Oh how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all day.

 Psalm 119:97

Beloved, those words penned by King David, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are found in Psalm 119:97 [cf. Hebrews 3:7] and they convey the heart of both the Old Covenant [OC] and New Covenant [NC] people of God. That is, love for God and His Holy Word [the OC through the NC or Genesis through Revelation (Psalm 1:2; 19:7)] is basic to our relationship with Him. To know God, is to love God. And to love God, is to love His Holy Law – Word. This clearly explains to us why Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" [Matthew 22:37-40].

Therefore, daily, we must continue to seek to understand the role of God’s Holy Law in the life of every NC believer. First, by briefly breaking down His Law into its rightful, scriptural, and practical divisions in order to enable us to move toward a complete apprehension of His Law. Then, we will look at the key texts on the Law, from the New Testament, which support this perspective.

So then, please note that a biblically-faithful, theologically-deduced, and historically-derived division of God’s Law, can be seen in the following three categories:

  1. The Moral Law – The Ten Commandments [Exodus 20:3-17; Deuteronomy 5:7-21]. This aspect of God’s Law continues unto today with a few exegetical clarifications, or better yet, examples of NC abrogation [Hebrews 4:8-11; cf. Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17].

  2. The Ceremonial Law – This secondary aspect of God’s Law once consisted of the many sacrificial offerings, feasts, cleansings or washings, and Sabbatical regulations [see Leviticus 7, 23; Exodus 35; Hebrews 6:2], all of which Christ fulfilled in detail at His first coming [Matthew 5:17, “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”] [cf. Hebrews 10:5-10].

  3. The Civil Law – This final aspect of God’s Law was primarily related to the nation of Israel while they were in the land as the OC people of God. However, today, it’s best seen in Scripture through the various OC case-laws [found in Exodus 21-23]. But they are also to be continually viewed by God’s NC people as enduring, wise, legal models to emulate for any civil society that’s seeking to uphold a right moral code for living and governing in this sin-soaked world [Note: the crafting of our own foundational Civil Laws in the USA were morally and profoundly impacted by these OC Civil Laws, just as I have cited them from both Exodus and Deuteronomy].

Therefore, Paul’s words to Timothy still hold true — “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” [2 Timothy 3:16-17].

Finally, let us look at a few of the key texts in the New Testament that will affirm for us the ongoing relevancy of God’s Law. First, Romans 7:12, 22 – “So the Law is holy and righteous and good … For I delight in the Law of God, in my inner being.” These verses demonstrate that the church at Rome, though being dominated by Gentiles, was still instructed (and thus, so are we) to see the Law as good, and to delight in it. And second, 1 Timothy 1:8-10 also teaches us that the Law is good, and is to be loved and obeyed by God’s NC people – “Now we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the Law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, … and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.”

So then, let us uphold God’s Holy Law, each day, for the glory of God alone (Romans 3:31; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31). Some final thoughts:

  • “Gospel doctrine without Gospel culture is not a lack of good; it’s the presence of hypocrisy” (Ray Ortlund, Jr).

  • “The Law of God is like a mirror; it can reveal flaws, but not remove them” (John Blanchard).

In conclusion, let us draw near to God today: first, by paying attention to our heart preparation for encountering the Living God this coming Lord’s Day, through our praises and prayers with His people, and secondly, through our attending to the public reading and preaching of His Holy Word. Come worship with us, in person, this Sunday at 10:30 am – 2601 Audubon Drive, here in Laurel; or visit our website, www.audubonchurch.org, where you can be directed either to our Worship Services online through our YouTube channel, Sermon Audio archive, or our upcoming livestream. Soli Deo Gloria! 

Jerry Marcellino is pastor of Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel. He can be reached by email at: pastorjerry@audubonchurch.org