Jesus’ Law of Love

The Ten Commandments of God

Millions of people today consider the Ten Commandments of God as irrelevant and old-
fashioned; that they are designed to make us feel oppress or coerce. But don’t be deceived.
They are just as timely and needful today as when God wrote them on the tables of stone.
God gives His commandments not because He has needs but because we have needs. The
perception that the Ten Commandments are “done away” could be spiritually suicidal
because very command of God is given for the good of His people. Everything God has
commanded us to do is good for us to do. Moses’ challenged was, “And now, Israel, what
does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God,
and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and
soul.  And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you
today for your own good” (Deuteronomy10:12, 13). Also, the Ten Commandments are not
just God’s way of preventing us from having a good time. They are designed to protect us in
the way we think, what we do and how we live. Imagine a country without law. It is a
country full of violence and disorder. Law brings harmony and orderliness. The 10
Commandments of God are likened to a great protecting wall. It was given to protect man’s
relationship with God and his fellowman.

The 10 Commandments are divided into two: the first four commandments is about God and
man’s relationship with Him and the last six commandments is about man and his
relationship with his fellow beings. Jesus Himself summarized the Ten Commandments into
two: love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew
22:37-40). Actually, Jesus was quoting directly from the Old Testament when He gave those
new commandments and that in these two great laws of love hang all the Ten
Commandments. The two great laws of love were the summary of the Ten Commandments
and not intended to replace them.

1. The Law Reveals Love

First: Love to God. Deuteronomy 6:5

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your strength.

God wants us to love Him supremely—to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength.
Make God the supreme object of our affection. When we love God, we want to obey Him
and live according to His ways. God loves us more than anything else and He wants us to
love Him more than anything else. 

Second: Love to man. Leviticus 19:18

18 …you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

The law reveals what a loving person will do—Love God and man. The Ten
Commandments depend on love.

A. How do we love God? Exodus 20:3-11

Keep the first table of the Ten Commandments:

1. Be loyal/faithful to Him. V. 3 (Put God first in everything)

3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

The first commandment prohibits the worship of false gods and to worship only
the true God. It demands undivided loyalty to Him and to put God first in
everything. To be loyal or faithful to God is the most important commitment a
believer can ever make.

2. Worship Him alone. Vv. 4-6 (Shun idolatry in all its form)

4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the earth;
5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third
and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My
commandments.

The second commandment focuses on how God is to be worshipped. It despises

idolatry in all its forms. It forbids making or revering any artistic representations
of the true God. No images of God and no images of anything else used as an
object or channel of worship. God is against worship through representative
images. His pronouncement is clear: “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my
glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8).
God wants us to focus on who He is, not what He looks like. That is the way we
worship God.

3. Show reverence to His name and in all matters concerning Him. V. 7

7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will
not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

The third commandment forbids the misuse of God’s name. It demands God’s
name to be honored and respected, not disgraced and degraded because His name
represents His character as well as His position as Creator and Savior. Thus
people should show reverence to God’s name through sincere and respectful
words, deeds, and attitudes.
 4. Keep the Sabbath. Vv. 8-11 (a day of special communion with God)

8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no
work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your
female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that
is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the
Sabbath day and hallowed it.

The fourth commandment is about the gift of rest—a day of special communion
with God. This holy gift of time is called the Sabbath. This Sabbath is also a
memorial of creation (Genesis 2:1-3). So, as we keep the first four
commandments we express our love to God through our: 1) loyalty to Him, 2)
works, 3) words, 4) giving Him a time (Sabbath).

B. How do we love our fellowmen? Exodus 20:12-17

Keep the second table of the Ten Commandments:

5. Respect parents and authority. V. 12

12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the
land which the LORD your God is giving you.

6. Respect and value lives of others. V. 13

13 You shall not murder.

7. Keep purity of marriage. Keep thoughts and actions pure. V. 14

14 You shall not commit adultery.

8. Be honest in relationships and in business affairs. V. 15

15 You shall not steal

9. Be truthful at all times and under all circumstances. V. 16

16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. Show contentment without envy toward others. V. 17

 17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your
neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor
his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

The Ten Commandments law is a “code of principles” more than of rules and
regulations, of “do’s and don’ts.” It presents an outline of how a person can express
his love to God and how to love and treat each other with respect and dignity. This is
the Law of Love. Love manifested in the keeping of the Law.

1 John 5:3

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His
commandments are not burdensome.

So, a person keeping the law is not in a legalistic bondage but in a loving relationship.
Jesus said in John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Obedience to
God’s commandments was not a way to earn salvation but a heart’s response for the
salvation already received as a gift.

2. God and His Law

A. What is the attitude of Christ towards the law?

1. God magnified the law and made it honorable. Isaiah 42:21

21 The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law
and make it honorable.

God magnified and fulfilled the Law. He made it honorable.

2. Christ fulfilled the law. Matthew 5:17, 18

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come
to destroy but to fulfill.
18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one
tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

When Jesus Christ came, He upheld the claims of the law in His life. Moreover,
the fact that He died as required by the law is the evidence itself that the law
cannot be abolished or changed. The idea that when Christ fulfilled the law He
abrogated it is contradictory. In fact, when you look up, the heaven is still there
and when you stomp your foot on the ground, it is still there, so is the law.

3. The Law and His People

A. Is the law a test to His people? John 14:15, 21

 15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he
who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest
Myself to him.

The 10 commandments is a test to His people if we really love Him. The true
evidence of our love is obedience to Him. Jesus did not say, “Smile If you love me”
or “Honk if you love me” as we can see in some bumper stickers. Instead, Jesus did
say, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” To love God is to keep His
commandments. 1 John 2:3, 4

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.

Many people today claim they know and love God but they don’t want His law. But
love will lead to obeying God’s commandments and not disobeying them.

B. What is the whole duty of man? Ecclesiastes 12:13

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His
commandments, For this is man’s all.

Regardless of race or position in life, it is man’s duty to yield loving obedience to

His Creator.

C. Can a man fulfill his duty? Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

All that needed to be done could be done through God-given power. The God that
commands you to obey will give you the power to obey. The God that invites you to
obey will give you the strength to obey. Therefore, we can exclaim with Paul, “I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

APPEAL:

The Law of God is composed not with arbitrary rules but of how people can best
express love for God and for each other. And so long as God requires His people to
love Him supremely—so long as He commands His people to love their neighbors as
they love themselves—so long must the 10 Commandments needs to obey. As you
love God, so you keep His commandments. The more you obey God’s
commandments the more you express your love to Him.
 What kind of life do we want to live: A commandment-keeping life that honors God
or a commandment-breaking life that despises God? It’s your choice. But can we
afford to do less for Jesus, when He has given ALL for us? Jesus invites us right now
to live in harmony with God’s holy law, the law of love, the 10 Commandments. Will
you make the decision today and say, “Yes, Lord, I love you, and by your grace, I
want to keep your commandments” as an evidence of my love to you!

