Law of the Lord

Romans 2:11-16. "Law of the Lord" Safe Haven Community Church. Sunday, August 7th, 2022. Romans 2:11-16. 11 For God shows no partiality. 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (ESV) The story is told of an ancient Roman ruler named Brutus the Elder who discovered that his two sons were conspiring to overthrow the government, an offense that carried the death penalty. At the trial the young men tearfully pleaded with their father, calling him by endearing names and appealing to his paternal love. Most of the crowd who had gathered at court also pleaded for mercy. But because of the severity of the crime, and perhaps because being the ruler's sons made the men even more accountable and guilty of worse treason, the father ordered and then witnessed their execution. As someone has commented about the incident, "The father was lost in the judge; the love of justice overcame all the fondness of the parent." Romans 2, addresses the character of God in dealing with the Law of the Lord. Paul continues to talk about "the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (v. 5). "The day of wrath" refers to God's final judgment of sinful humanity. Peter refers to it as "the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (2 Pet. 3:7), and Jude as "the judgment of the great day" (v. 6). Paul explains that it will occur at the second coming of Jesus Christ, "who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom" (2 Tim. 4:1). At that time "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:7-8). Our pluralistic environment raises pointedly the question of the basis for those fundamental moral norms by which a society governs itself. "Positive" law-that is, specific law enacted by a lawgiver or lawmaker-must have a universal basis if it is to be universally applicable or avoid being arbitrary. On what basis, for instance, can a democratic society decide to require all its citizens to refrain from stealing from other people? Granted the incredible variety of ethnic, national, and religious traditions represented in, for instance, (Canada), what underlying moral code can be discovered that justifies such a law? Under the impetus of such issues, the tendency increasingly is to base positive law on the notion of "the common good." But that idea is slippery and open to being imposed on the minority by the majority. For instance, the government of the Netherlands and now even in Canada, have decided that it is in the common good to allow people to put to death aged and sick relatives (Moo, D. J. (2000). Romans (pp. 88-89). Zondervan Publishing House). Health Canada released the Third Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada (2021). The report stated that there were: 10,064 assisted deaths in 2021 up from 7603 in 2020. Approximately 1740 euthanasia deaths were based on loneliness and isolation. As a society, as a church and as individual believers who are charged by God with caring for people, this should not be. (https://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2022/08/ontario-euthanasia-numbers-continue-to.html) God has revealed Himself in what He has created, including implanting His moral law into the human heart. His law codifies His moral standard. Yet every sin is cosmic treason against what is both revealed and understood. One day the opportunity for repentance will end. At that time God will execute His perfect judgment. The law of the lord outlines the criteria that God will employ in final judgment. Last week in Rom. 2:6-10, we saw how deeds will be examined to determine judgement Now in Romans 2:11-16, we see how God will judge sinful humanity 1) Impartially (vv. 11) through what was 2) Illuminated (v. 12-15) and based on their 3) Intention (Romans 2:16). Through the law of the Lord, God will Judge Sinful Humanity: 1) Impartially (Romans 2:11) Romans 2:11. 11 For God shows no partiality. (ESV) Prosōpolēmptēs (Partiality) means literally "to receive a face," that is, to give consideration to a person because of who he is. That exact idea is seen in the popular symbolic statue of justice as a woman blindfolded, signifying that she is unable to see who is before her to be judged and therefore is not tempted to be partial either for or against the accused. Sometimes she is also pictured with her hands tied, suggesting she cannot receive a bribe. Unfortunately, there is partiality even in the best of human courts, but there will be none in God's day of judgment. Because of His perfect knowledge of every detail and because of His perfect righteousness, it is not possible for His justice to be anything but perfectly impartial. Such things as position, education, influence, popularity, or physical appearance will have absolutely no bearing on God's decision concerning a person's eternal destiny. In warning masters to be considerate of their slaves, Paul reminds them that "both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him" (Eph. 6:9). "He who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done," the apostle assured the Colossians, "and that without partiality" (Col. 3:25). Peter admonished his readers, "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth" (1 Pet. 1:17). Clearly the point which Paul wanted to make after vv. 3-5, and to make emphatically, was that for (one) to rely complacently on the fact of a knowledge of God and of God's will, as though a merely formal knowledge (that is, a knowledge which is not existential, which stops short of obedience) were enough, is folly, since God's judgment will take account of human deeds (Cranfield, C. E. B. (2004). