19.5 The Fear Of The Lord Is Pure

Table of Contents

The Text

Psalm 19:9a (CSB) The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;

The Chapter

The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.

The Confession

The moral law does for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof

Romans 13:8–10 (CSB) Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

James 2:8–12 (CSB) Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

But what is crystal clear is the moral law of God that was written on the hearts of upon the Gentiles starting with Adam:

Romans 2:14-16 (CSB) So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

This is the moral law that clearly defines what is good and evil and right and wrong. The sinful fallen nature of man might debate, argue, kill for and impose their own unholy opinions about what is right and wrong and the nuances within. But God does not. God has laid this moral law down within the hearts of every person ever in existence.

and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it

James 2:10–11 (CSB) For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.

You might think that those who would twist the law or ignore the law is not a respecter of God in this matter. They do not believe in God. But it is not as easy as that:

Romans 1:18-23 (CSB) For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

Within each of us, born of Adam, do our best to suppress the knowledge of God. We know he is real but without God dwelling in us, all of us are prone to suppress what we know of God. We have to. We have to some way sear our conscience in order that we can freely sin against God and against one another. We have to ignore the guilt, shame, and pain. But because we were created in the image of God, and even despite our brokenness, our mind, soul, heart, and body knows sin and the its effects. This is what we call trauma.

neither does Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation

Matthew 5:17–19 (CSB) “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 3:31 (CSB) Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Let me take it even further:

Romans 6:1-3 (CSB) What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

And

Romans 6:6-7 (CSB) For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin.

Based on:

Matthew 5:19 (CSB) Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Christ has fulfilled the law by fulfilling what the law demands: obey God. He is our obedience.

But for what God has done does not some way allow any of us to break the law of God. Or as my oldest son likes to put, "Just out here wyldin' out." No!

People who see that Christ has done it all, what are we to do?

Ephesians 2:8-10 (CSB) For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Beloved, you and I are created--born again in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared ahead of time for us to do. Listen, Acts 17 says he determines in what times we are to live in and the lands where we live. If he determines that, what are we then to do? Acts 17 also says we don't serve God because God does not need anything from us because he is not served by human hands.

Love one another.

John 13:34-35 (CSB) “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matt 22:37-40 (CSB) He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Emphasis on that one point: "The second is like it." In Matthew's Gospel, Christ equates to the first and second commandment.

So what are we to do? Love your neighbor because you love God. Wanna love God? Love your neighbor. And we know from Christ's teaching on "Who is our neighbor?" from the parable of the Good Samaritan, that our neighbor is everyone.

You have been born again. Now, you get to obey God.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 (CSB) I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.