Follow The Pure, Whole Commands of God

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.

2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.

-Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 39-40 (King James Version)

Yesterday we studied about obedience to what God has called you to do. All too often, we tend to add things to what God's called us to do. It's as if we are telling God that his calling is not quite right, or not good enough, so we need to tweak it and add to it. In today's Bible reading, we see Moses giving important instructions to the nation of Israel as they were preparing to take possession of their promised land. 

Moses says, in verse 1, "Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you." Moses is trying to get them to understand the importance of keeping the statutes, or commands, of God, the one he taught them. He says, "to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land." If they didn't follow the instructions of God, the commands of God, God would not be with them as they took over the land. How can we, today, expect to do what we're called to do if we are not living in obedience to God, and His word?  

Verse 2 kinds of tightens up the instructions to follow the statutes of God. "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Moses is saying not to add to, or take away from, the commandments of God, keep them exactly as he said. That is where we get into trouble. With the Bible, the Word of God, we must accept it wholly. We can't pick and choose what we want to obey and what we don't. It's all or nothing. We'll talk more about that in tomorrows blog. 

But for now, we read in verse 40 why it's so important to follow the commands of God exactly. "Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever." We must follow His commands, His statutes, so that we can be in the center of His will. That's how things go well. We will still face trials and temptations. We will still struggle against sin. But as we keep His commands and His statutes, we'll grow to become the people Jesus paid for with His shed blood on the cross. 

Are you following the pure, whole, statutes and commands of God? Or have you added to, or taken away from those commands? Think About It.