© Matthew Tuel — 2025
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
12 Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you except to revere him, to obey all his commandments, to love him, to serve him with all your mind and being, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving you today for your own good?
Micah 6:1-9 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
The Lord Demands Justice, Not Ritual
6 Listen to what the LORD says:
“Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains.
Present your case before the hills.”
2 Hear the LORD’s accusation, you mountains,
you enduring foundations of the earth.
For the LORD has a case against his people;
he has a dispute with Israel!
3 “My people, how have I wronged you?
How have I wearied you? Answer me!
4 In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I delivered you from that place of slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
5 My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you,
how Balaam son of Beor responded to him.
Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal,
so you might acknowledge that the LORD has treated you fairly.”
6 With what should I enter the LORD’s presence?
With what should I bow before the sovereign God?
Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings,
with year-old calves?
7 Will the LORD accept a thousand rams,
or ten thousand streams of olive oil?
Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion,
my offspring—my own flesh and blood—for my sin?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good,
and what the LORD really wants from you:
He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness,
and to live obediently before your God.
9 Listen! The LORD is calling to the city!
It is wise to respect your authority, O LORD.
Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!
1st Timothy 1:5 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
5 But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
1st John 3:2 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
1st Peter 1:3-9 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
New Birth to Joy and Holiness
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away—and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
With Calvin, we see that then end goal of establishing the law is to promote a pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere faith. The law is not just for "behavior modification" as my Pastor puts it, but is to promote a change at the heart level. You can go through the motions of obeying the law without truly believing in it. You can also say you follow the law, while secretly or discretely breaking it. The two go hand in hand.
With Spurgeon, we see that we don't clearly see God yet. We "see through a glass darkly", which in this context is a mirror. Meaning that, we don't even have a dim view of God Almighty through glasses or a telescope, but a dim reflection of Him. When we are finally called home we will well and truly get to see him as he is, without our mortal bodies and finite minds getting in the way. We will get to see him and look full in His wonderful face, and bask in his glory and grace.