In a similar manner, but with far greater accuracy and consequences,

there is nothing extraneous in God's Word. We are to live by every Word
of God (Matthew 4:4). If God is all-wise and all-powerful, if everything
that He does is in love, and if He is working out a purpose that is in our
best interest (that we might live forever with Him), why would God even
give a body of laws—which Jesus said would never pass away until all is
fulfilled (Matthew 5:18), and which Paul wrote is spiritual, holy, just, and
good (Romans 7:12)—if God did not intend that its letter and/or spirit
should be used for all time? God does nothing without meaning, so the
law is included in Scripture for the sake of Christians.

Exodus 20:1-17 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Intro: Ill. Ted Turner has declared the Ten Commandments obsolete, "We’re living with
outdated rules. The rules we’re living under are the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody
here even pays much attention to them because they’re too old. When Moses went up on the
mountain, there were no nuclear weapons, there was no poverty. Today, the Ten
Commandments wouldn’t go over. Nobody around likes to be commanded. Commandments
are out!"

Turner is wrong when he declares that the Ten Commandments are outdated. As we will see
in upcoming messages, they are as fresh as ever. He was right, however, when he says that
nobody likes to be commanded. In fact, modern society mocks the truth and exalts the lie.
We live in a time when right is classified as wrong and wrong as right. (Ill. Isa. 5:20)

Today, in America, many believe that there are no "moral absolutes." Many hold to a
philosophy of "moral relativism." How many times have we heard statements like these:
"What’s right for you may not be right for me."; "If it feels good do it."; "Anything goes."; "
Nothing is right or wrong, there are just different opinions?" All of this is the result of the
feeling that there is no absolute truth. You are entitled to your truth and I am entitled to mine!
A recent poll found that 67% of Americans do not believe in moral absolutes. Among "Baby
Busters", those born between 1965 and 1983, the percentage was even higher at 78%. Even
62% of professing Christians said that there was no absolute standard of right and wrong.
My, how America has fallen! This nation was founded on biblical principles of right and
wrong. Today, that foundation is crumbling beneath our feet! James Madison, the 4 th
President of the United States said this, "We stake the future of this country on our ability to
govern ourselves under the principles of the Ten Commandments."

Tonight, we begin a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. My aim is to show you
their relevance for our day. Tonight, I hope to lay a foundation for the future messages by
telling you a little of the background of the Ten Commandments and why they were given.
Let’s look into these ancient Laws and see that they are a practical standard for life for
modern man.

I. THE REASONS FOR THE LAW

A. Why did God give the Law? To save sinners? No! Israel was already in a covenant
relationship with God, Gen. 15. The Law cannot save – Gal. 3:11; Rom. 3:20.

The reasons why God gave Israel the Law are as follows:

1 To reveal His glory and Holiness – Deut. 5:22-28

2. To reveal man’s sinfulness – Rom. 7:7, 13; 1 Tim. 1:9; James 1:22-25.

3. To mark Israel as His chosen and to separate them from the heathen – Psa. 147:19-20;
Eph. 2:11-17; Acts 15.

4. To give Israel a standard for godly living – Deut. 4:1ff; 5:29ff.

5. To prepare Israel for the coming of Christ – Gal. 5:24.

6. To illustrate in type and ceremony the Person and ministry of Christ – Heb. 10:1.

C. The Law is:

1. A Mirror – James 1:22-25 – It reveals man’s sins.

2. A Yoke – It brings bondage since the flesh finds it impossible to keep – Acts 15:10; Gal.
5:1; Rom. 8:3.

3. A Schoolmaster – Points men to Jesus – Gal. 3:23-4:7.

4. A Shadow – Contrasted with the reality and fulfillment found in Jesus – Heb. 10:1; Col.
2:14-17.

D. The Law was unable to accomplish certain things:

1. Make anyone perfect – Heb. 7:11-19; 10:1-2.

2. Justify from sin – Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:20-28.

3. Give righteousness – Gal. 2:21.

4. Give peace – Heb. 9:9.

5. Give life – Gal. 3:21.

E. The Law was merely a guideline for living that possessed no saving power. (Ill. Many in
our day desire the bondage of the Law over the freedom found in Jesus.)

II. THE RANSOM FROM THE LAW

A. The Law condemned and offered no hope, Jesus came to fulfill the Law and set us free
from its bondage.

B. In His life and death, Jesus did all that was necessary to set us free.

1. He fulfilled the Law – Ill. Gal. 4:4. Jesus perfectly kept the Law and fulfilled all the types
of Leviticus and Numbers. He became our Passover Lamb and our Scapegoat, forever taking
away the demands of the Law upon our lives. The Law was never given to make us
righteous. It was given to show us that in ourselves and in our own works, we could never
hope to keep the Law. The Law opens our eyes so that we will see our need for Jesus – Gal.
3:24.

2. Jesus met all the righteous requirements of the Law – Ill. Col. 2:13-14. Jesus’ death
satisfied God’s requirements for sin and for obedience to the Law. When we are in Him, we
are not forced to obey the Law, we are compelled to obey it out of love for Him and His great
sacrifice for our sins. In Him, we move under grace, not the whip of the Law – Rom. 6:14-
15; Gal. 5:18.

3. When we receive Christ as Savior, He writes the Law in our hearts – Jer. 31:33; Rom. 2:15

III. THE RELEVANCE OF THE LAW

A. With all this in mind, some Christians might be prone to think that the Law therefore has
no impact on us today. That there is no reason for us to even think about the Law or the Ten
Commandments. That is a false assumption! When we get to the place where we need no
guidelines, then we have entered lawlessness and we are in trouble and in sin.

B. Ill. Matt. 5:17-18. Jesus did not come to abolish or to do away with the Law or Ten
Commandments. He came to fulfill them. (Ill. Fulfill – "To carry out, to make full, to get to
the heart of.") When we are in Christ, the Ten Commandments become more relevant than
ever.

C. Ill. Matt. 22:35-40 – Jesus summed up all the Law of God into two commandments. If I
love God as I should, I will always keep Commandments 1-4. If I love my neighbor as I
should, I will always keep Commandments 5-10. Augustine put it this way, "Love God and
do as you please." That works, because when you love God, you will always seek to do those
 things that please Him!

D. The Commandments do not stand as rungs on a ladder to climb for salvation. They stand
as barriers erected by God to help us live lives that glorify His Name. They are relevant
today! (Ill. Ted Koppel of Nightline said, "Our society finds truth too strong a medicine to
digest undiluted. What Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai were not the "10 Suggestions."
They are Commandments.. Are, not were! The sheer brilliance of the Ten Commandments is
that the codify in a handful of words acceptable human behavior , not just for then and now,
but for all time." I say, "Amen!"

Conc: Can we keep these rules for life? Not in ourselves, but it is possible in Jesus – Phil.
4:13. The Reason? We operate with a different motive and power as believers in Jesus. Far
too many have tried to keep the 10 Commandments from the outside in. They have tried to
do good to change their heart. As Christians, we come at the things from the opposite
direction. Because our hearts have been changed, we are able to live the Ten Commandments
from the inside out and it works just fine! Yes, they are relevant! And, we shall see that as
this series unfolds.

