Tag / courthouses

by In Light Of The Cross

Where Did God Say He Wanted the Law Posted?

Fort Desoto Love Letters 030

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT

As humans we tend to gravitate towards legalism. We feel more holy about ourselves by posting memes on Facebook about how the ten commandments should be exhibited at court house squares and schools. Never mind the fact that God never told anyone to post them on courthouses or schools. He wanted it to be much closer to home than that.

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NLT

Some took the “bind them on their foreheads” literal and sewed them into their clothing. What could be wrong with that? Nothing, unless by doing it outwardly they were missing the inner application. Just like some have taken Jesus literally when He said to cut off the body part that causes you to sin. I think He simply meant to remove the temptation. What really needs to be changed is the heart. Cutting off body parts won’t do any good unless the heart is changed. Likewise posting things on our clothing and doors wont do any good unless the heart is changed.

I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart. Ezekiel 11:19 NLT

Now don’t go doing surgery on yourself! Let God perform this surgery. Doing it ourselves is very legalistic and futile. David realized how futile his own works and efforts were when he asked God

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Psalms 51:10 NLT

David’s legalistic attempts to cover his sin and make things righ led to one mistake after another-even murder! David finally understood He could not fix the problems himself legalistically, and handed the scalpel over to God and asked Him to perform the surgery.

It is quite legalistic to think that literally cutting off body parts and posting the law on courthouse walls will make us pure inside. So, if you are campaigning to have the ten commandments posted on courthouse walls and school halls, may I ask you, are these same laws already written on your heart? After all, while God never spoke of writing the law on schoolyards and courthouse lawns, He did speak of writing them on your heart.

I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts.Jeremiah 31:33 NLT

When God does this, we won’t need to campaign for the right to post the laws in our schools and courthouses. Whatever building we enter the law will be there, right inside of us. Like Paul said,

The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. 2 Corinthians 3:2 NLT

You may study this week’s SS lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of The Cross; Written on The Heart

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart.Tie them around your neck. Proverbs 6:20-21 NLT

Obey my commands and live!
    Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.
Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart. Proverbs 7:2-3 NLT

While many people think the ten commandments should be posted on courthouses and schools, I saw a t-shirt that read, “Put the Commandments back where they belong, in our hearts.” When you read the Bible you read time and again about the Commandments being in our hearts and homes, and not necessarily on public building walls. I am not saying there is anything wrong with them being on the walls, but we miss the whole point if they are not written on our hearts.

Many people believe the commandments being written on our hearts is a new idea found in the New Testament, but as we read here in Proverbs the concept is actually an Old Testament concept. God’s original plan was for Him to write the law of love on our hearts. We see this in Jeremiah.

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 NLT

The New covenant is actually in the Old Testament! The New Covenant, of letting God write His law on our hearts is the only Covenant God ever endorsed. God made clear to His people, that He was the one who rescued them from the bondage in Egypt. They did not rescue themselves. God also made it clear the He would rescue them from the bondage of sin if they would trust His promise to write the law not just on stone but on their hearts.

Let’s not trust old useless man made promises and covenants. Let’s trust in Jesus’ new and everlasting promise and covenant, and let Him write His commandments on our heart. This way they will be with us wherever we go, including courthouses and public buildings.