The Works of the Law

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Eduardo Elizondo—June 5, 2021

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My message is based on Rom. 2:15 and when we hear the works of the law maybe we start thinking: what is he going to tackle about this whole thing. Obviously, this is a very vast subject. We know that there's a lot of messages that talk about the works of the law, what it means and doesn't mean. The different places—especially in Romans—where it talks about:

• the works of the law
• works of law

the whole debate about

• salvation by works
• salvation by grace

All of these things that we've studied in the past!

I'm not really going to talk about that. We will talk about some of those Scriptures and we will setup the scene.

Rom. 2 is a section where Paul is describing the human condition and how we are different and how we are the same.

Romans 2:11: "Because there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned within the Law shall be judged by the Law" (vs 11-12).

So, there's a distinction between those who have sinned without the Law and those who have sinned within the Law. Fred has plenty of sermons under grace, under law and I strongly recommend the series God's Grace and Commandment-Keeping where Fred explains a lot of these things and lot of how we keep the Law through grace and how we do that.

Rather what we're going to do today is something a little different. In this aspect Paul is making differentiation, but then we go into this parenthetical statement (which includes vs 13-15, so keep that in mind):

Verse 13: "Because the hearers of the Law are not just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which do not have the Law, practice by nature the things contained in the Law, these who do not have the Law are a law unto themselves" (vs 13-14).

The next verse is really what we're going to study today.

Verse 15: "Who show the work of the Law written in their own hearts, their consciences bearing witness, and their reasonings also as they accuse or defend one another)"—closing the parenthetical statement!

It's talking about the Gentiles in this parenthetical statement, and Paul is saying they don't have the Law written in their heart and mind. But they "…practice by nature the things contained in the Law…" and then in v 15 which is the only verse in the entire New Testament that talks about "the works of the Law." We know that in the Faithful Version it's translated correctly, that those definite articles are there before Law.

There are other places where it talks the works of law, but not the works of the Law. We understand the works of the Law, as Fred has explained in other series, as I mentioned, is talking about the Law of God, the works of the Law of God.

This is the only place that that is mentioned. I want for us to take a look at this context and what it really says so that we can explore what this really is. These Gentiles are showing the work of the Law written in their own hearts.

In v 14 it says that they don't have the Law, but they're showing the works of the Law. What are these works of the Law? We know that there have been a lot of things about what this means:

• work of the Law
• works of law

Rom. 3—this is just for comparison; we're not going to get in to the technicalities of all of this. The other verses that talk about works of law.

Romans 3:20: "Therefore, by works of law…"

This is just a contrast to what it says in Rom. 2:15, because here it says:

"…there shall no flesh be justified before Him; for through the Law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God that is separate from law has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God that is through the faith of Jesus Christ, toward all and upon all those who believe; for there is no difference (vs 20-22).

Verse 23 connects with Rom. 2 is telling us what sin is: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

So, Paul is connecting these things that we have all sinned, and vs 2-22 he is explaining that it's not by works of law. That's a very general statement. It's the works of the Law!

But we also know that even the works of the Law are not going to justify us before God. They're not going to save us. It's only the blood of Jesus Christ that can save us. We ought to know and understand that.

With that as background—read all of Rom. 3:9-23 to understand more of this and go through the studies and all of that—we're going to talk about these works of the Law.

What are these works of the Law that Paul is referring to in this parenthetical statement?

Romans 2:15: "Who show… [to the Gentiles] …the work of the Law written in their own hearts…"

What is that work of the Law? It's very interesting, because sometimes it has been taken as the works that we do, or that we keep the Laws of God! Today, I want for us to take a step back and just take a look and see what it says: "Who show the work of the Law…"

• not the work of the person
• not the work of the Gentiles
• not the work of those who are converted

It is "…the work of the Law…"

So, what is this work of the Law? It is the Law that is carrying out that work; it's not us! It is not the Gentiles. The Gentiles are just showing the work of the Law; they're showing what this Law is doing.

Verse 14: "For when the Gentiles, which do not have the Law…"

Verse 15: "Who show the work of the Law…"

So, the Law is working something, the one that is taking action in these people, in these Gentiles, or in us, so to speak, as well. What is this work of the Law?

