Foundation 2 - God's Laws
God governs all things.
God governs all things. (Ac 17:28, Ro 11:36, 1Co 8:6, 1Ti 6:15 second part)
God's laws include physical, mental, and spiritual laws.
God's laws include physical, mental, and spiritual laws.
The natural laws of physics, botany, and biology are God's physical laws.
Natural - "Pertaining to nature; produced or effected by nature, or by the laws of growth, formation or motion impressed on bodies or beings by divine power. Thus we speak of the natural growth of animals or plants; the natural motion of a gravitating body; natural strength or disposition; the natural heat of the body; natural color; natural beauty. In this sense, natural is opposed to artificial or acquired." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
physics (Ge 1:1-10, Ge 1:14-19, Jer 33:20,25)
botany (Ge 1:11-13)
biology (Ge 1:20-31)
The laws of language, reason, attitude, and choice are God's mental laws.
language (Ge 11:6-8, Tit 2:8, Jas 3:13)
reason (Isa 1:18, Jas 3:17)
attitude (Pr 23:7 first part, Eph 4:23)
choice (Jos 24:15, Rev 3:20)
The Ten Commandments are God's spiritual laws. (Ro 7:12,14 first part)
The first 4 commandments govern our relationship with God. (Ex 20:3-11)
The last 6 commandments govern our relationships with others. (Ex 20:12-17)
God's laws are expressions of His loving character.
God's laws are expressions of His loving character. (1Jn 4:7,8,16,21, Mt 22:36-40, Jn 15:10, Ro 13:8-10, Gal 5:14, 1Ti 1:5 charity [love], 2Jn 1:6)
Note on Jn 15:10: Abide - "To rest, or dwell." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
Hence, keeping God's commandments is living God's love.
God's love => God's laws
God's love => All of God's laws are health laws.
The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself. (Ex 20:1, Dt 5:2-4)
The Ten Commandments were written by God Himself. (Ex 31:18, Dt 9:10)
The Ten Commandments are the written standard of God's loving character.
The Ten Commandments are often referred to as the moral law.
Moral - "Relating to the practice, manners or conduct of men as social beings in relation to each other, and with reference to right and wrong. The word moral is applicable to actions that are good or evil, virtuous or vicious, and has reference to the law of God as the standard by which their character is to be determined." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
Like God, the Ten Commandments are holy. (Ro 7:12) (compare Lev 11:44)
Like God, the Ten Commandments are light. (Pr 6:23, Isa 51:4) (compare 1Jn 1:5, Jn 8:12)
Like God, the Ten Commandments are perfect. (Ps 19:7, Jas 1:25 compare Jas 2:11,12) (compare Mt 5:48)
Like God, the Ten Commandments are righteous. (Dt 6:25, Ro 8:4) (compare Jer 23:6)
Like God, the Ten Commandments are truth. (Ps 119:142 last part, Mal 2:4-8) (compare Jn 14:6)
Jesus lived the law perfectly. (Mt 5:17, Jn 15:10, Jn 16:33, Ro 10:4, Heb 4:14,15)
Jesus is the living Example of God's loving character. (Mt 5:43-48, Jn 12:45, Jn 14:8,9, Jn 15:10, Jn 15:12,13, Col 1:13-15, Col 2:8,9, Heb 1:1-3, 1Jn 2:5,6)
God's laws are for the protection and health of all beings.
God's laws are for the protection and health of all beings. (Ex 15:26, Dt 6:24, Ps 19:7-11 verse 11 summary, Ps 91:2,3,6,7,10,16, Ps 94:12,13)
Breaking any of God's laws is a sin. (1Jn 3:4)
Sin causes harm, disease, and death. (Dt 8:19,20, Ps 107:17, Isa 1:4-6, Jn 5:13,14, Ro 6:23 first part, Jas 1:15)
God's laws are a boundary to delineate the protecting limits of our liberty. (Jas 1:25 law of liberty, Jas 2:10-12 law of liberty)
Within this boundary, we have extensive freedom. (Ps 119:96)
God's laws define what is right and wrong, good and evil, helpful and harmful. (Ge 2:16,17, Ge 3:1-5)
It is a mistake to think we can know good and evil on our own, apart from God. (Pr 3:7,8)
It is a mistake to do what we see as right in our own eyes, contrary to God's laws. (Dt 12:8, Jdg 2:19, Jdg 21:25, Pr 12:15, Ro 1:21-32)
It is a mistake to think we can make our own governing laws, apart from God. (Isa 5:20,21, Isa 50:10,11)
Sin is a willful, froward movement away from God. (Dt 32:20) (consider Da 12:4)
Froward - "Perverse, that is, turning from, with aversion or reluctance; not willing to yield or comply with what is required; unyielding; ungovernable; refractory; disobedient; peevish; as a froward child." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
Sin is a willful, separation from God and His blessings. (Isa 59:2, Dt 31:16-18, Ps 66:18) (froward: Pr 3:32, Pr 8:13, Pr 11:20)
Sin results in slavery. (Pr 5:22, Jn 8:34, Ro 7:23, 2Ti 2:26, 2Pe 2:19)
In opposition, the opposers become the opposites:
Christ/antiChrist, cooperation/competition, dependence/independence, facts/fabrications, health/disease, help/harm, humble/proud, good/evil, light/darkness, love/hate, obedient/disobedient, peace/war, respect/disrespect, serving/usurping, spiritual/carnal, truth/falsehood, unity/discord, and life/death.
