LIVING THE LAWS OF GOD
Mr. Fleming gave a sermon on "meditation.” He said it is time to reflect on God’s word, and learn the meaning
of obedience to what we learn. Then said, we have 4 tools to help us focus on God's way of life. Bible study,
Prayer, Fasting and Meditation! Thinking on God's truth is to put every word of God in our life!
“Christ said, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Meditation is not day-dreaming! its reflecting and pondering deeply on a subjects
in God's word!
Looking now, at the first of the 4 tools, “Bible Study.” The Apostle Paul said to “Study to show yourself
approved unto God” ( 2 Tim 2:15). He also said - the man of God must be, “thoroughly furnished unto all good
works” (2 Tim 3:17). What did he mean? And, more important, what are we doing about what we know?
In Paul's writing his New Testament epistles, the Apostle Paul lost no opportunity to stress with vigor
the urgent need for the called to grow up in Christ. He urged that no truly called by God remain a babe in Christ
word, or be a superficial believer. Forcefully, he emphasized the need for God's called to go beyond the simple
principles of the doctrine of Christ, and to strive toward perfection!
God's order is that every believer should mature to the point where he teach's others, each one teaches
one. In the book of Hebrews chapter 5, there we will read verses 13 - 14 and follow up with verse one in chapter
6: 1, “For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of Righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat
belongs to them that are of full age, Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil.” Now notice Hebrew's 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, Let us go
on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”
Paul was anxious that we should all “Come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:3).
How can we set about growing in Christ? Knowing, knowledge alone cannot save us. So how should we
aim toward this important goal of perfection? Jesus gave the answer when He said: “It is written, man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Here is a clear
instruction from our very Creator and Savior, telling us to look to His word, the Bible, to learn how to direct our
lives in accordance with His requirements.
It is one thing simply to read-the Bible, another to study it, and yet something else again to apply what
we have studied. Paul indicated it is not enough just to grasp “the principles of the doctrine of Christ.” Nor it
is not enough simply to understand something of what Christ taught.
Knowledge alone cannot save us. Rather it can destroy us. It can cause us to be filled with vanity and to
become a “know-it-all” of the Christian faith. “Knowledge,”said Paul, “can puffs up” in I Cor.8, verse 1. The
Eternal God frowns upon the accumulation of knowledge merely to boost ones intellectual conceit. In James
4: 17 it’s written, “To him that knows to do good [who has knowledge of God's way of life], and does it not, to
him it is sin.” In this context “to do good',” is to take God into every aspect of our lives and to live dependence
on Him. If we know we should do this yet fail to do it, we are clearly sinning.
With this all-important truth in mind, it behooves every one of us to seriously ask ourselves, what are we
doing about what we know? What are we doing with the knowledge that God reveals to us in His word? Or,
putting it another way, why do we study the Bible in the first place? Is it so that we can use what we learn to help
us grow more and more like its author, Christ?
Are we prepared to go beyond the basic tenets of the Christian faith and use God's word in our lives to
help us in striving toward perfection? Living by the law, the word of God is not just another novel to be read
and then set it aside. It is not a college textbook to be studied and absorbed, but a book to be used to guide our
lives! To deny any part of the Old Testament, is to deny the teachings of our Lord God today.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses stressed to the Israelites: that the covenant was not too hard for
them to understand, nor was it far off. Deut 30:11,14, “For this commandment which I command you this day,
it is not hidden from you, neither is it far off....” Verse 14, “But the word is very nigh unto you, in your mouth,
and in your heart, that you may do it.” King David wrote in psalm 111:10: “A good understanding have all they
that do His commandments.”
