In our last lesson we learned some things about the heavenly home Jesus has gone to prepare for His people. This lesson is a very important one, because in it we will learn what God expects of those who will live in that beautiful place.

1. What important question did a certain young ruler ask Jesus one day? Luke 18:18.

"And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

Note: In answering his question, Jesus pointed the young man to the Ten Commandments. This shows that obedience to God’s law is a very important part of our salvation.

"And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up."

"Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

Note: The young man was very sincere in believing that He had kept all the commandments, but he did not know his own heart. Anything that is more important to us than Jesus, and that we have put before Him, becomes our god. Jesus knew that this young man’s worldly possessions were more important to him than going to heaven. To show him what was really in his heart, Jesus told him to sell everything he had and to come follow Him. Our works cannot buy a place in heaven, but it must be more important than anything in this world to us.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Mt Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Note: If people could have the things they want in this world and Jesus too, many would be ready to accept Him. However, between the world and those who follow Jesus, there is to be a very real difference. The gate that is straight and narrow means that we have to take off our pride and self and worldly baggage to squeeze through there.

"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

Note: To ‘fear’ God means that He has our highest thought, respect and obedience.

"Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them."

Note: There is a text in Daniel that also refers to God’s law, and to the Law of Moses. "Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy [God’s] law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him." Daniel 9:11. Both of these texts refer to the two laws—the Law of God, or the Ten Commandments: and the Law of Moses, or the laws of ceremonials, and ordinances. It is important that we keep these two laws separate in our minds.

"And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."

Note: Moses, as he received instructions from God on Mount Sinai, wrote these things down in a book. These laws and ordinances were called the ceremonial law and were placed in the side of the ark. The ark was a sacred chest which was kept in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary. There was a shelf or pocket attached to the side of this sacred ark, in which the ceremonial laws, or Law of Moses was kept.

This Law of Moses explained to the people how they were to conduct their religious services. The Law of Moses also contained government regulations for the kingdom of Israel and instructions for the yearly holy days which they were to observe. These yearly holy days were sometimes referred to as annual sabbaths. See Leviticus 23. These offerings, ceremonies, and yearly sabbaths all pointed forward to the cross of Jesus and His sacrifice for sinner.

These religious rituals all pointed forward to Jesus and His work for our salvation. They were what we call a shadow, or type, of the things to come. We all know what a shadow is. While the shadow isn’t the real object, we can tell something about an object by the shadow it makes, just so with the ceremonial services. These services could not of themselves bring salvation, but in following them, the people could learn something about Jesus and His work for our salvation. By doing them, the people showed their faith for salvation in the promise that someday a Saviour would come.

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

Note: These verses make it clear that the ceremonies, the meat and drink offerings, and those yearly sabbaths that were a shadow of future events, came to an end at the cross. Since these ceremonies and ordinances pointed forward to Jesus, they naturally came to an end when He died on the cross.

"And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables."

"There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt."

Note: So important were the Ten Commandments that God did not entrust any man with the work of writing them. To show how permanent they were, God wrote them in one of the hardest substances we know of—stone.

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:"

Note: This means they would not be in heaven.

13. What does Jesus say about those who keep those commandments and teach others to do so? Matthew 5:19.

"But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Note: This is the reason why obedience is so important. It isn’t that we earn salvation by it, but we show whether we belong to Jesus or not.

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

Note: The only way we can know what sin is, is by the Ten Commandment Law. In this way the law is like a mirror. You can look in a mirror and find out that your face is dirty. Looking in the mirror, however, win never clean away the dirt, it only shows you the dirt that is there. God’s law shows us how we should act. By our actions we show if we belong to Jesus, or if we are still a slave to Satan.

"He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

Note: The law that says, "Thou shalt not steal," wasn’t just meant for the people of Israel. It was not just the children of Israel who were to honor their parents. In fact, the whole purpose of the commandments is for our protection and happiness. The commands of God, when followed, are like a fence around us, protecting us from harm.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

Note: Only Jesus’ blood can save us and pay the penalty for the Law we already have broken. We are saved by grace, which is mercy that we do not deserve. It is God’s gift to each one of us.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Note: The law shows us our sin, but just as the mirror cannot clean the dirty face, the law cannot save us. However the law will show us our sinfulness. Once we see our sinfulness, we realize our great need for Jesus’ blood which is able to wash away all the guilt of sin.

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Note: A man once said: "I wish Jesus had told us right out what is expected of us: one, two, three, four, five, like that, then we would know just exactly what is right and what is wrong."

The minister answered: "That’s exactly what Jesus has done; He has given us the Ten Commandments list of ten rules which He expects us to follow." And yet so many people refuse to follow all these commandments, or try to persuade themselves that the commandments, at least in part are done away with. As by Jesus power we keep His commandments, our lives are happier and we have much less trouble.

Are you ready to live with Jesus in heaven? Is there anything in your life that shouldn’t be, and that you don’t want to give up? Think about it and pray that God will help you to give your all to Him that you too might have His blessing now and eternal life when He returns.