Teach me (5)

In my previous blog post (part 4 in this series) we looked at Psalm 86:11. David wrote 'Teach me Your ways' and he added a request for purity of heart. Oh, may that be our prayer as well.

I truly believe it is a godly attribute when we desire to be taught. We can read the request for wisdom over and over again throughout the Bible. it was the cry of our forefathers: Teach me. Let's look at Psalm 119:66,

I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.

Do we believe in the Lord's commands? His command to love Him above all else, to love others as ourselves, not to worry, to forgive others as we have been forgiven...? I am just naming a few. If the answer is yes, let's go on.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge. Not just judgment, but good judgment. I think we are in dire need of that. There is so much going on in the world; it is often hard to figure out what is real and what is fake. 👉We need good judgment, not so that we can judge people, but rather that we will be able to judge circumstances.

The same is true for knowledge. We do not need more knowledge so we can brag about how clever we are. No, we rather need knowledge about the ways of the Lord. Why? Because the ways of the world lead to death, we can see that all around us, but God's ways lead to life! 

Check out my Psalm 119 daily devotions on YouTube!

If you could ask for one thing

If you could ask one thing of the Lord, what would it be? Restoration of health or finances? Peace in your country or in your heart? Family members to turn to God? The answer to that question is probably different for everyone.

A long time ago, God asked King Solomon that question and the King answered: 'Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead Your people'. And so King Solomon became the wisest man that ever lived and God added wealth, possessions, and honor like no other king ever had (you can read that amazing story in 2 Chronicles 1).

Health is important, but so are peace and wisdom. I was reading Psalm 19 in my New Living Translation and I noticed God offers all that we need, in His Word. Take a look at verses 7 and 8.

• The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. Oh my goodness, how I need that every day! My health depends on a thriving soul!
• The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Yes, please Lord, yes, let it be me!
• The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. I know the joy of the Lord will be my strength, I need it!
• The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. I must have this in an ever-changing world that seems to have gone insane.

Such riches in God's Word: instructions, decrees (laws), commandments, and commands. 👉We may not always embrace such terms, but they are filled with spiritual riches. I discovered that in my own life when I started my writing journey.

While working on the book series about the Ten Commandments, I received a totally different perspective on God's laws and regulations. They are not restrictions, on the contrary, they offer great opportunities to heal our souls, to make us wise, to bring us joy, and to give us all the insight we will possibly need!

Law & grace, an uneven match? (5)

Let's pick up where we stopped a week or so ago...

Treating others the way you want to be treated sums up the Law and the prophets, according to Jesus (Matthew 7:12). Such a lifestyle is the heart of the Law and the Prophets. When we live and act like that, we continue the works Jesus did when He was on earth. The fulfilling of the Law was not a one time event, it takes place on a daily basis. Grace has not taken the place of the Law, grace makes it possible for us to fulfill the Law. The apostle Paul knew this quite well and he explained it quite well.

I believe that his long, and sometimes difficult, writings about law and grace are being condensed into one sentence in Romans 13:10 (NKJV), Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Well, that is a quite clear statement, isn't it? If we say we are not able to, or have no reason to, fulfill the Law we are basically saying we are unable to love! Because LOVE is the fulfillment of the Law. Maybe you have never seen or heard it this way, but I would like to encourage you to ponder this thought and include it in your prayers.

Of course Paul clearly explains in Romans 3:21-31 that we can only be justified by grace through faith, not by works, not by keeping or obeying the Law. But that is not merely the end of a legalistic life, it is the beginning of a life lead by the Spirit. With the accepting and understanding of His grace we do not nullify the Law, we establish the Law. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law (Romans 3:31).

So, we no longer use the Law to tell others what they can or cannot do (legalism), but we treat others the way we want to be treated (love). Our reference is not a written code, but the grace/love that has been poured out in our hearts. When we start living like this (following the leading of the Holy Spirit, whose fruit is LOVE) things will begin to change.

In the next blog post I will take a closer look at a few other statements from the apostle Paul.

