Many people point to Colossians 2:14 to argue that Christ nailed God's law to the cross, claiming that the handwriting of requirements refers to the law that was against us and that Christ abolished it. However, a careful examination reveals that Paul is not referring to the law itself but to the record of our transgressions—our sins. In the context of verses 11-13, Paul discusses our justification through Christ, explaining that through repentance and baptism, our sins are forgiven, and we are made alive with Him. The phrase "handwriting of requirements," translated from the Greek "cheirographon tois dogmasin," refers to a note of debt or guilt we owed due to our sins, stemming from a past way of life governed by worldly standards. By His death, Christ wiped out this debt, taking it out of the way and nailing it to the cross, as symbolized by His body bearing our sins. Far from abolishing God's law, Paul emphasizes in Romans 7:12 that the law is holy, just, and good, and David in Psalm 19:11 highlights its value as a warning and a source of great reward. Thus, Colossians 2:14 affirms the profound truth of justification, showing that our Savior paid the debt of our sins, allowing us to live a new life of righteousness and service to Him.

God's law embodies a profound beauty that often goes unrecognized by the worldly, who view it as a curse rather than a blessing. This beauty lies in its harmony, purpose, and the wonderful outcomes it produces when followed. It is not merely a set of rules but encompasses the whole counsel of God, reflecting the breadth and depth of His truth. Many, however, harbor a natural antagonism and conditioned aversion toward God's law, seeing it as obsolete and harsh, a relic from a distant past. This hostility stems from human nature, which is inherently set against God's instructions, making it impossible for the unconverted to subject themselves to His law. They reject it, preferring a theology that demands nothing of them and offers rewards without obedience, ignoring the abundant evidence of its goodness and benefit. Yet, God's law is holy, just, and good, a tool provided by Him to guide us toward righteousness. It defines sin without causing it, revealing what is good and what is evil. When followed with the aid of His Spirit, it leads to life through sanctification, whereas to the unconverted, it brings death due to their own carnality. The law's beauty is in its capacity to produce communal harmony, benefiting not just the individual but everyone around them, fostering trust, peace, and stability in relationships and society. Moreover, keeping God's law results in abundant blessings and His favor, promising a life enriched with both physical and spiritual benefits. It provides insight into our own nature, illuminating the path forward, offering guidance, revival, strength, encouragement, hope, delight, liberty, good judgment, knowledge, and understanding. The law of God is an expression of His very mind, surpassing description in its perfection and beauty, holding the words of eternal life that draw us closer to Him.

God's holy spiritual law, the Torah, encompasses not only the Pentateuch or the Ten Commandments but the entire instruction and counsel of God, referred to in Psalm 119 as His precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, ordinances, testimonies, and words. God the Father deemed His holy and spiritual law so vital that He sent His Son to pay for the penalties we have accrued against it, providing a model for keeping the law and granting us His Holy Spirit to empower us to observe it both in letter and spirit, leading to spiritual growth and the development of godly character. As God's Holy Spirit displaces our carnality, we receive the foundation of our new spiritual bodies at our resurrection. All the problems in the world stem from breaking God's laws, which include not only spiritual principles but also the laws governing aerodynamics, thermodynamics, music, and nuclear physics. These eternal principles, established by God before the foundation of the earth, are discovered by humanity, not invented, and we must conform to them. God's holy Torah possesses a compactness and expansiveness, derived from eternal principles applicable to every conceivable situation in life, as Jesus Christ explained when identifying the greatest commandment. In contrast, man's laws are obtuse, complicated, and numerous, fostering a hatred for law when the spirit of the law is ignored. As God's called-out ones, we must not embrace anarchy or lawlessness, and if a man-made law conflicts with God's law, we are to obey God rather than men. We are to embrace and internalize God's holy law, making it an integral part of us. This law, once an external code on stone tablets, is now an inner code, illuminated from within by God's Holy Spirit, guiding us through the storms of false doctrine and misinformation to the safety of God's Kingdom, as we follow the lead of our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ.

God's law expresses the expectations for the moral and spiritual conduct of Israel and the church. It embodies the commands God has given to enable His people to live as He created us to live. God's law is not temporary but is in every way a permanent, perpetual, and eternal law. Various terms such as testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, ordinances, ways, and word describe the law, highlighting its comprehensive nature. These terms assume that God provides the law in a form that allows people to order their lives by it. The law comes from God, is intended for human benefit, serves as a reliable guide to living, and illuminates one's mind and understanding. It is a delight to live by, bringing joy and serving as a counselor, a song, an object of love, and a lamp to guide one's path. Obeying God's law is like walking down a path that guards a person's life. God's laws retain practical and spiritual application to this day and will forever. They remain necessary and useful for living the Christian life, reflecting the image of God, and knowing Him. Jesus Christ confirms the full authority of the law, stating that not even the smallest component will lose its vitality or authority until heaven and earth pass away. The law is eternal and perpetual, with no nullifying or amending; it abides forever in its righteous judgments. Christ declares that He did not come to abolish the law but to explain and show how to keep it, affirming its continued relevance. Through faith, the law is established in our hearts and minds as the only way to live. Christ amplified the law's spiritual character, showing that it reaches inward to thoughts, desires, and imagination, demanding subjection to God's will. His teachings, such as on the Sabbath, clarified its true purpose, emphasizing acts of mercy and necessity as honoring God, without altering the command itself. Jesus embodied the law in His life, living in perfect conformity to it, demonstrating that it was not a burden but His natural way of life. His obedience and ultimate sacrifice bore the penalty for humanity's transgressions, vindicating the law's perfection and uncompromised nature. God's law, if kept, produces a peaceful and happy society, though no human has kept it perfectly due to sin. The law defines sin for all time, revealing our deviations from righteousness and showing how far we fall short of God's glory. It serves to demonstrate that salvation cannot come by works but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Altering or abolishing the law diminishes its power to convict and convert, leaving no true standard for morality. God's law stands fast forever, fulfilled in Christ, who lived it perfectly as our example and representative, enabling us through faith to strive toward conformity to His will.