Are you saved? Or, are you trying to please God by keeping some list of do’s and don’ts? If
you are trying to good your way to God, let me tell you it will not work! The only way to
please God is to come to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus. Receive Him by faith and
then He will give you the power to live the kind of life you are failing to live right now.

1.

Exod 20:1-3 1.) And God spake all these words, saying, 2.) I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3.) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Ex. 20:1-3 WHO’S ON FIRST

Intro: Ill. Old Abbott and Costello skit. It doesn’t matter too much who is in what position in our lives unti
matter of who is on first. In other words, we need to know who is in first place in our lives. This issue mus
anyone, or anything, occupies first place in our lives ahead of God, than our lives are out of control and out o
is the gist of the 1st Commandment. God wants to tell us who must be on first if our lives are to be everything
His glory.

I. v.3 GOD’S REQUIREMENT

A. God’s requirement is very simple. He demands to be in first place in every area of our lives. He knows that
have a God of some sort, and He demands that it be Himself. (Ill. Ex. 34:14 – Jealous – God alone is worthy o
devotion. He will allow no interlopers.)

B. Some would ask, "Well, isn’t there only 1 God?" Yes, there is only 1 true God, but there are many false Go
God is the thing, or the person, which we think most precious, for whom we would make the greatest sacrifice
moves our heart with the warmest love. He is the person, or thing, that if lost would leave us desolate." – Alan
"Whatever we make the most of is our God." – Martin Luther.
C. Man, by nature, is a religious creature. He will find someone, or something, to give his worship to. Often, th
people occupy first place in our lives. Notice some things we elevate to the status of God hood in our lives.

1. The God Of Pleasure – Phil. 3:18-19 – Ill. Pleasure is like a drug. It often requires more to get the same effe
include: sensual, sexual, sports, entertainment, ect.) Ill. Heb. 11:25.

2. The God of Possessions – Matt. 6:24. The gift of grab dominates many lives. People who place money and
idolaters! (Ill. "In This God We Trust!" Ill. Old man and his secret stash.)

3. The God Of Personal Worth – Romans 1:25 – When a person feels that the world revolves around them, and
must always come out on top, that person is an idolater.

4. The God Of Plans And Projects – Anything that occupies the mind and life ahead of God is an idol!

5. This list is practically endless. Man can make a God out of anything. Yet, we must allow ourselves no God
Almighty!

D. If we conducted a poll this evening and asked each person here to name the person or thing that dominated
what would the answer be? Whatever it is, that thing or person is your God!

II. v. 2 GOD’S REASON

A. God could make this demand of Israel because He had paid the price for them. He had purchased them unto
they were His. He chose them, loved them, delivered them and blessed them. Therefore, they owed Him absol
and worship.

B. How much more do we, the Blood bought Church of Jesus Christ, owe to Him? We owe Him our total devo
the price He paid:

1. He came down from Heaven – John 1:1, 14; Phil. 2:5-8

2. He endured poverty and hardship – Matt. 8:20

3. He was rejected by the very people He came to save – John 1:11

4. He was scourged – Matt. 27:26; Psa. 129:3

5. He was beaten – Luke 22:63-64

6. He was spit upon – Matt. 27:30

7. He was mocked – Matt. 27:26-29

8. He was humiliated – Matt. 27:35

9. He was crucified – Luke 23:38

10. His beard was plucked out – Isa. 50:6

11. He died – John 19:30

12. He loved us – Jer. 31:3; John 3:16

13. He called us – Matt. 11:28; John 6:44

14. He received us – John 6:37

15. He saved us – Eph. 2:8-9

16. He cleansed us and forgave us every sin – Col. 2:13-14

17. He adopted us – Eph. 1:5

18. He keeps us – 1 Pet. 1:5

C. He has every right to demand exclusive worship from His children. Wouldn’t you agree? – Ill. 1 Cor. 6:19-

III. MAN’S RESPONSE

A. There are only 2 possible ways in which man can respond.

B. Man can continue to place everything in the world before God. This is rebellion and will end in hell for the
a life of chastisement and loss of reward for the saint – 1 Cor. 3:13-15.

C. Or, man can comply with God’s demands. To do so will result in a blessed life and a glorious eternity.

D. As you look into your heart right now, what, or who, do you see on the throne of your heart? Anything or a
than Jesus is an idol!

Conc: Okay, Who’s on first? The only solution to idols is to bring them to God and leave them before Him
destroying them and replacing them with His wonderful presence and glory. Remember, He will tolerate no o
on the throne of your heart.

2.

Ex. 20:4-6 NO PICTURES ALLOWED

Intro: Ill. Trip to the White House and signs forbidding photography. This is supposedly or
reasons of national security, but we all know it’s so they can sell more postcards in the gift
shop. Ill. The Biltmore House is this way also. They, too, have their reasons. These verses
make it pretty clear that God doesn’t want His picture taken either. Nor, does He want a
statue made, or a any other type of an image. (Ill. Mine disaster in Cokesville, PA. The young
reporter was sending in his wire about the story and as his editor listened, these were the
words that came in, "Cokesville, Pa. No. 300. Tonight, God sits in the hills around
Cokesville." The editor stopped the transmission and said, "Forget the story. Interview God,
and get picture." But God doesn’t want His picture made!

Ill. Many have misunderstood this commandment. They have taken it to mean that God is
condemning any type of photography or pictures. (Ill. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses are this
way.) Some feel that any art, statues, dolls, stuffed animals, etc, are forbidden. That view,
however, is simply adding to the Word of God. This Commandment was given for the sole
reason of preventing men from inventing objects to be used in worship.

Tonight, I would like to help you understand this passage. It may be hard for us, people who
have never been exposed to true idol worship, to comprehend exactly what God is saying.
However, there are truths given in these verses that we all need to learn. So, tonight, as the
Lord helps, I am going to preach on this thought, "No Pictures Allowed."

I. THE RESTRICTION OF DEITY

A. A Command To Follow – God says, in no uncertain terms, that producing an image

intended to receive worship is forbidden!

B. A Custom To Flee – Ill. Since the early days of man’s civilization, he has invented for
himself idols, and representations of his concept of God, to worship. (Ill. Idolatry always
seemed to be Israel’s weakness. This first manifested itself in Exodus 32:1-14, with thew
incident concerning the Golden Calf. Israel’s idolatry was rooted in the fact that their hearts
were turned away from the Lord. This violates the first Commandment. They also seemed to
manifest an over dependence on Moses and had elevated him to the place of a little god.
Then, they tried to spiritualize their error by equating the worship of the calf with worship of
Jehovah God. (Ill. When a person needs some image or representation of God to assist in
worship, it is a sure indicator of a lack in the spiritual life of that individual.))

C. A Change To Fix Our Hearts On - Ill. Idolaters genuinely believe that their idols are truly
god. This is proven by their bowing to it, praying to it, sacrificing to it, giving to it, etc. (Ill.
Many even hold installation ceremonies where the deity is invited into the idol to take up
residence.) You and I should resolve that we will allow no image to take the place of God in
our hearts!

