“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. [Matthew 5.17-19]
Do you realize what Jesus was referring to when He spoke of the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets? He was speaking of the Bible as it was known then.
So, what if we forget about whether the law of Moses does or does not apply today and pay attention to the fact that we are NOT to ignore the God's Word!
There are many lessons to be learned from God's Word. For us to teach others to ignore God's Word (by our actions or our words) is to demote ourselves in God's eyes and Kingdom. But if we teach God's Word through our lives and actions, we are elevated in God's Kingdom.
How do we teach God's Word through our lives and actions? First, we are to teach it! That is simple enough. But then, we are to live it. And that is where it get's tricky IF we think "living it" is obeying every commandment. "Living it" is more than obedience - it is "living it" - in other words finding our basic sustenance from it - our food, shelter, and strength in it. Jesus said His food was to do the will of the Father. Food is basic sustenance. To deny ourselves the Word of God (that shows us how to live) is to starve ourselves. It is spiritual starvation.
Now, we absolutely must understand that the law's purpose is accomplished in Jesus. And, of even greater importance, if we are in Jesus, the duty of the law is fulfilled in us also - and this is Kingdom work. But none of this rises to real significance in us if we are ignorant of the Bible.
The fact is, from the Scripture text above, we can discern that ignoring the Bible (or being ignorant of it) is possible by one who IS part of the Kingdom. However, that person is "least" in the Kingdom. This is important because a new convert to the Kingdom of God would never be required to know all there is to know about it. BUT! Growth in the Kingdom is not an option - it is part of it - it is necessary. And that is where the Bible comes into It's role in our lives. To deny ourselves or others this resource is, again, spiritual starvation.
Father, help me to understand the importance of learning Your Word. How else could I really know of Jesus?
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