God establishes relationship with His children on individual and national bases. For instance, He dealt with the Israelites on individual basis in the sacrificing of the lamb at the Passover. Any individual who came out of the blood-protected house faced instant death. They knew it was through the blood they would be saved. On their way to the Promised Land, the Israelites were given a law by God that would set them apart from other nations. “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel… if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.”

Although each person was to keep the commandment of the law, the instruction was also to the nation. The command to make no negotiation with heathen nations or worship their idols was to the individual and the nation. It would be unjust for God to give them commandments they could not keep. He knew they could do everything He commands them.

We would be misinterpreting God if we say the children of Israel could not obey His word because of depravity. Those who fail to obey the Lord on the guise of being depraved are contradicting Him. God will not spare punishment for so-called believers who fail to obey His command on the grounds of their depravity. If Noah had not built the ark because he had human depravity, he would have perished. Our God is a just God. He would not tell you to stop stealing or committing any other sin if He knows it is impossible. When God saves a sinner, He brings him out of darkness and removes the human incapacity to obey from such. He empowers everyone He saves to obey His word. The grace of God that enables us to obey His instruction is available.

God enabled saints in the Old Testament to live in obedience to Him. He has saved and transformed us to be “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works… that we should walk in them.” Therefore, we should not say we cannot obey Him. His word says, “if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it,” (Isaiah 1:19,20). If we obey the voice of the Lord, we would be unto Him “a peculiar treasure… above all people (and) a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation,” those who are redeemed and saved by God’s great love.

God does not grant anyone salvation because they possess a special quality. Rather, it is because He “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16). God brought the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery “with a mighty hand.” Similarly, by His love, mercy and grace, He brought us out of slavery to sin into the salvation of the Lord and He will strengthen us with sufficient grace to obey His word. Therefore, we must be apt to do His will and “be careful to maintain good works.”

Christ has borne the punishment of our past sins and saved us; therefore, we should be grateful to Him. The children of Israel sang praises in gratitude to God for bringing them out of Egyptian bondage and taking them through the Red Sea. The gratitude we show to God should reflect on our behaviour and character, such that we live a gracious life and respect our parents (Ephesians 6:1-3). Anyone in or outside the church in any country who teaches or instigates children to dishonour, disregard and forget their parents, does so contrary to God and His word. We must desist from such acts and other sinful behaviours like stealing, lying, deception, adultery, covetousness, (Ephesians 4:28; Romans 13:8-14), among others.

As believers, we must desire to live a good and guiltless life, and be conscious of what other people have. We must not allow our neighbours to suffer loss of their property by our carelessness or cruelty. Moreover, “if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift,” (Matthew 5:23,24).

If we measure our lives by these verses, how many saved and righteous people would we really have? Some people make restitutions because they want to have position/recognition, but we restitute because it is God’s commandment; and itmakes us ready for heaven.
• Further reading (King James Version): Exodus 19:3-6. Exodus 19:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-10.Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Titus 3:4-8. Exodus 20:1-8,12-17. Matthew 5:23,24.