Latest / Reformed Thinking / Loving God’s Law: The Path to Great Peace and Steadfastness (Psalm 119:165)

Transcript

Loving God’s Law: The Path to Great Peace and Steadfastness (Psalm 119:165) · Reformed Thinking

0:00
Welcome to Reformed thinking. We're the show that digs into
0:03
the sources and the theology to help you understand key ideas.
0:06
And today we are doing a deep dive into a really striking
0:10
biblical promise. What about while stability in a
0:12
world that often feels anything but stable?
0:15
We're zoning in on Psalm 119, verse 165.
0:18
It says great peace. Have those who love your law.
0:20
Nothing can make them stumble. Our mission today is to really
0:24
unpack that. What does this great piece, the
0:27
Shalom Rav in Hebrew, actually consist of?
0:30
And how does this promise stability work, especially when
0:33
we look at it through a Christ centered Reformed lens?
0:36
We're searching for, you could say, the spiritual structure
0:38
needed to stand firm when everything else seems to be
0:40
shaking. It's a huge promise, isn't it?
0:43
And you know, the first thing we have to do to grasp this piece
0:45
is look at where it sits in the Psalm itself.
0:47
You glance at the whole section there, the shin stanza versus
0:50
161 to 168. Well, this promise doesn't
0:53
appear in some peaceful Oasis. It's placed right next to some
0:56
pretty intense external pressure.
0:57
Verse 161, the psalmist says, Princess, persecute me without
1:00
cause. Ah.
1:01
OK, so that context is critical right from the start.
1:05
It stops us from thinking this peace just means having good
1:07
luck or easy circumstances. That's the paradox, isn't it?
1:11
This promise of abundant wholeness comes while powerful
1:14
people, Princess, are actually causing harm.
1:16
That's the key distinction we've got to hold on to.
1:19
The Psalm structure makes it plain this peace is something
1:22
secured in the middle of conflict, not by removing the
1:25
conflict. The tension is right there,
1:28
hostility outside, but harmony inside.
1:31
The stability isn't about external calm.
1:33
It's an internal fullness that holds up even when the world
1:36
outside is, well, hostile. OK, so let's start digging into
1:39
the definitions. The English word peace often
1:42
feels a bit thin, maybe compared to the Hebrew Shalom.
1:46
And then you add the modifier Rav, Shalom, Rav.
1:49
What are we really getting at with that phrase?
1:51
Yeah, peace in English often just means like the absence of
1:54
noise or fighting. But Shalom, it's so much bigger.
1:58
It points to a comprehensive wholeness, a state of
2:01
well-being, of flourishing things being rightly ordered
2:03
according to God's covenant design.
2:06
Think of it as the way things are supposed to be.
2:08
It's about right relationships with God, with others, even with
2:11
creation. It's not defined by the lack of
2:13
hardship. It's a deep, durable kind of
2:16
composure, something that anchors the soul, orders your
2:19
life even when the external situation is difficult.
2:21
Right. A much thicker concept.
2:23
So if Shalom is that kind of comprehensive wholeness, what
2:27
does adding Rav do? What does that emphasize?
2:30
Rav means abundant, much great, or overflowing.
2:34
So Shalom Rav isn't just a little bit of peace.
2:36
It's not fragile. It's an overflowing portion.
2:38
It's expansive, wide enough to handle the pressures life throws
2:42
at us. Think maximum capacity piece.
2:44
It's the opposite of that, you know, thin tranquility that gets
2:47
shattered by a bad news report or a tough day at work.
2:50
Shalom Rav is structural, not circumstantial.
2:53
OK, structural. And to keep that big picture in
2:56
view, you mentioned this isn't just one single feeling, but
2:59
maybe more like 3 integrated parts working together in the
3:02
believer. Let's start with the first
3:04
dimension objective peace. This is the absolute starting
3:08
point, the foundation. It's our reconciliation with
3:10
God. This is the status change that
3:12
happens because of Christ. It's objective.
3:14
It happened once it's done. We sometimes talk about it as
3:17
the forensic benefit of justification.
3:19
Forensic benefit. OK, let's translate that for
3:21
someone listening. What does that objective legal
3:25
reality feel like? How does it contribute to calm
3:27
day-to-day? It means the fundamental
3:29
conflict is resolved, the hostility between a holy God and
3:33
A to sinners. It's over, not because we did
3:36
anything, but because Christ's righteousness is counted as
3:39
ours. Romans 5.1 says it's so clearly.
