Is the Bible Just about Law?

Several years ago my mother told me about a preacher who delivered a good biblical lesson which concluded with a plea to think and make personal application. He had left the application open-ended making each person responsible. The stay-at-home mom would have a different application than the doctor or the widow; different also than the application to the salesman or the school teacher.

Afterward a friend of my mom snorted, “Why can’t he just tell us what to do? It would be a lot easier if we knew the rules. I could do that.” Many would agree. There is something comfortable in a packaged set of rules. It’s neat and tidy. It’s brief and simple. It is not flawed like a command lacking precise definition such as: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

OOPS! Back up. Those were the words of Jesus drawn from the Law of Moses!

It is true, a packaged law code may sound simple, brief, and tidy. Yet it strikes against the two most important commands uttered by God in which the application is open-ended. Jesus commented on the two Great Commands saying:

On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. 

 —Matthew 22:40 (NASB95)

In the Hebrew Scriptures ‘The Law’ was not simply the law code known as Law of Moses. It was the entire Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. ‘The Prophets’ included the historical books (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings), as well as all the books of prophecy. So, Jesus was saying that God’s revelation, up to His point in time, depended on the two Great Commands. All scripture revolved around and was connected to the commands to love God and to love one’s neighbor which both had open-ended application.

We can thank a Jewish lawyer for pointing out the gray area, “Who is my neighbor?” Yet, Jesus gave an answer in the Parable of the Good Samaritan that showed that the lawyer had asked the wrong question. (Luke 10)

The statement from my mom’s friend suggested the same kind of thinking as the lawyer. On the surface it sounds good, “Just define the rules and we can follow.” “Give me a precise definition of ‘neighbor’ and I will comply.” And yet, that is the wrong approach.

Too often, people have reduced the Bible to a set of rules and tried to push those rules on others. As a result, many people have lost interest in the Bible.

In the late 1800’s there was a shift in biblical scholarship. Instead of the inspired Word of God many saw the Bible as mere ancient literature. The literary approach might have partly been a reaction to a legal approach, but it gave way to the view that truth is largely dependent upon history and culture. Based on the trend of modern biblical interpretation many 'Christian' groups have effectively stamped the word ‘Obsolete’ on the cover of the Bible.

However, the Bible still claims to be the inspired revelation of God. The Bible claims to be relevant in giving life answers regardless of location, time, cultural background, history or politics. So, one must either embrace the Bible in its entirety or reject the whole book. There is no middle ground.

The study and application of the Bible can be challenging. Not every question in life is answered directly, not every issue resolved by a single verse. However, if we are going to be true disciples of Jesus, we must devote ourselves to His Word. We will be wise to approach the Bible with a proper attitude and with a patient, thinking mind.


Mark Stinnett

July 27, 2025

I Have To...Do You?

My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments.
--Proverbs 3:1

For some people religion is a drudgery. Morality is a duty. Living right is a challenge. ‘Church’ is a weekend requirement.As a result, Christianity is often perceived to be composed of confusing requirements, and do’s and don’t’s that do not even make sense. Involvement in religion and religious activities ends up being something I “have to” do:

• “I have to go to church.”
• “I have to put money in the offering plate.”
• "I have to attend this church function."
• “I have to do good deeds.”
• “I have to be moral (At least when parents or the preacher are around).”
• “I have to be obedient.”

It is unfortunate that many preachers and teachers have presented the ‘Old Law’ in the Bible (The Law of Moses) as a burdensome ‘duty-driven’ law. In other words, it is presented as if, it was the duty of the ancient Israelites to robotically obey the rules of behavior to please God (though a difficult burdensome task):

• Observe the feasts,
• Observe the requirements of animal sacrifices,
• Observe the Sabbath,
• Observe the tithe requirement,
• Observe the food requirements, etc.

It is as if God had handed Israel a legal checklist. Yet, man is not a programmable machine. 

Did God expect Israel to obey the laws and ordinances and precepts and commands in the Law of Moses? Yes! Of course; but not merely out of a sense of duty. His desire from the beginning has been for mankind to respond to him from the heart. He desired His people to intend to please Him, adopt His will as their will, invest emotionally and intellectually.

The Law of Moses revealed the character of God. When God’s people honored Him by keeping the Law they would be like Him and also learn something about His divine nature.

Mechanical worship or robotic obedience is far from God’s desire. In fact, a duty-driven approach to God will invalidate one's offering making it meaningless and unacceptable to God.

The wise Solomon captured the essence of God’s desire as he instructed his son to keep the commandments, not through mere external behavior, but from the heart.Today, God wants those who have a fellowship relationship with Him (Christians) to obey His instruction because they understand something about Him and His character; because they love Him and know His love and compassion for them; because they realize the true benefit of His instruction; because they naturally want to please Him...because He is Creator.

So, I am obedient to his instruction...
...Not because “I have to”...an external response of duty,
...Not necessarily because "I want to"...a response of love and devotion,
...But ideally because “I have to”...a changed nature...it's simply who I am.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 
--2 Corinthians 3:18

Mark Stinnett