What does "keeping all His statutes" look like in modern times? Keeping All His Statutes—Deuteronomy 30:16 “For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” What are “statutes”? • Specific, concrete instructions God gives to shape daily life • Expressions of His unchanging character—holy, just, compassionate (Leviticus 18:4–5) How the principle carries into modern life • Old-covenant civil and ceremonial statutes pointed forward to Christ (Hebrews 10:1) • Moral statutes (e.g., the Ten Commandments) remain binding because they reflect God’s nature (Matthew 5:17–19) • The Spirit writes these laws on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 8:4) so obedience flows from love, not mere rule-keeping Everyday Portraits of Obedience Today Worship • Gather faithfully with believers (Hebrews 10:24–25) • Guard purity in music, teaching, and sacraments, centering everything on Christ (Colossians 3:16–17) Family & Relationships • Honor marriage vows; reject adultery and pornography (Exodus 20:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5) • Disciple children in Scripture and prayer (Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Ephesians 6:4) • Speak truth in love, shunning gossip and slander (Ephesians 4:29) Work & Finances • Labor diligently and ethically, as serving the Lord (Colossians 3:23–24) • Tithe/give generously, stewarding resources for kingdom purposes (Proverbs 3:9; 2 Corinthians 9:7) Justice & Compassion • Defend the unborn, the poor, the widow, the foreigner (Proverbs 24:11–12; James 1:27) • Conduct business honestly—fair weights and measures of our day (Leviticus 19:35–36) Personal Holiness • Guard thoughts; take every idea captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) • Practice Sabbath principles: rest, worship, and trust God’s provision (Exodus 20:8–11; Mark 2:27) • Maintain bodily purity, honoring God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19–20) Civic Life • Pray for leaders, submit to lawful authority unless it contradicts God’s word (Romans 13:1–2; Acts 5:29) • Vote and engage society with biblical convictions seasoned by grace (Matthew 5:13–16) Motivation that Matters • Love for God: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) • Gratitude for redemption: obeying not to earn salvation but because we are saved (Ephesians 2:8–10) • Hope of blessing: obedience positions us to experience God’s favor and witness to the world (Deuteronomy 28:1–10; 1 Peter 2:12) Putting It Into Practice • Daily Scripture intake—hear His statutes first-hand • Prayerful self-examination—“Search me, O God” (Psalm 139:23–24) • Accountability within the church—“exhort one another every day” (Hebrews 3:13) • Quick repentance when we fall—confess, receive cleansing, move forward (1 John 1:9) Bottom Line Keeping all His statutes in 2024 means loving God enough to let His revealed will regulate every corner of life—family, work, worship, citizenship—while leaning on Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s power to walk it out with joy. |
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