D. Man is forbidden from this foolish and vain activity.

II. THE REASON FOR THE DEMAND

A. Their Inferior Nature – No matter how hard man tries, he can never properly represent
God. After all, God is a Spirit – John 4:24. Man, in his zeal to worship and honor God, has
sought to flatter Him by producing images of Him. However, the Almighty cannot be limited
to stone, wood, plastic or some paint on canvas. As hard as man might try, he can never
properly depict God. No matter what form that image might take, it will always be inferior to
the True and Living God – (Ill. Psa. 115:5-8; Jer. 10:1-7; Rom. 1:23.) (Ill. How does little
man portray a big God?) (Ill. The parable about Abraham) (Ill. Men usually become like the
thing they worship.)

B. Their Insidious Nature – (Ill. Insidious is a fifty cent word that means "crafty.") God’s
desire for man is that every man enters into a living, personal relationship with Himself. He
doesn’t want us giving our devotion to a false god. He wants us to be intimate with Him. You
see, we do not need some image to aid us in our worship of God. We have a person on the
inside who will guide us in our worship of God – John 14:16; 16:13. (Ill. God is also well
aware of the fact that behind any idol there is a very real devil who is looking for souls to
claim for Hell!)

C. Their Invading Nature – According to verse 5, God is a jealous God. The Israelites were
God’s people and He would tolerate no interlopers in that relationship. (Ill. Imagine a man
flirting with another woman in the presence of his wife!) God will have no idol, no image, no
person or thing taking His rightful place on the throne of our hearts. (Ill. Isa. 45:5) We must
search our hearts and lives to see if we have removed every thing that would insert itself
ahead of God in our lives.

III. THE RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE

A. The Burden Of God’s Judgment – When we elevate any thing, or anyone to the place of
Godhood, we will find out too late that neither it, nor they, will be able to protect us from the
awesome wrath of God – Psa. 59:8. (Ill. The Philistine god Dagon in the presence of the Ark
of the Covenant – 1 Sam. 5:1-5) Judgment will always stalk the idolater.

B. The Blight On Succeeding Generations – (IL. The Contest.) God is not saying that he will
punish the children for the parent’s sins, Deut. 24:16; Eze. 18:19-32. He is saying that sin
leaves it’s mark on our children! Children tend to resemble the environment they are exposed
to. (Ill. Patterns of abuse, walk, talk, etc.) Often, it takes generations to break the cycle
established by the parent. (Ill. The contrast between judgment and mercy – verse 6! Ill. Rom.
5:20!)

Conc: In truth, we are all guilty to some degree of manufacturing little gods for ourselves.
We may not have a statue or an image to which we bow down, but we do have habits,
traditions, activities, people and possessions that we place ahead of God. This is idolatry and
this is sin. No one, or no thing deserves your worship more than God Himself. Is He
receiving it as he should? Is God Almighty your One and True God tonight?

3.
Exodus 20:7 GOD’S LAST NAME IS NOT DAMN

Intro: In the Taurus mountains of southern Turkey, lives a certain variety of crane. These
birds tend to cackle a lot, especially while flying. And, all that noise gets the attention of
eagles, who swoop down and seize them for a meal. The experienced cranes avoid this threat
by picking up stones large enough to fill their mouths. This prevents them from cackling--
and from becoming lunch for the eagles. People have a problem with their mouths too. It
seemed to me that this was an appropriate illustration to begin our study on the 3 rd
Commandment.

You see, on the front of every face in this room is a large opening called a mouth. In each
mouth is a little organ called a tongue. The tongue, though relatively small when compared to
the whole body, is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It must be! After all, man
can split atoms, walk on the moon, construct enough weapons to destroy his world thousands
of times over, yet he cannot seem to control his little tongue, James 3:8. In James 3, the Bible
gives us valuable insight into this little monster that lives in our mouths, James 3:1-12. Paul
tells us that as Christians, we are to use our tongues for noble pursuits, Eph. 4:29. He also
tells us in Col. 3:8, that we are to watch our filthy mouths. I don’t know how you feel about
it, but to me, few things are as disgusting, as repulsive and as repugnant as a mouth spewing
forth profanity and verbal stupidity. If you are guilty of using filthy language, then shame on
you! But, I am sure you have good reasons for your foul mouth.

Ill. A man named Alex Dunlap has written and published a tract entitled Ten Reasons Why I
Swear. The purpose of the tract was to show how foolish swearing was. Here are the reasons
he gives:

1. It pleases my mother so much.

2. It is a fine mark of manliness.

3. It proves I have self-control.

4. It indicates how clearly my mind operates.

5. It makes my conversation so pleasing to everyone.

6. It leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind as to my good breeding.

7. It impresses people that I have more than an ordinary education.

8. It is an unmistakable sign of culture and refinement.

9. It makes me a very desirable personality among women and children of culture and
refinement.

10. It is my way of honoring God, who said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in
vain."
Tonight, we have come to the 3 rd Commandment. It deals with something far more serious
than just a filthy mouth. This Commandment discusses the misuse, or profane use of God’s
Holy Name. God’s Name is a Holy Name! It isn’t to be used unless it is used in connection
with His praise or His proclaimation. Sadly, to many it seems, God’s name is no more than a
curse word. A by-word they can throw around at will.

Ill. Little Mary, attending Sunday School for the first time one Christmas season, eagerly
listened as her teacher told of the birth of God’s Son. She thrilled to the story of the angels,
wise men, the star, and the gifts. Then the teacher added, "And they shall call His name
Jesus." She looked over at the person beside her and asked, "Why did they have to name
such a sweet baby a swear word?" It was the first time that she had ever heard His Name
used outside of a curse! (Ill. You know, kids just repeat what they hear! Ill. "The boy's
mother was furious. `Young man, where did you learn to talk that way?'

"The boy hesitated, looked toward his father, and asked, `Well, Dad, should I tell her?'")

Ill. We are literally surrounded by profanity. These statistics concerning television ought to
cause us some alarm. Did you know: In one year's time prime-time television airs 8,333 acts
of violence, 14,313 incidents of sex, and 23,566 uses of profanity.

--Wesleyan Advocate, Jun 1995

Profanity on television increased by an alarming 45% in the first four years of the 1990s,
according to a Southern Illinois University study. Researchers monitored two weeks of
prime-time programming on NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox, and found that words that were once
banned are now heard about once every five minutes on prime-time sitcoms.

--USA Today, Mar 2, 1995

This evening, I want us to look into the 3 rd. Commandment and learn more about his grave
matter of taking the Lord’s Name in vain. With God’s help, I will preach on this subject,
"God’s Last Name Is Not Damn!"

I. GOD’S NAME IS A VENERABLE NAME

(Venerable = Sacred, Holy, Worthy of Respect and Revenence)(God’s Name is often misused
and mispoken because it is misunderstood and not appreciated as it should be. Right now, I
want to help us fully understand and appreciate this Sacred Name.)