Thank you for reading along, and please share these posts with someone who might need to hear this.

Law & grace, an uneven match? (3)

Thank you all for reading along, it makes it more fun for me to do this kind of series on my blog. Studying the Bible and offering a fresh insight on ancient truths. 

In the previous post we saw  how Jesus says about Himself that He came to make the teachings come true, to fulfill the law. I think we (Christianity, the church, the believers) have made the mistake in thinking this was a one time event, kind of a finished chapter. Law being replaced by grace. It is finished, right? But if we continue to read what Jesus has to say about it, we get a totally different picture. In the fifth chapter of Matthew He further explains what 'fulfilling the law' means for every believer.

For example verse 21 and 22, Jesus says: You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Jesus says 'but I tell you...' The Good News translation says 'but now I tell you...' Is Jesus speaking against the law of God? Is He contradicting the words of His Father? That cannot be so.

He gives many examples, as in verse 27 and 28, You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Again Jesus says, 'but I tell you...' In other words: He announces a new area. He does not dismiss the law, but He shows the way the law should work in our hearts. He shows how we should go from obeying or keeping the law (living by the letter) to giving meaning to or fulfilling the law (living by the Spirit). It is no longer about a mere outer sign of obedience but about the inner condition of our heart.

Jesus teaches many valuable lessons in these first few chapters of Matthew to show people what will change with His coming. And then suddenly He comes with the most excellent summary of His long speech about law and grace, in one single sentence. Matthew 7:12,

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Good News translation says: because this is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets. Wow, treating other the way we want to be treated, that is the heart of the law, that is the full meaning, that is the fulfillment of the law. How simple can it be? We do not have to choose between law and grace, Jesus brought them together in a new way of life and so they come together in the life of every believer.

Maybe you have never seen it this way, or maybe you have learned it differently. Maybe you are thinking: 'Well Marja, only Jesus could fulfill the law because He was without sin. We could never do it...'

That, we will discuss in the next post.

Thank you for reading along, and please share these posts with someone who might need to hear this.

Law & grace, an uneven match? (2)

'We are no longer under the law. It is all grace!' Familiar words, I am sure you have heard them somewhere. The most logical question that would follow a statement like that, is: so, what then should we do with the law? No longer read it, skip it, ignore it? Well, we do not have to make such a difficult choice; law & grace go perfectly well together. Let's find out what Jesus has to say about it.

Probably the most known and discussed words of Jesus about the law, can be found in Matthew 5:17-18. He says, 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. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Well, is the earth still here? Does heaven still exist? Yes, of course! So the law has not disappeared, but the purpose has changed... from obedience (or keeping) → fulfilling

The Good News translation says it this way: Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true. Jesus came to make the teachings (thora, law) come true. We must keep our eyes on Him and listen to what He has to say if we want to learn more about this subject. It is wonderful to see how law and grace come together in Jesus Christ. The one does not replace the other, they will come true (are being fulfilled) in Him.

The apostle John wrote about Jesus: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The law came to us through Moses, grace and truth (also about the law) came to us through Jesus Christ. Let's keep Him central in the discussion about law and grace. Let's put everything, that has been written or said about it by other people, in the light of His words.

The apostle Paul for example wrote extensively about law and grace. No wonder really, because he was a scholar (a theologian, a pharisee) and then he came to a living faith in Jesus Christ and personally experienced His grace.  So, law and grace came together in his life as well. He writes in Romans 3:31, Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. The KJV says, we establish the law. Wow, this got me thinking... Jesus came to fulfill the law, or to make the law come true. We, as His followers, uphold what He did. We establish or confirm the law. (we will get back to that in a later post)

In the next post we will look at some more words Jesus had to say about the meaning/purpose of the law.

Thank you for reading along, and please share these posts with someone who might need to hear this.

Law & grace, an uneven match? (1)

In 2004, I started the writing of a series of books on the Ten Commandments in the 21st century, a book per commandment. Five books have been published so far... still five to go :) English is my second language, so the books are written in an uncomplicated manner without the use of difficult words (since I don't know any). During the writing process and the studying of related Bible passages I began to receive more and more insight on the subject law & grace. No theological explanations, but fresh insights on ancient truths.

