Filter by Categories
God's Law Is Eternal
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod's law expresses the expectations for the moral and spiritual conduct of Israel and the church, embodying the commands He has given to enable His people to live as He created us to live. This law is not temporary but remains a permanent, perpetual, and eternal guide. It is described through various terms such as testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, ordinances, ways, and word, all reflecting the assumption that God provides this law in a form by which people can order their lives. The law originates from God, is intended for human benefit, serves as a reliable guide to living, and illuminates one's mind and understanding. It is associated with delight, joy, and meditation, acting as a counselor, a song, an object of love, and a lamp to guide one's path. Obeying God's law is likened to walking a path that guards a person's life, bringing joy and something to be enjoyed forever. Jesus Christ confirms the eternal nature of God's law, declaring that not even the smallest part will pass away until heaven and earth are gone, emphasizing its unchangeable and perpetual authority. He did not come to abolish the law but to explain and fulfill it, showing how it must be kept in both letter and spirit. Christ amplified its meaning, revealing its far-reaching sovereignty and penetrating character, ensuring that it remains a vital standard for righteousness. The law of God is perfect, and if kept, it produces and maintains a peaceful and happy society. It defines sin and reveals human shortcomings, showing the need for grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Altering or abolishing the law undermines its power to convict and convert, leaving no true standard for righteousness. God's law stands fast forever, demanding obedience and revealing deviations from the way of righteousness, as it guides humanity toward holiness and conformity to His will.
God Has a Dream
'Ready Answer' by StaffGod's law is a profound expression of His deepest reasoning and emotion, embodying His personal, holy way of life. It is the very essence of what God is, reflecting His goodness, holiness, righteousness, and eternal nature because He chooses to live this way. This spiritual law, established before the creation of angelic and human beings, governs His entire universe and bears only good fruit, which is why He commands us to honor and keep His commandments, switching from transgression to obedience. When we meditate on God's law day and night, as King David did with a heart after God's own, we allow Christ's mind to be in us, thinking thoughts dear to God and endearing ourselves to Him. God's law, alongside His gospel, forms the core of His dreams, and He desires us to embrace these ideas above all else. By opening our hearts to this mindset, we let His mind become ours, aligning our thoughts with His divine will.
Image and Likeness of God (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's Law is the essence of His character, a reflection of His mind and purpose, which we are to emulate as we grow into His image. It is through obedience to His commandments that we establish and strengthen our union with Him, allowing His presence to become greater in our lives. Without this obedience, there can be no true relationship, for if we are not doing what He does, we cannot be one with Him. God's Law stands firm as the model of what we are to become, and He will not budge on it, for to do so would be to deny what He Himself is. His instructions, commands, and conditional promises reveal that He does not predetermine every act of free moral agents, as He respects our willpower and right to choose whether to conform to His purpose. Through His Law, He sets forth our responsibilities within His great plan, ensuring that we cannot escape the necessity of obedience, for He must know our choices through the tests He allows.
God's Will
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod's law is an encapsulation of His will for us, a direct expression of His mind and purpose. Through His instructions, as seen in the Bible, He reveals His desire for our conduct and dedication, particularly during times like the Feast of Tabernacles, where He wills us to focus on spiritual devotion and fellowship over mundane responsibilities. His will, as an attribute of purpose, encompasses both the decisions He must make due to His unchanging, holy nature—His necessary will—and those He freely chooses to make, such as the creation of the universe and the redemption of a special people for Himself. His revealed will, embodied in His law and instructions, is what He has made known to us for our guidance and obedience, ensuring that we can align our lives with His desires if we adhere to what He has disclosed. In contrast, His secret will remains hidden, encompassing future events and specific plans He has not shared, reminding us to trust in His perfect timing and wisdom. By focusing on His revealed will, we fulfill our purpose and avoid the frustrations of seeking to uncover what He has chosen to keep concealed, submitting to His sovereignty with faith that His ways are perfect.
God's Rest (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's Law, as the verbalization of God's mind, is central to achieving true peace. Great peace comes to those who love His Law, for nothing shall offend them, meaning there is no stumbling block to those who embrace His teachings with both affection and duty. The term "Law" here extends beyond specific commandments to encompass the broader concept of Torah, which means teaching, instruction, or doctrine, reflecting the entirety of God's will as expressed in His Word. Loving God's instruction begins with a deep, personal love for Him, the Creator, and extends to submitting to His will through obedience. This combination of love for God and His expressed will nullifies the power of temptation, making sin lose its attraction and rendering occasions of stumbling powerless. Peace is thus a fruit of doing God's will, as even God Himself found rest and satisfaction in accomplishing His purpose according to His will. In contrast, discontent and war arise from going against God's Word, driven by human pride and the desire for control, but peace is achieved through faith, working through love for God and adherence to His instruction.
What Does God Really Want? (Part 6)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's Law is an eternal reflection of His very nature, embodying His behavior and character as the Great God of heaven and earth. It cannot be done away with, for it is a description of who He is, an image of His essence that remains forever. When the law of God, as found in the Old Testament, is read by many, a veil covers their hearts, blinding them to its true meaning and purpose. They fail to grasp its significance, unable to see that it mirrors the mind of God. However, for those whom the Father draws, this blindness is removed through a change of heart. This transformation allows God's Word to take effect, shaping the way they view life and conduct themselves. As the veil is lifted, they begin to reflect the mind of God, becoming like mirrors of His divine nature. Through the Holy Spirit, they are enabled to see from His perspective, to think as He does, and to live in a manner that aligns with His character and attitudes. This process of conversion, initiated and sustained by His Spirit, empowers them to fulfill their responsibilities within His creative works, embodying the verbalization of His mind in their lives.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Fifteen)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThings written in the Old Testament were written for us. The differences in the covenants focus on justification and access to God, not doing away with the law.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Seventeen)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Law (including the judgments, ordinances, and statutes), far from being done away, shows us our faults and outlines the way of mercy and love—how to live.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughUnder both the Old and New Covenants, refusal to keep to keep God's Law severs the relationship. God's law protects us and brings us quality life.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughCircumcision is a token, sign, or seal that one was the heir of Abraham. No physical sign has the power to transfer righteousness to the doer.
Is it Salvational?
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeIt is easy to denigrate a matter as not being 'salvational,' but the real question to ask is, How will this action affect my relationship with God?
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Three): Cultivating Joy
Sermon by David F. MaasStrategies for cultivating joy include developing contentment and gratitude, giving rather than getting, finding pleasure in work, and valuing God's law.
Elements of Judgment (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We dare not 'do away' anything that is part of God's mind, or we will not be in His image. Acts 15 did not give Gentiles exemption from keeping God's Law.
Hebrews (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus Christ's priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood because Christ tenure is eternal rather than temporal, guaranteeing both continuity and quality.
The Commandments (Part One)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughWhat have we accepted as our authority for permitting ourselves to do or behave as we do — our value system, our code of ethics or code of morality?
Elements of Motivation (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFearing God leads to a determination not to bring shame on God's name or offending and hurting the relationship between God and us.