keeping the law with the right attitude

Reading the Law of Moses is is tough.  It’s literature from another culture and another time. What do regulations concerning skin diseases or bizarre sexual behavior have to do with us? But after spending some time in Deuteronomy 4-11 I was struck by a number of attitudes that the Lord was hoping to find in Israel.  Is it possible he’s still looking for these attitudes today?

First, there is submission (humility?). This manifests itself in obedience (The obedience described in the law more often than not has to do with ‘distributive justice’ and caring for the marginalized). Second, God looked for loyalty. Israel was to bow to no other god.  Third, obedience to God was always to take place within the context of love. And finally, the subtext running through all of these chapters is trust. While giving the law, YHWH reminded Israel of all his faithful and gracious acts among them.

I’m also struck by God’s concern for the nations throughout the Pentateuch. Possibly Deuteronomy 4:6-7 could be taken to be Israel’s version of the Great Commission!

Observe them [the commandments] 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.’ What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

The attitudes of submission, loyalty, love, and faith along with a witness to the nations were to be marks of the Israelite community.  Are these things evident in our Christian communities today? Does this give us a vision for the type of community we’re to be? And if so, how do we become this type of community?

Answering these questions is what corporate discipleship is all about.

Saturday morning I leave for Otford, England to attend the annual IFES conference (learn more by clicking their link on the right). Pastor P from Cameroon will be preaching on Romans 12:1-8 so I’m not doing any sermon preparation this week.