LAWS in the HEART!

Something is written inside us when we come to Christ and the new covenant gospel. What is it? 

by David Kidd

Laws in law books? That's normal. Laws in a courtroom? That's normal too. Laws written in the heart? Now that's a strange concept. Laws are made to break, aren't they, as long as you don't get caught? The Bible says that, under the new covenant between God and man, His laws are engraved — no longer on stone but on the hearts of all believers. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Laws in their mind and write them on their hearts ... In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:10, 13; see also 10:15-17). But wait! Many laws and commands are found in the Bible, especially in its first five books. Which laws does God write on the hearts of His people in Christ? Consider the main contenders.

Law of Moses (Torah)

The Torah includes the Ten Commandments written on stone by the finger of God and the laws of Moses written in a book — over six hundred laws. The Sinai covenant that recorded them has been replaced by the covenant written and sealed in Jesus' blood. Shall we conclude that the whole Torah is now irrelevant?

The apostle Paul writes that all Scripture is profitable for us (2 Timothy 3:16), that "the law is good if one uses it lawfully" (1 Timothy 1:8). Many of the Mosaic laws express timeless truth we all agree with. Let's not be too fast, then, to say that the Torah is obsolete for Christians — an extreme position.

At the other extreme, some would impose the whole Torah on believers, by a misuse of this text: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly ... till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled" (Matthew 5:1 7, 18).

Since Jesus offered Himself as the true Lamb of God to take away sin, the sacrificial sections of the Torah are fulfilled! .....

Laws pertaining to the Levitical priesthood and tabernacle no longer apply "in Christ," nor do those "concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation" (Hebrews 9:10). Other Mosaic ordinances required stoning those who broke Sabbath or demanded separation of Jew and Gentile (Leviticus 22:10, 11; Deuteronomy 14:21; 15:3; 23:3-6, 20).

We may safely conclude that Moses' entire law package will not be written on our hearts today. Nevertheless, much in the Torah defined sin for Israel and still defines it for Christians. This leads us to the next candidate for the law God writes on our hearts.

Moral laws

God's moral laws define righteous and unrighteous conduct. Torah contains many such laws. Christians generally agree that the prohibitions of sexual contact with close kin, with the same sex, or with animals (read Leviticus 18, where these are described as abominable) remain relevant. Similarly, judgments about paying employees swiftly, not cursing the deaf, and loving our neighbours (Leviticus 1 9:13-18) embody timeless truth for all people.

Most Christians affirm the moral nature of the Ten Commandments. Even the fourth (Sabbath) command is inherently moral. Overworking employees disturbs their relationship with God, brethren, family, friends, and the needy. Working ourselves too hard does the same.

God's moral standards do not change (Hebrews 13:8). What was once an abomination to Him surely still is. Hence the moral law constitutes a part what He now writes on our hearts.

Law of love

Others add love to our heart-law, on the strength of Paul's writings: "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14; see also Romans 13:8-10).

The point of these verses is that if we are guided by God's love, we will fulfill His law. Love is a great motive — the more excellent way. An attitude of true love toward God and our neighbor will lead us to act appropriately toward him. Rather than a single law written on our hearts, however, love is the spiritual dynamic that helps us fulfill all of God's righteous requirements.

Simplifying everything down to love carries a danger with it. Some fall into the error of thinking they don't need the Bible. Their idea of love becomes very much a private, self-serving concept. Subjective notions of love can bring us into conflict with God's Word. The Bible says to expel a heretic from church. We may love him and counsel more tolerance, but there comes a time when God's love says no! Or the Bible prohibits certain "love" relationships, but our love may say, "As long as we aren't hurting anyone, it's OK." The Scriptures say that the law is summed up by love, but a summary does not replace what it summarizes. Never forget Jesus' words: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). And John's: "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments" (1 John 5:3).

Law of Christ

Some will say God writes only the laws of Christ on our hearts. Two texts refer to such a law.

In 1 Corinthians 9:21 Paul writes of "not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ." How can Paul be both? When one recognizes that the Father and Son are in full harmony concerning right and wrong, it makes more sense. Revelation 14:12 shows this by defining the saints as "those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." God and Christ do not have different laws. Jesus' commands will be on our hearts, just as God's moral laws are. There is no difference between them.

Another mention of the law of Christ is Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We help our brethren with their burdens because our Lord commanded it. All His timeless words are on our hearts.

Law of conscience

The reader may be seeing that the answer to our "Which laws?" question is — a combination of things. Our individual consciences add to this combination. James writes that "to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (4:1 7). Any time we act against what our conscience, or our faith in God, tells us to do or to refrain from doing, we sin (see Romans 2:13-16; 14:23).

The Holy Spirit guides us to respect the spirit of the law. Hence the law in our hearts becomes broader and more extensive than any written code.

God writes His law

If God is the writer and He is not the author of confusion, then why don't all Christians have the same laws on their hearts? Satan, false teaching, entrenched tradition, and our own slackness in studying God's Word all have a lot to do with this. Let us not make too much of the differences, however, as most Christians disagree over only a small percentage of God's revealed laws.

The greater issue, then, is not so much which laws but rather the condition of our hearts toward what He has written there. Do we have a passionate heart for truth that we know represents God's will? Do we pay due regard to the spiritual intent of the law? Do our hearts break when we know we have sinned? Do we yearn for God's righteous ways, as King David did when he wrote Psalm 119?

I will delight myself in Your commandments....

The Law of Your mouth is better to me than

thousands of coins of gold and silver. ... Oh, how

I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day

(w. 47, 72, 97).

Let's yearn for God's righteousness" as David did!

David and Angela Kidd serve the Church in Adelaide, South Australia, and around the world.

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From "The Bible Advocate" - Jan/Feb 2013 - a publication of the Church of God, Seventh Day - Denver, CO. USA.

YOU  NEED  TO  STUDY  MY  STUDIES  CALLED  "LIVING

 BY  EVERY  WORD  OF  GOD  -  HOW?"  JESUS  SAID  WE

ARE  TO  LIVE  BY  EVERY  WORD  OF  GOD  (MAT.4:4)

AND  MY  STUDY  GIVES  YOU  THE  KEYS  AS  TO  HOW

TO  APPLY  THE  LAWS  OF  GOD,  WHICH  ONES  ARE

 FOR  TODAY  AND  WHICH  ONES  WOULD  NOT  BE  FOR

 TODAY.  THAT  STUDY  IS  ON  MY  WEBSITE  - Keith Hunt