The significance of God's law stands as a central point of divergence between the faithful churches of God and nominal Christianity. Many in the world harbor a deep-seated enmity toward God's law, reflecting a resistance to submit to what God commands, whether it be directives to act or prohibitions to refrain. This hostility stems from human nature, which, without God's Spirit or calling, seeks to avoid subjection to His will. Contrary to interpretations that suggest God's law has been abolished, it remains a vital guide for Christian living. The notion that Christ nailed the law to the cross is a misreading; rather, what was nailed there was the record of our sins, the handwriting of requirements that documented our transgressions. God's law continues to define sin, serving as a hedge and a guide to help us avoid wrongdoing and pursue righteousness. Without this standard, determining what is right becomes impossible, leading to subjective morality where individuals decide for themselves what is good. God's law is not merely a set of rules but a reflection of His holy and righteous character, pointing us toward the goal of living as Christ lived. It acts as boundary markers, ensuring we do not stray from the path toward righteousness. The Feast of Unleavened Bread reinforces this annually, reminding us to purge sin and embrace sincerity and truth, emphasizing that the law has not been done away with, even under the New Covenant. God desires His law to be in our mouths and hearts, meaning we internalize it through study and application, so it shapes our speech, actions, and conduct. This intimate connection with His Word unites us with Him, aligning our thoughts and behaviors with His will as we strive toward the image of Christ. The law, therefore, is integral to the process of becoming His people, a perpetual reminder through holy days like the Feast of Unleavened Bread to reject corruption and live out His pure and truthful standards.

Across all nations and peoples, there is a universal appreciation for some of God's laws, regardless of whether they are followed. From Ethiopians to Russians, South Africans to Chinese, and across all beliefs—Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and even Atheists—mankind acknowledges certain laws of God as valuable. Every country and religion incorporates some of these laws into their own codes, selectively embracing those they find agreeable. One such law, widely accepted, prohibits murder. This commandment resonates with the innate desire to preserve life, as no sane person wishes to be killed. The pain and suffering caused by murder are universally recognized, leading every society to establish laws and penalties against it. Similarly, the law against stealing is upheld globally. Nations have created their own rules, distinguishing between petty and grand larceny, with varying penalties, reflecting a shared agreement with God's command not to steal, as no one desires to lose their possessions. However, mankind often picks and chooses among God's laws. The law against adultery is liked when it protects personal relationships, yet many disregard it when opportunity arises, especially since human laws often lack strict penalties for this transgression. This selective adherence brings grief, destroys families, and spreads disease. In contrast, laws like keeping the Sabbath holy are largely rejected by mankind, who view one day as good as another and dismiss this commandment as irrelevant. The first three commandments—having no other gods, not making graven images, and not taking God's name in vain—are also frequently ignored or misunderstood, with mankind showing little regard for them in legal or personal practice. From the beginning, God's laws were known. Adam and Eve, along with their descendants like Cain, understood these laws. Cain's reaction to his wrongdoing—his anger and fallen countenance—demonstrates his awareness of breaking God's law and the impending consequences. Mankind did not originate these laws; they stem from God, yet humans adapt them, adding or subtracting based on preference. Most human laws trace their origins to God's laws, but they are altered to suit human desires, often doing what is right in their own eyes. For God's people, the expectation is different. They are called to live by every word that proceeds from God's mouth, not selectively choosing which laws to follow. God does not accept a mixture of worship or partial obedience. Disregarding God's laws, whether inside or outside His church, brings penalties. These consequences may not be immediate, but they manifest over time, affecting lives profoundly. God's warnings against foolishness, drunkenness, and improper child discipline highlight the need for control and adherence to His words. His laws cover all aspects of life and worship, and while some are harder to follow than others, the call remains to strive daily to keep them at the forefront of thought and action. God pleads with His people to live by all His words, knowing what is best for them as their Father. He promises blessings for obedience and warns of the decline seen in nations moving away from His laws. As examples to mankind, God's people must not conform to human ways but instead read, study, and live by every word of God, making decisions aligned with His will. This path leads to a joyful, exciting life and a bright future, fulfilling the great purpose for which God has called them.