The Holiness of God Displayed by His Law

(Article for publication week of 2-23-2011 AD)

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good" (Romans 7:12).

A holy God must, of absolute necessity have a holy law. It would be impossible for a holy God, like the God of the Bible not to maintain a rule of law in His universe. God’s law, like Himself is perfectly holy. The law of God is a reflection of the Thrice holy God of the Bible. Thus we read in Psalm 19:7, “the Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.”

The basic requirement of God’s law is a command to love. In Romans 13:10b we read,“love is the fulfilling of the law.” The law of God is basically comprehended under two general heads- first to love God with all our being, and second to love our neighbour as ourselves. The first and greatest law, to love God with all of our being is briefly comprehended in the first four commandments. The love of God requires that we worship none but Him, that we worship Him only in the way He has prescribed, that we reverence His name, and that we honour him with all our time.

The love of our neighbour is comprehended in the last six commandments. The love of neighbour requires that you honour his rank, and stay in your place. The love of neighbour requires that you endeavour to preserve his life, to promote his chastity, to respect his property and his good name and refrain from coveting anything that is his.

This holy law was written in man’s heart in creation (Romans 2:15), and was written on two tables of stone by the finger of God (Exodus 20). If everyone obeyed this law, it would be a perfect world in which to live. But the sad fact is none of Adam and Eve’s natural children have ever kept this law. We are all pronounced as lawbreakers by a thrice-holy God, for sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). None of us are able to love God with all our soul, mind and strength. None of us have truly and perfectly loved our neighbour as ourselves.

But there was One Who did keep the holy Law of God perfectly. That was the Holy Son of God. He was made of a woman (but not of a man), and under the law (Galatians 4:4), and He kept the law on behalf of His people. His keeping of the law is imputed to everyone who believes in Him. By His righteousness the believer stands just before a thrice holy God (Jeremiah 23:6). And this Holy Son of God Who is coequal with the Holy Father laid down His life on Calvary’s cross to satisfy the penalty of the law. Therefore the saints of God are in right relation with the law of a holy God through the merits of the God Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Look to Him for your whole and sole righteousness. May the Lord bless all of you, my dear readers.