Psa. 19 explains to us, what are the works of the Law; the works that the Law does, that the Law carries out. That's what we're going to studying in the remainder of this message: What are these works of the Law?

Perhaps we have not thought it from this perspective, that it is the Law itself that carries out a work. Today we're going to study:

• What is that work that the Law carries out?
• How does it bring it about?

It's a very different thing! It's not what we do in saving ourselves, or in doing our works and trying to be justified before God—which we cannot!

It's really what the Law is doing in us; we actually are the object of this work, not the subject; not the one that's carrying out the action, but we are the object. The works of the Law are done in our lives, because Paul said that the Gentiles show the work of the Law, the Laws of God written in their hearts.

So, how much more should we be shown the works of the Law. In order to that and to meditate on the Law and understand the Law and cherish it and really apply it, not only in the letter, but in the spirit, that it would be transformative in our lives.

It's important that we take a look at what are these works of the Law? Psa. 19:1-6 talks about the works of God, all His handiwork in creation and how they declare knowledge. They do all of these things and they show us Who God is.

Psa. 19:7 starts talking the spiritual creation of God, and He starts talking about the Law of the Lord. He's going to talk about in the next couple of verses about the characteristics of the Law of God. But then these works that this Law carries out and what they do in our heart and mind, if we know it and understand it; if we take it in and apply it. If we put ourselves in God's hands so that with His Spirit He can do all these things.

• Perfect, Restoring the Soul

Psalm 19:7: "The Law of the LORD is perfect…" This is the characteristic it's describing, and here's the work of the Law:

"…restoring the soul…" (v 7). That's the first work of the Law!

This is not by any means a comprehensive list of everything that the Law does. It's just some aspects of those works of the Law that is condensed in these couple of verses and in the rest of this Psalm.

We're going to study these a little bit more in detail as to what this means. It says that "The Law of the LORD is perfect…"

We're going to go to another verse that talks about these things.

Deuteronomy 32:4: "He is the Rock… [talking about Jesus Christ] …His work is perfect…"—because the Law of the Lord is perfect!

We are His workmanship; we are God's workmanship! "…His work is perfect…"

"…for all His ways are just…" (v 4). His work is perfect because He's doing it through this perfect Law!

Psalm 19:7: "The Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul…"

Deuteronomy 32:4: "…all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness, and without iniquity; just and upright is He."

We know that the righteousness of God, and He is without iniquity because He is perfect in His Law. His Laws are perfect. They're really an expression of Who God is. It's not the Law, it's not about God. The Law comes from God:

• from that perfection
• from that faithfulness
• from that pureness
• from being without iniquity

It says that His work is perfect; He's using the perfect Law that flows from Him to do this, to restore our soul!

Psalm 18:30: "As for God, His way is perfect…" We know His ways are His Laws, they're one and the same.

 "…the Word of the LORD is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him"—because His way is perfect! His Law is perfect!

Verse 31: "For who is God besides the LORD? Or, who is a Rock except our God?" That's how we connect it to Deut. 32, because He is the Rock! We are to build out house on that foundation!

Verse 32: "The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect." How?

• through this Law that is perfect
• through this Law that is going to restore our soul

That's why it says that it "…makes my way perfect."

In this Psalm of David it says it is "…God Who girds me [David] with strength and makes my way perfect" (v 32)—through this perfect Law!

The very first thing that the Law does, at least in this context, is restoring the soul. Why? Because we're broken! We are all broken! We inherited the law of sin and death since Adam and Eve sinned and we need to be restored. Our souls need to be restored.

Our souls will die, because that was the curse that God said that 'in the day that you eat of that fruit, you shall surely die.' We're broken and destined to death, that why we need to be restored, as we talk about this perfect Law that restores the soul.

In  talking about the prayer, the famous prayer of Solomon:

1-Kings 8:60: "That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. And let your heart be perfect with the LORD our God: to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day" (vs 60-61).

