“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).

This is the ninth commandment; one of a list of “thou shalt nots.”

Have you ever had a relationship with someone where you felt that you had to take what they said “with a grain of salt?” Maybe they are known to exaggerate or stretch the truth; maybe they have been caught in white lies; maybe you have to sift through too much extraneous information to get at what they are trying to communicate. What happens in those cases is that miscommunication can occur, and problems invariably result.

There are many references to our speech in the Bible.  Verbal and written communication is foundational to our understanding as Christians. God spoke the world into existence. Jesus is the Word. God’s word is trustworthy.

Just as God’s word is trustworthy: “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4), he also makes it clear that he expects our word to be trustworthy as well. James discourses on the power of the tongue (James 3:3-12). Three of the seven things that the LORD hates involve speech that is not trustworthy.“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

We know God because we can trust what He says. What He says reveals His character to us. We know each other by what we say. What we say reveals our character to each other. Sure, our actions may speak louder than words; but what is essential is that our words and our actions line up, and that they line up in obedience to God. That is the definition of integrity.

Paul gives us several instructions regarding our speech. First, we should consider what we should stop saying:

• “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8).
• “Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood” (Ephesians 4:25a).
• “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” (Ephesians 4:29a).
• “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” (Ephesians 4:31)

Then we should consider what we do communicate:

• “Speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25b)
• “…but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29b).
• “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

The very best advice I have tried to live by (imperfectly, but I am still working on it) is to weigh all my words and to try to say nothing except what would be beneficial to the person I am speaking with. If what I would say has the result of building myself up, whether it is obvious or backhanded, I am trying to just not say it. It has no value to the person I am speaking with. If what I say is critical or harmful to another, then I am trying to just leave it out of the conversation. It has no value to the person I am speaking with. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

Let us strive to be people of integrity. Let us strive to be people who are sincere and who can be trusted in all that we say; to be people who speak only what is edifying to others. Let our reputation be that of one who’s word is his bond.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

“You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15

Unfortunately, this is one commandment that most of us are prone to rationalize or interpret in a wide variety of ways. In fact, it is interesting that I should even feel the need to describe the type of honesty I am talking about. Honesty should mean honesty, without exception, and not subject to definition by anyone.

There are a number of ways to steal, broadly categorized into two types: active and passive. Active stealing includes embezzlement, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. We know these actions are wrong. After all, they are punishable by law.

Then there is passive stealing, which includes negligence resulting in damage to another’s property, failure to return a found object to its rightful owner, and failure to give what rightfully belongs to another (this includes greediness resulting in failure to tithe and to be charitable). Most times, these are “invisible” offenses. There are even more subtle ways to steal. A Robert Half study found that employees on average steal roughly 4.5 hours from their employer each week, either by fudging on time cards or by doing personal work on company time. Did it ever occur to you that this is stealing? This site provides biblical examples for all the above.

We rationalize stealing sometimes by thinking that we are not really stealing because it is something that is “owed” to us, or that no one will be hurt, a “victimless” crime if you will. We work it out in our heads that we are justified in taking what belongs to someone else. However, we know in our hearts that there is no victimless crime. There will be consequences, just perhaps not direct or immediate, so it is easy to get away with. But this rationalization fails to consider that there is One who sees and knows everything that we do and what our motivation is. The plain truth of the matter is that stealing of any kind is a sin. It is a sin because it directly violates the eighth commandment, and:

• Stealing harms another person or entity.
• Stealing assumes we have rights that are more important than those of another.
• Stealing implies lack of trust in God’s provision.

This eighth commandment undergirds some of the other commandments. Adultery is a form of stealing. Murder is a form of stealing. Stealing and lying usually go hand in hand. Stealing is a sin, in any form. So, what is the antidote for stealing?

1. If we steal in any form, we should be quick to repay our debts. Let us follow the example of Zacchaeus, the tax collector who, when addressed by Jesus, quickly said “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8).

• The Apostle Paul advises us to counteract the sin of stealing with generosity. “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28).

^“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13).

Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse (Google Dictionary). Jesus allows that it is grounds for divorce. “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:32).

