THE EXAMPLE OF EZRA

SEEKING, DOING, TEACHING

By Bryan Gibson

Read carefully the following passage from God’s word: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).

Could the same be said of us? Today, we are under the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2), and we must have the same attitude toward it that Ezra had toward the law of Moses.

First, we must seek (strive to learn) the law of Christ. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Notice that it must be the pure milk of the word—it cannot be tainted with false doctrine. What we must seek is the truth. And we don’t want to learn just a little bit. Our goal is to be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9).

Secondly, we must do (or obey) the law of Christ. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” In Matthew 7:21 Jesus gives this warning, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” If we want to go to heaven, we must  obey the law of Christ.

Finally, we must teach the law of Christ to others. The charge given to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 is, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:16 offers additional encouragement in regard to teaching: “…in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” But as we teach, let’s remember the admonition given in 1 Peter 4:11, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.” We must use great care in teaching only that which comes from God.

May we all be more determined to seek the law of Christ, obey the law of Christ, and teach the law of Christ.