For our heart to be perfect with the Lord we have to walk in His commandments! That's why it says to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments! They're completely intertwined; that's why this Law is perfect, because the commandments of the Lord are perfect and they restore the soul. Psa. 23 is talking about the restoration of the soul; another Psalm of David:

Psalm 23:1: "The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul…" (vs 1-3).

He makes it whole! How? With the perfect Law of God! That is the work of the Law: restoring the soul!

• IF we know His commandments
• IF we keep His commandments
• IF we love His commandments
• IF we apply His commandments

THEY restore our soul!

That's the way God does it. God is the One Who authored and does it. He does it through this tool, through this Law.

"…He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (v 3).

It says all Your commandments are righteousness (Psa. 119). So, He leads us in the path of righteousness, because those paths are His commandments. Those are the paths that flow out of Him; those are His ways.

God knows that if we keep this Law our souls will be restored, because that's what the Law does. As we said before, we are the object! Those are the works of the Law, not the works of us toward the Law. Not the works of us toward God; it's the works of the Law in our heart and mind to do these wonderful things, to restore our soul!

It's very interesting that we stop here in v 3, because it says: "He restores my soul…" This is what God does as a the Author: "…He leads me in the paths of righteousness…" and He tells us why: "…for His name's sake":

• so that His name may be glorified
• so that we may become one with Him
• because He loves us

That's the first of the works of the Law!

• Sure, Making Wise the Simple

Now, we're going to take a look at another characteristic, another work of the Law.

Psalm 19:7 "…the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."

So, the second characteristic is that it's sure, the testimony. We know the Law, the testimony, the commandments, the precepts are synonyms. It is very firm.

Psalm 111:7: "The works of His hands are Truth and justice; all His precepts are sure."

It's interesting how He connects it to the works of His hands, which are Truth and justice.

• we know that the commandments of God are the Truth
• we know that Jesus Christ Himself is the Truth

and we are the work of His hands!

"…the works of His hands, which are Truth and justice." All precepts are sure; they are established, and they will convert these piles of dirt that we really are into truth and justice, because we are the work of His hands.

It's so interesting how God inspires us even in the opening prayer to talk about how we are the workmanship of God; how He is the Master Potter, and we are the work of His hands.

• what He's creating is Truth and justice
• what He uses are His commandments and precepts

Why? Because they're sure! They are absolutely guaranteed that they will produce Truth and justice:

• IF we love them
• IF we pay attention
• IF we let God do His work in us

Through this beautiful and perfect Law that is sure; it is sure to accomplish that He has determined!!

Isaiah 28:16: "Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I place in Zion a Stone for a foundation, a tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation; he who believes shall not be ashamed.'"

Jesus Christ is the sure Foundation, and from Him came the Law. He is the One Who is the Lord God of the Old Testament, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He's the One Who gave the Law from Mt. Sinai. He is the sure Foundation, the One Who gave all those commandments, and that's why He's placed as the Stone as Foundation.

This is in Zion! This is also prophetic. "…a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation; he who believes shall not be ashamed."

We know that to believe is to believe all of His words. To believe all the commandments that He gave in the Old Testament and also how He magnified them in the New Testament.

• all of that His Law
• all of those are His precepts

which are sure! And they're sure to make wise the simple!

• Wisdom

We're going to get into the wisdom and how that happens, and how it comes through the Law. This is another one of the works of the Law that is coming to us, that we are the object, the recipients of those works in our heart and mind. The testimony of the Lord is sure and it makes us wise; it makes the simple wise.

Prov. 8 talks about wisdom and it talks to the simple. We're going to connect it to what we saw in Psa. 19.

Proverbs 8:4: "'To you, O men, I [wisdom] call; and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand wisdom; and, you fools, be of an understanding heart" (vs 4-5).

Wisdom is calling the simple ones. "…my voice is to the sons of men…" What is this voice? The voice of God! All the things that He speaks are His commandments!

Verse 6: "Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things." All His commandments are righteousness!

That's what He's going to give. He's going to give the commandments—the Law—because they actually make wise the simple. They give wisdom! The Law of God works in us wisdom! That's the way that God gives us wisdom.

Verse 7: "For my mouth shall speak Truth… [all the commandments are Truth] …and wickedness is an abomination to my lips."

