The Seriousness Of My Commitment to the Lord

We all make commitments to different organizations and people throughout our lives. Some we take more seriously than others. In Nehemiah 10:28-29 we see how seriously God's people took their commitment to Him. As we study this passage we would do well to evaluate the seriousness of our own commitment to the Lord.

In Nehemiah 8-9 God's people had the Law read to them and the result was genuine confession and repentance of sin. The next thing they did was to make a "firm covenant in writing" which was sealed by the leaders of the people on their behalf(9:38).

In Nehemiah 10:28-29 we have the details of that commitment. First of all we will examine verse 28. We are told the people "separated themselves from the peoploes of the lands to the Law of God." Believers are not to have fellowship with non-believers, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. Fellowship is the key word in that we have nothing in common with a non-believer on a spiritual basis. The next step was to commit to the Law of God. The Hebrew word "Tora" means "law" and divine instruction." In other words, the believers committed themselves to be instructed from God's word. I must ask myself how seriously do I personally take in studying the word of God? Those who took this step are described as "all who have knowledge and understanding." The literal translation of this phrase is "the one having knowledge which causes understanding." The more we study the word of God the more we understand the Lord and life. This should cause us to study even more.

In verse 29 we read that they "join with their brothers..." This means all who had the same convictions based on God's law came together. This is one factor in the unity of the body of Christ. All Believers stand united against the schemes of the devil for we stand on the principles of living a holy life before the Lord. The next statement is one which I believe many believers do not understand. They "enter into a curse and oath." The oath means an obligation one has made while the curse is on those who transgress the Law of God. Believers today are in a covenantal relationship with Christ. When Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper He stated, "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood which is shed for many." The believer who willfully and intentionally sins against the Lord is asking for the curse of the Lord to be upon him or her. The obligation made by oath is "to walk in God's law...and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord. This means everything I learn in God's law I put into practice in my life. I become a doer of the word and not a hearer only(James 1:19-25)

After examining these two passages I must reflect on my own commitment not only to study the word of God but to live by it as well. I encourage you now to pause to see if you have become a little complacent in your commitment to study the word of God and to apply to your life.