Practical Lessons From Deuteronomy (Part 3)
Our next practical lesson from Deuteronomy is this:

11. TO MARRY THOSE OF A DIFFERENT RELIGION IS FOOLISH.
Deuteronomy 7:3-5 - "Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire."
Mixed marriages were forbidden under the Mosaic law, for the reason stated above. God wasn't concerned about keeping the bloodline "pure," but He was concerned about keeping the people pure! Typically, when you marry an idolater, you will eventually become one (e.g., I Kings 11; cf. I Cor. 15:33). To marry one in a different religion today is unwise and not in keeping with the standard of Matthew 6:33. How can one be seeking first God's kingdom if he purposefully marries one who is not committed to that same ideal? Although there are notable exceptions, generally mixed marriages today do not prosper spiritually. It is good to train our children with the expectation that if they marry, it will be to a faithful child of God (i.e., to someone who will help them get to heaven, not impede that preeminent mission in any way).

12. THERE IS NO REASON TO FEAR ANYONE IF JEHOVAH IS YOUR GOD.
Deuteronomy 7:21 - "You shall not be terrified of them; for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you."
There was no need for the Israelites to fear any people, no matter how large or mighty they were, as long as they stood faithfully next to Jehovah. Such is still true today for Christians (cf. Heb. 13:5,6; Matt. 10:28).

13. GOD HAS ALWAYS REQUIRED FEAR, LOVE, & OBEDIENCE.
Deuteronomy 10:12,13 - "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"
This sums up everything! Fear God, love Him, and obey His word (cf. Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 12:13; John 14:15; I John 5:3). This is what God has always required, and it will lead to eternal success!

14. GOD IS NOT PARTIAL OR PREJUDICED.
Deuteronomy 10:17 - "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe."
Judgment that excels is neither partial nor prejudiced; God's judgment is always this way. Peter declared in Acts 10:34,35 - "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

15. IF YOU OBEY YOU WILL BE BLESSED, IF YOU DISOBEY YOU WILL BE CURSED.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 - "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known."
Humans are blessed with the gift of free will. Our Creator lets us chose the way we will go. We can choose life or death, blessings or cursings! It all depends upon whether we choose to travel His way or our own (cf. Deut. 28; 30:15-20).