Obedience…Is It Too Much to Expect?

However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands ... And if, in spite of all this, you still disobey me, I will punish you seven times over for your sins. I will break your proud spirit by making the skies as unyielding as iron and the earth as hard as bronze. All your work will be for nothing, for your land will yield no crops, and your trees will bear no fruit. If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins. I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock. Your numbers will dwindle, and your roads will be deserted. Leviticus 26:14, 18-22

A promise from God for punishment. This is pretty harsh punishment that God is commanding. Seven times over for their sins. No crops. No fruit. All their work for nothing. And their population will get smaller. Sad prognosis. Would it instill in them a desire to obey?

Once again, we are blessed to be under God’s grace…not under the Law. Some people must have thought that Jesus came to abolish the Law—Moses Law, the Ten Commandments and all the added laws, but Jesus clearly said in His Sermon on the Mount, that was not His purpose.

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18 NASB

There are additional teachings from Paul to the churches in Rome and Galatia.

For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. Galatians 5:4

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Romans 6:14-15

God’s grace covers all our sins through Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:19-26

All have sinned. Pretty straightforward. No one is without sin. What are you doing about that? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sin?

Prayer –Lord God, forgive me for my sin. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice.

Daily Bible Reading: February 28 – Numbers 11-13

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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