3:41
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have
3:44
peace with God. That specific phrase, peace with
3:47
God, that's the root of all genuine calm.
3:49
It's a settled fact. It's not something we achieve,
3:52
it's something we receive through faith, and our
3:55
theological frameworks, like the Westminster of Confession,
3:57
really anchor this. Our acceptance is based entirely
4:00
on his work. He is our peace.
4:02
OK, so that's our standing before God settled objective
4:05
peace. What's the second component
4:06
then? This sounds like it moves more
4:08
towards our inner experience, internal integration.
4:11
Exactly. Internal integration flows from
4:13
that objective reality. It's about the inner life
4:16
becoming more harmonized, more aligned with God's Word.
4:19
This is the subjective side, the peace of God that believers
4:23
start to experience as the Holy Spirit works in them, conforming
4:26
them to Scripture. Think Philippians 4.7.
4:29
The peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
4:32
Jesus. When we start to love God's law,
4:35
as the Psalm says, you get this internal coherence.
4:37
Anxieties start getting answered by God's promises.
4:40
Impulses get checked by His commands.
4:42
The justified soul starts finding harmony because it's
4:45
thoughts and desires are being brought little by little under
4:47
God's wise instruction. It counters the fragmentation
4:50
that sin causes inside us. So we go from peace with God,
4:53
the objective reality secured by Christ, to the peace of God, the
4:56
subjective experience cultivated by the Spirit through the Word
4:59
makes sense. What's the third piece then?
5:01
The third is the external outworking, the ordering of our
5:04
steps. It's the ethical side.
5:06
Shalom has to show up in how we actually live.
5:08
It includes ordering our outward life according to the wisdom we
5:11
find in God's instruction, His Torah.
5:14
This is where Shalom rod becomes visible in our daily choices,
5:17
our relationships, our work. When a life is consciously lived
5:21
under God to guidance, it leads to a certain ethical order.
5:25
Isaiah 32.17 connects righteousness and peace.
5:29
The effect of righteousness will be peace and the result of
5:32
righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
5:35
It's that comprehensive life order manifesting in practical
5:38
ways. OK, that really broadens the
5:40
picture. Reconciliation, internal
5:42
integration, and external ordering all flowing from loving
5:45
God's instruction. You mentioned analogy earlier
5:47
about a resilient old tree. How does that help us visualize
5:50
these three parts working together?
5:51
Yeah, the tree analogy helps because it shows why this piece
5:54
is durable, not fragile. Shalom Rob isn't the absence of
5:57
wind, it's the root system. The tree is, say, the believer's
6:00
life. It's standing in a world full of
6:02
storms. You know, sudden job loss,
6:05
public criticism, health issues, betrayal by someone close.
6:09
These are the modern versions of Prince's persecuting me.
6:13
And the tree doesn't just stand there passively, the roots are
6:15
active, drawing strength. Right.
6:17
The root system goes deep into the bedrock of Christ's finished
6:20
work. That's the objective piece, the
6:22
reconciliation. And those roots draw nourishment
6:25
water from his instruction, the Word of how internal integration
6:30
happens strengthening the tree from within.
6:33
And because it's rooted and nourished, the tree can stand
6:35
firm. It can even keep growing,
6:37
producing fruit even when fierce winds are battering the
6:39
branches. Without those deep roots in
6:41
God's order, the tree just snaps in the first big storm.
6:44
So Shalom Rav is this sturdy structure built into the soul.
6:48
OK, so we have this picture of deep abundant structural peace,
6:53
but the verse is very specific about who gets it.
6:56
Great peace. Have those who love your law
6:59
this condition, loving the law? We need to look closely at that.
7:02
Grammatically, the verse presents it as a kind of
7:04
established fact. It does.
7:05
It's a nominal sentence in Hebrew, just stating a reality,
7:08
and it puts Shalom Rav right at the beginning for emphasis.
7:12
This great piece belongs to this group, and the group is defined
7:16
by this active participle ohave. It describes people who are
7:20
characterized by love for God's Torah.
7:22
And Torah itself, we need to be careful not to just think rules
7:25
or commandments, right? Definitely not.
7:27
Torah is much broader. It means instruction, teaching,
7:30
guidance, like a father guiding his children.
7:32
It's God's revealed will in all its shapes.
