“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, by driving out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken.” (Deuteronomy 6:16-19 NASB1995)

This is from the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, and yet what it teaches us here, in content, is taught us in the New Testament, under the New Covenant God has with his people Israel (Jew and Gentile by biblical faith in Jesus Christ). For we read in 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 that what the Israelites did in the wilderness happened as examples to us, and they were written down for us so that we will not crave evil things as they also craved. For the majority of them made sin their practice, and not obedience to God, and so they were put to death and they did not enter into God’s eternal rest.

So, we are taught in the New Testament not to put our Lord God to the test, as the Israelites (the majority) tested God in the wilderness and did not get to enter into God’s eternal rest because of their disobedience (unbelief). But we are to be those who walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy living, by the grace of God, in the power of God. And, yes, in the New Testament, under the New Covenant, we who claim to believe in Jesus Christ are taught to do what is righteous and good (holy) in the sight of the Lord if we are to have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

For belief in Jesus Christ is not something we do by professions of faith in Jesus Christ only. For just because we may claim to believe in Jesus Christ, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we are of biblical faith in Jesus Christ. For, by faith in the Lord Jesus, if our faith is genuine biblical faith, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as servants of God and of his righteousness in walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands. But if sin is still our practice, and not obedience, we do not have eternal life with God.

For, in Jesus’ death on that cross, he who knew no sin became sin for us that he might put our sins to death with him. And this was so that, by faith in him, we can now die with him to sin, in his power, and walk in obedience to his commands, in his strength. Because of what Jesus did for us on that cross we can come out from underneath slavery (addiction) to sin, and we can serve the Lord with our lives, in obedience to his commands. We can now live for the Lord, and for his purposes, in the power of God, and no longer live for the sinful pleasures of the flesh, by the grace of God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

And all the glory belongs to God and not to our human flesh. Amen!

Give God the Glory

Based off Psalm 19
An Original Work / March 10, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

All of creation now proclaims:
“Give God the glory; honor His name!”
Each day the stars in heav’n above
Show forth His wisdom; tell of His love.

They do not speak. They have no voice.
Yet, they declare we have a choice:
“Worship the God of heav’n above;
Believe in Jesus; trust in His love.”

God’s word is perfect, just and good,
Refreshing souls who trust in the Lord;
Makes wise the simple; radiant –
Lighting our lives with God’s righteousness.

Joy to the heart His words now speak;
Pure and enduring, now we seek.
They are more precious than our gold;
Sweeter than honey; never grow old.

Keeping the word brings great reward.
By the word Jesus speaks and He warns,
Convicting hearts of all their sin;
Forgiving all who call upon Him.

Praying You keep me, Lord, from sins.
May they not rule my life again.
Then will I walk in all Your ways,
Following Jesus all of my days.

Don’t Put God To The Test
An Original Work / February 1, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love