The Commandments of God

God lives and works today. He never changes, and therefore His truths and commandments never change either. Many people in our present-day world, however, would like to get rid of the Ten Commandments, for the laws of God seem to inhibit them, spoil their fun, and destroy their freedom.

The truth, however, is exactly the opposite, as today's meditation by Basilía Schlink will show. The commandments of God tell us what good and evil is. Many believers have met their downfall because they've turned away from God's commandments.

If we depart from the commandments, we lose contact with Jesus, the Crucified and the Resurrected Lord. Only when we recognize the validity of the commandments and acknowledge their claim upon us can we come to the knowledge of our own sins. Only then will we see how often we fail and sin, because we ourselves just cannot fulfill the commandments.

Only then are we brought to contrition and repentance. In this way, we're always driven to the cross of Jesus Christ, into His arms. However, without the commandments of God, there's no recognition of sin.

We feel no urge to resist sin. If sin's no longer recognized as sin, then we don't need Jesus as our Redeemer either. If we aren't willing to capitulate before these standards and to repent, if we aren't willing to trust in the grace of Jesus, in His merciful forgiveness alone, then our spiritual life will dwindle away.

Unfortunately, there are countless Christians who've built their foundation on cheap grace. That is, they show no sign of gratitude for the forgiveness of their sins. They don't strive to keep the commandments.

They don't want to shed tears of remorse. If the commandments lose their validity, the commission of Jesus Christ for the world also loses its validity. For it was Jesus, the Word, the commandment of God manifested in the flesh, who lived out and proclaimed this one commandment in which all the others were contained, the commandment to love.

Without the commandment of God, there would be no more law, no more order in the world. Chaos would reign. When God gave His commandments to His people Israel, He said to them, See, I've set before you this day life and good, death and evil.

And this is a reality. We can choose what we want. If we say yes to the commandments, we choose life and good.

If we say no, we've decided upon death and evil, for now and eternity. Therefore, it's important for us, especially in these days when so many are rejecting God's laws, to take His commandments seriously. The most intimate union with God is promised to those who are at one with His will and act according to His commandments.

We cannot possibly do enough to keep them before our eyes as the standards for our life. I know your word is sure. It is a rock secure.

What you say comes about. Of that there is no doubt. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan.

To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099.

God bless you.