Law And Liberty
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
I’m thinking out loud . . .
Is it reasonable that, before eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve didn’t need Law because they only knew good? They didn’t think about lying, cheating or stealing because the world they lived in was balanced and equitable with no unfairness, no ambition, no desires, and no consequences because all was good.
Upon receiving god like power of will and choice, without the omniscience of their Creator, restraints had to be placed in order to maintain balance in what had been a perfectly balanced world.
Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
So here we are today, learning live within constraints of law in order to maintain balance and peace in our world. We push against the law because of our selfishness but we restrain ourselves because we desire good for all, not just ourselves. We’re working our way back to the balance that existed in The Garden, before the temptation.
Thought exercise: God gave us law but He also gives us mercy because He loves us and knows we’re going to break the law. We choose to follow the law because we love Him and want to have a relationship with Him. Did Satan’s attempt at spoiling God’s creation actually result in an opportunity for us to have a more meaningful, intentional relationship with our Father and Creator?
Father, teach us Your law so that we can be free to love You more!