7:34
History, promises, commands, wisdom, all designed to guide
7:37
his covenant people into life. So loving the Torah means
7:41
delighting in God's whole counsel is entire instruction
7:43
for how to live in relationship with them.
7:45
And the psalmist specifically uses the word for love, ohave
7:49
from Ahav, not just say keep or obey shamar.
7:53
Why pick love? What does that tell us?
7:55
That choice is really significant.
7:57
It shows that the kind of stability promised here, and the
8:00
obedience that flows from it have to come from the heart,
8:03
from rightly ordered affections, not just from gritting your
8:06
teeth and following rules. If you're just obeying out of
8:09
fear or trying to earn points with God, well, that kind of
8:12
peace is shaky because we all fail.
8:15
But if the motivation is love, if you genuinely treasure God's
8:18
instruction, then the stability is much more resilient.
8:22
The person described here doesn't just see Scripture as a
8:24
handbook for behavior. They value it intrinsically.
8:28
They see it as life giving. That delight fuels the
8:31
stability. So it's not just about changing
8:32
behavior, but about the heart's desires actually changing to
8:36
align with God's ways. That's it.
8:38
When your affections are pointed in the right direction, the
8:41
external ordering of steps, that third component of Shalom Rav
8:44
tends to follow more naturally. If I treasure the word, I want
8:47
to be in it. I want to follow it.
8:49
If I just see it as duty, I'll drift and my path becomes
8:52
unsteady. Now theologically, within our
8:54
Reformed understanding, we have to be careful how we position
8:58
this love for the law. We definitely don't want to slip
9:01
into saying OK, love the law 1st and then God will give you
9:04
peace. That sounds like earning it.
9:06
Absolutely critical point. We must avoid that legalistic
9:10
trap. This love for God's instruction
9:12
is the result, the fruit of God's regenerating work in us.
9:16
It's not the condition we meet to get justified or accepted.
9:19
The Holy Spirit creates this new disposition, this love in the
9:23
believer's heart. It flows from grace.
9:25
It doesn't earn grace. We don't love the law to get
9:28
saved. We love the law because we are
9:30
saved, because God has given us new hearts that actually start
9:33
to delight in what He says is good.
9:35
So this spirit produced love for the instruction becomes the
9:38
channel, the means through which God delivers and sustains this
9:42
Shalom Rav. If we mix that up, we turn the
9:44
source of peace into a source of stress.
9:46
OK, so the spirit enables the love, and that love then opens
9:50
the door to receiving the subjective peace, the internal
9:52
integration we talked about. Precisely, if the Spirit helps
9:54
me treasure the instruction, I'll be attention to it, and
9:57
paying attention to it is what starts to order my inner world
10:00
and guide my outward steps. It's like having a map.
10:03
If you love the map because you trust the map maker, you'll
10:06
follow it and you won't walk off the Cliff.
10:08
The Spirit connects loving the Torah to experiencing Shalom
10:11
Roth. But this whole idea, loving
10:13
God's instruction perfectly, ultimately points beyond us,
10:17
doesn't it? It has to find its fulfillment
10:19
in Christ. We need that biblical
10:21
theological connection. Yes, the hope expressed in this
10:23
Psalm, like so much in the Old Testament, finds its ultimate
10:27
fulfillment. It's Talos in Jesus.
10:29
He's the truly blessed man, the one the Psalms often anticipate.
10:32
He's the only one who perfectly loved the Torah, not just obeyed
10:35
externally, but had that deep internal delight the Psalmist
10:38
longs for. Think Psalm 40.8, which the New
10:41
Testament applies to Christ. I delight to do your will.
10:44
Oh my God, Your Lord is within my heart.
10:45
So He lived out the very condition of Psalm 1 and 2.165
10:49
Florida State, and he did that for us.
10:52
Exactly for His people, this is central to our stability.
10:56
He didn't come to scrap the law, but to fulfill it.
10:59
As He said in Matthew 5.17, He lived the perfect obedience that
11:02
Adam failed to live, that Israel failed to live.
11:05
Because Christ fulfilled the law perfectly, loving it from the
11:08
heart, He secured the peace that the law promised to the
11:11
obedient. So the great peace for those who
11:14
love God's law is secured in Him.
11:16
His perfect love and obedience are credited to us.
11:19
That gives us the objective peace with God justification,
11:22
and then His Spirit works in US, enabling us to begin to
11:25
genuinely love and follow that law which brings the subjective
11:28
experience of peace, sanctification.