Why? Because wickedness is breaking the Laws of God! It's abomination to the lips of wisdom.

Verse 8: "All the words of my mouth are in righteousness…"

They are all in the commandments of God, or the commandments of God are all really righteousness. Those are the works of wisdom.

"…there is nothing twisted or perverse in them" (v 8).

All these works, all these commandments are going to give us wisdom; they are all the words of God, all of these that he's talking about here.

Psalm 119 is all about the Law of God. These verses show what these commandment do. They show the works of the Law!

Psalm 119:98: "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies…"—specifically!

This was written by David—we can't say that categorically, but we believe so just based on him being a man after God's own heart, a prophecy of how Christ saw the Law—and he's testifying:

Verse 98: "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me."

Those commandments are the ones that makes us wise; that's what he says in Psa. 19, 'the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple'!

Verse 99: "I have more understanding than all my teachers… [and the reason why]: …for Your testimonies are my meditation." For meditating on the Laws of God!

If we're understanding the Laws of God to a deeper level, then they are going to make us wise. God is going to give us that wisdom through His Law, because the Law is sure. It will make us wise! It will make wise the simple!

Verse 100: "I understand more than the ancients because I keep Your precepts."

• IF we keep the Laws of God
• IF we love and embrace them
• IF we understand them
• IF we study them

THEN they will make us wise unto salvation! This is part of the promises of God.

Verse 104: "Through Your precepts I get understanding…" This is what it leads to!

That's why it's the work of the Law because it converts us.

"…therefore, I hate every false way" (v 104).

Proverbs says, 'The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,' because hating every false way, hating evil, is the fear of the Lord. So, it all combines, and that is the beginning of wisdom. It's a circle, a circle that never ends. We're growing and continuing in greater steps in grace and knowledge.

Through these precepts we get understanding and we hate every false way. Let's see another characteristic, and another work of the Law, and what it carries out:

• Precepts are right rejoicing the heart

Psalm 19:8: "The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…" We already saw that they are:

• perfect
• sure
• right

What do they do? "…rejoicing the heart…"

Hosea 14:9: "Who is wise? He shall understand these things. Who has understanding? He shall know them… [that's what we were talking about, the wisdom] …for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them, but transgressors shall fall in them."

The Law is automatic! We break it; it breaks us! We keep it, and it rejoices the heart! That's the consequence, and there are many consequences.

• it will restore out soul
• it will make us wise
• it will rejoice our heart

Here is the connection between wisdom to understand these things, to love this Law and not view it as a burden, because it's not. View it as a tool that God uses:

• to transform our mind and heart
• to soften them and to make us wise
• to make us understand
• to make us love Him like He is
• to make us perfect
• to make us sure
• to make us righteous like He is

Not through the things that we do, but through the things that He does through that Law! That Law is perfect and these are the works of the Law!

All the things that are contained in Psa. 119 regarding the Laws of God:

Psalm 119:111: "I have taken Your testimonies as an inheritance forever… [this is my inheritance and I don't want anything else] …for they are the rejoicing of my heart."

• they come from God
• through them we know God
• through them God perfects us.
• through them we understand Him
• through them we know Him
• through them we get to know:
• how He is
• how He thinks
• His character

That brings unspeakable joy! Plus they produce everything that we would all want. We would all want for everybody:

• to be hones and never lie
• to be upright
• to treat other the way that they would like to be treated

They produce everything that we could ever desire! That's why all of His commandments are the rejoicing of the heart!

That's why David took them as an inheritance forever! The testimonies, because that's what they do, they rejoice the heart!

Psalm 4:7—this is David: "You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their wine increased."

Why? or How? He has gladness in his heart through God's Law, because we read in Psa. 119 that those precepts are right, and they rejoice the heart; they truly do rejoice the heart, because there's nothing better than to know our God!

• to know His mind
• to know how He works
• to see those works in us

There's nothing that we can give to God, spiritually speaking, of value. But it's great that He wants to give to us His Law!

