The Abiding Duty to Obey God's Moral Law

Biblical spirituality is centered on union with Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and directed by the law of God.

Psalm 119:1 “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!”

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

John 14:21 “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.””

Therefore, we need God’s laws to direct our love for the Lord, and our obedience to his laws is the proof that we love him.

Law and Gospel: Distinct but Complementary

The Bible’s teaching may be summarized as law and gospel. We must not confuse law and gospel, lest we lose both.

Paul says that “the gospel” is the promise of justification “through faith,” but “the law is not of faith.”

Galatians 3:8 “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.””

Galatians 3:12 “But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”

On the other hand, Paul says, “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid” (v. 21). We must distinguish law and gospel, but recognize that both reflect God’s character and serve the purposes of his wise covenantal plan.

Richard Greenham defined the law as “that part of the Word that commandeth all good, and forbiddeth all evil.” The gospel, he said, is “that part of the Word which containeth the free promises of God, made unto us in Jesus Christ, without any respect of our deservings.” (Different but both are of God)

Greenham said, “God hath two hands; in one he holdeth a hammer to break the proud… in the other hand he hath a horn, to pour God’s blessings upon the humble. “

God gave his law to reveal the moral duty of man. Its commandments tell us what God requires of us.

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 ““And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?”

Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Here the word “require” (darash) can also mean “seek.” In other words, God has communicated in his law what he desires and expects of us.

God gave his gospel to reveal the message of salvation. (Good News)

Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

The message about Christ’s person and work as the incarnate “Son of God” is “the gospel” (Mark 1:1). Therefore, the gospel is not a timeless principle, but the news of God’s intervention in human history through his Son.

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

Whereas the law reveals our duty, the gospel promises salvation, righteousness, and glory by Christ’s grace.

Romans 1:16–17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.””

2 Thessalonians 2:14 “To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Salvation comes by calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, God’s means of salvation is the preaching of the gospel.

Romans 10:13–15 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!””