Going The Speed Limit (The New City Catechism #7)

Several years ago, we were driving through the sandhills of Nebraska, to visit friends in Orchard, Ne. I was behind the wheel and we were having a great time being crazy in the car and the next thing I knew there was a police car behind me with his lights signaling for me to pull to the side of the road. He gave me a ticket for speeding.

Now, I didn’t say, “But officer, I was unaware of what the speed limit was!” Though that was true, it was not relevant. The speed limit was posted, it gave clear direction for what I was supposed to be doing, and I fell short of the standard since I was not paying attention.

This is a great picture of how God’s Law in the Bible is intended to function. It not only reveals to us the moral character of God and the direction for how we are to live as genuine followers of Christ, it also lets us know how we fall short of God’s perfect standards and why we need a savior.

One of the reasons many people misunderstand what true salvation is or think it is not needed at all is that we are unaware of what God requires. It is like our saying to God, “But God, I didn’t know what you wanted?”  Just like with my ticket in the sandhills, so with God, we have no excuse. After all, God has “posted the speed limit.” He has revealed to us his standards in the Law.

Consider the seventh question and answer in the catechism, which introduces the Law to us and what it teaches: “What does the law of God require?  Answer: Personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves. What God forbids should never be done and what God commands should always be done.”

Take some time to give God thanks for revealing the Law to us. After all, it is a great treasure:

The law of the Lord is perfect,

    reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

    making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right,

    rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

    enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is clean,

    enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true,

    and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

    even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

    and drippings of the honeycomb.

(Psalm 19:7-10)

Delighting In The Law With You,

Tom