God expects us to act on what we learn in His word, and as we act on it, then we will come to understand
it all the more. It is easy to read the Bible casually out of a sense of duty without being affected by what we read,
we see what we ought to be, but we quickly forget, and live as if we were already perfect! This type of
self-satisfaction prevents spiritual progress. In the new testament, James stresses: the duty of being a doer and
not just a hearer! Notice James 1: 22-25, “Be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a
glass: for he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso
looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
What is the good of studying the Bible, if we are not going to apply what we learn from it? In Hebrews
5:12-14, Paul uses the term “strong meat” to portray an in-depth knowledge of the word of God.” Our instruction
book for living life. Physical meat needs to be digested. We cannot take too much at once. Our bodies have to
use the food we eat before we can take more in. Physical meat gives us the strength we need to live day by day,
and as we use up the energy it provides, we take in more. If we just ate, and did not work and exercise, we would
become obese and sluggish.
So it is with spiritual meat from God’s word. If we simply study the Bible, digging deep into the meaning
and intent of God's laws - and yet never apply them in our lives, we become spiritually obese and sluggish. In
fact, in time we could choke on the strong meat of the scriptures. Notice, “If any man hear My words, and
believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects me, and
receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall Judge him in the
last day” (John 12:47- 48).
Many are going to miss out on that eventual marriage feast between Christ and His church that is recorded
in Rev.19:9, “And He said unto me, write, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb.
And He said unto me, these are the true sayings of God.”
In the book of James is more advise on works! “You see then how that by works a man is justified, and
not by Faith only....” Verse 26, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without Works is dead also"
(James2: 24,26).
Satan and his demons understand God's word. James said in verse 19 chapter 2, “They believe. And they
tremble..” What good is mere knowledge going to do them? It seems clearly, we should be more than mere
“armchair” Christians. We should be applying all that we learn in our calling, and learn to correct errors in our
behavior as they are revealed to us through study.
The Apostle Peter wrote “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10). But do “what things?” and how should we
give diligence? Go back to verse five in the same chapter: 2 Peter says: "... giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience
godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” (2 Pet 1:5-7). What is Peter
stressing here? Obviously he is emphasizing the need not just to grow in the knowledge of God's word, but also
in the application of that knowledge to our lives. We must grow in virtue (that is goodness), in temperance
(moderation in all things), in .patience, in kindness and in love. The love of God is “that we keep His
commandments.” (I John 5,:3).
Peter is stressing purely and simply that we have to live “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth
of God” (Matt. 4:4). 2 Peter 1: 8 says, “Then, if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If these things are not in us, then
what does any amount of knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Christ do for us? Peter added in verse 9, “... he that
lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” That
is one of the most dangerous traps a called out one can fall into.
In the verses immediately following the term “strong meat” is to depict a good understanding of God's
word, Paul explains what happens to a man who forgets that he was purged from his old sins. Paul urges all of
us to get beyond the stage of a simple understanding of the “principles of the doctrine of Christ,and to "go on
unto perfection”
Like Heb. 6:1, advises, Our Lord is anxious that we should not get bogged down in the rudiments of our
Christian faith, and fail to get on with living a Christian life. He wants us to use what we learn.“For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers
of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall
away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6). That is the very real danger! If we fail to apply God's word and God's law
in our lives through lack of use, then we will even forget what we have learned, forget we were ever forgiven
of our old sins then comes the danger of falling away. All because we failed to be doers as well as hearers of the
God’s word!
Why was the unprofitable servant in the parable of the talents con-signed to outer darkness? Because he
was afraid, and went and hid his talent in the earth. (Matt. 25:25). He didn't do anything with what he was given.
He just went and hid it! He failed to use it to advantage. So he had it taken from him and given to someone who
would make good use of it. So God will take away from you or me the knowledge He has given us! God’s way
is the only true way of living life.
In Hebrew 6:9 -11 Paul continues to say, “But, beloved we are persuaded better things of you, and
Things that accompany salvation .... For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love....And
we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.”
Study is essential! There is no question that God requires all of us to attain a deeper knowledge of the
scriptures. But the primary motive for this, which we should always keep foremost in our minds, is to come to
a better understanding of God's commandments, in order to apply them more effectively in our lives. Remember
Paul said: “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of Truth”(2 Tim. 2:15).
