OTKC 06: Honour God’s Law

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)

That’s the law.

Judgements are made based on the law. If the law is broken, there can be grave consequences. This is a principle that operates with the laws of nature. There is a sense in which this also is reflected in the law God outlined for humanity. The heart of the law is the key to how to live. Essentially, the key is that if we live to please God and operate in line with His will, then we can expect to enjoy the life offered to those who live to please Him. Alternatively, living against that law will bring consequences both in this life and the next.

Jesus – Fulfilment and The Standard

That might come across as a threat, and some might see it as a fear motive to obey God’s law. Yet that very law itself also deals with how people should approach that law. Jesus fulfilling the law set a new standard for others to see the level of righteousness God expects. The new standard is Christ. He would outline what God’s law required of people – not a legalistic approach to ticking boxes and looking for loopholes and technicalities. This was about a heart that desired to reflect God’s character, and Jesus expressed that both in what He taught and how He lived.

Followers of Jesus are, on the one hand, not obliged to work their way through the hundreds of laws outlined in the Mosaic agreement keen to observe them. On the other hand, they’re not left to live however they like without concern for God’s standards. There are those keen to get the idea that grace means they don’t have to worry about God’s standards, as though grace and love cover all. What Jesus offers, however, is the understanding not just of the grace that cleanses and forgives but the grace that equips and enables all those who live in the Spirit to operate in the Spirit and produce the fruit of the Spirit that reflects God’s character and standard. That honours God’s law.

Exploring the Honour

Honouring God in the biblical sense encompasses acknowledging His supreme worth, sovereignty and holiness through both our attitudes and actions. It involves giving God the rightful place of prominence in our lives and recognising Him as Creator and Lord of all. Scripture teaches that we honour God when we worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24), obey His commandments (John 14:15), and live lives that reflect His character. Honouring God means offering Him our first and best rather than our leftovers, as seen in the principle of first fruits throughout the Bible. It requires reverence and awe before His majesty, yet also embraces the intimate relationship He desires with His children. True honour acknowledges that everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him, leading us to steward our lives, talents, resources and relationships in ways that bring glory to His name. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, our chief end is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”—a profound expression of what it means to honour the Lord with our whole being.

Practical Steps to Shine

To honour God’s law today, Christians can begin by dedicating time to knowing God’s commandments through disciplined daily devotions and Scripture meditation. As Psalm 1:2 reminds us, we should delight in God’s law and meditate on it day and night. This study should be approached with the right heart attitude, recognising that obedience flows from grace rather than earning salvation, avoiding both legalism and antinomianism. Christians should embrace Jesus’ summary of the law as loving God and loving neighbours, allowing these principles to guide all actions and decisions. Practical application includes examining one’s heart motives, not just outward conformity, as Jesus emphasised in Matthew 5. When believers stumble, they should quickly repent and rest in Christ’s perfect fulfilment of the law on their behalf, remembering that the law shows our need for a Saviour. Christians can also seek accountability within their faith community, teaching and encouraging others to honour God’s commandments as Jesus instructed in Matthew 5:19. Finally, believers should rely on the Holy Spirit’s power to live out God’s law, recognising that true obedience is possible only through dependence on Christ rather than human effort.

What An Honour

When the heart takes delight in God – knowing Him more in His character and actions and adoring Him for who He is and what He does, it propels the rest of the body to pursue what it is to be pleasing to Him. Seeing the fulfilment of all God requires in Jesus Christ deepens that devotion to Him. Seeing all that Jesus has done for us further deepens that commitment, and receiving and operating by the gift of the indwelling Spirit gives a refreshing insight into honouring God’s law that is about delight and not drudgery. The phrase “that’s the law” no longer holds a weight we cannot carry. It’s an invitation to the life God offers in His Son by His Spirit.

For His Name’s Sake

C. L. J. Dryden

Shalom

Questions for Reflection

• How do you currently engage with God’s law in your life?
• How does the Holy Spirit help you to live in righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees?
• What challenges do you face in honouring God’s law, and what joyful steps will you take to overcome them?