Don’t Try to Keep the Rules: Let the Ruler Keep You

May people are not aware that believers are not called by God to live the Ten Commandments. The law was given through Moses (John 1: 17), but not for us to keep.

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3: 19-20)

"Every mouth stopped" -- why? So that man would no longer have any excuses, have no further recourse to justify himself. The standard of the law is absolute:

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

"For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (James 2: 10-11)

Did the law serve a greater purpose than damning mankind in self-despair? Yes, indeed:

"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

"But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 23-25)

For the Jews before the coming of the Messiah, they were kept under the law to their best efforts, which failed, as daily sacrifices were needed to atone for their sin – although the sacrifices could never wipe away their sin entirely (Hebrews 9: 9)

Now , for the believers, we are kept in Christ:

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" (Jude 1)

We are led by the Spirit:

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8: 14)

We are favored by God the Father:

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

and

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-6)

God has impressed His laws into our hearts and minds (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

Instead of trying to keep the rules, the Ruler in His love keeps us:

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 21)

This love that we are kept in, this love leads us to fulfill the law:

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13: 10)

Do not strain to keep the rules, for we are dead to sin, and now live in righteousness. Walk in love (Ephesians 5: 8), as His beloved child!