11:30
It all comes back to Him. OK, so the condition is loving
11:33
the law, enabled by the Spirit because of Christ, and the
11:36
consequence? The result is this guaranteed
11:38
steadiness. The second-half of verse 165 is
11:41
quite an assurance. Nothing can make them stumble.
11:44
Or, as you rendered it, there is not for them a stumbling block.
11:47
Let's look at that word, Mitchell.
11:49
What does it mean? Mitchell is the Hebrew word for,
11:52
well, a stumbling block, an obstacle, something that trips
11:55
you up. It fits right into that path or
11:57
way metaphor. That's all through Psalm 119,
12:00
where the Tor is a lamp to the feet.
12:02
A Mitchell is whatever hazard is on that path.
12:04
It could be a literal trap set by enemies like Those Princess,
12:08
or it could be a moral pitfall, a temptation, anything that
12:11
threatens to derail. You in a way it's phrased in
12:13
Hebrew. Van Lamo Mitchell sounds very
12:16
emphatic, like a total denial. It is.
12:19
It uses a strong negative construction then, which means
12:23
there is not or there exists. No, it gives the universal
12:26
scope. It's saying essentially there is
12:28
0 stumbling block for them, not just fewer problems, but no
12:31
obstacle that will ultimately finally trip them up and cause
12:34
fatal ruin. The idea is that loving God's
12:36
law because of the Spirit's work brings a kind of stability that
12:40
prevents total disaster on the path.
12:42
That's a powerful assurance. But here's where you know
12:45
someone listening might push back a bit.
12:47
They might say, OK, I do love God's word.
12:49
I try to live by it. But I do stumble.
12:52
I make big mistakes sometimes, financially, relationally.
12:54
Maybe I fall back into an old sin.
12:57
How does that fit with nothing can make them stumble?
13:00
Does the promise feel overstated?
13:03
That's the tension we absolutely have to wrestle with, and the
13:06
key is understanding the difference between preservation
13:08
and perfection. The promise guarantees we reach
13:11
the destination that our walk is guarded.
13:14
It doesn't promise we'll never trip or skin our knees along the
13:17
way. Sinless perfection is for glory,
13:20
and the New Testament helps us here.
13:22
The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old
13:24
Testament, often renders Mick Shoal with the Greek word.
13:27
Scandal, right? That's often translated
13:29
stumbling block to or something that causes offense, something
13:32
that trips up faith. Exactly, and that word links
13:35
this Old Testament promise directly to New Testament ideas
13:38
about stability and falling away.
13:40
Interestingly, Christ himself is called a scandal on a stone of
13:44
stumbling for those who reject Him.
13:46
Like in First Peter 2.8, they trip over him and are ruined by
13:50
their unbelief. OK, so is the stability promised
13:53
here being preserved from stumbling fatally, or is it
13:56
being kept steady by the very one other stumble over?
13:59
I think it's both. Those who love the law are
14:02
stabilized by Christ, the one who perfectly fulfilled the law.
14:05
They are kept safe by the very one the world finds offensive.
14:08
The things that cause ruin for the unbeliever may be pride, or
14:11
greed or despair. These are the very stumbling
14:14
blocks that the lover of God's law, by grace, is kept from
14:17
being ultimately destroyed by. They might slip, sure, but
14:20
they're caught. They get back up.
14:21
This sounds very much like the doctrine of the perseverance of
14:23
the Saints. How does Psalm 119.165 align
14:27
with what the Confession says in Chapter 7?
14:29
That believers can still fall into serious sins.
14:31
It aligns perfectly because perseverance means God
14:34
guarantees we'll finish the race.
14:37
It doesn't mean we'll run Florida State every step.
14:40
The Westminster Confession is realistic.
14:42
It acknowledges that because of remaining sin or temptation or
14:45
neglecting the means of grace, believers can fall, even
14:48
grievously. But crucially, it says they are
14:51
preserved from total and final ruin.
14:54
The Mitchell, the stumbling block, loses its ultimate power
14:57
over them. Their stability is secured in
15:00
Christ. So when a believer who loves
15:02
God's word falls, they don't just throw up their hands and
15:04
say, well, I guess this faith thing isn't real.
15:06
No, that very love for the law draws them back.
15:09
It leads them to repentance, to confession, to getting back on
15:12
the path. Their falls might still happen,
15:14
but maybe they're less frequent, less deep, and they are never
15:17
final. They don't lead to shipwreck.