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (p. 152). T&T Clark International.) Please turn to Galatians 6 There is a right and a wrong way to show partiality. When Peter saw how God was working in the life of Cornelius, in Acts 10, he was finally able to overcome his Jewish prejudice against Gentiles and confess, "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality" (Acts 10:34). Like his Lord, Paul was not impressed by a person's elevated religious position (Gal. 2:6). That quality of justice is also implied in the apostle's declaration in Galatians 6 Galatians 6:6-10. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (ESV) * Here we see (v.6) a preferential honor is due the one ho teaches. Yet (v.7) we see the impartiality of God in judgement for immorality seen in one experiencing the consequences of their actions (v.8) and the reward (v.9) for righteous actions. Finally, there is a proper partiality to be shown (v.10) to the Saints of God. We can summarize therefore, that we who are human are to act on what we see and know, which is limited, and show righteous partiality. God, who knows perfectly, acts with impartiality. Illustration: There's a great difference between hearing the law and obeying it. You may be totally convinced for example of the value of limiting highway speeds to 100 KM per hour. It reduces wear and tear on your vehicle; it saves gasoline and lives. You agree with the law; you "hear" what it says. But if you've been driving 130 KM per hour in a 100 KM zone, and a highway patrol officer pulls you over to the side of the road, all your agreeing with the law isn't going to prevent you from receiving a ticket. The officer has seen your performance, your lack of obedience to the law. So too before God. It's not "those who hear the law" but "those who obey the law" who will be declared righteous. And the same principle, the same standard of judgment, applies also to declaring people unrighteous. (Panning, A. J. (1999). Romans (p. 37). Northwestern Pub. House.) Through the law of the Lord, God will Judge Sinful Humanity, through what was: 2) Illuminated (Romans 2:12-15). Romans 2:12-15. 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (ESV) God's impartiality does not exclude His taking into account the varying spiritual light that people have. Paul mentions two distinct groups of sinners: those who have not had opportunity to know God's Law and those who have had such opportunity. He is speaking, of course, about the Law given through Moses to the people of Israel. We see in verse 12, that those without the Law are therefore the Gentiles. It is not that Gentiles have no awareness of God or sense of right and wrong. The apostle has already established that, through the evidence of creation, all have witness of God's "eternal power and divine nature" (Rom. 1:20). Gentiles who have sinned without the law will therefore also perish without the Law, that is, they will be judged according to their more limited knowledge of God. That, of course, includes the vast majority of humanity of all times. Even with the increased ability to distribute God's Word in the various languages of the world, and the remarkable new techniques and media for preaching the gospel, most people in the world today have never heard clear teaching from the Bible, much less grasped clear knowledge of its saving truths. Because people have God's natural revelation in creation, as well as the witness of right and wrong in their hearts and consciences (v. 15), they are guilty and accountable. They will therefore perish without the Law. Apollumi (perish) pertains to destruction but not annihilation. That is the term Jesus used to speak of those who are thrown into hell (Matt. 10:28). As He makes clear elsewhere, hell is not a place or state of nothingness or unconscious existence, as is the Hindu Nirvana. It is the place of everlasting torment, the place of eternal death, where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (cf. Matt. 13:42, 50). All people are created by God for His glory, but when they refuse to come to Him for salvation they lose their opportunity for redemption, for becoming what God intends for them to be. They are then fit only for condemnation and destruction. They will perish because of their sin, not because of their ignorance of the law (Stott, J. R. W. (2001). The message of Romans: God's good news for the world (p. 86). InterVarsity Press.) It is Jews, those to whom the Lord had entrusted much, whom the apostle addresses next, declaring that all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law. The person who has not had the benefit of knowing God's Law will be judged according to their limited knowledge of God. But the person who has access to God's Law will be judged according to his greater knowledge about the Lord. A Jew (or any person) with great access to the word and will of God, but who practices none of it, will be held far more accountable than a