Readings for today: Luke 17-18, Psalms 119:33-64
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Jesus’ words. Simple. Plain. True. Not if you want to earn my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be good enough for my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be worthy of my love, keep my commandments. Simply, “if you love me, keep me commandments.” The reality is we cannot love Jesus and reject His commandments. We cannot love Jesus and reject His ways. We cannot love Jesus and reject the Law of God in our lives.
We don’t know for sure who penned the words of Psalm 119 but there is a tradition that tells us David wrote this Psalm in order to teach Solomon the “ABC’s” of the spiritual life. (The Psalm is arranged in stanzas according to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.) David, as we know, was a “man after God’s own heart.” Why? Certainly, it had nothing to do with his behavior. Over and over again, David proved himself to be the chief of sinners. Just like you. Just like me. No, what set David apart was his great love for God’s Law. Despite his crimes. Despite his mistakes. Despite his failures. David never stopped loving God’s commands. Never stopped aspiring to them. Never stopped seeking to follow them all the days of his life. David’s love for the statutes, testimonies, and rules is expressed over and over again in this particular Psalm.
“Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them.”
“Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.”
“I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts.”
“I delight in your commands, which I love. I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and will meditate on your statutes.”
“Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life.”
“The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep your words. I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.”
“Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love; teach me your statutes.”
(Psalms 119:33, 37, 45, 47-48, 54, 57-58, 64 CSB)
Many Christians today claim to love Jesus but they don’t know His commands, much less seek to follow them. They remain ignorant of God’s desire and design for their lives and yet they are shocked when things fail to go their way. They are surprised when God doesn’t bless their sinful, selfish ways. Honestly, it’s a bit baffling to me. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws are biased, privileged, or misogynistic. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws reinforce patriarchy, hierarchy, and tyranny. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws are culturally bound therefore useless as a guide in today’s world. My challenge to them in every single one of these conversations is why follow Jesus? Jesus believed in God’s law. In fact, Jesus said not on “jot or tittle” would change under His reign and rule. So how can you say you love Jesus and not love the very law Jesus came to fulfill? It’s pure hypocrisy and self-serving. The reality is one cannot love God and NOT love His commands. Jesus doesn’t leave us that option. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
Now I can already hear the protests. What about the prohibitions on eating shellfish, mixing clothing with two fibers, or slavery? This is where wisdom comes in. There are laws in the Old Testament that are ceremonial, meaning they govern the worshipping life of ancient Israel. Jesus fulfilled these laws by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice. (See the Book of Hebrews) There are laws in the Old Testament that are civil, meaning they governed the national life of ancient Israel. Since we don’t live under the authority of the theocracy of ancient Israel, these laws are no longer binding. Finally, there are the moral laws which are timeless and eternal. We see them repeated and paraphrased throughout both the Old and New Testaments. These laws remain in force and guide us to a life well-lived before God. David is addressing the moral law in Psalm 119 as was Jesus in John 14:15.
So that leaves pondering an important question today…do we love God’s law? Do we seek to follow it? Do we seek to honor Jesus by obeying all He commanded us and teaching others to do the same? This is what it means to build your life on the rock and not on sand.
Readings for tomorrow: Luke 19-20, Psalms 119:65-96