In the Path of the King – Law Matters: The Law and the King (6)

In the Path of the King

Law Matters: The Law and the King (6)

The King expects His people to travel by the King’s own path.

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:3-6

As we have seen, Jesus, our Shiloh, walked the path of obedience to God’s Law. He was the true and final King of Israel in that He perfectly obeyed the Law. Now He stands over the Law to reveal the meaning and spirit of the Law, which goes beyond the letter of the Law into the experience and expressing of God’s glory and the realization of the very image of Jesus Christ Himself (2 Cor. 3:4-18)

But if we would abide in the Spirit of Jesus and know Him in His glory; and if we would live unto the glory of God by expressing the image of Jesus Christ to the world, we must walk the King’s path in obedience to God’s Law. Thus, we must know the Law and understand how the prophets understood it, Jesus fulfilled it, and the Spirit now teaches us to obey it beyond the mere letter of the Law into more fulsome expressions of love for God and neighbor than the letter can describe (Ezek. 36:26, 27).

But we can only engage the Spirit of the Law so that we express the image of Shiloh by learning and walking in the letter of the Law. As we learn the letter of the Law—line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little—the Spirit of God will use the Law to sanctify us heart, mind, and conscience, and to prepare us in words and deeds to live as Jesus lived, to the praise of God and for the benefit of men (Rom. 14:17-19).

We walk the path of God’s Law because it is in that path that we expect to encounter Him Who fulfilled that Law and Him Who teaches it, as well as Him Who gave it to His people as their redeeming God and Father. Outside that path are only darkness, confusion, uncertainty, and vain hopes. But along that path we may discern the way of righteousness, peace, and joy, and know the One Who is able to make us willing and obedient, and to do in and through us exceeding abundantly beyond all we could ever ask or think (Phil. 2:12, 13; Eph. 3:20).

The Law, therefore, and to the testimonies! For thus we may hope to be seen as truly followers of Shiloh our King.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.