How do you view the law of God?
Many view God’s law as a threat. They say:
- It threatens our salvation
- It threatens our happiness
- It threatens our society
- It threatens our worship
But there’s another way of looking at the law that changes our view of it from a threat to a friend, from an expression of malice to an expression of love.
Here are four ways we see God’s love in God’s law in Exodus 20.
GOD’S LOVE LIBERATES US (1-2)
God’s law starts with God’s salvation, not our obedience.
- God delivered us from hatred
- God delivered us to love
God’s liberating love liberates our love.
But then God spoils it all with laws?
GOD’S LOVE LONGS FOR US (3-11)
The first four commandments express God’s longing for us.
- I long for your loyalty
- I long for your worship
- I long for your respect
- I long for your time
God longs for us more than for our obedience.
But what about the other commandments?
GOD’S LOVE LOOKS AFTER US (12-17)
Commandments 5-10 express God’s care for us.
- He protects us from ourselves
- He protects us from others
- He protects others from us
God’s laws reveal God’s love.
So why all the details?
GOD’S LOVE LIMITS US (18-26)
God then moves from boundaries for everyday life to boundaries for church life.
- Boundaries as to where to worship
- Boundaries as to what to worship
- Boundaries as to how to worship.
A love without limits is a limited love.
Do you see how limits can be loving too?
LIVING THE BIBLE
Do you still view the law as a threat? Do you now see the love of God in the law of God?
God’s love (1) Liberates us; (2) Longs for us; (3) Looks after us; (4) Limits us
Love God’s law as an expression of God’s love.
This episode of Living the Bible lines up with Expedition 7: Day 2 in Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan and Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids. You can catch up with previous episodes of the Living the Bible podcast here or subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcast.