When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. (Exodus 24:3–4, NIV 1984).
My Musings – All that Moses wrote down was a lot to keep. And to claim, “everything the Lord has said we will do,” is quite a boast. At this point in time, after all they have experienced, we should probably not doubt their sincerity. Their ability, on the other hand, is another matter.
In the garden, everything was only one thing. But as we know that one thing was not kept. We also know that “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10, NIV 1984). We’re not just talking the letter of the law. We’re talking also the spirit of the law. For as Jesus said to a certain rich young ruler who claimed he had kept all since his youth, “‘one thing you lack,’” he said. “‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Mark 10:21–22, NIV 1984).
Keeping “one thing” is a tall order. Keeping them all, well only the Son of God has done that. And there are lot of things. Take the “top ten,” for instance.
- “You shall have no other gods before me.”
- “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
- “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
- “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.”
- “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
- “You shall not murder.”
- “You shall not commit adultery. “
- “You shall not steal.”
- “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
- “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
(Exodus 20:1–17, NIV 1984).
So, what is the point of “all the Lord’s words and laws?” This is the point, “in order that sin might be recognized as sin.” (Romans 7:13, NIV 1984). In order for us to recognize the need for a Savior who could keep them all on our behalf. “Who [then] will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so, he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met.” (Romans 7:24, 8:1-4, NIV 1984).
My Advice – After the encounter with the rich young ruler, Jesus’ disciples asked, “‘who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'” (Mark 10:26–27, NIV 1984). Don’t count on the impossibility of “everything the Lord has said we will do.” Go with what is possible, “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
The Brew Is A Musing 