Posted by JasonSC
on June 20, 2008, 11:39 am
68.5.59.239
Exodus 20:1 ¶ And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 "I am the LORD your God”
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Notice God didn’t say, “I am the Lord God.” He says, “I am the Lord (your) God,” it’s as if He’s saying, “I made you; I created you; I know what will make you happy.”
So, because of the incredible tenderness that the word “your” exudes, the Ten Commandments could be called the Ten-der Commandments. Yes?
1 John 5:3 tells us; “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.”
John doesn’t say we’ll earn God’s love by keeping His commandments. No, he says keeping His commandments is the love of God. There are times in my life when I’m not experiencing Gods love and I have to ask the question-Am I keeping His commandments? I even argue with myself-“I don’t have to, I’m under grace.”
As I understand it, yes we are under grace. But what I’ve learned is when I keep His commandments I experience His love because He alone knows how were made and what makes us tick. His commandments are His instructions for us personally.
1 John 5:3 further states; “And His commandments are not burdensome.”
God’s commandments are not burdensome because rules provide liberty. Let me give you an example, here’s a rule I keep everyday.
The rule is in the morning everyday-I brush my teeth. You might call it legalism. I find it to be exceedingly refreshing though. Not only that, it also gives me a release from philosophical questioning. I have never had to ask “To brush or not to brush? Do I have time? Is this the right day? Does brushing apply to me?” I could waste a lot of time and energy questioning should I brush my teeth but because it’s a non-negotiable rule for me, I’m released from all kinds of mental turmoil.
Not only does brushing my teeth refresh me, but it relieves those around me as well. So, it’s a win-win situation. The same is true for Gods law. It provides an opportunity to experience His love personally and to express my love practically.
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