July 21, 2014 Bible Study –Follow the Spirit of God’s Law, Not the Letter

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 19:22-23

    What people truly desire is unfailing love. If you want others to care for you and find you attractive, love them unconditionally. If you are dishonest, others will not believe your protestations of love. It is better to be poor than dishonest.
    If we allow fear of God to guide our actions we will live a life of security. Those who choose their actions based on what is pleasing to God will not face trouble.

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Psalm 17:1-15

    When our enemies attack us, let us turn to God for deliverance. When we are accused, let us rely on God for vindication. If we are honest, we can count on God to vindicate us. We must remember that God can, and will, probe our hearts to see what our motivations are. If we plan no evil, nor sin in what we say, God will answer our prayers and rescue us from our enemies.
    We can rely on the Lord to save us from the wicked, from those who look for their reward in this life. As for me, my reward will be to see God face to face. I will be satisfied to know that God will bring me home to be with Him.
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Romans 7:1-13

    Through Jesus’ death we have died to sin and the law. We are no longer obligated to obey the letter of the law. Rather we are called to obey the Spirit behind the law. When people choose to follow the letter of the law, the law is constantly expanding and becoming more complicated in order to close the loopholes which people find in it. On the other hand, when people follow the Spirit, basic instructions are sufficient. When we follow the spirit of the law, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and strength” is sufficient. Perhaps, we need one further corollary, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Between those two rules, someone who follows the spirit in which they are intended will accomplish the purposes for which any other righteous law might serve.

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2 Chronicles 4-6:11

    The passage describes the tools and furnishings which Solomon commissioned for worship in the Temple. As I read that I thought about the fact that we are now God’s Temple. Do we furnish ourselves with similar effort to which Solomon furnished the Temple? I do not believe that this involved fancy clothes, or jewelry. Rather, we should furnish ourselves as a suitable Temple for God by memorizing Scripture, reading books which teach us how to do His will, discuss with our fellow Christians how we can best fulfill God’s will in this world.