THOUGHT 2023-06-17—TWO DIVINE LAWS

May God bless you on His Sabbath day!

Every single human being is eventually presented with a choice that determines eternal life or eternal death. The choice is between two systems of Divine Law[1]. Divine is a word that is not well understood by Bible-minded people. For many, it is a reference solely to the God Most High. However, divine refers to any god OR God so it can refer to the Christian God, pagan gods, or even Satan himself (“the god of this world”[2]). In fact, divination is the practice of seeking supernatural knowledge even though it is specific to wicked spirits in the Bible.

Divine Law, therefore, is defined as the legislation of a spirit being (i.e. god OR God) as opposed to laws established by humans. There are two systems of Divine Laws enacted by two separate spirit beings. In the time of Adam, one Divine Law was represented by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the other by the Tree of Life. The god of this world—Satan—is the author of the one called the Law of Sin and Death; whereas the other is established by God Most High and it is called the Law of the Spirit of Life[3].

ROMANS 8:2 Because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death.

These two systems define completely opposite ways of life because they reflect the mind and heart of the two lawgivers—Satan and God. Choosing one over the other is a matter of swearing allegiance and loyalty to the author of that Divine Law. But the choice is limited because there is a default Divine Law for all mankind, established by the first Adam:

ROMANS 5:12-14 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Adam alone was given the choice between the Law of Death and the Law of Life. As the first human, he represented all mankind and his decision has affected everyone ever since[4]. After Adam, even if a person does not intentionally choose one of the Divine Laws, the Law of Death prevails upon everyone. It became the default when Adam “chose” it on behalf of the world. For this reason, the choice is no longer a decision between two Divine Laws, but only whether or not to reject the Law of Death and choose the Law of Life. This is emphasized in Acts 26:16-18 where Paul was sent by Jesus to “turn [the people] from … the authority of Satan to God.”

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) because all are born and live under the Law of Death as a result of Adam’s decision[5]. However, his choice only set the default Divine Law (Law of Death) that mankind is born under; it does not MAKE the CHOICE for each individual. Therefore, all who have not yet done so will have to choose either to continue in the Law of Death or reject it to live according to the Law of Life:

DEUTERONOMY 30:19 I [God] call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you [Laws of] life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose [the Law of] life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

If someone rejects the Law of Life they will continue in the Law of Death. Choosing Satan over God that is the end of the matter because the result is a judgment to eternal death[6]:

2 TIMOTHY 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick [living] and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

REVELATION 20:15 And if anyone was not found written in the book of life [those who reject the Law of Life], he was cast into the lake of fire.

If, instead, the decision is to submit to and obey the Law of Life, then what naturally follows is repentance, baptism, and receiving God’s Holy Spirit. This point is the beginning of judgment. When someone chooses to continue in the Law of Death and reject the Law of Life, the judgment is determined and set, even if their physical life continues for awhile. However, when someone rejects the Law of Death and chooses the Law of Life, judgment BEGINS and continues UNTIL their death:

1 PETER 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it first begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

What is being judged?

JOHN 15:9-10 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue [Gk. meno] ye in My love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide [Gk. meno] in My love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments [the Law of Life], and abide in his love.

The Greek word for continue means “to exist permanently in” a relationship. The same Greek word is also used for abide in the next verse. Choosing the Law of Life is a daily choice to forever live—continue and abide—in a relationship of agape love with God and mankind.

What exactly is the Law of Life? It is the system of God’s laws, commandments, statutes, precepts, and testimonies that define behaviors intended to produce agape love toward God, brethren, neighbors, and enemies[7]. For this reason, the Law of Life can also be called the Law of Agape Love. Agape love is foreign to humans because it only comes from God. It is a Way of Life that must be lived in a world where the default Divine Law is the Law of Death. Choosing the Divine Law of Life is not just a one-time decision—it is not “once saved, always saved.” It is a choice that must be made every single day until the time of one’s physical death. Agape love is the foundation and purpose of the Law of Life[8]. This was the message of Paul:

1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3, 8, 13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my goods, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but do not have love, I have gained nothing. … 8 Love never fails. But whether there be prophecies, they shall cease; whether there be languages, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. … 13 And now, these three remain [Gk. meno]: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.

