Topical Bible: The Law of God: It is Man's Duty to Keep

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The Law of God, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, is a fundamental aspect of the relationship between God and humanity. It encompasses the commandments, statutes, and ordinances given by God to guide His people in righteousness and holiness. The duty of man to keep God's Law is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing obedience as a response to God's covenantal love and authority.

Biblical Foundation

The Law of God is first introduced in the Pentateuch, particularly in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, serve as the cornerstone of God's Law. These commandments outline fundamental principles for living a life pleasing to God, covering aspects of worship, morality, and social justice.

In Deuteronomy 6:1-2 , Moses instructs the Israelites: "These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged."

The Purpose of the Law

The Law serves multiple purposes. It reveals the holiness of God and sets a standard for human conduct. In Leviticus 19:2 , God commands, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’" The Law also acts as a mirror, reflecting human sinfulness and the need for divine grace, as articulated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:20 : "Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin."

Obedience as a Covenant Requirement

Obedience to God's Law is a covenantal requirement, signifying loyalty and devotion to God. In Deuteronomy 11:1 , it is written, "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments." The Law is not merely a set of rules but a means of maintaining a covenant relationship with God, who promises blessings for obedience and warns of consequences for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28).

The Role of the Law in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ affirms the enduring significance of the Law. In Matthew 5:17-18 , He declares, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

The Apostle Paul further explains that while believers are not justified by the Law, it remains a guide for righteous living. In Romans 7:12 , he states, "So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good." The Law, fulfilled in Christ, is written on the hearts of believers, enabling them to live in accordance with God's will through the power of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 8:10).

The Duty of Man

The duty of man to keep God's Law is an expression of love and reverence for the Creator. In John 14:15 , Jesus emphasizes, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Obedience is not a burdensome obligation but a joyful response to God's grace and a testament to a transformed life. The Psalmist captures this sentiment in Psalm 119:97 : "Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation."

In summary, the Law of God is integral to the biblical narrative, underscoring the duty of man to live in obedience to God's commands. It is through this obedience that believers demonstrate their commitment to God and reflect His character to the world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Man's Inability to Keep the Moral Law
... Now, that a natural man cannot yield perfect obedience to the moral law, is evident. ...
2:1. How can he, being dead, keep the commandments of God perfectly ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/3 1 mans inability to keep.htm

God's Law Immutable.
... In order to do this, they must obey His law. Says the wise man, "Fear God, and keep
His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."(724) Without ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /25 gods law immutable.htm

Duty and Superstition
... and that Christ came, not to destroy the Law, but to ... bribe at elections, and go into
parliament each man with a ... and what it says about our duty to God and to ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon vii duty and superstition.htm

God's Law Immutable
... In order to do this, they must obey His law. Says the wise man: "Fear God, and keep
His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13. ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 25 gods law immutable.htm

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity Gospel Transcends Law.
... and truth came through Jesus Christ." John's thought is: The Law has indeed ... and portrays
a beautiful and instructive picture of man's duty to God and all ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/twelfth sunday after trinity gospel.htm

God's Requirements and God's Gift
... man in the parable who said, 'Thou art an austere man,' went away ... Lastly, my text
leads us to think of God's gift. ... It is meant, like the law of which it is a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/gods requirements and gods gift.htm

The Original and the Actual Relation of Man to Law.
... and impressive. By creation, it was a pleasure and a pastime for man
to keep the law of God, to do spiritual work. As created ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/the original and the actual.htm

The Life of God
... ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.' And God ... it is
the duty and in the power of every man to live the life of God, the life ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xv the life of.htm

Corinthians. God's Yea; Man's Amen
... of God, the message of pardon, the law for life ... a present possession of all the promises
of God; and whoever doubts their certitude, the man who knows ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/ii corinthians gods yea mans.htm

Sanctification is a Mystery.
... of Works is, that the latter ever pursues fallen man with this ... painful conflict we
are often tempted to ask whether God is not unjust in His law to demand ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/ii sanctification is a mystery.htm