The Old Testament - Identity = Law

PSALM 1:1-2, PSALM 1:1-2, (NIV)(NIV)

“Blessed is the man…(whose) delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

PSALM 119:97, 163-68 PSALM 119:97, 163-68 (NRSV)(NRSV)

“Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long….I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances….”


“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments. My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.”

What is What is ““The Law?The Law?””


The 10 The 10 CommandmentsCommandments

The First Commandment:The First Commandment:

The First Commandment:The First Commandment:

““ONE GODONE GOD””

The Second Commandment:The Second Commandment:

The Second Commandment:The Second Commandment:

““NO IDOLSNO IDOLS””

The Third Commandment:The Third Commandment:

The Third Commandment:The Third Commandment:

““RESPECT GORESPECT GODD’’S NAMES NAME””

The Fourth Commandment:The Fourth Commandment:

The Fourth Commandment:The Fourth Commandment:

““REMEMBER REMEMBER THE SABBATH THE SABBATH

DAYDAY””

The Fifth Commandment:The Fifth Commandment:

The Fifth Commandment:The Fifth Commandment:

““HONOR YOUR HONOR YOUR FATHER AND FATHER AND MOTHERMOTHER””

The Sixth Commandment:The Sixth Commandment:

The Sixth Commandment:The Sixth Commandment:

““DONDON’’TT MURDER MURDER””

The Seventh Commandment:The Seventh Commandment:

The Seventh Commandment:The Seventh Commandment:

““DONDON’’T COMMIT T COMMIT ADULTERYADULTERY””

The Eighth Commandment:The Eighth Commandment:

The Eighth Commandment:The Eighth Commandment:

““DONDON’’T STEALT STEAL””

The Ninth Commandment:The Ninth Commandment:

The Ninth Commandment:The Ninth Commandment:

““DONDON’’T LIET LIE””

The Tenth Commandment:The Tenth Commandment:

The Tenth Commandment:The Tenth Commandment:

““DONDON’’T COVET COVETT””



THE TORAHTHE TORAH(The first 5 books of (The first 5 books of theOld Testament)theOld Testament)

JOSHUA 1:8-9 JOSHUA 1:8-9 (NRSV)(NRSV)

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”



““THE OLD THE OLD TESTAMENTTESTAMENT””


“….I love your LAW….I praise you for your righteous ORDINANCES….I fulfill your COMMANDMENTS. My soul keeps your DECREES; I love them exceedingly. I keep your PRECEPTS and decrees, for all my ways are before you.”

What do What do ““the Lawthe Law”” mean Today? mean Today?


-We are blessed as God-We are blessed as God’’s PEOPLEs PEOPLE

DEUTERONOMY 4:8 DEUTERONOMY 4:8 (NIV)(NIV)

“What great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”


-We are blessed as God-We are blessed as God’’s PEOPLEs PEOPLE -We receive God-We receive God’’s PROMISESs PROMISES

JOSHUA 21:45 JOSHUA 21:45 (NIV)(NIV)

“Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”


-We are blessed as God-We are blessed as God’’s PEOPLEs PEOPLE -We receive God-We receive God’’s PROMISESs PROMISES -We know God -We know God’’s PARAMETERSs PARAMETERS for protection and direction for protection and direction

PSALM 119:105 PSALM 119:105 (NIV)(NIV)

“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”


-We are blessed as God-We are blessed as God’’s PEOPLEs PEOPLE -We receive God-We receive God’’s PROMISESs PROMISES -We know God -We know God’’s PARAMETERSs PARAMETERS for protection and direction for protection and direction -We understand God-We understand God’’s s PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES for wise living for wise living


-We are blessed as God-We are blessed as God’’s PEOPLEs PEOPLE -We receive God-We receive God’’s PROMISESs PROMISES -We know God -We know God’’s PARAMETERSs PARAMETERS for protection and direction for protection and direction -We understand God-We understand God’’s s PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES for wise living for wise living -We inherit God -We inherit God’’s PROMISESs PROMISES

JEREMIAH 29:11 JEREMIAH 29:11 (NIV)(NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

EPHESIANS 2:10 EPHESIANS 2:10 (NIV)(NIV)

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

How should I respond to GodHow should I respond to God’’s Laws?s Laws?


-Obey the Laws you Know-Obey the Laws you Know


-Obey the Laws you Know-Obey the Laws you Know -Learn the Laws you Don -Learn the Laws you Don’’t Know t Know


-Obey the Laws you Know-Obey the Laws you Know -Learn the Laws you Don -Learn the Laws you Don’’t Know t Know -Share God-Share God’’s Laws with those s Laws with those who Don who Don’’t Knowt Know


-Obey the Laws you Know-Obey the Laws you Know -Learn the Laws you Don -Learn the Laws you Don’’t Know t Know -Share God-Share God’’s Laws with those s Laws with those who Don who Don’’t Knowt Know -Strive to Know God whose -Strive to Know God whose Law is Love Law is Love

J.I. Packer J.I. Packer (Growing in Christ)(Growing in Christ)

“Love and law are not opponents but allies, forming together the axis of true morality. Law needs love as its drive, else we get the Pharisaism that puts principles before people and says one can be perfectly good without actually loving one’s neighbor….”


“And love needs law as its eyes, for love is blind. To want to love someone Christianly does not of itself tell you how to do it. Only as we observe the limits set by God’s law can we really do people good….”


“As cars, being made as they are, only work well with gas in the tank, so we, being made as we are, only find fulfillment in a life of law-keeping. This is what we were both made and redeemed for.”

Spiritual

The Old Testament - Identity = Law