A. The Announcement Of God’s Holy Name – (Ill. The importance of names in the Bible as
opposed to now.) Names in the Bible usually revealed something about the person, his
ancestry or his background. This is especially true in regard to the Name of God. In truth,
God has chosen to reveal Himself to man through His Names. (Ill. There are over 300 given
in the Bible.) 2 are used here and it is these 2 that we will concentrate on tonight.

1. LORD – When you see this word in the bible, it is the English rendering of the Hebrew
word "Jehovah." It describes God as the self-existent, eternal One. It is the Name, "I AM."
This is the name God used when He revealed Himself to Moses, Ex. 3:14. This Name is used
to declare God’s nature, that is unchanging and eternal – Mal. 3:6; James 1:17. In the Bible,
Jehovah is coupled with other words to form compound names for God which reveal more
about His nature and His attributes. Some Are:

a. Jehovah-Jireh – "The LORD will provide" – Gen. 22:14.

b. Jehovah-Nissi – "The LORD is my banner." – Ex. 17:15.

c. Jehovah-Shalom – "The LORD is peace" – Judges 6:24.

d. Jehovah-Shammah – "The LORD is there" – Eze. 48:35.

e. Jehovah-Tsebaoth – "The LORD of Hosts" – 1 Sam. 1:3

f. Jehovah-Rohi – "The LORD is my Shepherd" – Psa. 23:1.

2. God – Elohim – Refers to the One Supreme, faithful, triune God. Literally, "The Strong
and Faithful One!" This is the common word for God in the bible. It is used over 2,000 times
in the Old Testament. In fact, when God stepped out of eternity to reveal Himself to man, this
is the Name He chose. A Name depicting Himself as the Strong and Faithful One. The God
who can be depended on!

3. There are many Names given to God in the Old Testament. Some are:

a. El – God

b. El-Shadday – God Almighty

c. Adonai – Lord

B. The Adoration Of God’s Name – Ill. God’s Name is to be held in extreme reverence and
adoration. (Ill. Only occurrence of "reverend" in the Bible – Psa. 111:9. This is why I
personally reject the title of Rev. Alan Carr.) (Ill. The esteem the Jews held for His Name.
The scribes would, when they came to the Name of God in the writing, stop writing,
thoroughly wash themselves, change pens, then write the Name of God. Afterwards, they
would throw the pen away so that it could never be used to write another word.) (Many
orthodox Jews today will not even say the Name Jehovah or Yahweh. Instead, they say the
word for Lord, Adonai.) I am afraid that we have lost much of that holy respect for God’s
glorious Name. When we use God’s Name, it is to be in a manner consistent with His
character. We are to hold His Name in reverence, awe, respect and worship. (Ill. Psa. 66:2;
Psa. 34:3; Psa. 29:2; Matt. 6:9)

II. GOD’S NAME IS A VIOLATED NAME

This verse tells us that it is wrong to use God’s Name in vain. This word means, "empty, idle,
insincerely, phony, frivolous, lacking in reality and truth." When we treat the Name of God
as another by-word, it is nothing short of blasphemy! Sadly, we hear His Name degraded far
more often that we hear it being exalted! There are 2 primary ways in which we violate the
Blessed Name of God.

A. When We Use It As A Curse – How many times have we heard, or said, "Oh God!"; "Oh
my God!"; "Jesus!"; Oh Jesus!"; "Oh Christ!"; "Jesus Christ!"; "God Almighty!"; or any of
a thousand others just like those? Even Christians are guilty of saying things like, "Oh
Lord!"; "My God!"; "Good God!" We’ve all done, but it is degrading to the Lord’s Name to
throw it around so casually. Often, we are guilty of using slang expressions that we feel to be
harmless, but which are actually derivatives from some form of God’s Name. Some are:
"Gosh, golly, gee, gee whiz, cripes, criminy, jeeze." Others are just a play on the mother of
all curse words, "God Damn It." They are: "Dog gone it; Gosh darn it; dang nb it; dad
blame it, etc." Often, men will attribute things to God which He had no part in by saying, "By
God!" Others will seek to invoke His Name by saying "God Almighty!" No matter how you
say it or how you slice it up, when we use the Lord’s Name in a vain way, we are guilty of
violating the Holiest of all Names! (Ill. I haven’t even dealt with the little slang words we use
when angry! You know what you say!"

Ill. Dr. L. Nelson Bell warns that a person who freely uses "hell, " "damn," and "devil" in his
conversation may well be reminding himself of his destination, his condition, and his master.

B. When We Use It Casually – What I mean by that is this, Sunday after Sunday, Christians
utter the Name of God in songs and in prayers and in testimonies, but often there is no
sincerity and no genuine reverence for that Name. In other words, it just isn’t from the heart.
It makes us sound spiritual, so we use it. But, when we invoke the wonderful Name of God,
we are to do so with meaning and significance. Whenever that Name is used, it must be used
reverently, respectfully and from a heart of adoration and worship. Otherwise, it is being
used improperly and in vain. Beware, therefore, of the casual usage of God’s Holy name.

C. When We Use It As Camouflage – The most subtle way Christians take the Lord’s Name
in vain in through hypocrisy. When we vow to God to do one thing and in turn do another,
then we are guilty before Him. If His Name reveals His character, and we are going in His
Name, then our hypocrisy sends a false image of God and therefore violates His Name. (Ill.
"The hypocrisy of the church is far worse than the profanity of the street." – Greg Laurie.)
Ill. Luke 6:46. Do not be guilty of hiding behind the Name of God as a camouflage for evil!

 
III. GOD’S NAME WILL BE VINDICATED

A. There Will Be Punishment For The Violator – (Guiltless – clean, pure, free, innocent.)
God will deal with those who willfully violate the sacredness of His Name. (Ill. Imagine
having to stand before God and defend your profane use of His Name!) The person who uses
God’s Name in vain can never be fully right with God and in position for His blessing until
that sin is repented of.

B. A Path For The Christian – (Ill. After the Welsh revival of 1904, foul mouthed miners who
had been saved returned to the mines and were faced with the task of retraining their mules.
It seems that the animals were unable to understand the commands of the miners when there
was no profanity used.) (Ill. One day a farmer arrived home much later than his wife
expected him, so she asked him what had taken so long. His reply was this, "Well, I picked
up the preacher down the road, and after that moment, those horses couldn’t understand a
thing I said to them.")

God’s plan for His people is that we guard our tongues and that when we use His Name, we
do so with reverence and respect. Christians have need to swear, or to attach an oath to
their speech. God’s plan is this: Matt. 5:37; James 5:12. (Ill. Some might be asking, "What
can I say then?" The less said, the better off you will be when you stand before the Lord! –
Matt. 12:36.

Conc: Ill. A Missionary to the Orient witnessed a 20 year old native approach a heathen
idol. He bowed before it and quickly pulled out a knife and cut out his own tongue, placing it
before the idol. Within minutes, the young man had collapsed in a pool of his own blood at
the idols feet. God doesn’t want you tongue cut from your head, but He does want it
consecrated and dedicated wholly to His worship, His adoration and His glorification. How
are you using your tongue? Remember, God’s last Name is not Damn!