God's laws are a mirror, revealing our sins. (Ro 7:7)
We cannot be cleansed or freed from what we do not see.
A mirror reveals our need for cleansing/freedom.
A mirror cannot cleanse/free us.
God's laws cannot cleanse/free us. (Ro 3:20, Gal 5:4-6)
We need soap for cleansing.
The purest cleansing is cleansing from sin.
Jesus is the Soap, Who can cleanse us from all sin. (1Jn 1:7,9, Gal 2:16)
We need a deliverer for freedom.
The greatest liberty is freedom from sin.
Jesus is the Deliverer, Who can free us from all sin. (Ex 20:1,2 prologue of the Ten Commandments, Lk 4:18, Jn 8:36, Ro 8:3,4, 2Co 3:17, Gal 1:4, Gal 5:1)
We need Jesus!
God's laws point us to Jesus. (Gal 3:24)
As a result of God's love, every rebellious, harmful element, will finally be subdued. (1Ch 17:9,10, Na 1:9, 1Co 15:25-28, Rev 11:18)
Subdue - "Subduing implies conquest or vanquishing, but it implies also more permanence of subjection to the conquering power, than either of these words." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
God's laws include the law of cause and effect.
God's laws include the law of cause and effect. (Gal 6:7, Ex 34:7, Nu 32:23, 1Ki 8:32, Pr 1:30,31, Pr 22:8,9, Pr 26:2,10, Pr 29:1, Pr 30:33, Isa 50:11 compare Lev 10:1,2 and Mt 6:22,23, Isa 59:18, Jer 6:19, Jer 17:10, Jer 32:19, Ob 1:15)
A universal law of physical motion is that for every force (action) there is an equal and opposite direction force (reaction).
The action (cause) of one object always results in the reaction (effect) from a different object.
As in the physical realm, so also in the mental and moral/spiritual realms.
Bodily pain is an essential physical signal (effect/warning) designed to protect us from immediate harm. (Pr 6:27,28)
Other examples of biological cause and effect:
Lack of needed food for energy causes the signal to be hungry.
Lack of needed water for metabolism causes the signal to be thirsty.
Bible prophecy is an essential spiritual signal (effect/warning) designed to protect us from future harm. (Am 3:6-8)
Examples of prophetic cause and effect:
Anyone who receives the "mark of the beast" will be rejecting God's perfect government and will receive the negative consequences of separation from the Source of love and life. (Rev 14:9-11)
Anyone who remains faithful to God's perfect government will receive the positive consequences of abiding with the Source of love and life. (Rev 14:12,13)
The choices and actions of nations. (Jer 18:7-10)
The law of sin and death is a major component of the law of cause and effect. (Ro 6:23 first part, Ro 8:2 last part)
As previously mentioned, since sin is contrary to God's loving will, all sin causes harm.
Since our physical, mental, and spiritual aspects are integrated, the effects of sin beginning in one aspect can manifest as a harmful effect in any or all of our other aspects.
Moreover, since all of God's creation is fundamentally integrated, the effects of sin beginning with one person/being can negatively effect any or all of its other persons/beings, creatures, and elements.
Consider the prophetic blessings and curses issued to Israel between mount Gerizim and Ebol.
They vividly forewarn of the effects of obedience or disobedience to God's laws.
The consequences of obedience appear in the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life. (Dt 28:1,2)
Examples: physical (Dt 28:4,5,11), mental (Dt 28:7,12,13), and spiritual (Dt 28:9,10 "afraid" = respect)
The consequences of disobedience appear in the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life. (Dt 28:15,45,62)
Examples: physical (Dt 28:21,22,27,35,60,61), mental (Dt 28:28,34,41,65), and spiritual (Dt 28:64,66)
We see here that God's laws have universal jurisdiction. (Dt 29:24-27) (compare Rom 2:28,29, Ro 9:6-8, Gal 3:29)
We see here that God's laws have continual jurisdiction. (Dt 29:1,14,15,29) (compare Mt 5:17-19)
We see here that violations of God's laws produce ripple effects that radiate out to affect the entire environment. (Dt 29:24-27) (compare Isa 24:3-6 and Rev 11:17,18)
Causes and effects often appear in cause/effect chains, with a root (first/primary) cause and multiple effects that ripple forward as secondary/tertiary/etc. causes.
Examples: not taking care of your teeth -> cavities -> infection and gum disease -> general disease in the body
Examples: physical activity -> improved circulation -> improved cell nourishment -> general health in the body
Examples: wrongful desire -> sin -> physical, mental, and spiritual disease -> physical, mental, and spiritual death (Ps 78:29-31)
Examples: trust in God -> grace and forgiveness (through Jesus) -> physical, mental, and spiritual health -> physical, mental, and spiritual life
To undo a harmful chain requires identifying and eliminating its root cause.
To realize a helpful chain requires identifying and initiating its root cause.
The root cause of a harmful product is the existence of a market for that product: a customer base.
Examples: The root cause of cigarettes is persons who smoke. (compare 1Co 3:17)
Examples: The root cause of alcoholic beverages is persons who drink. (compare Dt 32:32,33 and Ps 23:31-35)
Examples: The root cause of pesticides is persons who are money-minded and short-sighted agriculturalists. (compare Hos 10:4 and Am 6:12)
Examples: The root cause of abortion is persons who selfishly trivialize the sanctify of life. (compare Jer 1:5)
Examples: The root cause of pornography is persons who are consumed with immoral lust. (compare Hab 2:15,16)
Examples: The root cause of child sexual trafficking is persons (predators) who practice this abominable form of sexual debasement. (compare Ex 21:16, Dt 24:7, Mt 18:6, and Rev 18:9-13 slaves and souls of men)
Examples: The root cause of false doctrine is persons who have "itching ears" for their own lusts. (compare 2Ti 4:3 and 2Pe 2:1-3)
But, there is yet another pernicious root.
God's people, who have the saving truth, need to proclaim it. (Mk 5:18,19)
God's people, who have the saving truth, need to live it. (Mt 5:14-16)
The Truth that will set people free from sin. (Jn 8:31,32,36)
The Truth that is found only in Jesus. (Jn 14:6)
We must move forward with courage and invincible strength. (Jos 1:5-7, Zec 12:8-10)
In doing good, we ultimately also benefit. (Lk 6:38, Eph 6:8)
In doing evil, we ultimately also suffer. (Ps 7:11-16, Pr 26:27, Hab 2:12, Mt 18:7, Mt 26:52)
In the law of cause and effect, we see God's judgment and justice as manifestations of His love. (2Ch 9:8, Ps 89:14, Pr 21:3, Isa 9:7, Isa 56:1, Jer 23:5,6, Ro 2:4-8)
God's laws include the law of service.
In God's loving design, nothing is to live solely for itself. (Ro 14:7,8, 2Co 5:15)
Every part of God's creation was designed to benefit the whole. (Mt 13:31,32, Isa 58:6,7, Mt 25:34-40, Lk 3:11, Php 2:4, 1Pe 4:10)
Examples: Fruit trees provide food for humans and animals.
Examples: Becoming mulch and nutrition for the soil, fallen autumn leaves continue to serve the forest.
Jesus, our Example, lived as a sacrificing servant. (Isa 42:1-4, Isa 53:11, Mt 20:27,28, Lk 24:25-27, Gal 6:2 law of Christ, Php 2:5-8, 1Pe 2:21)
Like Jesus, we are to be a sweet savor of humble, selfless service. (2Co 2:15, Eph 5:1,2)
God's laws include the law of grace.
Grace - "The free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
In God's judgments, there is a throne of grace. (Heb 4:16) (compare: Ps 9:7,8, Da 7:9,10, Rev 20:11-15, Rev 21:26,27)
Where sin abounded, grace abounds more. (Dt 30:1-6, Ro 5:1,2, Ro 5:15-21, Jn 3:16)
The law of grace saves us from the law of sin and death. (Ro 6:23, Ro 8:2, Eph 2:4-10)
The law of grace is also known as the everlasting covenant. (Ge 17:7,8,19, 1Ch 16:15-18 "for a law", Eph 1:3-5, 2Ti 1:9, Heb 13:20, Rev 13:8)
(for "land of Canaan" compare Heb 11:13-16 and Mt 5:5)
The law of grace is also known as the law of faith. (Ro 3:24-27, Ro 4:13-16)
The law of grace allows us to receive pardon for past sins. (Isa 55:7, Jn 1:29, Ro 3:24,25, Gal 3:22-24, 1Pe 2:24,25, 1Jn 1:7,9)
The law of grace allows us to receive power to overcome sin. (Zec 12:8-10, Ro 5:17, 1Co 1:18, Gal 3:25-27, Php 3:9)
The law of grace does not promote sin. (Ro 6:1,2, Ro 3:31, Ro 6:15-18, Mt 5:48, Heb 6:1)
The law of grace defeats sin. (Zec 4:7, Mt 1:21, Ro 6:6,11,14, 1Jn 2:1-6, 1Jn 3:4-6, 1Jn 5:18)
God's laws include the law of free will
Since God is love, He does not force His will on anyone. (1Co 13:4,5, Ps 32:8,9, Zec 4:6)
Every person is given free will to choose a spiritual/wonderful/meaningful life (Jn 10:10 second part) or a carnal/miserable/meaningless life (Jn 10:10 first part).
