The Perfect Law of God

Historically, an evolving methodology in warfare has been to destroy sites of the enemy that have strategic value and, when lost, cripple their capabilities. This approach has been played out many times through the years, and looking at what has become a key target in battle is fascinating. An example of this would be when, in August 1943, the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces took out a ball bearing manufacturing facility deep within the borders of Germany. This particular site was producing half the ball bearing supply for Germany’s war efforts, used in the manufacturing of aircraft, tanks, and other military equipment. Their tanks, for instance, had thousands of components, but without those orbs of steel, the tanks simply did not work. 

This type of warfare is exactly how our spiritual enemy compromises Christians and the Church in battle. He identifies what may seem like incidentals in our daily walk and sabotages them so that we are compromised in a broader fashion. A far-reaching example of this would be in undermining the infallible and perfect nature of the law of God. There is a temptation to adapt God’s law into our personally established paradigms, and intentional efforts really need to be exerted regularly for God’s law to be free to be, well, God’s law. That means we can’t retrofit His law into our long-held beliefs when the two lack compatibility; we can’t redefine the purpose for His law; we can’t shift God’s motives for His law. 

God is our Perfect Maker. In several ways, we as a human race are equalized, regardless of race, economic circumstances, talent, and opportunity, and one of these is that none of us can create something from nothing. Not only do we have a Designer who can create something from nothing, but He does it perfectly. Our bodies are magnificent machines, and our brains are powerful instruments. The dimensions of our humanness that allow for Spirit to occupy us are true and beyond understanding. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14); we are His handiwork (Ephesians 2:10); we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27). Isaiah’s worshipful words are so appropriate when he says, “Yet You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand” (Isaiah 64:8, NIV used throughout). Similarly, Psalm 95:6-7 exclaims, “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.” 

God offers and teaches Perfect Love. This perfect love of God is relentless and selfless and foundational to everything that was, is, and will be. God defines Himself in Exodus 34:6-7 as “Compassionate and gracious,  … slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands.” Perfectly, God created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:7), in His image (Genesis 1:26), for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11), for good works (Ephesians 2:10), to praise Him (Isaiah 43:21), and to be loved by Him. “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Ephesians 2:4 refers to His “great love for us” and, consequently, His mercy, grace, and redemption. 

It is not attainable to conjure up a more adequate sequence of behaviors and activities that demonstrate Perfect Love than these robust declarations throughout the Holy Word. Our Perfect Maker has explained to us amply why we were made, and it all bears the essence of a Perfect Love. As John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” God did that, too. He loved us first, and He has loved us perfectly. 

God has Perfect Will. Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (emphasis added). Given that God is our Perfect Maker and has Perfect Love, it can only follow that His will for us is also perfect. We are a self-centered breed, wanting to pursue our own will first. God has designed us with all sorts of tools to take on life, but it takes wisdom and humility to pause and make room for Him to define what pleases Him most and serves His purposes best. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). God’s Perfect Will serves one purpose, and that is to draw all people into a relationship with Him meant to span an eternity. “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised” (Hebrews 10:36). 

There is more to this than God, our designer, who loves us so flawlessly and who marks His purpose in our lives day by day. He has provided His law as well, meant to be understood as the most comprehensive and elevating means of experiencing Him, which is by its very nature the complete manifestation of love. If we don’t recognize the law of God as a profound and protective act of love for all people everywhere, we are missing out on its entire purpose. For every “do” or “don’t” in scripture, there is a correlating preeminent truth for its existence, all of which makes our wellness, safety, and intimacy with God more real. There are parts of the law that make complete sense and parts we need more time to understand, but it is all perfect. Not one of us can say that any part of the law of God brings harm. We can only say that the law, since the first words were inspired into written form, has been perfectly accurate in terms of our best interests. Nothing in the words of God’s Perfect Law has been experienced as damaging. This reality in itself is proof of God, as no human could write such a law so perfectly. 

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us” (1 Peter 2:12). “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Do you see how these instructions are all geared to drawing all humankind into His kingdom? What did Jesus answer when the Sadducees and Pharisees, intent on tripping Him up, asked Jesus which of the laws was the greatest? “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). 

When Dr. Jack Cottrell was nearing the end of his journey on earth, I enjoyed spending an afternoon with him, learning and listening as he shared many thoughts. One in particular stands out as I reflect on it often. Jack said, “If we are going to be honest about the study of Scripture, we can’t assume that its assertions have multiple interpretations. Many believers have taken the motto, ‘In matters of faith, unity, and in matters of opinion, liberty’, and have wrongly crowded almost everything asserted in Scripture into the category of opinion. But if God is speaking to us in the Bible, He must have meant one thing.” This is so very powerful, and not for dogmatically challenging every point of disharmony. Rather, it is powerful because, yes! God must have meant one thing – not open for negotiation or suiting our preferences. He meant one thing because He MADE us perfectly. He LOVES perfectly. His WILL is perfect. He has not invested so much perfection without His law being perfectly outlined. The thing is, it just doesn’t work if it isn’t fueled by the love component. The two greatest commands? Love your God, love your neighbor … everything else hangs on these two. 

The law of the LORD is perfect, 
reviving the soul; 
The testimony of the LORD is sure, 
making the simple wise; 
The precepts of the LORD are right, 
rejoicing the heart; 
The commandment of the LORD is pure, 
enlightening the eyes; 
The fear of the LORD is clean, 
enduring forever; 
The rules of the LORD are true, 
and righteous altogether. — Psalm 19:9-7 

The Germans’ vulnerability following the bombing of their ball bearings manufacturing facility that day in August 1943 was soon overcome, and the war went on. It went on for a while anyway, until, ultimately, there were winners and losers. Warfare today doesn’t look anything like warfare did then. Strategies have changed, methods have changed, and war materials have changed. That is because the notions of man prove to be insufficient eventually. The purposes of man don’t prove to be universally beneficial. The equipment through which victory is achieved becomes outdated. Limited understanding is ever the reality. The motives for any of it vary. In the Kingdom of God, however, we have the Perfect Law, a love mission that should look, act, and sound like Jesus. It is flawless, it is divine, it is victorious. It is the Perfect Law of God.