How Valuable Is Our Faith?

“If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers..." Deuteronomy 13:6

The Law was perfectly strict and reading the start of a law in our verse for today we can see that it is from a book of the law and we can know already that this will not end well for someone. As usual, it ends badly for both.

Since Moses arrived on the scene and the Israelites were free from Egypt, God gave to His chosen nation the Law. And we read it today and marvel at the range of offenses for which death was the penalty. Which is kinda dumb given that the very first law stated, thou shalt not eat of that one tree or you will surely die. Death was always the result of sin and we should marvel rather at the range of things for which humans could yet live after a sin under the law. Well, the law for today's reading goes a step further. God will not strike down the enticer in this case, you will!

Yes, this particular law states not only that the soul-mate friend, the son or daughter, or even your wife, will be stoned to death should they entice you to worship other gods, but you, yes you, will throw the first stone. "...your hand shall be first against him to put him to death..." (v9) That is where we get our impression that the Law was so harsh. However, this is but the result of that fall we inherited from Adam. Want to have eternal life under the Law? You must not only obey the good behavior parts, but satisfy it by carrying out judgment as well. We don't like that part and neither did the Israelites in Moses' day and after. This is one of the reasons we cannot be saved by the Law. Stone your friend to death? Your wife or daughter? Much rather would we forget the whole thing, and that time and again was what the Israelites did back in the day. How valuable is our faith? We needed a savior and God provided His Son to save us from the Law of sin and death. And not just our death, but that death we would have to dispense in justice should our dear friend or child, or even the spouse we married, sin.

Praise God for the mercy we have in Christ Jesus!

Bucky