FROM
THE SERVANT GENERAL
THE WAY FORWARD IN CHRIST
(Part 32)
KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AND OUR COVENANT
June
23, 2010
Today’s readings
2 Kings 22:8-23:3
Psalm 119:33-40
Matthew 7:15-20
We
as Christians are known by the fruits of our lives (Mt 7:20).
In this we look to a basic principle: “every good
tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.”
(Mt 7:17). We are supposed to bear good fruit, because we
are to be good trees deeply rooted in Christ (see TWFC Part
31). Otherwise, we are fit only to “be cut down and
thrown into the fire.” (Mt 7:19).
Now
there are some who bear no fruit. They are not necessarily
bad people, but they also do not manifest the life of Christ.
In the parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus also said that
it was to be cut down (Lk 13:7). Thus we cannot just coast
along in our Christian life, we cannot be unmindful of God’s
call to holiness and righteousness, we cannot live only
for ourselves but not for Him.
We
have only one way to go, and that is to bear good fruit.
How do we come rooted in Christ such that we do bear good
fruit?
Jesus taught about the vine and the branches. We are to
remain in him and him in us so that we will bear much fruit
(Jn 15:5). If we are to remain in him, his words must remain
in us (Jn 15:7a). This means we need to keep his commandments.
If we do so, we will remain in him and in his love (Jn 15:10).
Thus
the psalmist speaks about the importance of God’s
commandments. First he refers to them in different ways:
laws, teaching, commands, decrees, edicts and precepts (Ps
119:33-40). Then he describes how we should regard these
commandments: to observe them with care, to keep them with
all our heart, to delight in them, to long for them. Finally
he looks forward to what observing God’s commandments
will bring to him: life and what is good.
What
then is our part? We ask God to teach us the way of His
laws, to give us insight to observe His teaching, to lead
us in the path of His commands, to direct our hearts toward
His decrees, to avert our eyes from what is worthless (Ps
119:33-37). We are to truly long for His precepts (Ps 119:40a).
The Israelites were God’s beloved chosen people. However,
they turned away from Him. God gave them His commandments,
but they not only no longer observed them, they were also
no longer cognizant of them. Thus when the high priest Hilkiah
found the book of the law in the temple, and the scribe
Shaphan read it aloud to King Josiah, the king was immediately
galvanized into action. First he tore his garments as a
sign of repentance. Then he had his key people look deeper
into the matter. Then he assembled all the people and had
the contents of the book read out to them. Finally he renewed
the people’s covenant with God. This was their covenant
to “follow him and observe his ordinances, statutes
and decrees with their whole hearts and souls” (2
Kgs 23:3).
Because
of his actions, God told King Josiah that he would not see
the evil to be brought upon Israel for their turning away
and he would die in peace.
Because
their fathers did not obey the stipulations of the book
of the covenant, the anger of the Lord was set furiously
against them (2 Kgs 22:13). The prophetess Huldah said that
the Lord would bring upon them all the evil that was threatened
in the book (2 Kgs 22:16). Not to bear good fruit and not
to obey God’s commands will result in our being cut
down and thrown into the fire!
We too are covenanted with God--generally as Christians,
and particularly as CFC-FFL. A covenant is a serious matter.
If we make promises to God, we should keep them. Otherwise
God’s anger will be set ablaze against us.
In
our covenant with God, He gives us commandments, and we
make promises to Him. We are to observe both. If we promise
to pray and read the Bible daily, we should do so. If we
promise to attend our meetings and give generously of our
finances, we should do so.
We
should not see His commands and our promises as burdens,
but rather as great blessings. Like the psalmist, we should
delight in them and long to accomplish them. For we know
that they are the way to true life and to all the good that
God has already prepared for us.
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