The Laws of Man and the Laws of God

[Prayer-Soldier]

The Laws of Man and the Laws of God

Scripture:

And the Lord spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall not have strange gods before me. You shall not make to yourself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. You shall not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord your God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: And showing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain.

Remember that you keep holy the sabbath day. Six days shall you labor, and shall do all your works. But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God: you shall do no work on it, you nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your beast, nor the stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.

Honor your father and your mother, that you may be long lived upon the land which the Lord your God will give you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet the house of your neighbor; neither shall you desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his. (Exodus 20:1-17)

For both the Jews require signs: and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)

And the Passover of the Jews was at hand: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen: and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew. And to them that sold doves he said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of traffic. And his disciples remembered, that it was written: The zeal of your house has eaten me up.

The Jews, therefore, answered, and said to him: What sign do you show unto us, seeing you do these things? Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple; and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews then said: Six and forty years was this temple in building; and will you raise it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen again from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this: and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had said.

Now when he was at Jerusalem, at the Passover, upon the festival day, many believed in his name, seeing his signs which he did. But Jesus did not trust himself unto them: for that he knew all men, And because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:13-25)

Reflection:

There are the laws of man and the laws of God. The laws of man are not always just, but the laws of God are forever so. The laws of man cannot force one to follow God for God leaves it to each child of His creation to believe in Him and accept Him; but when the laws of man do not heed the laws of God, evil is given a hold.

We were taught by the Word made flesh that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our soul. He also told us that the second is like it, to love one another as we would love ourselves. He told us that all the law and all prophecy depend upon these commandments. The laws of God, then, are to love Him; and to love Him, we must also seek to love the children of His creation. We are to care for one another and do no harm to each other; for if all follow these commandments, the strife of evil is disarmed.

When laws are governed by the ambitions of the world, we are left to the mercy of the evil which follows. No tribe, no community, no nation can legislate the following of God, for He leaves that choice to each of the children of His creation; but a tribe or community or nation which prohibits the mention of God and banishes mention of Him from the public place does not remain neutral to Him, rather, opens the door to what is not of Him. Only woe comes to those who open the doors to the evil one.

There is no happiness for those consumed by evil for by their choice they are left to the darkness; but He extends the hand of His forgiveness to all who wish to turn from the ways of the world and seek the ways of His Word. He extends the full measure of His blessing to those who repent from the ways of the unjust and seek to turn to Him.

No tribe, no community, no nation has stood in opposition to Him, nor can a nation stand in indifference to Him. Though king and sovereign have gathered armies to persecute His children, the wages of such works eventually leads to the destruction and eternal punishment of those who stand against Him. In the wake of unjust leaders is found false pursuits which yield only misery and pain.

Some wish only to believe what they witness, but they fail to see that their eyes may be deceived. The illusions of evil lead some to selfishness and away from the wisdom of selflessness. If our desire is to care for others, we shall always be fulfilled; but those concerned only with self will always find themselves wanting. Those who seek to gather together in the flock of the Lord and follow His commandments will find happiness shall abound.

We do not need to speak to preach the gospel of the Lord for it will become apparent in what we do. Our actions speak much louder than our words, therefore, living as an example of the Word will shine as evidence to all who are blinded by the ways of the world. If we only speak, but do not act, there is no example through which to see.

Those who seek to impose and oppress through ideologies of the world and revel in the illusions of power will be ultimately destroyed. In the moment, they may perceive they have triumphed, but the day will come where they will be held to judgment before the Lord for what their actions caused the children of His creation.

Blessed are those who do the work of the Lord, for many will benefit and His love will be spread. Through works of charity and the education of His Word, the less fortunate and lost shall be comforted. His way is not a way of imposition and oppression, but true caring and true loving. He will smile upon all who seek to walk faithfully upon His path.

Not all who speak His name or profess His ways will remain truly faithful to Him. All are seduced to sin, but blessed are those who seek His strength to turn from the seductions of the world. In prayer, we should seek His wisdom and strength to guide us, for the forces of evil are strong. Where we may be weak, He will carry us if we seek Him.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier