This is something I wrote for a Bible study-ish thing I am kinda doing for fun. Yes, I go around looking for ways to torment myself. Anyway, this is a short essay I wrote for an assignment called SUMMA. If you can, analyze it as an example of me writing nonfiction when its not being graded. Let me know how different it is from the English assignment which is graded and what is better or worse about it.
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people” Exodus 19:5. God has ordained certain laws which men are to follow. We as Christians believe that even today, more than two thousand years after they were first instituted, they still hold relevance for us and our times. It is our greatest striving that we keep these laws so that “our days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth” Exodus 20:12. Others, however, debate whether or not these laws are still current and it is a question that we must confront and face every day. Luckily, God has not left us with resources.
Firstly, every Christian should consult what God and His Church teaches. In the Bible, God states specifically that His laws are forever: “It is a sign betweene me and the children of Israel for ever” Exodus 31: 17. He speaks of the law as a “perpetual covenant” Exodus 31:16. Nothing in this gives even a loophole for disobeying the law. The law is the law and it is eternal. The Church, as it is bound to keep holy whatever is found in the
Scriptures, maintains this position to this day.
Secondly, what are God’s laws? What are these eternal things? Generally, the Laws of God are whatever commands He makes as recorded in the Old and New Testaments. However, we more specifically call the Ten Commandments His law. The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:2-17. 1) I am the Lord thy God, thous shalt have no other gods before me. 2) Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image; thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. 3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 4) Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. 5) Honor thy father and thy mother. 6) Thou shalt do no murder. 7) Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8) Thou shalt not steal. 9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 10) Thou shalt not covet. These laws are recited often in the Church services and studied by every Christian.
Are these laws applicable to us today? It is often said that they are not. They were meant only for the age in which they were made and have since then passed into oblivion. The civil law today, however, is based on these Ten Commandments. It is still illegal to murder, to steal, and to testify falsely. Other commandments, while not having this force of civil law, are taught to our children as being suitable for leading a moral life. Children are still taught to obey their parents and in that way to honor them. Envy is also taught against. What about the Sabbath day? Most of us still rest on the weekends. What about taking the Lord’s name in vain? Movies containing such profanity are censored or rated R. This shows that such a practice is still regarded as somehow bad, or to be corrected. That just leaves idol worship. Christians, of course, find this to be applicable. They still practice its avoidance. So, in these ways, if not the direct law, then a variant of it is still applicable to all or some of society.
This leaves just one, final contention: What if human law disagrees with God’s law? We find in Romans 13 this saying: “”Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God.” Thus, it is clear that a Christian must be subject to civil law. However, there is another thing to be learned from this passage in Romans. Rulers are appointed by God, therefore, they serve God. Service to God requires the keeping of His commandments. If a ruler or any other man does not keep these commandments, then they will “receive to themselves damnation” Romans 13:2. The conclusion is clear, that God’s law is over any law of man and if the two conflict, then a Christian must follow God’s law.
Clearly, then, God’s laws are still current today. They are as modern now as they were when they were first written and they always will be. They are eternal. These laws consist especially of the Ten Commandments which God gave in Exodus and all of these laws are found to be applicable to today in some form or another. Finally, if it comes to having to choose between God’s law and man’s law, God’s law takes precedence in any case.
Firstly, every Christian should consult what God and His Church teaches. In the Bible, God states specifically that His laws are forever: “It is a sign betweene me and the children of Israel for ever” Exodus 31: 17. He speaks of the law as a “perpetual covenant” Exodus 31:16. Nothing in this gives even a loophole for disobeying the law. The law is the law and it is eternal. The Church, as it is bound to keep holy whatever is found in the
Scriptures, maintains this position to this day.
Secondly, what are God’s laws? What are these eternal things? Generally, the Laws of God are whatever commands He makes as recorded in the Old and New Testaments. However, we more specifically call the Ten Commandments His law. The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:2-17. 1) I am the Lord thy God, thous shalt have no other gods before me. 2) Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image; thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. 3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 4) Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. 5) Honor thy father and thy mother. 6) Thou shalt do no murder. 7) Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8) Thou shalt not steal. 9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 10) Thou shalt not covet. These laws are recited often in the Church services and studied by every Christian.
Are these laws applicable to us today? It is often said that they are not. They were meant only for the age in which they were made and have since then passed into oblivion. The civil law today, however, is based on these Ten Commandments. It is still illegal to murder, to steal, and to testify falsely. Other commandments, while not having this force of civil law, are taught to our children as being suitable for leading a moral life. Children are still taught to obey their parents and in that way to honor them. Envy is also taught against. What about the Sabbath day? Most of us still rest on the weekends. What about taking the Lord’s name in vain? Movies containing such profanity are censored or rated R. This shows that such a practice is still regarded as somehow bad, or to be corrected. That just leaves idol worship. Christians, of course, find this to be applicable. They still practice its avoidance. So, in these ways, if not the direct law, then a variant of it is still applicable to all or some of society.
This leaves just one, final contention: What if human law disagrees with God’s law? We find in Romans 13 this saying: “”Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God.” Thus, it is clear that a Christian must be subject to civil law. However, there is another thing to be learned from this passage in Romans. Rulers are appointed by God, therefore, they serve God. Service to God requires the keeping of His commandments. If a ruler or any other man does not keep these commandments, then they will “receive to themselves damnation” Romans 13:2. The conclusion is clear, that God’s law is over any law of man and if the two conflict, then a Christian must follow God’s law.
Clearly, then, God’s laws are still current today. They are as modern now as they were when they were first written and they always will be. They are eternal. These laws consist especially of the Ten Commandments which God gave in Exodus and all of these laws are found to be applicable to today in some form or another. Finally, if it comes to having to choose between God’s law and man’s law, God’s law takes precedence in any case.
