God Speaks To All of Life

I. God’s Law Is Spiritual

A. God speaks from Himself, a Spirit, into all realms of reality. “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14)

B. Because God’s law is spiritual, it reaches into all realms of reality in ways which demand responses. “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

C. Jesus brought the reality of revelation’s force to bear on everything God had said; in the New Testament the Old Testament simply comes into sharper focus. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

D. Adultery is an excellent illustration of Jesus’ teaching; the attitude implies the act. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)

E. Jesus obliterated all the elegant philosophical excuses for violating the clear meaning of Scripture. “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:” (Matthew 5:33-34)

F. Christians must live in the simple and obvious realm of Scripture on all levels; excuses are effectually confessions of guilt. “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matthew 5:37) [See Westminster Confession Chapter 22]

G. According to Jesus, the spiritual implications of revelation reach a magnificent summary in His command to love enemies; Christ always means more by what He says rather than less. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:43-44)

II. Spirits Are Not Easily Contained

A. Consequently, spiritual principles may govern multiple realms of life; observe how Scripture ties together covetousness and idolatry. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” (Colossians 3:5)

B. Corrupt financial dealings and Sabbath-breaking can originate in a single mental sin. “Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” (Amos 8:5)

C. Greed and murder can be opposite sides of the same spiritual flaw. “So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.” (Proverbs 1:19)

D. Small sins often mature into great sins as they unfold. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

III. The World Can’t Understand the Connections

A. People who have not been transformed by the Holy Spirit cannot think like the Holy Spirit; spiritual connections will be invisible for such people until it is too late for the information to be valuable. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

B. Do not expect to excel in worlds which do not actually overlap. “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:12-16)

C. Jesus did not expect the unsaved to grasp gospel connections. “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:11-13)