Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 06 – November 1976
God’s Law: A Mirror, A Map And A Guitar String
Sermon by Rev. Winston Gauder on Romans 13:10 and Lord’s Day 34
Scripture Reading: Romans 13:10-14
Psalter Hymnal: 374:1-3; 240:1-3; 462:1,2,4,5; 482; 493 Doxology
Dear congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Today I want you to think with me about a MIRROR, a MAP and a GUITAR- STRING! Each of these things tell us something of what the Law of God is like.
Looking around I can see that nearly all of you looked into a MIRROR before you came to church today. The men, straightened their ties, the ladies made sure that their make-up was well blended in. The mirror gives us a true reflection of what we really look like on the outside. In the same way, the Scriptures tell us that God’s Holy Law is able to give us a true picture of what we are on the inside. You see, because the Law of God expresses the character of God Himself, we are shown how far short we have fallen from what God meant us to be. Once we see all the blemishes and distortions in our lives we go to the Only One, namely Christ, who is able to remake and transform us into people of inner- beauty. Your mirror cannot straighten your tie; it can only show you what is wrong. In the same way the Law of God, acting like a MIRROR can only show you your sinfulness, but it is only CHRIST who can make you right again!
Question 92 of Lord’s Day 34 asks: What is the Law of God? Before we try to talk about what it contains it is necessary to fix in our minds the PURPOSE of God’s Law. We have just seen how the Law, like a mirror, leads us to Christ. In the same breath we can also say, that once we come to Christ, He leads us back to the Law which becomes a guide for our Christian life of gratitude and obedience! The Law which is a MIRROR becomes also a MAP, so that the believer in whom Christ has put His Spirit, can know what God expects of him; how he is to live in a way that pleases God and shows love to his fellowmen.
By an act of the State I become an Australian citizen. And now as a citizen I have to come to know the country and be able to move around so that I can begin to function properly. I surely need a MAP to guide me, lest I lose myself by trying to work out all the streets in this big city. Many good evangelical Christians see the Law of God only as a Mirror but they fail to see that God means it to also be a MAP for our Christian living.
The phrase “Law of God” is used in the Bible in different ways and sometimes it means just the Ten Commandments as given at Mt.Sinai, but at other times it can refer to all that God has revealed for us to live and die happily. Deut.29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things that are REVEALED belong to us and to our children, for ever, that we MAY DO ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW.” Many people think that once they come to Christ, He delivers them from the condemnation of the Law and sets them free to do their own thing. There are other Christians who have an “up-in-the-air” kind of understanding of God’s will for their lives and keep saying and always praying, “God show me your will.” Deut.29:29 clearly tells them what is required of them and how God expects them to show true gratitude and obedience. The Psalmist also saw the Law of God as being not only a MAP, but also a “BOOK OF WISDOM”; “A LIGHT THAT SHOWS THE WAY”; and a variety of things.
Psalm 19 says,
THE LAW OF THE LORD IS – perfect: reviving the soul
sure: making wise the simple
right: making the heart rejoice
pure: enlightening the eyes.
it is to be desired more than gold,
and is sweeter than honey,
and the drippings of the honey comb!
If those who live in God’s world would only catch a glimpse of the Psalmist’s view of the LAW OF GOD we would not have the mess and confusion that is so characteristic of our day. Each man is striving to be a law unto himself, and making others guinea pigs and victims of weak, human laws and regulations. The Psalmist, as well as the apostles and New Testament writers, knew that to follow the wisdom and direction which the MAP of God’s Word gives is the only true way for happiness and prosperity in God’s sight.
We now come to consider the third thing I mentioned about the Law of God. The Law alone gives us true liberty and puts us both in harmony with God and our fellowmen. Mankind, living apart from God has always rebelled against all kinds of Law and order. Our day is seeing increasing rebellion. These things have been prophesied and therefore we are not taken by surprise. Refer to 2Timothy 3 for a preview of things to come!
Think of a GUITAR-STRING lying on a table. Of what use is it? It serves no purpose and it does not make music or create harmony. This is how a person is when they decide to cut themselves away from God and His revealed will. They think they are absolutely free and independent, when they are “un- tied” at both ends, like the guitar-string on the table. Well, you take that guitar-string and tie it to one end of a guitar. It may seem a part of the guitar but the law-of-the-guitar requires that the string be attached completely at both ends, before it can serve its purpose and be TRULY FREE to accomplish its goal, namely, produce music and harmony. If I may use this illustration to a point, we can say that the Law-of-the-Creator-God is that man, created in His image, be fully governed and regulated by His Laws so that he too can have purpose and reach the desired goal.