Exodus 20:12 HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER

Intro: A mother that had scrimped and saved to put her son through college sat in
her son’s graduation. She watched as he walked across the platform and received
his degree with honors. As he walked down the isle, instead of turning into the
designated row, he kept walking; down to where his mother sat. The young man
threw his arms around her neck, kissed her on the cheek, and as he placed his
diploma in her hands, he said, "Here, Mother, you earned it!" The fifth
commandment addresses that which many parents have earned.

Let’s face it, there aren’t that many children who hold their parents in that high
regard. Too often, good old mom and dad are seen as obstacles to be overcome
rather than wise guides to be followed and emulated. In this Fifth
Commandment, God lays down a principle for life that will determine how every
relationship around you will turn out. You see, the home is the foundational
institution of society. No nation, or community of people, is stronger than the
family structure that makes them up. As goes the home, so goes the nation, the
community, the church, etc. In the home, God has established an order that is to
be strictly followed. The husband/father is to be the head of that home,
submitting himself to the will of the heavenly Father. The wife is to be in
subjection to her husband, not as his doormat, but as his helpmeet. The children
are to submit themselves to their parents, and in doing so, will be blessed of the
Lord. If this order is followed, then the home will be blessed and will be a
blessing to all those involved in it.

Yet, many homes are in shambles tonight because the children have forgotten all
about the Fifth Commandment. It is fitting that this Commandment should fall
here. It divides the commandments related to God from those related to our
fellow man. You see, when we are out of step in the home, we will be out of step
with God and with our fellow human beings. It is in the parental relationship that
we learn first how to submit to the Lord and then how we are to serve our fellow
man.

As we take a few minutes to look into this verse and all that it teaches, we will
find that there is instruction here for both parents and for children. Let’s talk
tonight about Honoring Thy Father and Thy Mother.

I. THERE IS A RESPECT THAT IS DEMANDED

A. An Elevation To Recognize – This verse makes it plain that parents are to be

held in high regard by their children. Notice Eph. 6:2 – "Honor thy father and
mother." Honor = "To give great weight to; to hold as valuable." Children are to
hold Mom and Dad in high respect. They are not just two old fools out to ruin
your fun. They have been placed in your life by the sovereign will of Almighty
God to be your overseers until your reach maturity. In the early stages of life,
while a child is maturing from birth to adulthood, they are to be in absolute
subjection to their parents. Children are to offer unquestioning obedience to their
parents! When a child refuses to obey his/her parents, they are in effect refusing
to submit to the Lord, Col. 3:20!

(Ill. There were times in my youth when I disobeyed my parents and I was wrong
for doing so. I wish I could go back now with what I know. I would try to be a
model son. But, I can’t go back! You young people who are still living under your
parent’s roof might want to reconsider just how you are treating them! If you
aren’t holding them in high regard and respect, then you need to repent of that sin
and do right by your parents.)

(Ill. It is discouraging, and frightening, to see a child or young person being

disrespectful to their parents. It spells trouble down the road, and it shows a lack
of regard for God. It is a sign of deeply rooted sinfulness. There is absolutely no
excuse for any behavior that attacks, disrespects or dishonors one’s parents! It is a
sign of ignorance and immaturity!)

B. An Esteem To Render - As we grow older, we are continue to regard our

parents with great respect. As children grow up, it is natural for them to leave
their parent’s home, Gen. 2:24. At this time, we are no longer under there direct
authority. In other words, they aren’t there to tell us what to do day by day.

(Ill. Many are dreaming of that day right now! It ain’t all it’s cracked up to be!)

Even though we leave their home and leave their authority, we are to still respect
our parents and we are to call to mind the sacrifices they have made to bring us
into the world and to nurture us to maturity. We should call to mind the long
nights spent beside the sickbed. The many hours worked to provide food, shelter
and clothing. We should remember the love dispensed in abundance for so little
in return. Even though we are out from under their authority, we still owe them
our respect. They deserve nothing less!

(Ill. Jesus, He was the great example. As a 12 year old boy, He submitted Himself
to His parents, Luke 2:51. And, as a dying man, He remembered to honor His
mother by seeing that she was cared for, John 19:27.)

(Ill. Brother Gerald – He is selling his home and moving away just so he can be
near his parents and be certain that they are getting the care they need. That is the
spirit of this verse!)

C. An Experience To Regard – Let me say a word about parental advise. Many

young people simply refuse to hear what their parents tell them and as a result,
they often experience trouble and hardship. Young people would do well to
remember that parents speak from the experience gained by taking the hard
knocks themselves. Their warnings are given to guide their children in the right
path and to steer them past many of the obstacles of life.

(Ill. Experience is far wiser than ignorance! It is an ignorant child that refuses the
counsel of wise, experienced parents.)

(Ill. Many are like this little girl - A youngster was very unhappy because her
parents had refused her wishes. That evening her mother was amused to hear her
pray, "Please, Lord, don't give her any more children; she doesn't know how to
treat the ones she's got now!" )

(Ill. The attitude of children toward their parents changes as they grow older.
During the teen years especially, some young people show little respect for their
fathers and mothers. It's disheartening to see this. But as those young teenagers
mature, they begin to recognize that Mom and Dad knew a lot more than they
gave them credit for. Mark Twain once said, "When I was 14 years old, my father
was so ignorant I hated to have the old man around. But when I was 21 years old,
I was astonished to see how much my father had learned in only 7 years."

Sometimes young people come to realize with deep regret that if they had
followed the counsel of their parents they could have avoided much heartache
both for themselves and their family.

II. THERE IS A RESPECT THAT IS DESERVED

(Ill. While this verse speaks primarily to young people and children, it also
speaks to parents. Children will have a difficult time respecting a parent who
hasn’t lived a life worthy of honor. Allow me to share with you three reasons how
parents can earn the respect of their children.)

A. By Our Faithfulness – Parents need to remember that children will respect a

life that is lived faithfully. Children long to see their parents living with their
best interests at heart. When a child knows that mom and dead really care about
what happens to them, they will respond to that display of love.)

(Ill. Let’s face it, many parents want their kids to do right, because it makes them
look better. Their primary concern is, "What will my friends think of me if…?"
Others are devastated when their children start to turn out differently than they
had planned. A parents duty to their children is to love them unconditionally and
faithfully place their needs ahead of your own. Kids will respond to that kind of
love.)

(By the way, faithfulness to the Lord goes along way with kids too. When we live
as though the Lord, His work, His worship and His House are optional, our
children will come to believe it too. Don’t expect them to be faithful, dedicated
Christians when you aren’t one yourself.)

(I guess that what we do speaks so loud our kids can’t hear what we are saying!)

B. By Our Fairness – We earn respect by being fair. That is, we are firm in what
we say, but we are tempered in our actions by love. This brings to mind 2
methods of child rearing that need to be mentioned.

1. Discipline – There are parents who believe that the answer to every infraction is
a beating.

2. Liberty – There are others who feel that their children can do as they please. Oh,
they may not like what their kids do and there is a lot of yelling, threatening and
pleading, but there is never any discipline imposed on the wayward child.

