Over at Deaconess, Teresa gives this outstanding description of the Law of God. I have researched a fair amount on the subject of God’s Law and have not found anything quite like this. Yes, there are a few good men that will describe God’s Law as a part of His character, as Teresa does here, but the way she describes God’s Law as an organic element of His grace and a “joyous responsibility” is really a breath of fresh air. This is the type of description that needs to be brought out in the pulpit. I challenge any pastor out there to say such a thing in their next sermon! I also admire the way she mentioned that Christ did not have some sort of divine checklist to accomplish. There are many who imply this when they teach that Jesus morally merited our salvation for us, as if the supernatural aspects of His blood sacrifice and resurrection are secondary to our justification. God’s Law is about God, and if He gives us the grace to conform to it, then we should be ecstatic!  

[L]iving faith results in godly behavior. It’s just that simple. To put it in an organic rather than forensic setting (though both are applicable), the work of Christ brings us into the covenant, into the family of God, into the arms of His love, and as a result of our being God’s children, we will, with grateful and loving hearts, want to be like our Heavenly Father. In the Scriptures we have three great benefits 1) the Law of God, which is nothing less than a written record of His holy and loving character; 2) the historical account of how Christ embodied that Law while on earth; and 3) a glimpse of how His disciples continued to imitate the example of Christ as they went about obeying His final command to pick up with the dominion mandate where Adam and Eve had left off.Christians too often speak of God’s Law as though it consisted of rules such as “Don’t put your elbows on the table” or “Don’t spit on the sidewalk.” While such rules are intended to keep us civilized and courteous to one another, the fact remains that if they are broken, no blood sacrifice would be needed to atone for them. Perhaps an abject apology for offending the delicate sensibilities of others might be in order, but not blood.But break the Law of God, and you garner the wrath of God. Why? We are made in His image; therefore, it is a great affront to Him when we mar that image with rebellion disobedience. Those who remain outside of Christ have no hope of living into that image. But we who by grace have been brought into God’s family have the joyous responsibility to reflect the very character of God. Jesus did not just keep the Law, as though He had some divine checklist He went through every morning and evening. He IS the Law, in the sense that it was written to show forth His character. He told His disciples that if they loved Him they would keep His commandments. The Law springs forth from the very heart of God, and by keeping it, we show that our hearts are in tune with our ultimate Family, the Holy Trinity.Be ye imitators of God as dear children, St. Paul tells us. All the good works we can muster will not make us His children. But when once we have been grafted into the family, we are required to do all the good works we can muster. The Law of God and the life of Christ show us the goal for which we are striving. Whether we can reach it on earth is another question. But we must always, always be striving.