Members of the Community – The Kingdom Curriculum XIX (2)

Members of the Community

“See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom….” Deuteronomy 4:5, 6

The administration of justice in a community begins with the members of the community themselves. In ancient Israel each member was responsible to walk in obedience to all the commandments, statutes, and rules of the Lord, including those which prescribed ways for them to ensure the maintenance of justice in their community.

In the Church, individual members are the first line of defense against anything that would disrupt the order and peace of the Church, or seek to move her off the foundations of Truth and righteousness. What does this require of us?

First, as members of the community, responsible to help ensure that just and loving relationships are maintained among us, as well as with the larger community, we need to make sure we understand the requirements of justice as these devolve upon us in any situation. For this, we must become diligent students of God’s Law and of the rest of His Word as expounding and applying that law of love to everyday situations.

Love is not merely a sentiment, something we “feel” toward our neighbors and fellow church members. In the same way, justice is not just a condition to be longed for; it is a state to be attained and maintained through diligent attendance upon the requirements of justice. These, as we have seen, are outlined in the Word, beginning in the Law of Moses, but with ample elucidation, explication, and example in the prophets, writings, gospels, Acts, and epistles. If we will not apply ourselves to the reading and study of the Word of God, we shall have no hope for being able to fulfill our duties as maintainers of justice in our communities.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to equip us for good (just) works (2 Tim. 3:15-17). Each church member, therefore, must develop a plan and the discipline to gain ever-deeper insight to and understanding of the Word of God, together with means of personal accountability to help ensure that what we read we are putting to good use. The justice due our neighbors begins here.

Reading and meditating on the Law of God is every believer’s duty and privilege (Ps. 1). Order your copy of The Law of God, a compendium of the commandments and precepts of God’s Law, by going to www.MyParuchia.com, point your browser to “Publications,” then click on the drop-down option, “Waxed Tablet Publications.”

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is 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.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.