We can take a moment and turn it around and instead of we doing the commandments of God, we strive to do them. But the reason is not because we're going to give anything to God; it's because God is going to do something to us through them. That's the reason. We love them, because through them:

• we get to know God
• we have a relationship with Him
• they convert the mind and heart
• they do something amazing

And those works of the Law are truly amazing if they're written in our heart and mind.

They are working all these things in all of us to whatever the degree. There are different degrees in different people in different circumstances and different stages of life.

But they do these works in our heart and mind. That's beautiful before God, because He sees that He's doing His Work through these commandments. He uses them as tools, which are not only His tools, they're really His nature. He just gives them in the form of commandments, but it's truly His nature:

• loving
• compassionate
• giving
• pure

All of these chrematistics are the Laws of God encompassed.

They rejoice the heart! We know that in Gal. 5:22 are the fruits of the Spirit; the second one is joy, after love. We know that God is love, and that's the purpose. We know that if we're to become like God, we're going to be love like He is. The way to do that is through this Law. The second fruit right next to love, which is God and everything that God is, is joy, because these precepts of the Law rejoice the heart! They really bring that joy:

• of knowing the Creator
• of having a purpose
• of being perfected

They're wonderful, amazing in our lives if we take them as they are; they're gifts from God! He has not revealed it to everybody, yet; but He will!

When we talk about wisdom and the Law of God all combine together.

Prov. 8:30—Wisdom is talking, and He says that He was with God when He created all these things.

Proverbs 8:30 "Even I was with Him as a master workman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Wisdom was rejoicing!

Verse 31: "Rejoicing in the habitable world, His earth; and my delight was with the sons of men."

Why? Because it was the master plan of God, of bringing all these children to glory! He was rejoicing in the world, "…and my delight was with the sons of men."

Wisdom, so to speak, is calling at the door. Look what I'm going to do with you. Look how I'm going to transform your mind, transform your person so that you become a different person, so you become more and more like God and that He would perfect us completely at the resurrection. This is what brings great joy.

Psa. 119:14—this is the declaration of what He does. This is the testimony that what He says is true; it rejoices the heart.

Psa. 119:14: "I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches."

Why? Because there's nothing that can be compared to what God is offering us! The very mind of Christ! The very nature of Christ Who created all things! So, there's no comparison to all the riches, all the glory and all the things in the world. It's nothing compared to the mind Who created them all! A perfect mind of love, perfection, understanding and full of wisdom! That is the offer! The offer is full of wisdom, knowledge, understanding and love! All of the things that God is.

So, the precepts of the Law are the very tools to really make joy of the heart tremendously. Not only externally toward others when we strive to keep that Law, because that Law produces those fruits. Rejoicing in the ones that are the beneficiaries of all of us keeping that Law. Anyone in the world! That's why the Gentiles show that, that's what it's talking about in Rom. 2. It's talking about all these people in the world

• showing these fruits
• these works of the Law
• showing this restoration
• showing this wisdom
• showing this rejoicing

when they do those things! Maybe not unto salvation, yet; but they're still doing that, because these Laws are automatic.

• Pure, enlightening the eyes

Psalm 19:8: "…the commandments of the LORD are pure, enlightening the eyes."

Psalm 119:130: "The entrance of Your words gives light…"—they enlighten!

The entrance of these words are all His commandments.

"…it gives understanding to the simple" (v 130).

As we saw it makes wise the simple; they give understanding to the simple. It goes together! We know that the commandments of the Lord are pure.

Why? Because it is a promise for those embrace the Law of God, for those who love that Law, which for those who love His commandments, which are pure and will enlighten the eyes, they will purify us!

Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

IF our eyes are enlightened, we shall see clearly and we shall see God. We know that this is in the future, but we can see God now:

• we can see His characteristics
• we can see His way of being
• we can see His heart
• we can see His love

IF we continue in the commandments of the Lord, which are pure!

Psa. 12:6 talks about the purity, the pureness of all of this of the commandments of God.

Psalm 12:6: "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

All the words of the Lord, all of His commandments—Old Testament and New Testament—are all pure words! They're "…like silver tried in a furnace of earth…"

That's what is says in Prov. 8; there's nothing twisted or perverse in them. They are all pure! All of these things connect, all the Laws of God and the commandments of God, and all the things that they do.

