The Law of God

Born on this day in 1583 in Delft, near the North Sea in modern-day Netherlands, Hugo Grotius demonstrated that he was a gifted writer, even as a child. When he was fifteen, he began studying law in Orléans, France. In 1601, he was appointed to an official position for the states of Holland and increasingly became involved in politics and government. His efforts included defending free access to the ocean for all nations.

However, because of his involvement in religious and political disputes, Grotius was arrested in 1618 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Three years later, hidden in a chest of books, he escaped, fleeing to Paris. In 1625, still in exile, he published his legal masterpiece, On the Law of War and Peace, which laid the foundations for international law.

For Grotius, law began with a belief in God and the Bible. He wrote, “Whatever God has shown to be his Will, that is Law.” No one could rule a kingdom, village, city, a family, or even oneself, without reason, and no one can be ruled by reason unless they can be “ruled by God, and (wholly) be obedient to Him.”

Today, many people seek to remove God from our political life and our laws. But as Hugo Grotius knew and the Bible reminds us, if we want to be successful, we need to live according to God’s Word.

Make sure that you base your life on the Bible and put His Word into practice. Don’t compromise. Pray for our leaders. Pray for revival in our country and the world.