I don't know about you, but I really don't like being told what to do. I
don't enjoy rules (or LAWS for that matter), don't like them, but I
understand the necessity for them and obey all LAW as faithfully as I
can. After all, we need LAWS. Without them, human beings could not
function as a group, let alone a state or nation.
God has rules as well. Under the old covenant there were a great many of them, not just the ten commandments; hundreds in fact.
Even before the giving of the Law of Moses, there were rules.
God has Rules!
Genesis, Chapter 2 (World English Bible)
15 Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;
17 but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
15 Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;
17 but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
The first couple disobeyed and physical and spiritual death was the result! To put it another way...
God's Rules have consequences
Genesis, Chapter 6 (WEB)
9 This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 God said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth. (emphasis added vss. 11-13)
14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
15 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16 You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
17 I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. (emphasis added vs. 18f.)
9 This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 God said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth. (emphasis added vss. 11-13)
14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
15 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16 You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
17 I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. (emphasis added vs. 18f.)
God saw that there was hope for the world and made a covenant with Noah and made a way out for his creation.
God's rules are JUST!
Ezekiel, Chapter 18 (WEB)
1 Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying,
2 “What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5 “But if a man is just,
and does that which is lawful and right,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7 and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
1 Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying,
2 “What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5 “But if a man is just,
and does that which is lawful and right,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7 and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 he who hasn’t lent to them with interest,
hasn’t taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9 has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly;
he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10 “If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 or who does not do any of those things,
but even has eaten at the mountain shrines, and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12 has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13 has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor;
shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
15 who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16 hasn’t wronged any,
hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
20 The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21 “But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
22 None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh; “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24 “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
26 When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done he shall die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
hasn’t taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9 has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly;
he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10 “If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 or who does not do any of those things,
but even has eaten at the mountain shrines, and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12 has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13 has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor;
shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
15 who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16 hasn’t wronged any,
hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
20 The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21 “But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
22 None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh; “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24 “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
26 When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done he shall die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
Israel chose to sin. They tried to blame
God, they tried blaming their forefathers, but God told them in no
uncertain terms that sin is death, obedience is life. God wanted life
for all human beings and still does. But, human nature being what it is,
we can't keep God's laws perfectly, therefore death seems to be the
only outcome. But, NO, Jesus came into the world to take our sins unto
himself and a new way was begun- Salvation by Grace!!! However, we still
need to listen to God and do what HE tells us to do...
Listen to Jesus, believe in him or die in sin!!
John, Chapter 8 (WEB)
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.
15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.
17 It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.
18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19 They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 Jesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”
22 The Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come’?”
23 He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” (emphasis added)
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.
15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.
17 It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.
18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19 They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 Jesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”
22 The Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come’?”
23 He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” (emphasis added)
Jesus, as the Savior of the world (as MY
Savior) has the right to make the rules. If anyone refused to believe
that, death is the result!!!
God's Rules, God's way, God's blessing.... OR Death
Romans, Chapter 8 (WEB)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;
4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; (emphasis added vss. 1-5)
7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
8 Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.
10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (emphasis added)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;
4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; (emphasis added vss. 1-5)
7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
8 Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.
10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (emphasis added)
But, what if you are trying to please
God and slip up- just once? If you are not a Christian, become one (see
Acts Chapter 2:14 ff.) If you are already a Christian- repent (change
your mind, your heart and your direction towards God), God will forgive
all who have obeyed him!!! This is Grace and Grace is greater than LAW.
While we may try to run from God, there is really no place to hide. Like that canine police dog, God will find!!! But with Jesus, there is light, life and hope for the future. Don't put off what is necessary to receive the blessings of God: Forgiveness instead of punishment!!!
While we may try to run from God, there is really no place to hide. Like that canine police dog, God will find!!! But with Jesus, there is light, life and hope for the future. Don't put off what is necessary to receive the blessings of God: Forgiveness instead of punishment!!!
