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A Guide to Proper Self-love--Hate and lust are only two of the many forms into which a healthy self-love can degenerate. The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (6) Self-love is appropriate, within the framework of God’s Law. “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the…
A Check on Lust--We must not desire anything but what God desires. The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (5) The Law teaches us to control our fleshly desires. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his…
A Check on Hate--The opposite affection to love is hate. Hate is a valid affection; we must not think that because hate and love are opposing affections that they necessarily cancel one out. The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (4) The Law is designed to bridle our tendency…
The Commanding Affections--Jesus explained that the Law of God, and the elaborations and applications of the Law provided in the rest of the Old Testament, are summed up in the twin commands of loving God and neighbor. The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (3) Two affections above all…
What to Desire--We may say that the primary function of the heart, as the chief component of the soul, is to focus our desires. The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (2) The Law trains our hearts to desire what we should. “Now this is the commandment, the statutes…
Take it to Heart--The heart is the most important component of the soul; from it, Solomon explained, flow all the issues of life (Prov. 4.23). The Rule of Law: Government of the Heart (1) Set your heart on the Law of God. “And these words that I command you today…
This is Life!--“Keeping” or, more literally, “guarding” the Law of God begins in the soul, The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (7) This is the way we’re meant to live. “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by…
True Righteousness--Jesus surely must have shocked His hearers by telling them that they could have no part in the Kingdom of God unless their righteousness exceeded that of the scribes Pharisees (Matt. 5.20). The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (6) Here is true righteousness, indeed. “And it will…
The Necessity of the Spirit--God knew that His people did not have the kind of inner strength they would need in order to be governed in all their affairs by the Law of God. The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (1) We cannot submit our hearts, minds, and…
All Your Conscience-- The third component of the soul is the conscience. The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (4) Living by God’s Law must be our highest priority. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You…
All Your Mind--Just as nowhere do we find the Scriptures speaking explicitly concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, neither do we find it addressing the components of the soul conveniently all together in one place The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (3) We must submit all our thinking…
All Your Heart--Love for God, which is God’s intention in giving us His Law, as we have seen, begins in the heart. The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (2) The heart is the heart of the matter in the life of faith. “You shall love the LORD your…
Inside-out--The rule that God prescribes for His people, and which He enforces by promises and sanctions, is a prescription for a pious and just society, The Rule of Law: Government of the Soul (1) The benefits of God’s Law are realized inside-out. “And the LORD said to me, ‘I have…
The Duty of God’s People--We are beginning to see that submitting to the rule of God’s Law is much to be preferred to submitting to any other law. The Rule of Law: First Things (7) The rule of God’s Law entails three duties. T. M. Moore “Pay attention to all…
The Outworking of the Law--What does obedience to the rule of God’s Law yield? What benefit may we expect to gain if, properly motivated out of fear of and love for God, we take up the yoke of obedience to His Law in every aspect of our lives? The Rule…