This is why in the third part of the Heidelberg Catechism, which deals with GRATITUDE and obedience, the Law of God is discussed and presented as being the MAP which guides the believer, or it becomes the means through which people made NEW can really become FREE to do what is good and true and beautiful. Men and women will continue to live under Satan’s bondage as long as they reject the control and guidance which God’s Law and Will presents. Don’t we all know of a person or even a youth who in seeking to be FREE and INDEPENDENT by rejecting God’s Law, gets deeper and deeper into bondage and sin. Look at our society and community which is not regulated by God’s principles. See the resulting selfishness, deceit, and vanity, which gets man nowhere.
There is a tremendous challenge for believers and the Christian Church to declare and make known the things God has revealed. Our modern world is like a housewife, who begins to use her sewing machine without paying heed to the manufacturer’s directions. So, she tries various discs and combinations. She changes the speed and tension but it fails to give her the beautiful stitches which seem so possible. In frustration she calls in her neighbour and they try together – since two heads are better than one! They have wrecked the machine by trying to force and manipulate their smart schemes and know-how but to no avail. Then comes the teen age daughter, who sees the mess and says, “Mum, why not try the directions!”
This is the way it is with our world too. We try all the philosophies, and so- called schemes that are being turned out by our enlightened minds, to no avail. Even in this late hour we must hear these words: “WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG PLEASE STOP AND READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!”
Our world, and ourselves, will begin to make music and harmony when God’s Laws are honoured, loved, and obeyed. We need to let the light of our obedience and gratitude so shine before men that they may see our works of obedience, and be directed to look to God.
There is another important thing that we must bear in mind. The Ten Commandments are summarised by Christ when he says we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind (meaning totally and completely!). This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Matt.22:37-39). We see that LOVE is what is basic to all of God’s Laws. A person who has not come to Christ fails to see that this is the basic thrust of all of God’s Laws. He is no tyrant or slave driver who wants to take away joy and liberty! This is why the Psalmist said that it was his delight to keep the law and the statutes and precepts!
As we go on to study the implications of each of the Ten Commandments we must see that without LOVE there is no true obedience. Romans 13:10 says, “LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.” To say, “I have not killed” or done this or that evil thing is no indication that you have fulfilled the law of God. This the Pharisees did too. Outwardly they kept the law but they had no love which prompted their keeping of it. Until I give in love, obey in love, do business in love, nothing is fulfilled because LOVE is the fulfilment of law.
Go back to Rom.13:10 and stress the word law, this time. “Love is the fulfilment of the LAW.” True love to God is shown when we fulfil the law of God and not just do our own thing. Many say they have love, but it is not according to God’s law. Love is not just smiling, or giving a cup of coffee, or a hundred things. It is fulfilling the will of God for human life. No one can do contrary to God’s will and claim to love!
It is for this reason that, what is called THE NEW MORALITY stands condemned by God, in spite of all of its love-talk. This so-called new understanding of love is presented in such a way that a person can violate any one of the Ten Commandments, but if there was love present then that person’s action is declared good and noble. All expressions of love must also be an expression of obedience to God’s revealed will.
Someone could say that the Laws of God as referred to in Question 92 and following are all given in negative form. While this was a typical style of presenting them in the Old Testament, we as maturing believers of the New Testament Age must work out these commandments for ourselves into the positives of God’s will for our Christian lives. We must come to see and grasp how the commandments given at Sinai are expanded and deepened in the New Testament. This is why we must not read only the Ten Commandments as given in the Exodus 20 passage but also let ourselves be addressed and challenged by the many New Testament passages which add their light to each of these commandments. Let us praise God that He has let us take a look at the MIRROR of His Law so that with a holy disgust created within us by His Spirit, we could have fled to the Lord Jesus who saves and cleanses us. But let us thank God that this same Spirit at work in us tunes and controls us so that we now are made willing to obey the MAP given to us in The Law of God. We will see that some of these laws help us to LOVE AND WORSHIP GOD (1-4) and others (5-10) help us to truly LOVE AND SERVE OUR NEIGHBOURS AND OUR FELLOW- MEN.
Those who disregard the Love of God which He shows through His Law stand condemned. God requires all men to be subject to His Law and no man is excused. Those who reject Christ will be required to prove to God that they have kept His Law perfectly. Being a Holy and Just God He will not let any violation and disobedience go unpunished. Let this be a challenge to ALL men who live on the face of this earth. To those who have not reckoned with the offer of God’s free offer of salvation and deliverance, the invitation comes again to you today:- Do not harden your heart. Repent and believe in Jesus Christ who paid your debt on the cross of Calvary,
And to the many believers who hear this message today, may we further challenge you in the Name of God, to go on yielding yourselves to God, and do not yield your selves to Satan who still tries to enslave you. God has made you free from the power and tyranny of sin. Sin will not have victory over you. You are the child of a King and belong to His eternal kingdom. Live as a faithful citizen. Being filled by the Spirit of God, let Him so control every part of you that you would walk in obedience, with true love in your heart towards your God and your fellowmen. As you disperse into the world again remember that the resurrected Christ is with you through His Spirit, enabling you in all of the challenges you would meet.
May His grace and Spirit be with you.
Amen.