While William was in his
‘office’ doing school work last night, I was lying in bed reading. I don’t get to do that often enough. I used to read every night for hours – I’ve
always enjoyed reading. I usually have
3-4 (or more) books going at any given time.
I still do; however, it takes me months to read them anymore! Anyway, I was in the library last week trying
to find a book to ‘relax’ with – something that’s not really of substance,
something I don’t have to think too much with, and came across a new series by
Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer called “The Inn at Angel Island”. First off, I didn’t know Thomas Kinkade (the
artist) was also an author. Anyway, last
night I was about half way through it and came across a line (the main character is an artist who gave up her dream and went into advertising): “It was hard to look at sketches like these,
made at a time in her life when she was young and hopeful, fully believing that
if she worked hard, her talent would prevail and she would succeed. … What was
the use of even thinking about any of this anymore? Mulling this stuff over made no difference
now. But wouldn’t it be great to get up
every day and know that all you had to do was draw or paint to make a
living?”
Wow, that made me really stop
and be thankful that I have such a wonderful opportunity – something that who
knows how many dream about – to get up every day just to draw and paint! I’m
not even that good! Sure, I’ve sold a
few things, and if I spent more time working it, I would be better, but never
great. But the point: to do something I enjoy doing, and (attempt
anyway) make a living at it! Now, as I
think back, I’ve gotten to follow several of my ‘dreams’ and basically, took it
for granted. Yes, I’ve always been
thankful, but in reality, didn’t appreciate the gifts I really had – that of
getting to be a professional musician (performing all over Europe and in a few
states in the US), pursuing music for several years, being a professional
writer for several years (getting into multiple publications and publishing 2
books), getting to be a teacher (for a great many years, of many different
things), then dabbling in art as a kid, but getting to pursue it in my 40’s,
getting to have a studio for a year in 2010 and now, having my own art gallery
and studio! Wow, talk about being
big-time blessed! How many people dread
going to work every day, year-after-year, hating their life, lamenting
year-after-year over what dreams they have lost. Wow, how can I ever dare to complain about
anything ever again!
We started off the day
getting to do something we rarely get to anymore – sleep in!! Awesome.
We started the day with a great conversation about the law. We both may have gotten to take a day off
from ‘work’ as such, but we both are now glued to our respective computers,
working away at various ‘catch-up’ things.
Great, relaxing day anyway.
So
the discussion about ‘the law’ in biblical terms came about because of a
question posed by the instructor in William’s online class. We discussed it quite a bit, then he went in
to respond to the question:
"12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal
life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence
of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives
life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession
before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or
reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will
bring about at the proper time -He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the
King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and
dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be
honor and eternal dominion! Amen." (1Tim. 6:12 & ff)
What areas do you see
God calling us to be more "ethical" the letter of the law?
William’s response was quite good:
I like your question, but don’t agree with
the scripture you used. I believe that
the use of this scripture is taken out of context. The word commandment used in this verse is
referring to the commandment Paul gave in the former verses (see vs 1-11). Paul knew better then to tell people they
must follow the law. If Paul was to
refer to any law that Christ gave, it would be, “A new commandment I give unto
you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”(John 13:34-35 ASV). Jesus spoke this four times in the Gospel of
John BEFORE his arrest at Gethsemane.
God’s people were never called to hold to the law; but rather, to love
God to the utmost. “And behold, a lawyer
stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit
eternal life? He said to him, What is
written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered, You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You have answered
correctly; do this, and you will live" (Luke 10:25-28 ESV).
Again, we are called to love God entirely
with all are being. And even this is
only made possible by God through the Spirit dwelling within us. “Now we know
that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that
every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
For by works of the law no human being
will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been
manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness
to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who
believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood,
to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his
divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the
present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has
faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our
boasting? It is excluded. By what kind
of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith
apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:19-28 ESV).
In Revelation, God is talking to the church. Here, He says for them to
get back to their first love - Him. Even
after He commends them on their works He says,
”but I have this against you.” To
the angel of the church in Ephesus write: “These things saith he that holdeth
the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven
golden candlesticks: I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou
canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and
they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and didst bear
for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary. But I have this against thee, that thou
didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and
repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy
candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the
works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is
in the Paradise of God” (Rev 2:1-7 ASV).
So, it isn’t about any works, but to love God
in all our efforts. If I was to answer
your question, “What areas do you see God calling us to be more
"ethical" in the letter of the law?”
It would have to be: “You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. On these two
commandments depends all the Law and the
Prophets” (Mat 22:36-40 ESV).
So
my answer would be, God is not calling me to be more ethical by the law. But to love Him, and my neighbor will all my
mind, soul and strength. Then I wouldn’t
think of lying or cheating or anything else God wouldn’t approve of. By His Holy Spirit in my heart, (The Holy of
Holies) His throne room, I will be able to carry all that He asks of me.