15:18
That distinction is really helpful for dealing with the
15:21
guilt or discouragement that comes after a stumble.
15:24
So the assurance no stumbling block isn't about never
15:26
tripping, but about the path itself being secure.
15:29
Yes, it provides the certainty that the journey will be
15:32
completed successfully. Christ himself gives stabilizing
15:36
words as He told His disciples in John 16.1.
15:40
I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling
15:42
away, literally from being scandalized.
15:45
And then you have that amazing doxology in Jude 24.
15:48
God is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you
15:52
blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy.
15:56
Our stability ultimately rests on His power to preserve us, and
16:00
He applies that preserving power through our Spirit enabled love
16:02
for His Word. So yes, setbacks happen, but
16:05
because of this promise, they don't have to become permanent
16:07
derailments. The word loving heart knows the
16:09
way back. It confesses, receives
16:11
forgiveness and gets back up. OK, so the promise is about
16:14
guaranteed arrival even if the journey has some bumps.
16:17
And that's a good way to put it. Now this promise of great peace
16:20
and steady walking is so attractive, it seems we need
16:23
some theological guardrails to make sure we understand it
16:25
correctly. If we misunderstand the role of
16:28
God's law in the Christian life, maybe make it too central in the
16:31
wrong way, or sideline it completely produce, we could
16:35
easily distort this promise of Shalom Rav.
16:37
We need those clear distinctions that Reformed theology gives us,
16:41
particularly around law and gospel.
16:43
Yes, absolutely. The first danger, the first
16:46
guardrail we need, is against legalism.
16:49
Legalism fundamentally gets the source of peace wrong.
16:52
It tries to find peace through merit by keeping the law.
16:56
It treats God's commands like a checklist you have to complete
16:58
perfectly to earn His favor and acceptance.
17:01
It essentially puts the law back in the position of a covenant of
17:03
works. And if someone is trying to live
17:05
that way, pursuing peace through rule keeping, what's their
17:08
actual inner experience like? It's typically one of constant
17:11
anxiety, performance pressure, because they know deep down they
17:15
aren't keeping the law perfectly.
17:17
They never feel truly secure. Every little failure undermines
17:20
their peace. It's like what Jeremiah talked
17:22
about, trying to heal a deep wound.
17:24
Superficially, with human effort, it just doesn't work.
17:27
So what's the corrective? How do we make sure we locate
17:30
peace in the right place? The corrective is holding firm
17:34
to the distinction between law and gospel.
17:37
Peace with God, that foundational objective.
17:39
Peace is a gift received through faith alone because of Christ's
17:43
work. Romans 5.1.
17:45
Again, it's not something we achieved by our obedience, our
17:47
love for the law. Our obedience flows from already
17:49
being accepted. It's the fruit of regeneration,
17:52
not the condition for acceptance.
17:54
For the legalist, the law is a terrifying judge.
17:56
It can't produce peace because its first job is to show us our
17:59
sin and drive us to Christ for mercy.
18:01
We love the law because we're saved, not in order to get
18:03
saved. OK, guardrail one against
18:06
legalism. The flip side, the other ditch
18:08
is antinomianism. This is the idea that seeks
18:10
peace without obedience, right? Basically saying the law doesn't
18:12
matter anymore for the believer. Exactly.
18:15
Antinomianism tries to have the objective peace with God without
18:19
the internal integration and external ordering that come
18:22
through embracing God's instruction.
18:24
It claims God's acceptance but resists his transforming rule.
18:27
This is just as damaging to real Shalom Rav.
18:31
The corrective here is a proper understanding of what we call
18:33
the third use of the law. The Westminster Confession talks
18:36
about this in Chapter 19, Section 6.
18:38
The three uses maybe quickly remind us what those are and why
18:43
this third use is so vital for the peace promised in Psalm 119.
18:46
Sure. Briefly, the first use,
18:48
theological use, is a law as a mirror, showing us our sin and
18:51
our need for Christ. The second use, civil use, is
18:54
the law restraining evil in society.
18:57
But the third use, sometimes called the normative or didactic
18:59
use, is the law serving as a guide, a friendly rule of life
19:03
for the believer who is already justified by grace.
19:05
And it's this third use that connects to Shalom Roth.
19:08
Absolutely, because while the believer is free from the law as
19:11
a way to earn salvation, that's the first use.
