GOD’s Law - Commands - Principles
Please also see: ‘Salvation.’
Seek the Truth with all your heart.
GOD’s law is unchangeable, it does not change in the slightest way; so HE cannot change it or abolish it in any way at all to cater for humanity’s fallen condition.
GOD knows what is best, and there is nothing better than BEST, so HIS laws (policies) are the ultimate they can be eternally.
It is through respecting and keeping GOD’s Law that we solve problems and become unified and joyful.
However, Jesus the Son of GOD, who had, together with the FATHER, created humanity, and therefore is in effect our owner, and the only one entitled to redeem us (buy us back) by making an atonement for all humanity, which was acceptable to GOD. HE achieved this by agreeing to be born on earth, and at age 33 years to give up His life in a cruel death by way of suffering His FATHER’s wrath, and becoming a sacrifice on our behalf. All this was because Adam and Eve’s sin had allowed death to enter the world; and Jesus had agreed to enter the world as a human being and take the consequences of sin on our behalf. So at that point GOD the FATHER could only see Him as being in a sinful state, but only Jesus, being who He was, was capable of overcoming the condition of death and to be restored to full relationship with The FATHER, life, and immortality.
The FATHER and the Son were dishonoured by Adam and Eve’s disobedient transgression; and only they know fully, what the incredible cost of this was and still is.
All this began with Satan’s ambitious jealousy of Jesus and GOD, when his own life was perfect as it was.
However only through Jesus can human beings avail themselves of the amazing privilege of restoration, by giving their hearts to GOD, and making Jesus the Lord of their lives.
1 Samuel 16:7 ‘But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Laws and principles are anchored in the heart and mind, not in our feelings.
Psalm 19:7-10
‘The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.’
Psalm 40:8 ‘I desire to do YOUR will, my GOD; YOUR law is within my heart.’
Psalm 119:43-45 ‘Never take YOUR Word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in YOUR laws. I will always obey YOUR law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out YOUR precepts.’
Psalm 119:97-98 ‘Oh, how I love YOUR law! I meditate on it all day long. YOUR commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.’
Psalm 119:142 ‘Your righteousness (GOD) is everlasting and YOUR law is true.’
Psalm 119:165 ‘Great peace have they who love YOUR (GOD’s) law, and nothing can make them stumble.’
Psalm 119:172 ‘May my tongue sing of YOUR WORD, for all YOUR commands are righteous.’
No one is righteous without a life led by Jesus and GOD.
Isaiah 42:21 ‘It pleased the LORD for the sake of HIS righteousness to make HIS law great and glorious.’
Matthew 5:16-20 “In the same way let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your FATHER in heaven.
Do not think that I (Jesus) have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and Earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Verses 21-48 continue on to qualify that these commandments include expanded meanings of the Ten Commandments and more, some of which cover: Divorce, Oaths, Eye for Eye, Love for Enemies, Giving to the Needy, Prayer, Judging Others.
Romans 3:9-24 ‘What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all. We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; thee is no one who understands, no one who seeks GOD.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Their throats are open graves, their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips.
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of GOD before their eyes.”
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to GOD. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in their sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of GOD has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD, and all are justified freely by HIS grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.’
Romans 3:27-31 ‘Where then is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is GOD the GOD of Jews only? Is HE not the GOD of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one GOD, WHO will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all. Rather, we uphold the law.’
The law was created to show people that it is impossible to adequately keep the law properly and fully. Thus it served to point people to the awareness of the need for forgiveness and righteousness from GOD.
Only through Jesus, can GOD see us as perfect for heaven and eternal life, because Jesus paid for all sin of believers.
People who flout or mock the law, show that they are not genuine. If one is born again and in genuine relationship with GOD and Jesus, one’s natural desire is to live accordingly, and respectfully, and keep the law.
To a great extent people have lost sight of the importance of GOD’s law.
Many religious teachers claim that Christ abolished the law by His death.
Romans 7:12 ‘So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.’
Romans 8:1-11 ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, GOD did by sending HIS own Son in the likeness of sinful mankind to be a sin offering. And so HE condemned sin in sinful mankind, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful mankind is death, but he mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to GOD. It does not submit to GOD’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please GOD.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of GOD lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of HIM Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, HE Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through HIS Spirit, who lives in you.’
Romans 10:4 ‘Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.’
Galatians 3:19-25 ‘What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just on party; but GOD is ONE.
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of GOD? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law,’
2 Timothy 2:19 ‘Nevertheless, GOD’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are HIS,” and, “Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord Jesus must turn away from wickedness.”
James 1:25 ‘But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.’
James 2:12-13 ‘Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.’
1 John 2:3-6 ‘We know that we have come to know (GOD) If we keep HIS commands. Whoever says, “I know HIM,” but does not do what HE commands is a liar. But if anyone obeys HIS WORD, love for GOD is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in HIM. Whoever claims to live in HIM must live as Jesus did.’
1 John 3:4-6 ‘Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He (Jesus) appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.’
A surprise for many people.
GOD’s principles include the wrongness of competitive games and sports, because they do, or can, involve aggression, pride, arrogance, ego, bitterness, hurt, injury, offence, discomfort, and more. Games and sports involve taking advantage of opponents who are weaker, less able, less skilled, or even suppressed by nervousness. Competition involves hero worship, idolatry = idolising, glorification, superiority, and inferiority. Even the second best in a competition can be seen as a loser.
These all comprise the narrow end of a type of war, especially when they are part of such competitions as the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
Of course there is a risk that many people will see such GOD-ly values as too narrow; but GOD’s ways must be seen in their purity, and not in humanity’s perspective. Any outcome of competition cannot represent perfection.
GOD’s ways must be seen in their purity and perfect, therefore there is no room for anything which can destroy or distort purity and perfection.
Competition will not exist in heaven where everything is in the realm of perfection far above human ways.
Even ceremonies and celebrations can distort true values.
In all of this there is space for equality and innocence in healthy equal involvement without - winner - loser - psychology being a factor.
The psychology of competition and team and player worship is one of Satan’s traps to distract people into idolatry, where GOD is irrelevant, or never thought of.
So many different sports and the teams involved become types of ‘gods’ to the devoted followers and supporters.
Far beyond Satan’s worldly distractions - heaven will be truly magnificent in a myriad of superior ways.