These 2 methods represent the extremes, our duty, in fairness to our children, is to
find the happy medium. There are times when we must discipline, Pro. 13:24;
29:17. Any parent who refuses to apply the board of education to the seat of
learning is doing his children a great injustice. Then, there are times when we
need to allow our kids a little growing room. Our job is to find that place where
they can be themselves and still learn that God has a plan for their lives. Too bad
they don’t come with training manuals!

C. By Fruitfulness – Parents earn respect from their children when they can see
their parents investing their lives in their children. When we give them love and
time and patience and encouragement and hope, they will respond with respect
and love of their own.

(Ill. There was a little boy who expressed great concern about his parents. He told
of how his father worked hard to provide for all of his needs and how his mother
slaved around the house, cooking and cleaning up after him and taking care of
him when he was sick. When asked what he had to be worried about he said, "I
am afraid that they might escape!")

(Ill. Thank God for those parents who invest their lives into those of their
children!)

(Ill. Children have much to be thankful for in their parents. However, too many
are too immature and too self-centered to see that. Yet, they will some day, many
when it is too late to say thank you.)

III. A REWARD THAT WILL BE DELIVERED

(Ill. This verse contains more that a "don’t", it also gives us a great promise. This
verse reminds those who obey Father and Mother that there are some promises
that they can have for themselves.)

A. Our Days Will Be Lengthened – (Ill. Eph. 6:3) When one honors his parents as
he ought, then God has promised him longer days upon the earth. I believe that
we can take this literally. If this is true, and it is, then it can also be said that
refusal to obey parents can result in an abbreviated live!

B. Our Days Will Be Lightened – Not only does the Lord promise length of days
to those who honor their parents, He also promises blessings to those who choose
this wonderful way of life.

(Ill. George Washington had his heart set on going to sea. His trunk was already
on board the ship when he went to tell his mother goodbye. He found here with
tears in her eyes and a heavy heart that was opposed to his journey. He turned to a
hired servant and ordered him to go to the ship and get his trunk. He said, "I will
not leave and break my mother’s heart." Her response to him was this, "George,
God has promised to bless the children that obey their parents." God did bless his
life and still uses his influence to this day!)

(Ill. By the same token, God has cursed those who refuse to obey mother and
father - Prov 30:17, "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his
mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat
it.")

(Children that treat their parents with the respect they are due, and worthy of,
will be blessed of the Lord!

Conc: As I look back over all the years of my life, I realize that in many ways I
was a very disobedient child. Yet, I thank God for my parents and for the life and
raising they gave me. What I am tonight is a product of the investment they made
then. The same stands true for each of us this evening! We may not always agree
with them, and we may not always understand them, nut they are our parents and
as such, they deserve all the love and respect that we can possible give to them

6.

Exodus 20:13 THERE’S MORE TO MURDER THAN TAKING A LIFE

Intro: One American is shot, stabbed, beaten, or strangled to death every minute.
It seems that no matter where you turn in our society, or even our world, there are
murders. It’s on the television and movies as fiction. It’s on the streets and next
door as a brutal reality. With a murder rate of 10 in every 100,000, your chances of
being murdered are far greater than your chances of dying in an airplane or
automobile crash. Murder is a horrible crime against God and against one’s
fellow man. It may be the greatest offence of all given the enormity of death and
what follows thereafter. Imagine taking a person’s life and that person going
immediately into Hell.

Now, the 6th Commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill." It literally means, "Thou
shalt not murder." You see, while all murder is killing, not all killing in murder.
Murder is more than just taking a life! Murder can be defined as the premeditated
and intentional taking of another human life.

Accidental killing would not be classified as murder. Take an example from the
Bible. In Numbers 35:11-28, God gave Israel regulations for "Cities of Refuge."
These were cities to which someone who had unintentionally killed another
human could flee to avoid the "avenger of blood." If you were involved in an
automobile accident and accidentally killed another human, then you would not
be a murderer.

Capital punishment would not be considered murder. God, in his Word lays
down the principle that for certain offences, man has the right to terminate
another human life, Gen. 9:6; Num. 35:16-18, Lev. 24:17. Whether or not you
personally agree with capital punishment or not, it is plain to see that the Bible
authorizes it in cases of murder.

Killings that take place in the exercise of "just war" would not be classified as
murder. Throughout the history of the world, nations have had to defend their
borders or other weaker nations against aggressive enemies. Even God, at various
times, has ordered His people onto the field of battle. Those who kill in "just war"
are not murders. However, those who engage in brutality and atrocities are
murderers!

Killings that are the product of self-defense cannot be classified as murder. Often,
police officers must kill in the line of duty. Homeowners may have to kill an
intruder to protect home and family. These people are not murderers. Sometimes,
people are attacked and must defend themselves. When they kill the attacker in
the process, they are not classed as murderers.

However, there are times when killing is murder. That is what this commandment
speaks to and that is what we want to look into this evening. Tonight, I want to
preach for awhile on this thought, There’s More To murder Than Taking A Life!

I. MURDER INTRUDES INTO GOD’S TERRITORY

A. God Controls Man’s Entrance Into Life – When man first appeared on this
planet, it was at the command of Almighty God – Gen. 1:27. The evolutionists tell
us that man evolved from some lower life form. That, in fact, life began on some
primordial beach where somehow, some lifeless blob of protoplasm somehow
began to live. This little living blob somehow began to change and eventually all
the life on the earth came from these humble beginnings.

God’s Word, however, has a different version of these events! Notice what God
did in Genesis 2:7, (Note that man was made in the image of God.). Look at what
David thought of the origins of human life, Psa. 139:13-16. Look also at Job’s
friend Elihu’s version of his own beginnings – Job 33:4.

It is plain from these verses that mankind is the product of the creative genius of
Almighty God. Since God controls the entrance of man into life, it stands to
reason that…

B. God Controls The Exit Of Man From Life – We must concede that God Himself
is in control of life. He is the One who establishes the boundaries across which no
man can cross, Job 14:5; Psa. 104:29. It seems clear that men can do certain things
that will shorten their days, Pro. 10:27; Job 15:32-33; Job 22:15-16; Psa. 55:23; Eccl.
7:17. By the same token, obedience to the Lord will lengthen a man’s days upon
the earth, Ex. 20:12; Pro. 10:27; Psa. 91:16. However, these things are also subject to
the sovereignty of God. No man has the right to deliberately and intentionally
end the life of another, except it be for those things already mentioned. God is the
giver of human life and He alone must be the taker of human life. When we take
it upon ourselves to take the life of another, we have placed ourselves in the place
of God. We have tried to assume His position and power. We have tried to step
into an area in which we have absolutely no business.

Not only does murder Intrude Into God’s Business,

We see that…

II. MURDER INTERRUPTS A HUMAN LIFE

(Murder can be carried out in many ways. Allow me to take just a few minutes to
catalogue some of them for you.)

A. A Definition Of Murder – "The unlawful and malicious or premeditated

killing of one human being by another." Webster’s New World College Dictionary.
That is what murder is. Now, what are the various ways it can be committed?

