SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP

SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP

Note from from Deut. 5:10
It is a characteristic of Deuteronomy to link obedience to YHWH’s covenant to
love for YHWH (cf. Deut. 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6,16,20).
YHWH’s love is not capricious, but clearly defined. He shows no partiality.
His initiating covenant love is maintained by covenant obedience.
”Keep” (BDB 1036, KB 1581) is the key concept in this chapter
(cf. Deut. 5:1,10,12,29,32 and many more times in Deuteronomy). The OT was
based on the grace of YHWH and human obedience/performance. YHWH wanted
to show human inability to respond appropriately (cf. Galatians 3). The NT
(cf. Jer: 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36) is based on God’s gracious initiation and redemption
in Christ. Believers are still destined to be righteous (cf. Eph. 1:14; 2:10), but they
have been accepted and forgiven by grace through faith (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). Now they
obey/perform out of a sense of gratitude and family love (i.e., “those who love
Me”). The goal is the same, a righteous (Christlike) people, but the mechanism
has changed from human performance to Christ’s performance (cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21).
Another Hebrew root used in Deut. 6:4, “hear” (BDB 1033, KB 1581), also means
“hear so as to do/obey.” Obedience is the evidence that faithful followers ae
faithful followers. Note Jesus’ words in Luke 6:46! One of the saddest
passages in Isaiah describes Israel’s inability to obey (cf. Isa. 6:9-13)! also note
Jesus’ words in Matt. 7:21-23,24-27.
Notes from Deut. 6:1
Deuteronomy 6, along with the conclusion of chapter 5, could be characterized as a
strenuous emphasis on the need for obedience (cf. Deut. 5:29,31,32,33; 6:1,2,3,4,17,24, and 25).
This same emphasis on the need for obedience is repeated in the NT (cf. Luke 6:46;
John 14:15,21,23; 15:10; James 2:14-26; 1 John 2:5; 5:2-3). One way that we show Him that we
really love Him is that we do what He has told us to do. The focus of this obedience is directed
first toward God and then toward our covenant brother/sister. God always takes the initiative in
grace (covenant benefits), yet He expects us to obey His covenant requirements! This is true of
both the OT and the NT. The NT requirements are
1. faith
2. repentance
3. obedience
4. service
5. perseverance

God wants a godly, loving, obedient people to clearly reveal Himself to a fallen world. God
wants to attract them through His people to Himself.