Gentile (any person) who possesses a minimal amount of information about God but who practiced faithfully what he or she knew (Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Romans (Vol. 6, p. 79). Broadman & Holman Publishers.) Please turn to Hebrews 10 Though all unbelievers will be there, the hottest part of hell will be reserved for those who have wasted the greatest spiritual opportunity. That is why it is such a fearful thing to be an apostate, one who has known and even acknowledged God's truth but ultimately turned their back on it Before we look at chapter 10 of Hebrews, chapter 6 says of such people the writer of Hebrews says, "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame" (Heb. 6:4-6). Hebrews 10:26-31 now warns: Hebrews 10:26-31 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (ESV) * Although those who have the opportunity to hear God's Word have a great advantage above those who do not have such opportunity, if they fail to heed His Word they are much worse off than those others. For it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous/are just before God, Paul now says back in Romans 2:13, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. Just as James does in his warning about those who hear God's Word but do not do it ( as we saw last week in James 1:22-23), Paul here does not use the usual Greek term for hearing (akouō) but the word akroatēs, which was used of those whose business it is to listen. The idea is much like that of a college student. Their primary purpose in class is to listen to the teacher's instruction. Normally, they also have the responsibility of being accountable for what they hear and are tested on it. If one is simply auditing, however, they are required only to attend the class sessions. They take no tests and receive no grade. In other words, they listen without being held accountable for what they hear. In many synagogues during Paul's time, teaching did not focus on Scripture but on the system of man-made traditions that the rabbis had developed over the centuries since the Exile. Frequently, God's Word in the Old Testament was merely read and listened to, without explanation or application. Most Jews, therefore, were simply "auditing the course," hearers of the Law and nothing more. But God recognizes no mere "auditors" of His Word. The more a person hears His truth, the more they are responsible for believing and obeying it. Unless there is obedience, the greater the hearing, the greater the judgment. Yet, when Paul discusses justification by faith or by works he will make very clear that it is not by works but by faith that a person is justified (Rom. 3:20, 28; 4:2; Gal. 2:16; 3:11, 12). (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans (Vols. 12-13, p. 96). Baker Book House.) The doers of the Law, are those who come to God in repentance and faith, realizing that His Law is impossible for them to keep apart from Him and that knowledge of it places them under greater obligation to obey it. The true doers of God's law are those who come to Jesus Christ in faith, because the purpose of the law is to lead people to Him (Gal. 3:24). And after they have come to Him in faith, their obedient lives give evidence of their saving relationship to Him and of the fact that they will be justified. The idea here is not that obeying the law will produce justification, because Scripture makes clear that justification comes only through faith (Rom. 3:24, 28). But they will be demonstrated to be the just by the evidence of their doing of God's holy law. Paul is pointing to the same truth as James in regard to the relationship between faith and works, and, also like James, is using justification in the sense of completed or perfected salvation. The person who genuinely obeys God's Word proves by their divinely-empowered obedience that they are saved and thereby will be recognized as justified on the day of judgment (cf. James 2:20-26). Grateful obedience is properly found in those who believe in Christ, which though very weak and faltering and in no way deserving God's favour, is, as the expression of humble trust in God, well-pleasing in His sight (Cranfield, C. E. B. (2004). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (p. 155). T&T Clark International.) Does that mean, then, that Gentiles are excused from eternal judgment and punishment because they have not had the advantage of the Law and therefore had no basis for obedient living? No, because as Paul has already established as we see in verse 14, the Gentiles, that is, those who do not have the Law, have God's general, or natural, revelation of Himself in creation and know instinctively that they are guilty and worthy of death (Rom. 1:18-32). Yet no one will be judged for light they did not receive; everyone will be judged for light they did receive. (Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Romans (Vol. 6, p. 80). Broadman & Holman Publishers.). Anticipating questions, Paul here states that Gentiles by nature do what the law requires, they are a la to themselves, even though they do not have the law. No person has talked about this moral law more effectively in recent years than the late Cambridge professor C. S. Lewis. It is the initial argument in his classic defense of the