God’s laws were in David’s mind and in his heart. Despite the sins and short-comings that King David may have had during his lifetime, he is held up as one of the greatest figures in the Bible. He is one of the people whom God loved most. Why? because he also loved God and his instructions.
Teach Your Children
We
don’t love our children only when we receive love first.
We love our children no matter what condition they may be in.
But when our children listen to our instructions, when
they follow our words and carry out our wishes with respect and honor, as
parents, we are very pleased.
Part
of the Shema, we mentioned earlier, stresses the importance of teaching our
children.
Deuteronomy
6:6
6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart;
7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you
sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you
lie down and when you rise up.
One
of the Rabbinical understandings of this verse is that the laws are
universal instructions that were in existence while we were yet unborn (when
you sit in your house); throughout
our entire lives (when you
walk by the way); upon our deaths (when
you lie down); and at the
resurrection (and when you
rise up).
In other words, the law of God is consistent and never ends.
So why is it
that many Christians equate Torah Observance with legalism?
Some will say that legalism is the strict obedience to laws and
customs. Is that true? Is
someone who strictly obeys the law, who is careful to follow the law in its
fullness and to study its meaning and purpose being legalistic?
No. Most of the examples
of legalism in the Bible