“…You shall keep My commandments, and perform them: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 22:31).  God clearly revealed to us what we are to do and He gave us specific laws to keep.  He points out that He is serious about His laws and why they are to be obeyed, and why we need to heed His Word.  He made it very clear from the beginning that His rules were established and that there would be severe consequences if we broke them.  Furthermore, in Matthew 5:17, Christ also assured us that He did not come to destroy the law but rather to fulfill it.  He took it even a step further in verse 19, stating that we are not only to obey the law, but we are to teach it also.

God states many times that we are not only to remember His commandments and keep them in mind, but also to perform and do them (Leviticus 19:37; 22:31; Numbers 15:40).

In this lifetime and the society  we are faced with, rules by man have changed and are changing more and more, and abominations in God’s eyes are now acceptable in man’s eyes.  Severe penalties in Old Testament times were carried out for breaking His laws such as adultery, homosexuality and even cursing one’s parents in Leviticus 20:8-10, 13.  The penalty for violating the Sabbath, which God commands for us to keep holy and observe still to this day, was death (Numbers 15:32-36).  Imagine if these penalties were carried out today.

If Christ didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, then what we read about in the New Testament would apply for us today and in the future.  The same abominations are mentioned in Galatians 5:17-21 and Revelation 21:7-8. The penalty for committing such acts is (spiritual) death.

For those of us who are converted and baptized Church members, we have a much bigger responsibility to fulfill.  We have given our lives into God’s hands, and we are to commit ourselves to Him in everything we do.  We will continue to sin, as we are not perfect, but we will repent and continue to do as God commands so that we will live, not just physically, but also spiritually.  The things that we have put to death at our conversion are the very things that the world still revels in today (compare Colossians 3:5-9).  We need to be aware and “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The question we need to ask ourselves is the same question asked in Luke 10:25, “… what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  Christ’s answer is to keep His commandments!  The law is very much alive, and God expects us to keep it and do as He says.  Even though we will continue to go through trials and will be tested on the very things that we struggle with the most, if we remain faithful and strong, recognize our weaknesses, learn from them and do our best to refrain from sinning, God will continue to be with us.  If we do these things, we will not die, but rather, as it says in verse 28: “… do this and you will live!”

When we lack self-control, negative consequences are often times the result. Have we been victimized and/or reciprocated in kind by being too quick to respond; quick to raise the fist; seeking revenge; quick to anger; losing control of our emotions; giving in to sin; not thinking before we act; acting on assumption rather than reality; falsely accused when put on the spot for our mistakes or even our beliefs; and questioned by the things that we do?

Taking control of our actions in the way we respond requires composure, which is the state of feeling or being calm and in control of oneself. We are supposed to be peacemakers, having self-control (Matthew 5:9).  We can’t let ourselves fall apart, but need to stay intact when we are faced with adversity.

How did Christ react when He was constantly put on the spot and tested to see how He would respond? Notice some of the things which He said in a given situation:

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone… first” (John 8:7).  “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).  And after He was mocked, beaten and crucified, His response was to forgive, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

We are to imitate Christ.  When He was accused many times, He showed tremendous self-control, and in all the pressures with which He was faced and the demands of the ministry, He managed to maintain His composure to do the Will of His Father.  Are we not supposed to do the same?  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to help us, and it is through God’s power and grace in our lives that we are able to respond to pressures with the same composure and self-control that Jesus showed in similar situations.  As Christ walked through the storms of life, keeping His composure, we are to do the same.  This is what God expects of us—that we are to conduct ourselves both inwardly and outwardly with the same character and grace that Jesus showed when He was on this earth.  Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He shares His compassion with us, because He has experienced the same trials and temptations that we go through.

How do we show our self-control?  “… let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).  Prayer helps us in this regard and is a valuable tool that we should never be without and that can most certainly help us in any given situation. Prayer can be applied at any time; at any moment; in any environment; whenever we need help for even the quickest and simplest things, like when we are put on the spot and need to give a quick response.  So instead of seeking to respond in a way which is typically our initial reaction, if we are not careful, let us try another approach—that of self-control and composure.

THE KINGDOM IS UPON US… but it is not yet ruling on earth. How eager are we for that moment to finally arrive, when Christ returns to put an end to all the ungodliness in the world?  Will we be spiritually ready when that time comes?

We don’t know exactly when that will be, but we do know through the Bible that we need to watch and be ready.  At the same time, we have to keep living our lives as if there was a whole lifetime ahead of us – and we must do so with patience. We MUST have patience.  Our patience is tested all the time, in everything we do: “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [better: sonship], the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:23-25).

We eagerly wait to rule with Christ as God Beings, as immortal members of the God Family. This is what we hope for with patience, and even though we do not know exactly WHEN it will happen, we DO know THAT it will happen.  We will be blessed when we endure until the end (compare James 5:11).  God also has a tremendous deal of patience, especially with us.  He expects us to make it, despite the times when we stumble.  It really gives us much hope, knowing that we are called and that God has the confidence in us that we will be in His Kingdom, even though we slip up from time to time.  Just as we are patient, God is as well.

The Bible tells us how we ought to live—how we should behave as Christians. You might want to review Romans 12:9-21.  Everything mentioned in that passage requires patience.  This is what we are to do every day, until Christ’s return, and James 5:7-8 also instructs us in this way: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”