The Law

12/1/2020

James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

The moral law never alters, either for the noblest or for the weakest, it is eternally and abidingly the same. The moral law ordained by God does not make itself weak to the weak, it does not palliate our shortcomings, it remains absolute for all time and eternity.”

                                                                          ~Oswald Chambers                                                  

 In society, I am expected to follow the Law of the Land. I am not expected to only follow the rules I agree with or feel are easy to follow, but all of them. Laws are in place, after all, to help a society have order and be safe for the citizens. The law is the same for all, or at least it should be. If I break one of the laws of the land, I will suffer the consequences. If my first offence for a minor infraction, I may be shown mercy. If I repeatedly break the law, however, the penalties will be much more severe. I would hope that, being shown mercy and having knowledge of what the punishment could be, I would stop any behavior that would get me into that situation again.

The verse above speaks of God’s law, given as the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament. There are also two laws that Jesus gave in the New Testament which are found in Mark 12:30&31. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength…Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” As a believer, if I keep the two laws Jesus gave then the Ten Commandments are kept as well, for keeping our focus on God and loving others is the key. In today’s verse, however, James speaks of breaking one law as breaking the whole of the law. I am not, nor will I ever be, perfect, so how can I possibly never break God’s law? James also gives us advice about keeping the law in chapter 2:12&13: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” True eternal judgement is God’s alone, but thankfully He is a God of mercy, and through the Atonement of our Lord, His mercy comes.

A caution, dear reader, which I feel I must say: The more a society strips away God’s law and things of faith out of its collective consciousness (as our country’s laws were based on God’s law), the more fluid the laws become and the more dangerous society becomes for its citizens. History certainly bares this truth out many times over. So what am I to do as a believer? I must respect and follow those in authority and the law of the land, for this is stated clearly in God’s word…unless that law contradicts God’s law. I may one day be asked to choose. Will I ultimately follow the laws of man or of God? Chambers writes, “When we choose deliberately to obey Him, then He will tax the remotest star and last grain of sand to assist us with all His almighty power.”