And as we are learning in our ongoing study of the Ten Commandments, Jesus has more to say about this commandment. “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). (And I am quite sure that the same goes for looking at men lustfully.)

What is adultery? We read the dictionary version above, but what is adultery in God’s eyes? Adultery is unfaithfulness. Faith is what binds us together. Adultery is unfaithfulness. It is cheating on our spouse; it is cheating on a covenant made before God. If faith binds us together, adultery tears us apart.

God created marriage. He holds marriage in such high regard that he uses marriage as a metaphor to describe the Church. John Piper describes it this way:

Ephesians 5:31 is a quotation of Genesis 2:24, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.” Then Paul adds in verse 32: “This is a great mystery, and I take it to mean Christ and the church.”

The union of man and woman in marriage is a mystery because it conceals, as in a parable, a truth about Christ and the church. The divine reality hidden in the metaphor of marriage is that God ordained a permanent union between His Son and the church. Human marriage is the earthly image of this divine plan. As God willed for Christ and the church to become one body (Galatians 3:28, 1 Corinthians 12:13), so He willed for marriage to reflect this pattern—that the husband and wife become one flesh.

Just as the Apostle Paul used marriage to describe the union of Christ and the church, Old Testament writers used adultery as a metaphor for idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. In the book of Hosea, “God brings to life a consistent picture used throughout the Old Testament.  In this picture, the LORD is the husband of Israel, and their passionate, chronic attraction for idols was like the lust of an adulterer.  His people were as unfaithful as a prostitute was.” (Blue Letter Bible, David Guzik commentary on Hosea).

Throughout the Bible, God makes it very clear that he created the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman as the foundation of our society. It is also clear that this covenant was designed after the beautiful covenant between Jesus and his church. It is thrilling to imagine that glorious wedding celebration described by John in his Book of Revelation:

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:6-9)

This subject is hard. Many of us find ourselves with a history of unfaithfulness. Perhaps a spouse has been unfaithful to us, or perhaps we have been unfaithful, either to a spouse or to God, or both. Praise God that he is a God of forgiveness.  Let us take comfort, indeed relief, because of His everlasting faithfulness to us, from the words in Joel 2:23-27; 32:

Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts, and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed…. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

Do you find that being faithful, whether to God or to your spouse, is a challenge?

• Being faithful requires intention: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 34)

• Being faithful requires active obedience: “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)

• Being faithful requires prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

• Being faithful is one of the fruits of the spirit, meaning that it can only be accomplished with the help of the Holy Spirit: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Faithfulness brings rewards. Let us be faithful to our spouses, to our families, to church, to God.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

And let us rejoice in the knowledge that God is always faithful to his people. We can rely on his faithfulness to us. We can take joy in his faithfulness to us. Jeremiah wrote: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Because of God’s faithfulness to us, we can sing that wonderful hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

In Christ,

Judy

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13)

We are continuing our study of the Ten Commandments. The first four are the “vertical” commandments, which speak to our relationship with God. The last six commandments are “horizontal,” dealing with our relationships with others. Last week the devotion was on the fifth commandment, “Culture of Honor.” Now we begin a series of “thou shalt nots.” Jesus had much to say about this sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not murder,” which was intended to protect innocent life. He teaches in Matthew 5:21-26, during his masterpiece Sermon on the Mount:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

We have an incentive not to murder. It is a crime against the law of the land and if we are found guilty, we will most likely serve time in prison if not receive a death sentence. However, the judicial system can only take action on our behaviors. The court system will not judge us on the condition of our hearts.

Jesus, on the other hand, is at least as concerned about our hearts. We will be called on Judgment Day to account for our motives as well as our behaviors. It is good that we do not act on a sincere desire to murder someone, but Jesus says we will be judged similarly for having hate in our hearts and for holding on to grudges and ill will and for failing to do whatever is in our power to reconcile with each other.

What is hate? Hate is an intense or passionate dislike. It can be directed toward people or places or things. Hate is usually an unhealthy emotion; however, the Bible identifies seven things that God hates. “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Romans 12:9 tells us “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

Does this mean that we should hate what God hates? Franklin Graham advises: “However, as we learn to love righteousness and hate sin, we must never, ever, turn to hating our fellow man.” His advice is supported by Scripture. “Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness … and does not know where he is going” (1 John 2:11); “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).