faith, Mere Christianity. Lewis begins with the observation that when people argue with one another, an angry person almost always appeals to some basic standard of behavior that the other person is assumed to recognize. Lewis says: "It looks, in fact, very much as if both parties had in mind some kind of Law or Rule of fair play or decent behavior or morality or whatever you like to call it, about which they really agreed. And they have. If they had not, they might, of course, fight like animals, but they could not quarrel in the human sense of the word. Quarrelling means trying to show that the other man is in the wrong. And there would be no sense in trying to do that unless you and he had some sort of agreement as to what Right and Wrong are" (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 3.) Explaining further in verse 15, the apostle says, They show the work of the Law is written on/in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse/defend them. He we see four reasons why unbelievers are lost. First, as already noted, their rejection of their knowledge of God available through His creation condemns them. Second, as the apostle now points out, their conduct, based on the knowledge of the Law is written on/in their hearts, condemns them. This work of the law happens "on/in the heart." Here, as elsewhere, the "heart" denotes the inward person ("the real you"-as in 8:27; 1 Cor 4:5; 14:25; 2 Cor 3:2-3; 5:12), with overtones of wholehearted, sincere, complete commitment stemming from the integrating center of one as a rational, emotional, volitional being (as in 2:29; 6:17; 10:1, 9-10; 1 Cor 7:37; 2 Cor 9:7; see also on 1:21 and 8:27). (Dunn, J. D. G. (1988). Romans 1-8 (Vol. 38A, p. 100). Word, Incorporated.) Throughout history there have been many unbelievers who have been honest in business, respectful of their parents, faithful to their wives or husbands, caring of their children, and generous to those in need-all of which good things God's Word commends. God's standard of justice is reflected in many secular judicial systems, wherein stealing, murder, and various other forms of immorality are considered wrong and made illegal. Many pagan philosophies, both ancient and modern, teach certain standards of ethics that closely parallel those in Scripture. The Bible reports many good deeds done by unbelievers such as Darius (Dan. 6:25-28), the city clerk of Ephesus (Acts 19:35-41), the Roman military officers who protected Paul (Acts 23:10, 17-35), and the natives of Malta who befriended Paul and his shipmates (Acts 28:10). The fact that such people did good things, knowing they were ethically good, proves they had knowledge of God's Law written on/in their hearts. Therefore, if those people never come to trust in the true God, their good deeds will actually witness against them on the day of judgment. Paul here borrows the language of Jer. 31:33 to assert that Gentiles have a sense of right and wrong. Although they do not possess knowledge of God's will in the law, the Gentiles have a natural sense of morality that functions as an internal "law." (Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ro 2:15). Lexham Press.) Third, unbelievers are condemned because of conscience. Gentiles who do not have the privilege of knowing God's law nevertheless have a conscience also bears witness to His law. Suneidēsis (conscience) literally means "knowledge with," or "co-knowledge." The very idea behind the word testifies to the fact that people recognize they have an instinctive, built-in sense of right and wrong that activates guilt. God uses the consciences of His children as vehicles for His guidance. Paul therefore makes many appeals for believers to be faithful to the leading of their own consciences and to respect the consciences of other believers (cf. Rom. 13:5; 1 Cor. 8:7, 12; 10:25, 29; 2 Cor. 5:11). Consistent with his own teaching, the apostle was careful to obey his own conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16; Rom. 9:1). Conscience is an important part of human nature, but it is not an absolutely trustworthy indicator of what is right. One's conscience can be "good" (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19) and "clear" (Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Heb. 13:18), but it can also be "guilty" (Heb. 10:22), "corrupted" (Titus 1:15), "weak" (1 Cor. 8:7, 10, 12), and "seared" (1 Tim. 4:2). All people need to trust the Lord Jesus Christ so that "the blood of Christ" might "cleanse [their] consciences" (Heb. 9:14). (Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 446). Victor Books.) Fourth, unbelievers are lost because of their contemplation, their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse/defend them. This natural faculty obviously is closely related to conscience. Building on the instinctive knowledge of right and wrong that the conscience provides, even unbelievers have the obvious ability to determine that certain things are basically right or wrong. For those profound reasons, no person can stand guiltless before God's judgment. The fact that they do not turn to God proves they do not live up to the light God has given them. What a picture we have here! These accusers, combining their witness to prove that even the person