Paul reminds Timothy in verse 14 to put them in remembrance, means to remind them of these truths
[the command to study means: 1). give diligence and be zealous; 2). this involves a total effort; 3). of mind,
emotion, and will; 4). rightly dividing cutting straight the word of truth. This latter expression word of truth
means: 1). to handle the scriptures correctly; 2). to hew the line. To manage rightly. To treat truth fully; 5).
without falsifying it!
Paul went on in chapter 2 of 2nd Timothy, to warn against giving any heed at all to “profane and vain
babbling's, which "increase unto more ungodliness” (verses 16-17). A clear warning to us is to shun the kind
of vain and futile study that simply increases dubious, personal knowledge, but contributes nothing to our
spiritual growth. One of the clearest scriptures on the purpose of study is 1 Tim. 3:15 - 17. It tells us very plainly
why we should study. Paul is writing to Timothy, but what he has to say is directly applicable to us. “ .. from
a child you [Timothy] have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works.”
King David of Israel was a man who fully understood the need to apply the teachings of the scriptures
to his own life - to live the commandments of God. He was a man after God's heart, and he loved his Creator's
laws. We can better understand how to love the commandments and live by them, if we study David's approach
to life, by reading the Psalms. Reading Psalm 119 in particular to find how can we go about correcting our
faults? Psa 119: 9, “Wherewith shall a young man [anyone] cleanse his way? By taking heed there to according
to your word: (Ps: 119:9) David continued: in verse 10, “With my whole heart have I sought You: O let me not
wander from Your commandments. Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against you.” Notice
David's motive for studying the scriptures, hiding them in his heart, was not just to increase his personal
knowledge. It was not vain study, it was to build up his defenses, “that I might not sin against You [Lord).”
He was determined to learn to live God's way. In verses 97 thru 104 in Psalms 119, “David writes: 0 how
love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You through your commandments has made me wiser than
mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for Your Testimonies
are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have refrained my feet
from every evil way, that I might keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments: for You have taught
me. How sweet are Your words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than Honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts
I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”
David used the scriptures as a training manual on God's way of life, and he was striving to apply all that
he learned. Reading verse 105, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” He used God's
word to guide his every step, to govern his whole life. In verse 113, David expresses his hatred for vain thoughts;
But his love was for God's law. Why did he hate vain thoughts? Notice Mark 7:21 - 23 what Christ said “from
within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,
wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from
within, and defile the man.” King David fully understood this. He realized that his only line of defense was to
stay close to God. To study and apply his Creator's precepts. That's why he loved God's law, and its no wonder
King David wrote Psa. 119:130 - 131, 133, “Entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto
the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for Your Commandments. Order my steps in Your word:
and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”
The entrance of God's words gives light. The Bible teaches us how we should live, it is our guide in all
of life's affairs and we should constantly study it, and use it to ensure that we always conduct our lives correctly
in the sight of our Creator. We should not study it simply to accumulate knowledge to be stored! Let's remember
the vital purpose of our daily Bible study. Let's remember the admonition of the Apostle Paul, that we should
grow up in Christ Jesus! That we should strive for perfection.
And let's always bear in mind what he had to say about the real reason for acquiring the “strong meat”
of God's word, the reason for real in-depth Bible study. Strong meat attained through constant devoted study of
God's word, belongs to them that are of full age – the spiritually mature. Hebrews 5:14 we read, “Even to those
who by reason of use have their senses Exercised to discern both good and evil.” The spiritually mature are those
who regularly study the Bible with the aim of directing their lives by it are practiced in recognizing evil when
they are confronted with it, and they are experienced in using the law of God – God's word to counter evil, even
to the extent of ousting wrong thoughts and substituting right thoughts found in Phil. 4:8, “Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any
praise, think on these things.”
Using these tools, we can discern both good and evil. We are being trained in choosing the good through
living by what we study, and are practiced in the habit of obedience. ☜
James Russell