Graham continues, “So while the world ratchets up its contempt and cruelty, especially toward disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called not to return evil for evil, or insult for insult (1 Peter 3:9). Instead, we are to love our enemies and pray for those who launch attacks against us.”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborand hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

Obeying the letter of this commandment is not nearly as difficult as obeying the spirit. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if everyone obeyed the spirit of this commandment, we would never experience murder. But obeying the spirit of this commandment is difficult. Sure, it is easy to love those who love us back, but Matthew 5:46 points out, what reward is there for that? Let us go out of our way to lavish love on everyone, including our enemies, and in so doing so enjoy the abundant, unmerited love the Father has for each of us.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

^“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

In Christ,

Judy

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2).

ONCE UPON A TIME there was a little old man. His eyes blinked and his hands trembled; when he ate, he clattered the silverware distressingly, missed his mouth with the spoon as often as not, and dribbled a bit of his food on the tablecloth. Now he lived with his married son, having nowhere else to live, and his son’s wife was a modern young woman who knew that in-laws should not be tolerated in a woman’s home. “I can’t have this,” she said. “It interferes with a woman’s right to happiness.” So, she and her husband took the little old man gently but firmly by the arm and led him to the corner of the kitchen. There they set him on a stool and gave him his food, what there was of it, in an earthenware bowl. From then on he always ate in the corner, blinking at the table with wistful eyes. One day his hands trembled rather more than usual, and the earthenware bowl fell and broke. “If you are a pig,” said the daughter-in-law, “you must eat out of a trough.” So, they made him a little wooden trough, and he got his meals in that. These people had a four-year-old son of whom they were very fond. One suppertime the young man noticed his boy playing intently with some bits of wood and asked what he was doing. “I’m making a trough,” he said, smiling up for approval, “to feed you and Mamma out of when I get big.” The man and his wife looked at each other for a while and did not say anything. Then they cried a little. Then they went to the corner and took the little old man by the arm and led him back to the table. They sat him in a comfortable chair and gave him his food on a plate, and from then on nobody ever scolded when he clattered or spilled or broke things. (a Grimm’s Fairy Tale)

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

We are in a series on the Ten Commandments. This fifth commandment is given twice in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16) and five more times in the New Testament gospels of Matthew (15:4, 19:9), (Mark 7:10, 10:19), and Luke (18:20). There are no exceptions given for our obedience to this command, even for absent or bad parents. This is quite interesting, especially in our culture today of honoring our children at the expense of adults, and in our experiences of loss of traditional family structures. Of course, we are to care for and raise our children well; and the rule in my day of “children should be seen and not heard” may be a little too harsh. However, the western culture of promoting youth at the expense of our elderly is clearly not biblical. And it is short-sighted, because we will all be getting older one day, if we live long enough. This commentary is not meant to be self-serving. It is meant to enlighten us to the dangers of not following this command and to the blessings when we are obedient.

As Paul says in Ephesians, this is the first commandment with a promise. Moses says to honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land God is giving you, so that it may go well with you. Jesus says to honor your father and mother so that you will not die. That gets my attention!

What does it mean to honor?

• It means to respect the position, the role. Even if the person in the role is not worthy of respect, we should respect the purpose that God gives to fathers and mothers and do what we can to uphold it, to learn, to teach, to model godly fatherhood and motherhood.

• It means to love our fathers and mothers. Some parents are easy to love. However, for many, growing up was not idyllic. Loving will be a challenge. Regardless, Jesus teaches us “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). That does not mean that we should put ourselves in danger or subject ourselves to any type of abuse. However, as Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) And “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

• It means to seek wisdom from our elders. Who of us is not wiser than we were 5, 10, 20 years ago? We have much to learn from our elders and we will shortchange ourselves and those who come after us if we do not intentionally seek to learn from such a valuable resource. And to those of us who are “elders,” (and if you live long enough you will be an elder, too) we should strive for wisdom. Read Titus 2 for more on this subject.