19:13
They're not free from the law as God's pattern for living a holy
19:16
life that pleases him. That's the third use.
19:19
Grace doesn't abolish the law's relevance for conduct, Paul says
19:22
in Romans 3.31. Do we then overthrow the law by
19:25
this faith? By no means.
19:27
On the contrary, we uphold the law.
19:29
The law, now understood in light of Christ, becomes the pathway
19:33
the Spirit uses to lead us into practical righteousness.
19:35
Romans 8.3 to 4. So the subjective piece, the
19:39
Shalom Rob we experience is directly related to conforming
19:42
our lives to this gracious rule. If you dismiss the third use,
19:46
you're essentially dismissing the means God uses to bring
19:48
inner harmony in order which guarantees instability.
19:51
Peace comes from loving the law, not ignoring it.
19:53
OK, so guardrails against legalism and antinomianism.
19:57
What's a third distortion we need to watch out for?
19:59
It seems very common today. Confusing this deep peace with
20:02
just feeling good or having things go well.
20:04
Prosperity Moralism. Yes, that's a big one.
20:06
This confuses the fruit of covenant wholeness with
20:09
superficial circumstantial ease or material wealth.
20:12
The immediate correctives is right back where we started, the
20:15
context of Psalm 1 and 19.161. Princess persecute me.
20:20
The psalmist had Shalom Rav while under threat.
20:23
The Bible is clear. Shalom Rav is deep covenant
20:26
well-being, not just a life free of bumps.
20:28
Jesus promised his followers peace in the midst of
20:30
tribulation, not immunity from it.
20:32
John 16.33 if God allowed his faithful psalmist to face
20:35
persecution. We can't promise believers today
20:37
that loving the law means they'll automatically get rich
20:40
or avoid all hardship like illness or job loss.
20:43
So how does God's Providence is wise governing of all things, as
20:46
the confession describes in chapter 5, work with hardship?
20:48
How can difficulty actually lead to peace?
20:51
Well, God in His wisdom orchestrates all events,
20:54
including the difficult ones. He often uses trials and
20:57
afflictions as a form of fatherly discipline.
20:59
Hebrews 12411 says that discipline is painful at the
21:02
time, but later it yields the peaceable fruit of
21:05
righteousness. So a trial isn't evidence that
21:07
the promise of peace has failed. It might actually be the very
21:10
tool God is using to deepen that peace, to make it more resilient
21:15
if, say, I lose my job. And that forces me back to the
21:18
Word, to meditate on God's sovereignty and promises about
21:20
provision, which is part of loving His law.
21:23
The result might be a deeper, less circumstantial peace than I
21:26
had before. The promise is stability within
21:29
the storm. OK, one more guardrail.
21:31
What about subjectivism? Looking for peace and feelings,
21:35
impressions or maybe claimed words from God that aren't tied
21:37
to scripture right? True stability comes from the
21:41
objective, reliable truth of God's written Word.
21:44
Peace isn't found by chasing emotional highs or relying on
21:48
internal hunches that haven't been tested by Scripture.
21:50
The Holy Spirit normally works to stabilize us by and with the
21:54
Word, as the confession puts it. WCFI .5.
21:58
Trying to find peace through novel experiences or a supposed
22:01
private revelations often leads to more instability because
22:04
those things can be deceptive. Devotion to the clear teaching
22:07
of the Bible studies our steps. Untethered experiences can
22:10
easily become a scandal on the stumbling block if they lead us
22:13
away from or make us doubt the written Word.
22:16
Peace is anchored in loving God's revealed law.
22:19
Right, we've defined the peace, identified the condition, loving
22:21
the law, seen the consequence steadiness, and set up the
22:25
theological guardrails. Now let's get practical.
22:27
How does someone listening actually cultivate the Shalom
22:29
Rev? How do we actively pursue that
22:31
steady walk day by day? It seems tied to using the means
22:34
of grace God has given us. It absolutely, absolutely is.
22:37
Stability isn't usually zapped into US.
22:39
It's built through a consistent, often slow habits of treasuring
22:43
God's Word, especially within the community of faith.
22:46
So the first place to look is corporate worship, particularly
22:49
the Lord's Day gathering. The Confession highlights this
22:52
in chapter 21 on worship, showing up consistently
22:55
physically and mentally for the public, reading and preaching a
22:57
scripture for corporate prayer for the sacraments.
