“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
—Romans 7:12

Reflection

The apostle Paul tells us that the Law is holy, righteous, and good. In Romans 7:14, he also calls the Law spiritual. As such, it still has application for our lives today.

Consider Deuteronomy 22:8. When God gave His Law to Israel, He instructed those building a new house to put a protective railing around the roof.

In those days, people lived in homes with flat roofs. This was where they entertained visitors and spent time fellowshipping together as a family and with others. Children even played up there. Because God is so personal and cares deeply about His people, He even gave them a law so that no one would get hurt as they entertained and played. 

God wanted to be intimately involved in every detail of His people’s lives, even to the extent of giving them instructions to safeguard their property.

Now the reality is that people today in most parts of the world no longer build guardrails around their roofs. But is there a spiritual application to this Law that still applies to us today? I think so.

Simply put, God wants us to safeguard whatever property we hold authority over, both physically and spiritually.

If we live in a climate where we get lots of snow and ice in the winter, we can practically apply this verse to mean we should put salt down on the steps of our property so no one will slip on the ice and hurt himself. In a spiritual sense, we are to take the same kind of caution as we look out for the well-being of others who come into our lives.

Another example of the Law’s spiritual and practical application is found in Deuteronomy 22:11. When God originally gave this law, He told His people not to wear clothing made of wool and linen together.

Many commentators believe that the reason God gave Israel this law was because the heathen nations that surrounded them dressed in garments that contained both wool and linen. But God did not want His people to dress like the people around them; He wanted a people separated unto Him.

The application for us today, then, would be that the Lord does not want His people dressing like the world. We are to dress modestly in a way that reflects God’s beauty and holiness and honors Him, as opposed to dressing provocatively to draw attention to ourselves and to elicit sexual impulses from others.

Beloved, these examples help us understand that God’s Word has application beyond the specific circumstances in which His commandments were first given. The Lord cares about our conduct, our responsibility toward others, and even the way we present ourselves.

God wants to be intimately involved in every detail of our lives. As we seek to honor Him, we can learn from His holy Word how to walk in a way that reflects His righteousness and holiness.

Application

• Safeguard others. Consider the people and responsibilities God has placed in your life. Are you taking the necessary precautions to protect their physical and spiritual well-being?
• Reflect God’s holiness. Examine whether the way you dress and present yourself honors the Lord or is intended to draw attention to yourself.

Prayer

Father God, thank You that You care about every detail of my life. Help me to recognize the wisdom and holiness of Your Word and to apply its spiritual truths to my daily decisions. Teach me to take responsibility for the well-being of those You have placed in my life. Help me to honor You in the way I conduct myself and in the way I present myself to others. I want my life to reflect Your beauty and holiness. In Yeshua’s name, amen.