Remain (v. 13) is the same Greek word that was used for continue and abide in John 15:9-10. What will continue / abide / remain forever? Faith, hope, and agape love but the greatest of all is agape love! Why is it the greatest? Because agape love is the basis for RELATIONSHIPS! Faith and hope are personal beliefs and expectations but agape love is between people as well as with God. What will assuredly cease and vanish? Prophecy, mysteries, and ALL knowledge—not just some, but ALL. Why? Because they are specific and limited to this age. They become meaningless after “the old things have passed away [and] all things become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Only agape love will continue / abide / remain forever.

While knowledge and understanding of prophecy and mysteries are wonderful and useful gifts, their purpose is to establish agape love. Forever studying every jot and tittle of biblical prophecy, mysteries, and knowledge without regard for agape love serves no purpose—it does nothing for relationships:

EPHESIANS 4:16 From Whom [Jesus Christ] all the Body, fitly framed and compacted together by that which every joint supplies, according to its inner working in the measure of each individual part, is making the increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Biblical knowledge and understanding are intended to build (edify) the Body of Christ into agape love. They are meant to supply and increase agape love in each “part” (person):

2 PETER 1:5-7 And for this very reason also, having applied all diligence besides, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; 7 And to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, the love of God.

Adding to or increasing in the fruits of the Holy Spirit perfect God’s agape love in us. Agape love is only established in a heart of flesh that continues / abides / remains in it toward God and mankind. This is why choosing the Law of Life is the BEGINNING of judgment—agape love must BECOME the way of life.

Knowledge of the Law of Life is an absolute necessity for understanding agape love, but love does not increase without LIVING according to that knowledge[9]. One must continue / abide / remain forever in relationships of agape love with God, brethren, neighbors, and enemies:

EPHESIANS 2:10 For we are His [God the Father’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works [that edify] that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them.

KNOWLEDGE of the Law of Life gives understanding but it must also PRODUCE agape love. The Kingdom of God is about relationships of agape love that will continue / abide / remain forever. The verdict for everyone who chooses the Law of Life is decided according to the perfection of agape love in them:

1 JOHN 4:16-17 And we have known and have believed the love that God has toward us. God is love, and the one who dwells in love is dwelling in God, and God in him. 17 By this spiritual indwelling, the love of God is perfected within us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment because even as He is, so also are we in this world.

I write a lot about agape love. Some may wonder why. From the time I was baptized, I spent a many years reading various translations and studying all manner of topics—the Law, doctrines, history, prophecy, etc. One day (I think I was reading the three epistles of John), I was struck by his absolute focus on agape love. That particular day, when I read “God IS love” I realized I had a KNOWLEDGE of it, but I was not BECOMING it. Those three words changed everything. It was then that I started to truly understand the real purpose of our calling. Everything is “hung” upon agape love—not just the Law but also the sacrifice of Jesus, holydays, Sabbaths, prophecy, history. We are to grow in agape love in this life such that we not only love God, brethren, and neighbors but even our enemies. This is only possible through agape love, something that comes only from God. But He is also merciful. While it is hard to love our enemies, we are not asked to die for them—just love them. Only Jesus Christ had to die for His enemies. That required unimaginable agape love. Growing and living in agape love such that we are worthy of the resurrection is all that matters. That is why I write about it more than any other topic.

Those who have chosen the Law of Life must daily continue / abide / remain in agape love—nurturing, perfecting, and living it through repentance, reconciliation, obedience, and good works. Sometimes, it requires taking it on the cheek, so to speak, on occasion with enemies. The purpose of this life is to be worthy of the salvation of God the Father and Jesus Christ so that in the Day of our hope we ARE love!

May God’s grace and peace be upon you!

Steven Greene

https://sabbathreflections.org

sabbathreflections@gmail.com