23:00
This is foundational. These are the primary ways the
23:03
Spirit applies the Word to us together, strengthening US
23:06
against the week's challenges. You know, I think you hit on
23:08
something key there. Mentally present preparation for
23:10
worship often gets overlooked. We just rush in.
23:13
Preparation is so important if we want worship to reorient and
23:17
our affections toward loving the law.
23:19
It's not just about blocking out Sunday morning, but maybe
23:21
intentionally quieting things down Saturday evening.
23:25
It involves praying before the service, maybe using verses like
23:27
Psalm 119, point O 8 open my eyes that I may behold wondrous
23:32
things out of your law, or verse 36, incline my heart to your
23:35
testimonies. That kind of preparation turns
23:38
the service from maybe just a routine into a genuine encounter
23:41
where our hearts are tuned to receive God's instruction and
23:44
the sacraments then become visible confirmations of the
23:47
Gospel piece we have. That sets the anchor for the
23:50
week. Then how do we cultivate that
23:52
love for the word, that treasuring in our daily lives?
23:54
Not just reading it, but loving it.
23:56
It involves developing those slow, deep habits of engagement.
24:00
Not just rushing through a chapter to check a box, but real
24:03
meditation. This means setting aside regular
24:06
time, maybe first thing in the morning, maybe during a commute,
24:09
whatever works. But making it a priority and
24:11
then reading slowly, pausing, asking questions of the text.
24:15
What does this reveal about God? What does this command mean for
24:18
my life today? How does this promise speak into
24:21
my current anxieties or fears? The goal is to let the Word
24:24
shape our thoughts and desires, responding to it with prayer and
24:27
worship, not just accumulating information.
24:30
What about memorization? People often talk about that.
24:32
How does hiding God's Word in our hearts actually help with
24:35
stability when things get tough? It's incredibly practical for
24:39
stability because when a crisis hits, a sudden temptation, a
24:43
wave of fear, a difficult conversation, you need God's
24:46
counsel immediately. If the relevant scripture is
24:49
only in a book on your shelf, you might not get to it in time.
24:52
But if you've memorized key promises or commands that speak
24:55
directly to your common struggles, well then the word is
24:57
right there, ready in your mind. It becomes an active internal
25:01
guard. It speaks first, before the
25:03
panic of the temptation fully takes hold.
25:05
That's a huge part of the internal integration we talked
25:08
about. OK, so treasuring the word
25:09
internally through meditation and memorization then this has
25:12
to flow outward into wise choices, ordering our steps to
25:16
avoid stumbling in the first place.
25:18
Yes, the goal is proactive stability, using scripture as
25:21
that lamp for our feet. Psalm 119.1 O 51.
25:25
Practical tool is to use a kind of decision grid, especially for
25:28
bigger choices, career changes, moves, major purchases,
25:32
relationships. Before you commit, run the
25:34
potential path through some basic scriptural filters.
25:37
Is this lawful according to God's commands?
25:40
Is it loving towards God and neighbor?
25:41
Is it wise? Does it make sense?
25:43
Have you sought counsel? And importantly, is it conducive
25:46
to worship? Will this likely draw me closer
25:48
to God or pull me away? If you get a no or even a maybe
25:51
on any of those, slow down. Go back to the Word.
25:53
Seek godly advice. Rushing ahead carelessly is just
25:56
inviting a Mitchell a stumbling block.
25:58
Let's play this to a couple of specific areas where stumbles
26:01
are common, say work and money. How does loving God's law bring
26:04
stability there? Well, so many stumbles start
26:07
when our hearts get disordered around money, success, or
26:09
reputation. Applying Scripture means
26:12
bringing integrity into our work, being honest, reliable,
26:15
keeping our word, treating people fairly, submitting
26:18
appropriately to authority. In finances, it means governing
26:22
our resources according to God's wisdom.
26:24
Things like prioritizing giving back to God first as an act of
26:27
worship and trust, saving prudently, avoiding debt that
26:31
presumes upon the future or enslaves us, learning
26:33
contentment instead of constantly chasing more.
26:35
First Timothy 6.6. When our work, life and finances
26:39
are ordered according to God's instruction, a huge amount of
26:41
potential chaos and temptation is removed, which contributes
26:44
directly to peace. And what about relationships?
26:47
Ordering our steps there must involve peacemaking.
26:49
That seems like a direct outflow of receiving God's peace.
