The Blessings of God’s Law

Proper human enjoyment brings glory to God because the rules of God’s kingdom are designed and intended to bring us joy.

God’s law is the revealed standard by which he governs his kingdom, and we are obligated to live by it. And when we live according to the law, we receive the blessings God has intended for the obedient citizens of his kingdom. So, we can say that one role of the law is to instruct us to live in ways that lead to blessing and enjoyment.

Now, of course, if we use the law wrongly, then we ask the law to fulfill a role that God never intended for it. And that can lead to terrible consequences. For instance, if we try to gain salvation by keeping the law, the law will condemn us to death. This was Paul’s point in Galatians 3:10, where he commented on the law with these words:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

The law is a curse when we use it wrongly, such as when we try to earn salvation by our own good works rather than through the merit of Christ. And on several occasions, the Bible speaks in harshly negative terms about the misuse of the law.

But far more frequently, the Bible speaks of the proper use of God’s law as a great blessing to humanity. And this should not be surprising. After all, the law reveals God to us, teaching us how to please him and how to obtain his blessings.

In fact, Scripture commonly speaks of God’s law as a delight, such as in Psalm 1:2, and as a gracious gift, as in Psalm 119:29. And it teaches that keeping the law results in the covenant blessings of God’s kingdom, as in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. In short, the law was given for our good, for our prosperity, and for our joy. David summarized this view of the law in Psalm 19:7-8, where he wrote these words:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul… The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

God has given us rules to follow in order to produce joy in our lives. And those rules are his law. So, when we obey God’s law, we enjoy him and we glorify him at the same time. We enjoy him because he blesses our obedience, and because it pleases us to bring pleasure to the God we love. And our godly joy brings glory to God by fulfilling his purpose, by acknowledging his worth, and by expressing thanks toward him. In all of these ways, the role of the law shows us that enjoying God is an important part of God’s goal for humanity.