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What Does The LORD Require of You?
 God's law demands
obedience (Deuteronomy 10:12-13 and 26:16), but it does not provide the
necessary spiritual resources for living an obedient life. The grace
of God provides the way for a life of obedience, and Jesus
said of Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the
flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us ... Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 8:3-4; 10:4)
When Israel was about to enter the Promised Land,
Moses restated what God's law required. "And now, Israel, what does
the LORD your God require of you, but...to walk
in all His ways... and to keep
the commandments of the LORD...therefore you
shall be careful to observe them with all
your heart and with all your soul."
Remember, the commandments of God called for holy living. "You
shall be holy, for I
the LORD your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). The measurement for this required holiness
was God Himself. This represented a high and lofty standard, far beyond what
man could reach on his own. Additionally, God was not calling them to an
external religious behaviorism, but to wholehearted obedience:
"keep the commandments...observe
them with all your heart." From deep
within their innermost being, the children of Israel were to fully
obey the Lord. They were to truly and sincerely
observe all that the Lord had commanded. There were to be no
inner reservations or hesitations.
What the law demanded was good. "The law
is holy, and the commandment
holy and just and good"
(Romans 7:12). Yet, the resources were lacking. Man could
not measure up on his own. "For all
have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, this perfect law offered no help
to change man into what it required. "The law
made nothing perfect" (Hebrews 7:19a). Praise God, there is a provision that can
accomplish what the law cannot do. "On the other hand, there is the
bringing in of a better hope" (Hebrews 7:19b). That effective hope is the grace
of God.
Therefore, brethren, having
boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way
which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having
a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our
hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews
10:19-23)
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