Definition: Moral law: The description of how things ought to occur. Moral 1. Capacity of reflective choice 2. Ability of self-caused action Adam & Eve 1. Abilities of personality: intellect, will, emotions: The capacity for self-caused action. 2. God created Adam and Eve with a right attitude and disposition of heart that told them how to act and react in every situation. The further fm garden, the more people lost that rt attitude & disposition of heart. The 10 commandments • • •
Written expression of that heart did not create obligation Written description of what always had been and always will be.
Characteristic of God’s law 1. Immutable (Cannot ever be righteously changed for as long as God is God and people are people and the world is the world.) • 10 commandment are according to the very nature of things. • They must never change • • •
Moral law demands exactly what is required for God's highest glory and for our highest good. They are the description of holiness Holiness is natural, beneficial, wholesome, reasonable. Sin is unnatural, harmful, disruptive, dissipating, unreasonable.
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Harry Conn said, “I would serve God for another 1000 yrs. even if there were no hell to shun and no heaven to gain.”
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First cmmdmt. Everybody has a god. Some men – it’s their wife Some men – it’s their job Some men – it’s their talents Some men – it’s initials after their name. Some men – it’s alcohol. What God is trying to do is to get us to have the right God. Any other thing supreme in our lives above God in our lives will hurt us. God has made man to be a worshiping creature. • Man is a creature that is a worshiping god.
In the OT, God wrote the commandments on two tablets of stone. In the NT, God writes the commandments on the fleshly tablets of the heart. In conversion, God seeks to recreate in man that right attitude and disposition of heart that directs him how to act and to react in every situation. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. (One aspect of 2Co. 5:17) By virtue of a new relationship, you don’t need the law because out of a right attitude and disposition of the heart, you are doing automatically what the law says to do because you love your fellowman. The second characteristic of God’s law 2. For our good always • Dt. 6:24 • Principle behind each commandment -- "The why behind the commandment" • If we let any thing else be supreme in our life, it will destroy us. • God made man to be a worshiper. • designed to be a God-ctrd creature. • God is working to get us to worship the true God, • When man sinned, he lost that rt. attitude and disposition of heart. • In conversion in salvation, God is at work to re-create that rt. attitude & disposition of heart inside of the saved person. The third characteristic of God’s law 3. intelligent They are understandable to our minds; they make sense. The fourth characteristic of God’s law 4. Obedience shall be practical (possible to apply) The fifth characteristic of God’s law 5. It is for the highest good of the person to obey God. Command: “honor father & mother” was the most wonderful thing God could ever tell me to do. (Harry Conn: “When I started honoring my father, I got a whole new father.” The sixth characteristic of God’s law 6. impartial. the same for the rich & poor, It is not God’s design that a poor man steal a loaf of bread and be sent to prison 20 years, while a rich man steals $10,000 and only get 30 days of jail time.
The seventh characteristic of God’s law 7. The lawgiver shall give in the sanctions, His evaluation of the seriousness of violating the precept. C C C C C
In the penalty, the law-giver shall give his evaluation of the seriousness of violating that law. The severity of the penalty must be proportional to the seriousness of the offense. In the OT, punishment for adultery was death. Today, a lack of understanding of the seriousness of it. Today, many look at the 10 commandments as 10 suggestions, not 10 laws. Consequences of adultery.
The eight characteristic of God’s law 8. Perfect obedience shall be rewarded with the continual favor and protection of the Law-giver The law is to protect man’s civil rights. The law protects all of mankind. Yet God wants to forgive man. Law is upheld by the punishment. In forgiveness, the penalty is removed. Mercy: not getting what you deserve. But mercy is the most delicate thing in the universe to administer. Mercy must not result in our hurting God and one another more than if the penalty of the law were carried out. If the penalty is forgiven, the death of Christ on the cross must turn us away from sinning. C Has the death of Christ ever deterred you from sinning? C Shall I put Christ to an open shame? Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, Heb 6:5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, Heb 6:6 and {then} have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. We can only live the Christian life out of relationship with the Holy Spirit. God will be there to help you if you want help. Everytime Zaleucus went walking, his empty eye-socket was a testimony of his high regard for his law, and he also loved them, and he would do the necessary suffering to prevent that destruction. Ps.119:97 “O, how I love your law; it is my meditation all the day.”
The ninth characteristic of God’s law 9. (15:35) The law is honorable -- worthy of our respect, admiration, and of our obedience. Ps 19:7 ¶ The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Ps 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. Ps 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. Ps 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Ps 19:11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. The purpose of the penalty is: • to maintain people's respect for the law, • to uphold the honor of the law. • to influence people to obey the law. The purpose of the penalty is: • to maintain people's respect for the law, • to uphold the honor of the law. • to influence people to obey the law. The purpose of the penalty is: • to maintain people's respect for the law, • to uphold the honor of the law. • to influence people to obey the law. The tenth characteristic of God’s law 10. The Law of God is loveable. 23:32) Do I see the intelligence of God being expressed in them? The love of God being expressed in them? The kindness of God being expressed in them in His commitment to protect the innocent? The eleventh characteristic of God’s law 11. Universal C The law of God expresses all mankind’s moral obligation to love God with all their heart and to love their neighbor as themselves. This reality applies everywhere, to every nation, in every culture, in Heaven, on earth, and in hell. Love is the universal obligation. The twelth characteristic of God’s law 12. The commandments delineate the right directions for love. The instructions of the Bible are always the wisest and most beneficial course of action in any situation. They are always what love truly demands.