Classroom: Respect for the Law 03-14-07

03-14-07 HAPPY PI DAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE!!!

Respect for the Law

When we say law, we’re bringing up thoughts about the judge and police, a bunch of rules… when we say law by itself all of these other things come up in our mind. Would you say they’re pleasant thoughts? No, in general we don’t like them, but we do realize their value in most cases.

This is the way we treat the law – if there’s no police to enforce the law, we don’t have to obey it. But we can’t think of the fear of the Lord like this. It’s different.

Most of us struggle with the authorities above us. I feel like God wants me to tell you: There are no restrictions on love. There are no rules for love. When it comes to living with other people, most people believe, “don’t put your rules on me!” And as soon as somebody puts rules on you – they become a target. It’s not because you necessarily have something against them, and I know because I’ve been in both situations. I’ve been the peer where everyone liked me. I’ve also been the person in authority making rules, and I can tell you that if I were making rules, you wouldn’t like it. But it’s not me you wouldn’t like, it’s the rules. So what we really have a problem with is authority. We have this common belief system, “don’t put your rules on me.” This is a disrespect of authority, and where does authority come from? God.

The scriptures say, “how can you love God if you don’t love your brother?”

1 John 4:20-21
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

If you can’t respect the rules of people who are only here because they love you and want the best for your life… what makes you think that you’re respecting God’s rules who you can’t see?