Bible Study Lesson 2

Why Should You Obey the Law of God?

from www.ocfellowship.org

What does a child think when a parent gives the child some money, saying, “You behaved yourself very well today, so I am giving you this money, just as I promised you”? The child will think the money was earned due to good behavior. What the child thinks depends on what the parent said. If the parent gives the child twice as much money as was promised, and says that I am giving you more money because I love you, then the child’s attitude will be different, because half of it was earned, and the other half was a gift of love. Now the child will feel loved by the parent beyond merely earning the money. In I John 3:1 we read, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God.” Adults are called children of God to show a very close relationship with Him as a Father. We should know the best reasons why God wants us to obey Him, as well as incorrect or false reasons for obeying Him. This helps us to understand our relationship with Him. If we obey God for the wrong reasons, this will change our relationship with Him.

1. What is sin? I John 3:4; Rom 7:7.

Comment: The question. “Why should you obey the law of God?” may also be stated, “Why should you make an effort to avoid sin?” Sin is the opposite of obedience to the law of God. Sin is disobeying the law of God.

2. Can a person expect to live for years without sinning? I John 1:8-10; Eccl 7:20.

3. What is the greatest commandment? Mat 22:36-40; Rom 13:8-10; I Cor 13:2-3, 13.

Comment: When we think of laws, it does not usually make us think of love. Laws seem technical, legal, dry, and without emotion. Love is an attitude or emotion that motivates a person to listen to others, understand others, and sacrifice time, energy, and resources to help others. When we think of the law of God, we should think of love toward God and other people. The details of the law show us how to show love.

4. What is the evidence that we love God? How do we know that we love God? I John 5:3; II John 6; John 14:15, 21-24.

Comment: The purpose of this lesson is to answer the question, “Why should you obey the law of God?” From this and the previous question we see that the greatest reason for obeying the law of God is to demonstrate that we love God. This is an unselfish reason. We do not primarily obey God for the purpose of earning something in return.

5. What does the Bible mean by the word justify (read the comment first)? Rom 8:33-34; Mat 12:33-37.

Comment: Notice that in these verses the words justify and condemn are opposites. If we know the meaning of condemn, then we will take its opposite to know the meaning of justify. The word condemn means to declare a person guilty. The opposite is to declare a person innocent. The biblical meaning of the word justify is to declare a person innocent (of sin). Read Rom 8:33-34 and Mat 12:37 again substituting this meaning.

6. Does keeping God’s law earn us the right to be justified by God? Rom 3:20; 6:23.

Comment: Obeying the law of God 99 percent of the time does not earn us the right to be declared innocent (justified) from the sin we commit 1 percent of the time. We cannot earn salvation by obeying the law of God because all people do sin and thus earn death. Eternal life is a gift that cannot be earned.

7. Should we boast if we obey the law of God? Eph 2:8-10; Rom 4:1-2; Jer 9:23-24.

8. Is one purpose of obeying the law of God to show that we know God? I John 2:3-4; Luke 6:46-49.

9. Is one purpose of obeying the law of God to receive answers to our prayers? I John 3:22; Isa 59:1-2.

10. Is one purpose of obeying the law of God to have a good understanding of the things of God? Ps 111:10; Ps 119:98-100.

11. Is one purpose of loving the law of God to have mental peace? Ps 119:165; Prov 3:1-2; Mat 11:28-30.

12. Is obeying the law of God supposed to be beneficial for us? Deut 10:12-13; 12:28; Ps 1:1-3; Rom 8:28; Jam 1:25.

13. Do we receive a reward for obeying God after the resurrection to eternal life? Rom 2:5-10; Mat 16:27; 25:14-30; II Cor 5:10-11.

14. Is one purpose of obeying the law of God to walk as Jesus did? I John 2:6; Col 2:6; Gal 2:20.