Psalm 18:26: "With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the crooked You will show Yourself cunning."

How are we pure? With the commandments, which are pure and enlighten the eyes! This is the way that God will be, pure, to show Himself pure with the pure!

Psalm 24:3: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in His Holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…" (vs 3-4).

We know that the commandments of the Lord are pure. That's what it says! Only the ones who have a pure heart will see God. Those are the ones who will "…ascend to the hill of the Lord…" and shall stand in His Holy Place.

It explains what it means, "…who has not lifted up his soul to vanity and has not sworn deceitfully" (v 4).

• IF we are dwelling in His Word
• IF we are loving His commandments
• IF we're taking them as our inheritance
• IF that's where we dwell

THEN we're not going to lift up our soul to vanity; we're not going to swear deceitfully! His commandments are a light unto our path!

Proverbs 15:26: "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but the words of the pure are pleasant words."

One way that He purifies us is through His commandments that are pure.

Matthew 6:22: "The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye be sound, your whole body shall be full of light."

• How can we enlighten our eyes?
• How can we be full of light?

Jesus Christ said, 'I am the Light of the world.' We know that God the Father and Jesus Christ are light! They are so shiny in Their glory; They're full of light, because they are completely pure!

That's what They want to do with us. This purity, this enlightening of the eyes is what God wants us to see. This is what He tells the Church of Laodicea. They cannot see. They think that they can see, but they cannot.

Revelation 3:18: "I [Christ] counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire… [we know that the words of the Lord are pure; purified 7 times] …so that you may be rich; and white garments so that you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and to anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see."

The commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes, but we have to keep them in the heart. We have to keep them, knowing and understanding that They are the Ones to transform us. We cannot give anything to God. He is working this beautiful transformation in us through His commandments. His commandments being the spiritual laws they are going:

• to do all these things in us
• to restore our soul
• to make us wise
• to rejoice our heart
• to enlighten our eyes

All of these things together. We could go into more detail as to each one of these things really are, because the testimony of the Lord, for example, is more than the Law. The Law is the testimony, by also the testimony is a written account as to what has happened.

That's why it talks about the testimony of Jesus Christ in Revelation. Keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, because the testimony is something that one writes. The one who accounts or testifies and says, 'Yes, this happened in this way.' The testimony of Jesus Christ is that He has done all these things in our lives:

Yes, through these trials I have made these people better. I have made this person better, because he went through these trials and they have overcome. They love My commandments. They love doing what is right. And even though they stumble, this is what I've done, and now they learned and now they're different. They're transformative.

The works of the Law are really what transforms us. So, the next time we read this verse in Rom. 2:15, or anybody challenges us on the work of the Law and that we're trying to earn our salvation, we're not!Those are not talking about the works of us; those are talking about the works of the Law, which are these.

• restoration of the soul
• making us wise
• rejoicing of the heart
• enlightening the eyes

and there's more! This is just the ones that are in these couple of verses in Psa. 19. This is what they do in our lives. Let's continue to read that Psalm and see what else it talks about. This is all about the creation of God, the physical creation, and then the spiritual creation.

Psalm 19:9: "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever…"

That's what He wants, He wants us to fear Him forever. We will once we really get to know Him.

"…the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether" (v 9). That's what God wants, for us to be true, righteous!

Verse 10—this is for us to really take heed: "More to be desired than gold, yea, much fine gold…"

More than all the riches, as David said (Psa. 4). More than all the riches in the world, more than much find gold, and:

"…sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (v 10).

When we taste the sweetness of God—of His commandments, perfection and goodness—it's His goodness that's wrapped up in all these commandments, testimonies, judgments and all the things for us to do. For all of us to do, to live by them, to walk in them. Then they're sweet, because they produce all the things that we can desire.

We can have a real relationship with God. He loves us and He continues to work in us and to perfect us. That's why they're sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

They also serve a warning; v 11: "Moreover, by them Your servant is warned…"

They're the alarm system! They trigger our conscience. They tell us when we're doing something wrong. We know it in our heart; we know because God has strained our consciouses to do that and to sound the alarms! To warn us when we're going in the wrong way, so that we may turn, repent.

