament He had made marginal provisions for the breaking of some of the commandments. Ultimately they required the shedding of blood - animal sacrifice. “… and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22. There were, however, no animal sacrifices for breaking any of the first seven commandments. The blood of animals could not atone for the scope of the seriousness of any of those sins. In fact even animal sacrifices could not actually take away sin (Hebrews 10:4), but were fit only for certain ceremonial cleansing during that period. In accordance to these Old Testament laws and sacrifices God would dwell among the people of Israel in a very restricted manor, even though they were the only people on earth to enjoy this privilege.

   Through the Law we gain the knowledge of what is sin in the eyes of God our Creator, its severity; and gain the realization of our unrighteousness, guilt, and our need to be saved from our sins. It reveals that our works cannot justify us 

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS:

1-“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” This includes placing anything or anyone in our lives where only God should be. Witchcraft and the like are also examples.

2-“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Making images and worshiping them is still a problem today, but also in our so called advanced society the equivalent would be our presumptuous characterization of God based on misinformation, fears, and biases... and not on the teachings of the Bible - God's Word. In short, it is worshiping God as we think He should be, hence, our 'graven image'.
 

3-“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” This not only includes blasphemy, but also behaving in a way that dishonors His name. Proverbs 30:9

4-“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”  This beautiful commandment is also timeless in our generations, though many societies have no regard for it, or even obstruct the observing of it. This commandment is fulfilled in Christ Who is our Sabbath rest. Hebrews 4:9-10 Although our righteousness is in Jesus Christ alone, there is a huge blessing in following the principle of keeping the Sabbath holy, as we are able. Please remember what Jesus said about the Sabbath, that "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27

5-“Honor thy father and thy mother.” This commandment was issued without qualification for the parents. They may have failed you, been bad parents, hurt you, abandoned you,..., and He will deal with them justly as they must give an account because He has entrusted us to them. Still, He has left no place for us to dishonor them (we truly need His help).

6-“Thou shalt not kill” “Whoso sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man.” Genesis 9:6  Taking the life of an innocent human being is murder.

7-“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This refers to any and all sexual relations outside of that which is between a man and his wife/a woman and her husband.

Leviticus 18,20, Hebrews 13:4

8-“Thou shalt not steal.”

9- “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” This includes not just lying, but judging. Matthew 7:1, "...for You alone know the hearts of men."2 Chronicles 6:30

10- “Thou shalt not covet…anything that is thy neighbor’s.” This includes lust and greed.

Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21

All things whatsoever that the Bible calls sin fall under one or more of these commandments.

REPERCUSSIONS FOR BREAKING GOD’S LAWS:

When God’s laws are broken, someone is ALWAYS wronged/hurt!!!!!

-The laws of God are  also designed to keep us from hurting others. If you have ever been cheated on, stolen from, lied to... you will quickly understand the purpose of these commandments. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if  there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love works no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:9-10

- All sin in the end produces death. “James 1:15 And the ultimate death is separation from God.

- All sin invites satanic activity, as is likely the result of satanic activity. “He that commits sin is of the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
 

- IT IS SIN THAT SEPARATES US FROM GOD!  
 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities(sinful habits) have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He WILL not hear." Isaiah 59:1-2
  Now, for anyone who embraces the New Testament Covenant in Jesus Christ the Lord, their sins are atoned/paid for by the shedding of His own blood for us on the  cross. This provision from God our Heavenly Father is available for all people for all time. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

 

IN CONCLUSION, the Scriptures declare that we cannot be justified before God by the law, rather instead it exposes us as sinners in need of the Savior Galatians 3:24. We really have no idea of the seriousness of our sins, the cost of God's grace for us which Jesus paid, the hurts we likely have caused, the offenses against God, and the service which we rendered to the kingdom of darkness. Doubtless, most of which was fully unintentional on our part, but the Law gives us an idea.
Nevertheless, we are guilty before God and cannot ignore His commands and our need to receive the salvation He provided through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord." Romans 6:23 KNOW GOD'S LAWS!
HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH!!!

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