Human Response 258: Teach to Do, Fear, Keep

Deuteronomy 6:1-2 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightiest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged.

Moses responded to God’s great act of deliverance (the Gospel) by teaching them to do the commandments. This is also what Jesus expects us to do as pastors, teachers, parents, grandparents: teach to do. He says in the Great Commission to make disciples in Matthew 28:20: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Our response to the Gospel is to make disciples of all peoples by baptizing and teaching to do.

This teaching is more than imparting knowledge, although we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. But the knowledge is to be turned into changed behavior. We are expected to change lives. We do not teach to know, but to do, to actually make a difference in how other people, especially children, live out their daily lives according to God’s Word. We teach them to fear (believe) God and love Him so that they keep the commandments.

Now this is an impossible task, as wives and mothers admit: to change others. We can’t even change ourselves. But the Holy Spirit can, and He uses the Gospel to effect change. The power is in the gospel, as Moses continually refers back to the Exodus Event. So do we refer back to the exodus event of the Cross. And Jesus promises the Spirit to guide us (change us) and bring to remembrance what He did. And Jesus promises that while we are doing the job of “teaching to observe” He will be with us always.