Every person is given free will to choose eternal life or eternal death. (Eze 18:21-23, Eze 33:11, Jn 6:37, 1Ti 2:4, 2Pe 3:9, 1Jn 5:10-12, Rev 20:11-15)
Each is allowed to follow falsehood or truth. (Ps 119:29,30)
Each is allowed to follow God or to not follow God. (Mt 7:13,14)
Each is allowed to serve God or not serve God. (Mt 6:24)
Each is allowed to be with God or be against God. (Lk 11:23)
In Eden, our first parents were given a choice. (Ge 2:16,17)
Outside Eden, the first children were given a choice. (Ge 4:1-7)
The physical nation of Israel was given a choice. (Dt 30:19, Jos 24:15)
The spiritual nation of Israel inherits the same choice. (Gal 3:29, Heb 6:12-17)
In the final "mark of the beast" conflict, every person will be given a choice. (Rev 14:9-12)
Note that worship and receiving (accepting) something are both choices.
It is a mistake to think we can know the right way on our own, apart from God. (Isa 48:17 "Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go", Isa 58:11 "the LORD shall guide thee continually", Jn 14:6 "I am the way", 1Co 8:2 "And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.")
God's laws include the spirit of the law.
Going beyond the letter of the law, God's laws include the spirit of the law. (Ro 2:29, Ro 7:6, 2Co 3:6, Jas 2:10)
Going beyond acts of behavior, God's laws govern our motivating thoughts. (Ps 51:10, Mt 5:21-24, Mt 5:27-30, 2Co 10:5, 1Jn 3:15)
Going beyond acts of behavior, God's laws reveal our comforts of neglect. (Mt 23:23, Jas 4:17)
God tries our heart to its deepest levels. (Ps 139:23,24, Pr 14:12, Jer 17:10, Heb 4:12)
We need the Holy Spirit's guidance to be in harmony with the spirit of the law. (Jer 17:9, 1Co 2:14)
God's laws were made to be kept.
Like God Himself, His laws are unchangeable. (Mt 5:18,19, Ps 33:11, Ps 89:34, Ps 111:7,8, Mal 3:6 first part, Lk 16:17, Heb 13:8, Jas 1:17 second part)
It is our duty to keep (obey) God's laws. (Dt 4:2, Ecc 12:13, Ps 119:4)
Note on Ps 119: Precept - "In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. The ten commandments are so many precepts for the regulation of our moral conduct." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
It is our delight to keep God's laws. (Ps 37:30,31, Ps 40:8, Ps 119:16,24,35,47,70,77,92,143,174)
We are blessed by keeping God's laws. (Jos 1:8, Ps 1:1-3, Pr 3:1,2, Pr 29:18 last part, Isa 48:18, Isa 65:13, Jer 5:25, Ro 2:13, 1Pe 3:11,12, 1Jn 3:22)
The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. (Ac 5:32, 1Jn 3:24)
God's people will keep His laws. (Ps 105:42-45, Ps 119:56,63,69,87,93,100,110,134,141,168,173, Ro 1:1-5 obedience to the faith, Ro 16:25,26 obedience of faith, 1Jn 2:3,4, Rev 12:17, Rev 14:12, Rev 22:14)
God's laws can be kept only with the help of Jesus. (Jn 15:4,5, Ro 5:10, Ro 8:1-4, Php 4:13, Heb 4:16)
True health is harmony with God's laws.
True health is harmony with God's laws. (Dt 4:5,40, Dt 5:29,32, Dt 7:12-15, Dt 28:1-14 blessings from obedience, Dt 28:15-68 curses from disobedience, Pr 3:1-8, Jn 15:10,11)
God's people will keep His laws through true faith in God. (Ro 1:17, Heb 10:38)
- through Jesus (Lk 9:28-36, 2Pe 1:16-18)
God's people will keep His laws through true hope in God. (Ps 1:1,2, Heb 8:10 mind, Heb 10:16 mind)
- through Jesus (Tit 2:13)
God's people will keep His laws through true love for God. (Dt 6:5,6, Isa 51:7, Jer 31:33, Eze 36:26,27, Jn 14:15, 2Co 3:3-9, Heb 8:10 heart, Heb 10:16 heart, 1Jn 5:1-3)
- through Jesus (Jn 13:34)
True health magnifies God's laws. (Isa 42:21)