Psalm 119:11

Master Club closing:

Master Club closing:

Introduction:

It is true that we all want our children to live lives that are productive and successful. Our desire is that they would lead God-honoring lives that are pure.

This passage of scripture has been the source of many quotations. It is a well-known passage, but we cannot appreciate the importance of this passage without first understanding where it lies within Bible history.

(1) In the beginning, the Lord used his powerful word to create the heaven and the earth.

(2) It was the very word of God that Satan questioned and used to deceive Eve. It is important to note that to question the authority of the word of God is to question God himself.

(3) This deception and unbelief of the word of God, in the beginning injected within every human being, born since then, a serum of rebellion. It was not just a rejection of the word of God, but it was a rejection of God.

(4) Through various means historically God has given his word: through the Patriarchs, the Commandments, prophets...these manifestations were God revealing his holy standard, according to which man must live.

(5) As the Psalmist writes here, he is admitting several important truths:

(a) The Lord has this word that leads to not wronging him - Thy word

(b) The Psalmist is aware that he needs this word from the Lord - hid in my heart

(c) The Psalmist is aware of the alternative consequence - sin against thee - it is an endless cycle of memorization, never knowing when enough is enough because of the obvious human condition...

it is an endless cycle of memorization, never knowing when enough is enough because of the obvious human condition...

(6) As the scripture unfolds, we are introduced to a greater David, one who is greater than this Psalmist. This One would be completely devoted to the Lord, so much so that He would never sin against the Lord. His name is Jesus Christ.

While there are clearly benefits to the moral imperatives of scripture, there is no one who has every kept it perfectly. This is because our sinful human condition was poisoned with the serum of "anti-God" and his word.

This writer can only look forward to One who would be completely devoted to the Lord and his word. He can only point to a greater David, who could do what the Lord was worthy of receiving.

(7) Through Christ's sinless life, he became the only One who could sacrifice himself for the rebellion and the human condition that was initiated in the Garden of Eden.

(8) We conclude several things then:

(a) If you have never come to Christ, you cannot memorize enough scriptures to be made right with him because of your current condition.

(b) If you have come to Christ, then you do NOT have to memorize scripture so that you feel more secure in your own heart before the Lord.

It is only through the perfection of Christ that the Spirit is offered to those in Christ so that they might have the word written upon their hearts.

Finding that we are fully complete in Christ thus allows for us to hide his words in our heart, that we might not sin against God.

Conclusion:

It is then not an activity we do so as to gain standing with God, but it is an activity that flows out of a standing we already have with God.

It is not an activity that we do because we are afraid to sin against God, but rather because all of our sins are paid for in Christ, we are active in growing sanctification.

It is not an activity that I do to get blessings from God, it is an activity I practice because I am already blessed in Christ by God.

It is not an activity where I am trying to be faithful, but rather it is an activity that is because Christ was completely faithful already.

Thus, for a Christian, a pure life does not happen because you merely memorize the Bible. A pure life, in God's eyes, is the result of seeing how Christ has answered my sinful human condition through the gospel, and now (in that sufficient standing) I am strengthened to hide his word and live it out practically.

General thoughts:

Then, the path to NOT sinning against God does NOT begin with rote memorization of the scriptures but with Christ. From there, as new creatures, we receive the heart/passion/power for NOT sinning against God.

So, parents:

(1) Teach your children of the broken human condition that they have...