without the law will perish! Donald Grey Barnhouse was known for his vivid and often very original illustrations, and at this point in his treatment of Romans he refers to the famous Revolutionary War painting "The Spirit of '76." It shows a drummer, a standard-bearer, and a fifer marching briskly down the road. Barnhouse says that our conduct (measured by the moral law), our conscience, and our memory are like those figures: "Your conduct beats the drum that declares by your resounding good works that you know there is a divine law. Your conscience waves the flag that reminds you that often you have trampled your principles in the dust as you rushed past on your way to complete the desires of your own will. And the fife of your memory shrieks its refrain to remind you that you have sinned. The excuses and accusations of your thought run like shrill arpeggios (the notes of a chord played in succession) in the counterpoint of your guilt. And the trio, conduct, conscience and mind, are all in step, in a perfect unison of condemnation because you have followed the road of your own will, refusing the road that forks at the cross of Jesus Christ that will lead you, if you follow it, even into eternal life (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Epistle to the Romans, part 8 (Philadelphia: The Bible Study Hour, 1950), p. 390.). Finally, through the law of the Lord, God will Judge based on human: 3) Intention (Romans 2:16) Romans 2:16.16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (ESV) A principle of God's judgment is that of motive. Here Paul makes clear that he is speaking about the final judgment, that day when, according to my gospel, God judges. Motive is a valid basis for judgment because only God is properly able to judge the secrets of men by/through Jesus Christ. Because the Lord infallibly knows every person's motives for doing the things he does, He can infallibly judge whether or not those deeds are truly good or bad, whether they come from the flesh or from the Spirit. God will judge by/through Jesus Christ (cf. John 5:27). The gospel Paul preached included the wonderful message that though judgment is inevitable, it will be conducted through Christ's mediation. For those who are trusting in Christ for their righteousness, God's judgment does not include the fear of exposure and punishment. As Paul later says joyfully, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). ( Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., & Wilson, N. S. (1992). Romans (p. 52). Tyndale House Publishers.) Please turn to Psalm 139 David counseled his son Solomon to serve God "with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts" (1 Chron. 28:9). Through Jeremiah God said, "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds" (Jer. 17:10). Three times in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus addressed this when He said:, "Your Father who sees in secret will repay you" (Matt. 6:4, 6, 18). God is properly able to judge the intention of people because of His unique abilities. In Psalm 139; Psalm 139:1-6. To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (ESV) * Even though from out outside, David abused his privileges, had someone killed and committed adultery. But he repented and sought forgiveness from God. From the outside, Judas was religious, followed and worked for Jesus but his motives were selfish and never truly repented. Regardless of who we might fool with our outward moral actions, God knows who has truly repented, sought forgiveness from Him and trusted in the only means of salvation, His Son, Jesus Christ. The Law of the Lord pierces the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. It convicts us and shows us that if we try to achieve the perfect standard of eternal life before God on our own works, we will perish. Whenever we see that word perish, with all its proper force and terror, we must also think of probably the best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, in which Jesus uses that word but says that it need not be our end: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 speaks of two destinies: eternal life and perishing, the very ends Paul speaks about in Romans 2 (vv. 7, 12). From birth we are all headed toward the second end, destined to perish miserably, without God and without hope (cf. Eph. 2:12). But Jesus died to make another and entirely different destiny possible. It is the way of atonement, with Jesus dying in our place, taking our punishment for sin upon himself. This is a wonderful end. It is, as Lewis says, "a thing of unspeakable comfort." Still, it does not begin with comfort. It begins with the knowledge of sin (through the Law of the Lord), so that we might turn from sin to faith in Jesus. (Boice, J. M. (1991-). Romans: Justification by Faith (Vol. 1, p. 240). Baker Book House.) (Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1991). Romans (Vol. 1, pp. 125-144). Chicago: Moody Press.) Closing Hymn; "Come thou Fount of every Blessing" Benediction: May the Lord be with you, that you may strive in the work of the Lord; may he grant you discretion* and understanding, that you may keep his law; and may he set your mind and heart to seek him. Go now in the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.