This is the third part of a series of blogs about the purpose of God's law. In this series of blogs we are considering the real purpose of living by God's wonderful laws.

Has God given His 10 Commandments, His statute laws regarding God's Sabbath, Holy Days, eating clean meats and not unclean meats, tithing, and many other laws, principles and precepts of how to live, for us to earn salvation?

In the second part of this series we considered how the love of God is expressed in obedience to God's laws, how the keeping of God's laws helps us to know and be like Christ, and how God's law is to be our guide to conversion.

In this blog we will explore God's law as our counselor, the wisdom and sound judgment of the law of God, and peace of mind which results from keeping God's laws.

1. God's Law is our Counsellor for freedom and liberty

God's law is our counsellor. The fact is, if you have a moral and ethical framework for doing what is right and have a perfect counsellor, like God's law, it is crucial for maintaining your liberty and also the freedom of others in our community.

One of the major objectives or purposes of God's law that makes it so delightful, is because its purpose is to counsel and advise us in what to do and the wisest decisions to make. How many times in a week do you feel the need for advice as to what to do? If you are like me ...all the time!

God's law advises us like a wise counsellor of what we should do, how to give us an answer, and how to walk in liberty and freedom.

James 1:25 advises "But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

There is a powerful positive "cause and effect" good result from God's law being our Counsellor to lead us in true freedom and liberty.

It isn't to put shackles around our ankles. It isn't to keep us from having a wonderful time in life. It isn't to keep us from having fun. God's laws lovingly guide us through life in every situation imaginable so that we can live harmoniously and peaceably with others.

2. Wisdom and Understanding if we keep God's laws

There is a funny story of a Jew speaking to an Englishman:

"You Englishmen are always stealing our good ideas. Like the 10 commandments for instance".

Englishman: "True we stole your 10 commandments but you can't say that we have kept them!"

If people kept God's law, they would find it is a great tool at our disposal to know how to make wise decisions.

What did Paul advise Timothy regarding the wisdom of keeping God's laws?

In 2 Timothy 3: 13-17 we read "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God (God breathed), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect (spiritually mature), thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Continue in the things which you have been taught. All scripture is good for instruction. When Timothy was a child what Bible did he have? He only had the Old Testament from a child.

The commandments show us the way to go. They WISE US UP.

God's Law is a WISE GUIDE for us to know the world around us and to use Godly wisdom, following God's laws as the way to go.

So, another great PURPOSE of God's law is not to boss us around but to open our eyes to the wise ways to go in life.

3. God's laws give good sound solid Judgment

Another PURPOSE of God's law is to teach us good knowledge and judgment.

Consider Psalm 119: 66 "Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed Your commandments."

What's good judgment worth to you?

Some people have bad judgment in the people they mix with or run around with. They have poor judgment in the job they decide to take. Poor judgment in the person they decide to marry. Poor judgment in how they invest their precious time. Poor judgment in how they invest their resources.

What is good judgment worth to you? ...and where does it come from? I have known people who have spent an awful lot of money to get sound wisdom or judgment on an issue. Some people have sound judgment about when to speak and when to shut up. There are some you can count on to give you sound judgment about what to do. How do you put a value on that? It is so powerful.

If you could be rewired to have good sound judgment in your life, so as to always know which way to go in your life, what would that be worth to you?

There is a pathway to good sound solid sensible judgment, through understanding and wisely living by God's laws.

God's law helps us to recognise when we have made mistakes and how to correct them and that is incredibly invaluable all by itself.

4. Great Peace of Mind if we keep God's laws

One of society's great handicaps that people carry around is the debilitating condition of GUILT. Unresolved regrets and remorse eat away at people's peace of mind. It can be a major causal factor in depression. Another great PURPOSE in living by God's laws is that it gives us great peace of mind.

Psalm 119: 165 says "Great peace have they which love Your law: and nothing shall offend them."

Next week I will post the last of this series of blogs on what is God's purpose for us to live by God's Laws. I will explore more aspects of God's Law such as:

* God's Laws were given for us in order to prevent sin.

* God's Law has the purpose of showing us what is right and wrong - reward or failure.

* Keeping God's Laws saves us from being ashamed.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4