One of Nashville Rescue Mission’s Core Values is Culture of Honor. “We honor those that have laid the path before us and bless those that labor among us, as we embrace the future ahead of us.” That kind of says it all.

If you have a belly button, you have a mother and a father. If you are a believer, you have a Heavenly Father, a good, good Father who loves you, who is perfect in all His ways. Let us honor Him above all with our obedience to His Word.

In Christ,

Judy

^“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

We are in a series of devotions about the Ten Commandments. Last week we took up commandments 1-3, in which God spoke all these words specifically to tell us how to worship. Jesus summed them up by telling us in Matthew 22:37 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” The last five commandments are the famous “shalt nots:” Do not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie or slander, or covet. We will take these up in a future Chaplain’s Corner.

Today we take up the fourth commandment, and next week we will take up the fifth. I think it is instructive that God starts with the verb “Remember.” I realize that our minds are very active, and thoughts race unbidden about so many things and people and events from the distant past up to the present. In a sense, we are passively remembering all the time. But in Exodus 20:8, we are commanded to intentionally remember, or as the Oxford Dictionary states it in this case, “to not forget to do something; to actually do what you have to do.” We are to intentionally observe the Sabbath.

Again, going to the Oxford Dictionary, Sabbath means “a day of religious observance and abstinence from work.” Sabbath is traditionally observed by Jews on Saturday and by Christians on Sunday, but the command is not specific to a particular day of the week; it is to follow God’s example and to rest one day each week. As the Scripture states: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:9-11)

Just as we looked to the New Testament to see what Jesus had to say about the first three commandments, it is important for us to understand Jesus’ teaching on this fourth commandment. To the Jews, the command to remember the Sabbath means to remember the rest. The Jews in Jesus’ day became very legalistic about what it meant to rest and do no work. But when the Pharisees criticized Jesus for working on a Sabbath by plucking some grains to eat, “Then he (Jesus) said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)

The writer of Hebrews gives us even more insight. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11) *.

Under the Law, the Jews entered into rest by ceasing from their work. Under Christ, we enter into rest by receiving the grace of God for our salvation. When we remember Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we remember that Jesus is our rest.  Now here is where we are encouraged to honor the spirit of this law rather than the letter. Paul teaches: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. “(Colossians 2:16-17).

Under Christ, the idea is not that Sabbath has been abolished, but that every day is a day to remember to rest in the finished work of God.

In Christ,

Judy 

*This passage refers to the Exodus when God tested the Israelites during their journey, and ultimately, their unfaithfulness resulted in all but two (Joshua and Caleb) of the adults who fled Egypt dying in the wilderness before being able to enter the Promised Land (their rest).

‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'” (Luke 4:8).

The first three of the Ten Commandments are as follows:

1. Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

These three commandments outline our vertical relationship with God and were summed up by Jesus (quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5) as the Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

We must first understand what a commandment means. A commandment is a MUST DO. It is God who commanded us, so the way we obey these commandments demonstrates our relationship with God. A command also implies that God is observing our obedience, He is measuring our obedience, and He will reward or punish us based on our obedience. That being said, how do we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind?

First, we commit to worshipping God and only Him. Only God is worthy of our worship because only God possesses the attributes of God. I know that is circular argument, but that is the nature of God. We worship God because He is God. Only God is omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (everywhere all the time), and omnipotent (all-powerful). Only God created the earth, only God is good, and only God can save our souls. Therefore, we commit to worship the Creator and not to worship anything that has been created. Anything created includes nature, art, other people (even our loved ones), our work, our play, our possessions, our talents, our rights, our successes, our habits, or our circumstances including our suffering. Everything we claim as our own is something that has been God-given, and therefore created by God. We must worship God as our Creator and Sustainer and be grateful for all He has given us. When we think about these attributes of God, we realize that there can only be one God, and our God, the Great I Am, is He. He is God; He alone is sovereign.

