SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP

  1. Note from from Deuteronomy 5:10
     It is a characteristic of Deuteronomy to link obedience to YHWH's covenant to love for YHWH (cf. Deut. 6:4-9; 7:9-11; 10:12-13; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6,16,20).
     YHWH's love is not capricious, but clearly defined. He shows no partiality. His initiating covenant love is maintained by covenant obedience.
     "Keep" (BDB 1036, KB 1581) is the key concept in this chapter (cf. Deut. 5:1,10,12,29,32 and many more times in Deuteronomy). The OT was based on the grace of YHWH and human obedience/performance. YHWH wanted to show human inability to respond appropriately (cf. Galatians 3). The New Covenant (cf. Jer: 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36) is based on God's gracious initiation and redemption in Christ. Believers are still destined to be righteous (cf. Eph. 1:4; 2:10), but they have been accepted and forgiven by grace through faith and not human merit (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). Now they obey/perform out of a sense of gratitude and family love (i.e., "those who love Me"). The goal is the same, a righteous (Christlike) people, but the mechanism has changed from human performance to Christ's performance (cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21).
     Another Hebrew root used in Deut. 6:4, "hear" (BDB 1033, KB 1581), also means "hear so as to do/obey."  Obedience is the evidence that faithful followers are faithful followers.  Note Jesus' words in Luke 6:46!  One of the saddest passages in Isaiah describes Israel's inability to obey (cf. Isa. 6:9-13)!  also note Jesus' words in Matt. 7:21-23,24-27.

  2. Notes from Deuteronomy 6:1
     Deuteronomy 6, along with the conclusion of chapter 5, could be characterized as a strenuous emphasis on the need for obedience (cf. Deut. 5:29,31,32,33; 6:1,2,3,4,17,24, and 25).

  3. This same emphasis on the need for obedience is repeated in the NT (cf. Luke 6:46; John 14:15,21,23; 15:10; James 2:14-26; 1 John 2:5; 5:2-3). One way that we show Him that we really love Him is that we do what He has told us to do. The focus of this obedience is directed first toward God and then toward our covenant brother/sister. God always takes the initiative in grace (covenant benefits), yet He expects us to obey His covenant requirements! This is true of both the OT and the NT. The NT requirements are
    1. faith (initial and throughout life)
    2. repentance (initial and throughout life)
    3. obedience
    4. service
    5. worship
    6. perseverance

 God wants a godly, loving, obedient people to clearly reveal Himself to a fallen world (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). God wants to attract them through His people to Himself (i.e., Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12; 4:11).

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