As we raise children we give them rules. A few ones at first, more as they develop. Some are to keep them safe (e.g. “Don't run into the street”). Some are to mold them into upright members of society (e,g, “Tell the truth.”)
So many rules.
As they get older, we expect them to understand what being a good member of society is beyond the letter of the rules. They are expected to be able, in most cases to judge themselves as right or wrong, even in situations not preciously covered by the letter of any rules that authority may have laid upon them.
Hopefully they also learn that what is right is right whether anyone is looking or not. Wrong, is also worng when unseen. Right vs wrong does not depend upon the danger of exposure or punishment.
If all goes as it should, right and wrong will be incorporated into their whole outlook in life. So much that when they fail to live by those concepts, they both understand that they are wrong, and strive to do better.
At such time as a person starts to be controlled by this inner sense of right and wrong, the rules diminish in importance since right and wrong have become part of their being. It's not that the rules have been abolished, but that they have done their job. They can do their job again in the person starts to stray into inappropriate behavior. But it is less important whether this or that rule was abided-by or if it was broken, but the rule becomes an indicator of the state of the inner person, which is what the rules were supposed to do.
Did you ever notice:
The parallels between teaching children how to behave and how God has been teaching His people how to live righteously and please Him.
The Old Mosaic Law was to show God's People when they were straying away from righteousness. What God wanted was not so much obedience to a list of rules or laws, but that the incorporation of righteous behavior into the hearts of His people. The breaking of a law was an indicating of a more fundamental problem within.
This is why Christ could sum up the whole of Mosaic Law into just two. One being our duty to God. The other being our duty to others.
Matthew 22:37-40 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”(NASB)
This is what Paul was talking about among the gentiles when they act in accordance with righteousness, even if the strict letter is not echoed:
Romans 2:14-16 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.(NASB)
So many rules.
As they get older, we expect them to understand what being a good member of society is beyond the letter of the rules. They are expected to be able, in most cases to judge themselves as right or wrong, even in situations not preciously covered by the letter of any rules that authority may have laid upon them.
Hopefully they also learn that what is right is right whether anyone is looking or not. Wrong, is also worng when unseen. Right vs wrong does not depend upon the danger of exposure or punishment.
If all goes as it should, right and wrong will be incorporated into their whole outlook in life. So much that when they fail to live by those concepts, they both understand that they are wrong, and strive to do better.
At such time as a person starts to be controlled by this inner sense of right and wrong, the rules diminish in importance since right and wrong have become part of their being. It's not that the rules have been abolished, but that they have done their job. They can do their job again in the person starts to stray into inappropriate behavior. But it is less important whether this or that rule was abided-by or if it was broken, but the rule becomes an indicator of the state of the inner person, which is what the rules were supposed to do.
Did you ever notice:
The parallels between teaching children how to behave and how God has been teaching His people how to live righteously and please Him.
The Old Mosaic Law was to show God's People when they were straying away from righteousness. What God wanted was not so much obedience to a list of rules or laws, but that the incorporation of righteous behavior into the hearts of His people. The breaking of a law was an indicating of a more fundamental problem within.
This is why Christ could sum up the whole of Mosaic Law into just two. One being our duty to God. The other being our duty to others.
Matthew 22:37-40 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”(NASB)
This is what Paul was talking about among the gentiles when they act in accordance with righteousness, even if the strict letter is not echoed:
Romans 2:14-16 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.(NASB)
