Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. (Isaiah 56:1)
God gave us the law in the Old Testament because people continually violated God’s right way of doing things. However, even before the law was given, humanity had an inherent understanding of morality because of our connection with God. Before the law came, people knew that murder was wrong and that it was a sin to steal. Even children know when they do something wrong before they are formally taught about sin.
God gave the written law so people wouldn’t have an excuse not to follow what God says to do. The law did not introduce new concepts of right and wrong but reinforced what was already known in the hearts of men.
The law served another vital purpose. It prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. By giving 613 laws, God taught people what sin was. The law proved that people could never be good or holy enough in their efforts and should have realized they needed a Savior! When the time was right, Jesus, the promised seed of Abraham, was born to live, minister, and die on the cross for our sins. When He rose from the grave, He defeated the power of sin, death, and hell.
Sin is a barrier between people and God’s power. If you want the Lord to show up in more significant ways than ever before, then you need to be sensitive to the areas in which you have allowed sin to be a part of your language, lifestyle, or thought process. Confess your sin; don’t try to hide it. If we desire to see God move powerfully in our lives and communities, we must live at a higher standard of holiness.
Practical Application
Are you ever tempted to agree with sin or compromise your beliefs because of the people around you? Maybe that looks like having a mouth full of cursing around cursing people. It could also look like you are attacking people with gossip or backstabbing when you are around people who spew hate. Decide to follow your Bible-based beliefs, not just around church people, but in all aspects of your life.
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