So That You May Live

So That You May Live

The Law—and the worldview it introduces—does not oppress.

“I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 18:4, 5

Leviticus 18:1-5 is a very important text for understanding the purpose of the Law of God and the nature of the Biblical worldview. Contrary to what some may think, the Law of God is not an oppressive yoke to be born grudgingly and cast off once by grace one has come to redemption. The Law of God is for life. God gave His Law to a people whom He had freely redeemed so that they might enjoy life as He intends it to be lived—in love, justice, and holiness.

Our text points to the practical focus of the Law of God by using a number of “action” verbs—“do” (vv. 3, 5), “walk” (v. 3), “follow” (v. 4), “keep” (vv. 4, 5), and “live” (v. 5). As we shall see, these verbs are chosen to make it clear to God’s people that the relationship they have entered into with Him is designed to shape and direct all aspects of their lives, all the time, according to the vision of God and His promises they would be coming to know through the practice of His prescribed disciplines. God’s Covenant is not merely a “religious” covenant, to be invoked or practiced only in times of formal worship or spiritual disciplines. While these are essential for knowing God and honoring Him, the Covenant God entered into with His people is intended to affect their whole lives.

The Law of God points to the ways God intends His people to live—what they should do, how they should walk, what to follow and keep, how to live. We do not fulfill the purpose of the Law, nor gain its benefits, until, through obedience to God’s commands, the Law shapes our lives after God’s eternal design. We apply ourselves to hearing, reading, and meditating in the Law of God so that we may grow in our relationship with the Lord and our knowledge of His good and perfect will. But we must practice the Law in every area of our lives if we would know the promises God holds out to us in His Covenant.

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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.