We don’t like anything God tells us to do that we don’t want to do or anything He tells us not to do that we do want to do.

Psalm 19:7–9, The law of the L ORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the L ORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the L ORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the L ORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the L ORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the L ORD are true, and righteous altogether……

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Notice ALL the law is: Good Perfect Sure Right Pure Clean True

The law does things for us: Revives us Makes us wise Fill us with rejoicing Enlightens us Warns us Rewards us

1.Why does God give commands?

The do’s and don’ts are for us, not against us.

God’s laws allow us to live life to maximum efficiency.

My life is better when I live in commitment to my wife. When I love her fully and am faithful to her.

My life is richer if I take care of my body and don’t abuse it drugs and gluttony.

My life is fuller when I am free from materialism and greed. When I give generously, when I handle debt responsibly and save wisely.

God’s rules don’t hurt your life or limit your life, they give you life.

2.Which ones are we to follow?

Leviticus 19:19, You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material…… 33 “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Mark 7:6–8 He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

Jesus fulfilled ALL the law (never broke one) and the prophets (accomplished every prophecy about Messiah).

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. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished…..

19 Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

This does not mean the law no longer serves a purpose, for it shows us our need for faith.

Galatians 3:23–25 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian [the law].

We no longer follow the do’s and don’ts to make us holy, but rather we follow them because Christ has made us holy.

We are not required to keep the Old Testament laws, but rather the New Testament commands.

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Which ones? Drops from 613 to 2!

Matthew 22:36–40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

1 John 3:22–23 And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) OR WTPJ (Will This Please Jesus?)

Hebrews 8:7; 10; 12–13 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second…….. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people…

12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

This is not license to live in sin, but grace to live for Him.

3.Why are we to follow them?

Titus 3:4–5 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

This does not mean your relationship with God is now based on do’s and don’ts any more than entering into that relationship was based on do’s and don’ts. Rather we live free from the law so that we might for Christ.

Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery [the law].

In Christ, God is declaring, “I will no longer simply tell you what to do, I will show you how to live.”

Not only that, but I will give you the desire and ability live that way.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Romans 7:15; 18–20 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…… 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out……

19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

God changes our desires. That’s the key. He writes His law on our hearts. No long an external list of do’s and don’ts, but rather an internal leading by His Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:18–24 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before……

that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

It’s not the law that has changed, but our relationship to the One who gave the law that has changed.

The do’s and don’ts tell us how to live for God, not how to relate to Him.