T he law was a badge of pride worn by the Jews. They boasted of it as being given by God to His chosen people. Indeed, they had many reasons to feel so. Their lineage from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Jehovah’s exclusive covenants with their forefathers, their miraculous exodus from Egypt and return to their promised land, all pertained to them alone. But their eyes were blinkered, and their hearts hardened by presumption, faithlessness and worldliness. The form of their faith became more important to them than its substance. The letter of the Law supplanted the spirit of it. Their traditions took the place of obedience and “made the commandment of God of none effect” [Matthew 15:6]. This is not just a problem with the Jews. We who are born again in Christ and profess Him as Lord and Saviour are people of immeasurable privilege. We were known, chosen and redeemed by holy blood to everlasting life. We belong to an eternal kingdom as God’s children, delivered from sin’s condemnation and peril. We are a totally different people from the world’s citizens. Yet often we live our lives as though none of these things matter. We are not thankful or trusting. We take God’s Word and our profession lightly. We treat our Lord’s name with indifference. Our lives honour God as little as the Jews’ who in treating the Law the way they did, dishonoured our very same God. The remedy for us is to return again, seeking Him earnestly with humble and contrite hearts. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to us [James 4:8]. That is His only desire for His people. When our hearts are right with God everything else falls into place. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” [Hebrews 10:22].
LESSON
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
THOUGHT
Powered by FlippingBook