We
began the New Year at Grace Baptist Church (Wood Green) with a series of
messages from the Ten Commandments. Here is a brief recap of the last six,
which are about loving our neighbour as we love ourselves.
5.
Parents
“Honour your father and your
mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God
is giving you” (Ex. 20:12). Children honour their parents by respecting them
for who they are (their parents!), by caring for them when they are old, ill,
or otherwise in need, and by loving them less than the Lord.
6.
Life
“You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13).
God gives life. Life is precious. To wrongfully, carelessly, or negligently
destroy what is God-given and precious is an abomination.
7.
Sex
"You shall not commit adultery"
(Ex. 20:14). Sex is from God, for marriage. Sexual
desires or actions outside the context of marriage destroy man, dishonour
marriage, and distort the message of the gospel.
8.
Possessions
“You shall not steal" (Ex.
20:15). Possessions are God-given. Possessions can be ill-gained
(more conventional forms of theft of course, ranging from robbery to fraud to
digital piracy, but also dishonesty, selfishness, laziness, etc.). Possessions can be wrongly kept (1. withholding what
belongs to other people [unreturned loans, unpayed debts, things that you have
but don't need that other people don't have and do need] and 2. withholding
what belongs to God [the praise and honour due his name, tithes and offerings
in the local church, invested time and energy in the Lord's service among the
Lord's people for the reaching of the lost]).
9.
Speech
“You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbour" (Ex. 20:16). Speak truth, because God is truth. Speak love, because God is love. Speak life to people,
because God is the life of his people.
10.
Desires
“You shall not covet...” (Ex. 20:17).
Desire is morally neutral – it can be right or wrong. Desires can be dangerous
and indeed, devilish. Desiring what belongs to others shows that we do no value
God and what he has given us and we do not value the people around us.
This was printed in the worship bulletin of Grace Baptist Church (Wood Green) on 16 March 2014.
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