From Psalm 119
As I'm reading through the Bible the schedule has me set on Psalm 119. There are 176 verses in this Psalm so it's broken down into two days on the daily reading schedule. But I'm finding one could study it for two weeks and be blessed by God's Word in just this Psalm.
Two verses jumped out to me. One is verse 19. "I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me". As a new creation, a follower of Jesus, the worldly world we live in is foreign, like a city to which we've never been. So the Bible is for us a map. Just as a map helps a stranger in a strange city, so does the Bible help the believer in the unbelieving world.
Another one is verse 29. "Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law". The psalmist did not look at God's law as a bunch of rules to follow. Notice it does not say be gracious to me aside from your law, but through your law. He was seeking God's grace through the law. Many Christians think that once they are born again, that the law can be disregarded. This is not true. We as Christians are sanctified by the Spirit of God to embrace His Word and apply it to our lives.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-20, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, 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. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same 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 the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
From a book titled "Know the Truth" by Bruce Milne there's this statement: "The Reformers also sought to counter the danger of over-objectivizing Christ's work. Luther, for example, insisted that while 'faith alone justifies, it is never alone' but is always followed by the works of love.
Therefore keep in mind that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, and it is only by God's grace through Jesus that makes us acceptable to Him. And if we love Jesus we will obey what he commands. (John 14:15). Love is our ultimate, underlying, no denying, motivation! (the last sentence makes reference the title to Wes King's first album)
Two verses jumped out to me. One is verse 19. "I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me". As a new creation, a follower of Jesus, the worldly world we live in is foreign, like a city to which we've never been. So the Bible is for us a map. Just as a map helps a stranger in a strange city, so does the Bible help the believer in the unbelieving world.
Another one is verse 29. "Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law". The psalmist did not look at God's law as a bunch of rules to follow. Notice it does not say be gracious to me aside from your law, but through your law. He was seeking God's grace through the law. Many Christians think that once they are born again, that the law can be disregarded. This is not true. We as Christians are sanctified by the Spirit of God to embrace His Word and apply it to our lives.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-20, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, 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. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same 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 the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
From a book titled "Know the Truth" by Bruce Milne there's this statement: "The Reformers also sought to counter the danger of over-objectivizing Christ's work. Luther, for example, insisted that while 'faith alone justifies, it is never alone' but is always followed by the works of love.
Therefore keep in mind that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, and it is only by God's grace through Jesus that makes us acceptable to Him. And if we love Jesus we will obey what he commands. (John 14:15). Love is our ultimate, underlying, no denying, motivation! (the last sentence makes reference the title to Wes King's first album)
posted by Gary at 8:15 PM
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