Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you......
.......See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say,
“Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” - Deut. 4:2-6 NIV
Do not add or subtract from the commands of the Lord. Something I have to think long and hard about. What commands have I imposed upon myself that are not really of his doing? What commands of God am I subject to artful forgetting. It is all too easy for us to adopt the commands and practices of the culture around us instead of studying and listening to what God has said to his people. At it's worst, we witness those who have added so much to the gospel that it results in people being caught up in a cult. And on the other side, we see those who have given the gospel so much permission that they are free to do whatever they please. But these two extremes don't let me off the hook. I have to measure my life and actions, not against the popular culture of even the church, but against his laws and his commands. As Moses concluded:
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time. - Deut. 4:39-40 NIV
It's God's decrees and commands that we have to keep. In order to do so, we must study these decrees so well that they are written on our hearts. We have to be wise enough to distinguish between what popular culture would decree and what are God's commands. We cannot rely on the words of others who seem to be more knowledgeable than us. We have to know God's word.
Deuteronomy 1-4: What More?
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