It's not so that we get ashamed, it's not so that we shy away from God, or away from Him in shame. It's so that we repent and continue to come and He continues to polish. That's the work! We are the works of God! The works of the Law are all these things that God does in us through this Law!

But it's expresses as the works of the Law, because they are the Laws of God! But the object is us! It says that :

"…in keeping them there is great reward" (v 11).

Psalm 119:24: "Your testimonies also are my delight… [they rejoice the heart] …they are my counselors."

God and Jesus Christ are our Counselors! They use these testimonies, Their words, and that's why They are our Counselors.

This is another thing that David said; Psalm 16:7: "I will bless the LORD Who has given me counsel…" How?

• through His laws
• through His precepts
• through His judgments

"…my heart also instructs me in the nights" (v 7). He also instructs my heart in the night!

That's when David was meditating on God and think of Him, talking with Him in bed, meditating! He says for all of us to do that, to meditate at night! Just lay quietly in our bed. Just meditate on Him and all His Law, these works of the Law and all these things that the Law will do in our mind and heart.

David understood this whole process; he understood the Law and how God works with His Law. How the Law works within himself. How God's precepts and His judgments and ordinances work in his heart.

Psalm 17:3: "You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tested me, and You shall find nothing… [He doesn't want to find anything bad] …I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."

That was David's purpose; that's what he desired, to keep those commandments.

Verse 4: "Concerning the works of men, by the words of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of the violent."

They are a warning to us! Moreover, by them Your servant is warned! David was warned. These laws and commandments are amazing; they do so many things.

• they enlighten our eyes
• they make us wise
• they rejoice our heart more than anything else

This is what god is doing and what God will continue to do:

Psalm 16:11: "You will make known to Me the path of life…"

Moses said in Deuteronomy to the people of Israel, 'These are your wisdom and understanding in sight of all the nations.' They are the path of life!

"…in Your presence is fullness of joy…." (v 11).

We get a glimpse of it here with the rejoicing of the heart that God's commandments bring.

"…At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (v 11).

He's doing this work right now, and making these paths of life made known to us. All His commandments that are perfect, that are sure, that are right, that are pure. They rejoice the heart and enlighten our eyes. They make us wise; they restore the soul that we so desperately need.

We have a loving God Who has given us His wonderful laws and commandments to change us. To have that work of that Law written in our heart and mind.

So, the next time we're challenged with something about Rom. 2:15 and the works of the Law, or the works of law, and nobody will be saved, we know what that's talking about!

We know that when it talks about the works of the Law it's the works of the Law that are taking place in us. It has nothing to do with us 'earning' our salvation, or 'let's do something for God.'

Let's keep this in mind as we continue to study God's Word from this perspective:

• cherishing those commandments
• cherishing those judgments
• to understand them
• to have wisdom
• to have understanding
• to have delight of God

So that we can see and continue to develop this relationship with our Creator. So that we may be full of the joy of our God!

Scriptural References:

• Romans 2:11-15
• Romans 3:20-23
• Romans 2:15, 14, 15
• Psalm 19:7
• Deuteronomy 32:4
• Psalm 19:7
• Deuteronomy 32:4
• Psalm 18:30-32
• 1 Kings 8:60-61
• Psalm 23:1-3
• Psalm 19:7
• Psalm 111:7
• Isaiah 28:16
• Proverbs 8:4-8
• Psalm 119:98-100, 104
• Psalm 19:8
• Hosea 14:9
• Psalm 119:111
• Psalm 4:7
• Proverbs 8:30-31
• Psalm 119:14
• Psalm 19:8
• Psalm 119:130
• Matthew 5:8
• Psalm 12:6
• Psalm 18:26
• Psalm 24:3-4
• Proverbs 15:26
• Matthew 6:22
• Revelation 3:18
• Psalm 19:9-11
• Psalm 119:24
• Psalm 16:7
• Psalm 17:3-4
• Psalm 16:11

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Psalm 19:1-6
• Galatians 5:22
• Psalm 4

Also referenced: Transcript Book:
            God's Grace and Commandment-Keeping

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Transcribed:

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