In the upcoming weeks I will write a series of posts on this subject. Why? Because there seems to be quite some confusion, unclarity and even wrong teaching on this subject. Many evangelical Christians don't have a love for the Law, because to them 'living by grace' means doing away with the law. We are set free from the law, right? Faith has nothing to do with a bunch of rules, but everything with relationship. On the other hand there are denominations where the Law still rules and this can end in legalism = setting the obedience of the rules above the leading of the Holy Spirit. And perhaps many believers and churches are somewhere in between. We don't want to go from one extreme to the other. The Ten Commandments are old fashioned, the grace movement too good to be true, so we get stuck somewhere in the middle.

I have collected some thoughts about law & grace, in random order. Let's see whether you recognize some:

• The Law has been nailed to the cross
• We are set free of the Law, no more need of Old Testament teachings
• It is all grace, there is nothing we can or need to add
• A lawless society is a disorderly society
• I am living by grace and do not want to be legalistic, but...
• Everything changed after the cross
• But we cannot delete or ignore certain Bible passages

The grace teaching is nothing new, it is the teaching that we can only depend on Gods grace to be reconciled with Him. This was being preached 2000 years ago, and then by our church fathers and now in most churches. There are, however, many different interpretations. In certain circles grace is being kept for the elect or it is something God will bestow on people when He wants to do so, we can not grab it. In other circles grace is being taught as unmerited favor, we can not do anything to make God love us more. So, sit back and relax.

All of this can be debated, but does it mean we have to choose between law and grace? We either keep the law, or we accept His grace. Having both seems an impossibility. Are law & grace an uneven match?

Restrictions indicate opportunities

Dutch bicycle

My mother, who is now eighty years old, is in good health. She still rides her bicycle to church and walks to my house for coffee. Well, not this week ;) because we have tons of snow blocking all traffic. Years ago she lost most of her eyesight, so she cannot read small print or do cross stitch. However, she does not focus on what she cannot do; she focuses on what she can do!

This perspective is the main thought behind my book series on the Ten Commandments. The commandment not to desire our neighbor’s house, for example, doesn’t put a ban on human desires; it gives us the opportunity to steer our desires in another direction. Therefore, as in the other books in this series, I am never focusing on the negative command (don’t do this) but on the positive urging of God’s Spirit, who will always guide us in what we can do and should be doing.

In the Today’s English Version (more commonly known as the Good News Bible) that I often use, the word covet is replaced with “desire.” The Tenth Commandment, as described in Exodus 20:17, simply says, Do not desire another man’s house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns. At first sight this commandment looks like an easy one to understand. Just keep your thoughts and hands off of other people’s belongings, and you will be fine. When, however, we seriously think about such a moral code, a thought arises. If we are not allowed to desire stuff that belongs to someone else, we certainly must be allowed to desire certain things that don’t belong to anyone necessarily, which tells me there are right and wrong desires.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? If the Bible tells us not to do the wrong things, it will surely teach us how to do the right things. Restrictions indicate opportunities. My mother knows this as no other. Disabled people often understand this best because they learned the hard way. Certainly we can learn something here as well...

In my latest release My Neighbor's House, as well as in my previous books, I want to offer a helping hand in reading and interpreting the commandments (which we often see as restrictions) in relation to what the Holy Spirit is saying (which is often very liberating). Hopefully this will enable us to look beyond the commandments. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:6, The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life. He knew this like no other. A written law can be kept or broken; a spiritual law will teach us something. In case of the Tenth Commandment, the Holy Spirit will show us what is behind that law and will make us understand the purpose. The Holy Spirit will teach us a valuable principle about desires.

Please don’t just look at God’s commandments as a written law but as a spiritual law that will bring us to a higher and healthier level of living. I pray that as individuals, as a church AND as a nation we will grasp this!