May 10, 2010

Moses Presents the 10 Commandments
Deuteronomy 5:1-6

Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, “Hear O Israel, Israel . . .” Hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today, so you may learn them and obey them! “The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. . . .This is what he said: “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” Deuteronomy 5:1-6 (NLT)

Pastor’s Blog

“Did you notice that the 10 commandments don’t begin with a commandment? Moses begins with “Hear O Israel” which means to the ear of a Hebrew the kind of hearing which leads to obedience. This is the Hebrew idea that hearing, believing, having faith and doing are all one thing. This resolves the question that many Christians ask, “am I saved by faith, belief or works?” The Hebrew thinking is that they are all the same thing. Hearing without action is not hearing. Belief without doing is not belief.

But notice what comes next. Moses quotes God’s reminder that God first loved them. God rescued them and now says, “therefore. . .” Grace first, then the 10 commandments. The “law” is God’s way of keeping God’s people on track with Him. Obedience doesn’t earn God’s help. God helped first and obedience was then a way to respond to God the Savior, a way to say “I trust You”, a way to say “thank You”.

Of course it’s exactly the same with Jesus. He rescued you from sin and death before you ever asked. Then he says “obey” . . . as a way to say, “yes, I trust you”, “thank you, Jesus, for what you’ve already done for me”.

Do you obey God as a way to earn His favor or do you seek to obey Him because of all He’s already done for you, as a way to say, “you’ve proven your trustworthiness, therefore I trust you”?

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