Keep God’s Word

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart, Psalm 119:2

Testimonies in this context is the law. We not only have to seek God, but we have to obey his laws. I was talking with someone recently who felt condemned. We talked it was not God’s conviction but rather man’s condemnation she was struggling under. A quick church sows 613 moral, civil, and ceremonial laws given by God in the Old Testament and 1050 commands in the New Testament. This does not take into account the rules that religion has placed on man outside of God’s commands.

I encouraged her to seek out God’s law and focus on keeping it. Many have been so comfortable with receiving from man that they don’t have any idea what God has actually created as law. There are many things that we have stopped obeying that our laws from the Old Testament. I think of Deuteronomy 2211 about not wearing blended garments that were to stand forever to name a few.

Yet there are many religious laws that we take as gospel that are even contrary to what Jesus said and did. Jesus literally told a woman to share the gospel with men. The woman at the well and Mary in the guarded were both sharing the good news at Jesus instructions with men. Jesus obviously misunderstood Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:12.

I won’t pretend to be an expert, I just know what I read in the Bible. I know that Paul had women in ministry around him. We’re called to keep God’s testimonies or laws, we should seek Him when something lies outside of what His word tells us, especially when you are feeling condemned by those we are under. As the word says there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Lord, there is so much we don’t understand even when it comes to the scripture. You said if any lack wisdom that we could come to you and request. Lord I ask for your wisdom as I want to keep your law and help others keep it too. Seek your wisdom to do so. To change because of your conviction not man’s.