His Commandments Are Not Hard

Pro 13:15 KJV - but the way of transgressors [is] hard.

A transgressor (בגד) is someone who acts treacherously or deceitfully. It means to cover or act covertly.
Hard (איתן) means perpetual, constant, perennial, ever-flowing.

Here we have the picture of a someone who is trapped in an ever-flowing, constant bondage to acting treacherously and covering his sin. Is this you?

treach⋅er⋅ous

1.	characterized by faithlessness or readiness to betray trust; traitorous.

2.	deceptive, untrustworthy, or unreliable.

3.	unstable or insecure, as footing.

If you are treacherous, you have an unstable, insecure footing, of which the Scriptures warns

Deu 32:35 KJV - their foot shall slide in [due] time: for the day of their calamity [is] at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

But you have a Savior who wants to rescue you.

Psa 121:3 NASB - He will not allow your foot to slip;

Psa 94:18 KJV - When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.


You can exchange your hard bondage for rest from all your treachery.

Isa 14:3 KJV - And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve

His way, although narrow, is not hard!

1Jo 5:3 KJV - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous [hard].

grievous (βαρύς) means hard, heavy in weight, burdensome, violent, cruel, unsparing

It is common to think the opposite. It is common to think that God's commands are cruel and burdensome, and that life apart from Him is easy. But this thinking is based on an unstable footing, and your foot will slide in due time.

Deu 30:11 NASB - "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult [hard] for you, nor is it out of reach.

But passing from the burden of treachery (sin) to freedom (rest) is conditional, as evidenced by the preceding verse:

Deu 30:10 NASB - if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.

If you did not know that His commands are not hard nor out of reach, and want to turn to the Lord your God with all your soul, what should you do next? Here is a command which is not burdensome or hard, and it will give you the rest you are after:

Act 17:30 NKJV - Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.


Lastly, remember:

Mat 11:28-30 NASB - "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Finney On Service

To serve a person is to be obedient to the will and devoted to the interests of that individual. It is not properly called serving, where only certain acts are performed, without entering into the service of the person, but to serve is to make it a business to do the will and promote the interest of the person. To serve God is to make religion the main business of life. It is to devote one's self, heart, life, powers, time, influence, and all to promote the interests of God, to build up the kingdom of God, and to advance the glory of God.

[Charles G. Finney, False Professors]