Failure to obey this commandment is idolatry. If there is a stronghold in your life, consider that this may be your idol. I confess that at one time, my children were my idol. They probably didn’t think so, but I know I put them above everything else in my heart. For you it might be something else. Pray for God to reveal these idols in your life and to help you to put them in their proper place in relationship to God and to you. Everything in your life, even your children, will be the better for it.

Second, we are not to make or worship any images of God. In John 4:24, Jesus explained the rationale behind the second commandment. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The use of images and other material things as a focus or help to worship denies who God is – Spirit – and how we must worship Him – in spirit and truth. And Paul reminded us in Romans 1:22-23 of the danger and futility of trying to make God into our own image: “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”

Third, we must never misuse or abuse the Name of God, intentionally or frivolously. Profanity obviously falls into this category. We are not to take the Lord’s name in vain, which can also include those thoughtless times that we say OMG (spelled out or abbreviated), or something similar. Another way we misuse the Name of God is to claim the name of God but to act in a way that disgraces Him.  We can tell from this commandment that God pays special attention to how His name is used, and this is because our speech reveals in a unique way and testifies to others the true state of our hearts.  Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by honoring this commandment: “Hallowed be your Name” (Matthew 6:9).

Our obedience to these commandments demonstrates our desire to honor and worship God. As I wrote last week, our obedience will not save us, for if that were the purpose, we would all be doomed to hell. Jesus has already paid the price for our disobedience, and only by trusting Him we are saved. However, our attempts at obedience, as imperfect as they are, demonstrate our heart change and our heart desire to worship God and Him only.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).

In Christ,

Judy

We have been studying the Exodus in our Bible Study on the Women’s Campus. About three months into their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, God leads the Israelites to Mt. Sinai. Many scholars believe this is also the location where Moses was originally confronted by God in the burning bush to return to Egypt to rescue his people. At Mt. Sinai, God gives the Israelites the Law, a code of moral conduct that will, along with their shared experiences of deliverance, create a people and a culture that will identify these Israelites with God.

God has been revealing himself to these people all along:

• He revealed Himself through Creation, and He covenanted with Adam that the Garden of Eden was Adam’s forever on the condition that he obey God’s order to abstain from eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is often called the Covenant of Works. Adam and Eve failed to uphold the covenant and were banished from the Garden (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6-7, 23).
• He revealed Himself again to Adam after the Fall, with a promise of a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). This covenant was not conditioned on Adam’s obedience, and it has been fulfilled in Christ. (Galatians 4:4)
• He revealed Himself to Noah and his family with a rainbow as a token to remind us of His promise that He will never again judge the world by flood. (Genesis 8:20-9:17)
• He revealed Himself to Abraham, covenanting with Himself to make Abraham the father of many nations, and that those who blessed and honored Abraham would be blessed, and those that did not would be cursed. (Genesis 12:1-4; 13:14-17; 17:1-8)
• He revealed Himself to Moses by giving the Law (Exodus 20:1-31:18), with the condition that we obey it perfectly. The LORD would bless those who were obedient, and he would discipline all others (Deuteronomy 28:1-2,15). This covenant has been broken by all except Jesus. Jesus was born under the law, and he fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17-19); yet Jesus has born the curse of the law for us (Galatians 3:13-14).

The Israelites have this shared history; and these shared experiences of being passed over by the Angel of Death, escape from Egypt, the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna (daily bread), along with this new Covenant of the Law which God wrote on stone with His own finger all work to create and set apart a new nation and religion. These Ten Commandments have endured as a foundational and fundamental element of Jewish and Christian religion for more than three thousand years.

The first three of the Ten Commandments outline our vertical relationship with God and were summed up by Jesus (quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5) as the Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

The other seven of the Ten Commandments outline our horizontal relationships with other people. Jesus summed these up (paraphrasing Leviticus 19:18) as the Second Great Commandment: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

Jesus proclaimed this about the Law: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19). He continued on with his Sermon on the Mount, concluding this chapter with this admonition to us: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Because of their importance, I will be writing about the Ten Commandments in the next few Chaplain’s Corners. However, the good news, and I mean GOOD NEWS! is that our salvation is not based on our obedience to The Law. We are no longer bound by a covenant of works as in the days of Adam, praise be to God!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

In Christ,

Judy