Bible teachers need a big picture perspective when teaching about God’s laws. That will enable them to help their students better understand how the commands of Scripture are for their good.
Big Picture Perspective Needed When Teaching about God’s Laws
From the beginning, mankind has tended to look at God’s laws as something restrictive to which they responded rebelliously. Consider the Garden where God gave them one command among so many freedoms. — “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen. 2:16-17) They could enjoy the benefit of everything else but instead, with some help from the serpent, focused in on the one thing God said they should not do.
Notice that disobedience came with a consequence — death, both physical and spiritual.
Man’s condition only worsened, bringing on the need for God’s judgment. After the flood, God then chose to raise up a people for Himself through Abram. This nation would be blessed by God. Keep in mind that “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith” (Rom. 4:13).
In time God gave them His laws through Moses as a guide for how to live within His blessing. Still, they looked around at the other nations, seeing what they didn’t have and choosing their idolatrous ways, which took them out of the place of God’s blessing.
Teacher Training Resource to Help with Teaching the Real Message of the Bible
In addition to what you read above, the Teaching the Real Message of the Bible Teacher Training Resource provides Scripture for how God gave His people the law for their good. It also looks at what Jesus did in regard to the law. Out of this big picture perspective come some tips for teaching Old Testament law. This 46-page resource includes tips for teaching all sections of the Bible listed seen below:
Grasp the Big Picture
Grasp the Basics
Teaching that Starts with “In the Beginning God …”
Teaching Old Testament History & Law
Teaching Old Testament Poetic Books
Teaching Old Testament Prophetic Books
Teaching New Testament Gospels
Teaching New Testament History of the Church
Teaching New Testament Epistles
Teaching the New Testament Prophetic Book
Recap of the Redemptive Message Throughout Scripture
In the next post we will look at some tips for teaching about God’s laws that grow out of this big picture perspective about God’s laws.
Yes to freedom with Christ who made possible to living full time life in grace for the Lord made that impossible to us that uphold law and our joy are to be blessed through Christ with the Holy Spirit always helping us in peace and in heavenly quard over us today. Again, thanks and bless, keijo sweden