26:52
Absolutely. If we've truly grasped the
26:55
reconciliation we have with God through Christ, then pursuing
26:58
reconciliation with others should become almost a reflex.
27:01
Holding grudges, nursing bitterness, engaging in gossip.
27:05
These things destroy our internal Shalom.
27:08
So loving God's law means actively working for peace.
27:11
That looks like refusing to spread or listen to gossip.
27:14
It means taking initiative to resolve conflicts quickly.
27:16
It means choosing to overlook minor offenses and, when serious
27:20
sin needs addressing, doing it biblically with humility and
27:23
gentleness. Neglecting relational peace
27:25
makes our walk very unstable. OK, we've covered cultivating
27:29
peace and preventing stumbles, but we know stumbles still
27:31
happen. So finally, how do we handle
27:33
them when they do? How do we make sure a fall isn't
27:36
fatal? The key when you fall is to fall
27:38
forward, as someone put it. Use the stumble as a lesson.
27:42
Don't let it define you or paralyze you.
27:44
The immediate action is confession, quick, honest
27:48
confession to God based on 1st John 1.9.
27:51
Acknowledge the failure specifically.
27:53
Then actively receive the forgiveness and cleansing that
27:56
are guaranteed because of Christ's work.
27:59
That objective peace is still yours.
28:02
If necessary, make restitution to others to repair the external
28:05
damage, and then, crucially, get back up and resume walking in
28:09
obedience. Don't wallow in guilt or shame.
28:12
That can be its own form of pride.
28:14
The failure becomes a tutor. It shows you where your love for
28:17
the law was weak, where you may be neglected.
28:19
Prayer or the Word. Because we know our ultimate
28:21
preservation is guaranteed in Christ, we can learn from
28:24
failures without being crushed by them.
28:26
They actually end up strengthening the root system
28:28
over time. That completely changes how we
28:30
view failure, not as the end of the road, but as a redirection
28:34
back to the source of stability. It does.
28:35
It takes away the fear of ultimate ruin, which allows us
28:38
to keep walking knowing we're held secure by a love and a
28:40
power greater than our own faithfulness.
28:42
Hashtag tag. Outro.
28:43
So wrapping up this deep dive, we've seen that the promise back
28:46
in Psalm 119.165 great peace have those who love your law.
28:50
Nothing can make them stumble, offers this incredibly full,
28:54
comprehensive covenant wholeness, this Alom Rav.
28:57
It's a peace secured entirely by Christ, rooted in reconciliation
29:00
with God, and it's experienced as we by the Spirit's help,
29:04
genuinely come to love and treasure God's instruction.
29:07
This leads to both that inner harmony and that practical
29:09
outward steadiness in how we live.
29:11
It seems the goal isn't to somehow avoid life storms, but
29:14
to stand firm right in the middle of them, anchored to
29:16
God's Word and assured of His preserving grace.
29:18
That's right. And this promise gives us
29:20
stability now, partly because it points us forward and gives us a
29:22
taste of the future. The ultimate Prince of Peace,
29:25
Jesus himself. Isaiah 9.6 will bring about the
29:28
complete fulfillment of Shalom when he returns the peace we
29:31
experience now. That internal order, that
29:33
ability to stand firm is just a down payment on the coming
29:36
reality, a time when every scandal on every single thing
29:39
that causes stumbling or offense will be gone forever.
29:42
Isaiah speaks of that highway of holiness where even the fool
29:45
won't go astray. Isaiah 35.810.
29:48
That's the final destination this piece anticipates.
29:50
A really hopeful perspective to hold on to.
29:52
So for you listening as you think about this deep guaranteed
29:56
peace, maybe consider this your objective peace with God in
29:59
Christ is secure. That's settled.
30:02
But if you're feeling a lack of subjective peace today, if you
30:05
feel unstable because of external pressures or internal
30:08
struggles, which part of Shalom Roth needs attention?
30:12
Is it reconnecting with your reconciliation with God?
30:14
Is it deepening that internal integration through more
30:17
deliberate time in the Word? Or is it about bringing more of
30:20
God's wisdom to the external ordering of your life, your
30:24
work, your finances, your relationships?
30:26
Which specific means of grace will you use this week to
30:28
cultivate that love for God's instruction that truly studies
30:31
your steps? Look to the instruction He's
30:33
given, trust in the Savior who secured your peace, and keep
30:35
walking.