Learning How To Walk

This is from Dec 06 as I was wrestling with New Vs Old Testament...I incorporated my whole family into helping me search out the Word. Always looking for activities to build family identity and to give purpose to the kids....

I used my new bible search software "Terry family search" version 1.0, that's where we sit together and everyone starts a different chapter of Psalms Kayla has chapter 1, Beth chapter 2, Jamie chapter 3, I start on chapter 4 and so on... all looking for any verses about how God refers to his Laws, Word etc. When anyone thought they had found one they would read it out to us and then write it down. We covered 100 chapters the first night. Kayla loves doing it. Good family worship.

Even if it's "David" saying something about God's Word I am believing that what he says is Godly inspiration through him, reflecting what God thinks about his own Word. So does God feel it's kinda ok... but wait until my son arrives, or is it good, wonderful, perfect, etc. I think that rather than asking "is it binding on us?" (It makes me feel like I'm trying to find some way around doing what my Father wants, like I'm looking for a loophole) that we should think of it as "does it apply to us? and how?".

We fired up the "search engine" tonight and blasted through Proverbs. Didn't find as much through it.

Here's my initial thoughts on why "David" gets so excited about God's laws and statutes.

a) It's through the law we have a foundation for even "knowing" what is right or what is wrong. This is huge! I think we take it for granted.

b) It is from God's Word OT that we find the foundation for all rational thinking, logic, and reason, ala Bahnsen. Only in using God's Laws and statues will we have a basis as to be guided by the Spirit or to know if someone else is being guided by the Spirit.

c) With the law came God's justice, if you do this, than this should happen, if you do that, than that should happen. As opposed to man's idea of justice like debtors prison, you stay in jail till you can pay.?!? God's justice always provided a way of restoration for the offender and compensation for the victim, neither of which happens today.

d) Israel was told that other nations would think them blessed because of their law. IE no one is above it, even the King must follow it, rather than as other nations where kings could make or change laws willy nilly and excuse themselves from them. Not until Lex Rex in England (the Law is king) thousands of years later did this become a part of modern western thought. We as modern Americans can all to easily testify on how transient things can become when 5 lawyers can overturn 200 yrs of precendence with no basis for doing it. We're under judgment I think.

e) I see that it is through Christ that all of our access to God and our right standing before him is acheived. This is what the New Testament speaks of as a better way, the good news. This is what Christ did away with.

Never mind "David", I get excited about God's perfect laws when I look at it this way !

We found ALOT in Psalms, but Psalms 119 all by itself shouts Christ's thoughts about the Law...

v1 Blessed are...who walk in the law of the Lord!...

v5 Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes! then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all your commandments...

v7 I will praise you with uprightness of heart when I learn your righteous judgments.

v9 How can a young man cleanse his way? by walking according to your commandments!

v10 Oh, let me not wander from your commandments!

v11 Your Word I have hidden in my heart...

v12 Blessed are you...teach me your commandments...

v15 I will meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways.

v16 I will delight myself in your statutes: I will not forget your word.

v18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderous things in your law.

Guys, this chapter goes on like this for OVER 176 verses!!!!!! It is one of the longest chapters in the Bible and it is one long praise of God's Laws, statutes and his Word, how perfect it is, how righteous it is. Are we looking at the law with the wrong kind of glasses that we don't want to run out and embrace his laws, statutes, and precepts.

You are either with God or opposed to God. It's either God's standard or man's standard. It either his thought or our thoughts. Other than his written word, how else can we discern the mind of Christ.

v159 Consider how I love your precepts...

v162 I rejoice at your Word as one who finds great treasure.

v172 For all your commandments are righteousness.