B. A Description Of Murder

1. Physical Murder – This is the killing of another human being. Murder has a
history as long as that of the world itself. In Genesis 4:8, The first murder is
recorded. In this verse, Cain deliberately and with malice, took the life of his
brother Abel. It was not a killing of self-defense, it was pure murder.

Since that day, the history of the world is marked by a constant string of murders.
Thank God, we live in an area where many have never been touched by the icy
hand of murder. However, some have been.

(Ill. My adopted sister Sheila was murder in Chicago, Illinois in 1972. Her
boyfriend was a drug dealer who owed some men a lot of money. When they
came to collect, he was out of the apartment, but they shot Sheila 5 times and
ended her life at 18.)
2. Personal Murder – We call this act suicide. I know that some lives in this room
have been impacted deeply by the suicide of a loved one. It leaves emotional scars
that never fully heal. Therefore, I want to handle this portion of the message with
extreme tenderness. When a person is driven to suicide, it is often the result of
circumstances just getting out of hand. They feel overwhelmed and unable to
cope any longer with their lives and they decide to end it. When they do this, they
leave in their wake other destroyed lives. It is a selfish way to leave the world.Not
only is it selfish, it is also sinful. Just as no man has the right to murder another,
no man has the right to murder self. These things are the sole right of God
Himself.We live in a time when every 90 minutes a teenager tries to take his/her
life. Every 30 minutes one succeeds! When a person resorts to suicide, they are
failing to avail themselves of the grace of God. They are refusing to allow the
Lord to give them the support and the comfort they are in need of.

There is another side to Personal Murder, a side of which far more are guilty.
How often has a doctor told someone, "If you don’t stop this or that, then you will
die?" And, how often has that person chosen to go right on with their bad habits
and died? Whether it is over in a moment, or whether it takes years, the results are
the same. Even suicide can be a slow process.

3. Physician Assisted Murder – Here I am referring to what is called Euthanasia or

"mercy killing." This form of death has been brought to the public’s attention by
the activities of a Dr. Jack Kavorian, also known as "Dr. Death." It seems that Dr.
Death will help terminally ill persons, or those who are in extreme pain, end their
lives. He does this with the aid of a "suicide machine." The "patient" presses a
button, and a lethal dose of chemicals is injected into their bloodstream, which
causes death. Most of us hear this and think it is horrible and outrageous. I find it
amazing that they can’t seem to convict this madman.

While we think this is barbaric, some countries around the world have legalized
physician-assisted suicide. It is possible to go to the doctor and be put to death in
the office. The day is coming when it will happen here too. The burden of health
care for the aged, for the infirm, for the dying will be the catalyst that pushes
"mercy killings" into acceptability and into law!

4. Pre-natal Murder – I am referring to abortion! According to the Bible, life

begins at the very moment of conception, Psa. 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41. Yet,
our society seem to view the unborn human as just so much waste material to be
thrown away at the mother’s convenience. Since abortion on demand was
legalized in the US, there have been over 37 million abortions performed in this
country. Somewhere around 4,300 per day, or 1 every 20 seconds! (Ill. The Awful
procedure called "partial birth abortion.")Pro-death advocates claim that the
mother deserves the right to choose. In my opinion, she made her choice when
she decided to have sexual intercourse! Abortion is murder! It ends a human life,
and that is the domain of Almighty God.  When a country refuses to respect and
protect the lives of it’s most helpless citizens, no one is truly safe.

I. Murder Intrudes Into God’s Territory

II. Murder Interrupts A Human Life

III. MURDER INVOLVES MORE THAN KILLING

A. Murder Involves The Element Of Justice – Murder carries with it a penalty. Ill.
Matt. 5:21-22. Jesus states that murders will be punished. Some, it seems, have
gotten away with murder. They will, however, face God one day and He will
render perfect justice – Rev. 20:11-15.

Others have been caught, tried and convicted. Some of these are in prison and
other have and will pay with their lives. This is part of murder. Many murderers
have received Jesus as their Savior, yet they will still die for their crime. Is this
fair? Yes it is! (Ill. Carla Faye Tucker in Texas – She murdered 2 people while high
on drugs and was sentenced to die. She was saved and became a model Christian
and prisoner. Many thought she should have her sentence commuted. Yet she was
executed just a couple of months ago.) There is a price on murder! Ill. Rom. 13:4.

B. Murder Involves The Element Of Judgment – It is possible to murder another

human being and not shed an ounce of blood, or even take their life. Murder can
happen in the heart and mind and never find manifestation in reality. However,
in the Lord’s eyes, the murderer is just as guilty. Notice, Matt. 5:22; 1 John 3:15.
These verses teach this truth. Many people have had their reputations ruined and
pure old malice and hatred have murdered their testimonies.

(Ill. Someone has said, "There are three degrees of murderous guilt, all of which
can be manifested without a blow being struck: secret anger, the spiteful jeer; the
open, unrestrained outbursts of violent, abusive speech.")

Murder is more than an act of the flesh, it is an attitude of the heart.

Conc: How do we insulate ourselves against breaking this commandment? The

solution is simple. All we need do is practice God’s plan for unconditional love,
Matt. 33:37-39, and absolute forgiveness of others, Eph. 4:32. If there has been a
murderous spirit in your heart, that needs to be repented of right now. Whoever
you are angry at needs to be forgiven and that anger r eleased. It is far better to
suffer some injury than to be guilty of murder, even if it is only hurting you.

7.
Exodus 20:14 THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF ADULTERY

Intro: Humans are sexual beings! Scientists tell us that our sex drive is
virtually equal to our will to live. This is not a bad thing. We are this way
because God has made us this way. He designed man with a sexual desire.
When God made man, His first command to mankind was for them to multiply.
Now, we all know how human reproduction is carried out. Therefore, we find
that God has made man a sexual being. However, our sexuality has been
corrupted by sin! God’s plan is for the sexual relationship to be between and
husband and his wife only. Any other form of sexual expression, outside of
that marital relationship, is sinful! This is the very area addressed by this 7 th
Commandment.

When we think of adultery, we automatically think of a man being unfaithful to

his wife. Yet, this Commandment is far broader than just this. I personally
believe that it encompasses the entire realm of human sexual experience. Any
sexual expression outside the confines of the marital relationship is a sin
against God!

Now, we would all have to admit that we live in a time when sexuality, and the
expression of it, are rampant in our society. Sex is found on the television, in
magazines, on billboards. You name it, in this society, sex sells and it seems
to be what people like, because no one stands against the tide of blatant
sexual expression that is all around. If our society were somehow found by
researchers from a distant time, they would without doubt agree that this is a
society obsessed with sex!

When Jesus was on the earth, He looked at His culture and labeled it, "an
adulterous and sinful generation." (Mark 8:38) If He were to speak to our day,
what would He say about 20th Century America? Some may ask, "Preacher, is
this material relevant today?" My answer would be, "Yes!" We live in a world
where nearly 50% of all men say they have committed adultery, (Ill. That is just
the number that will admit to it! Researchers estimate the nearly two-thirds of
all married men will commit adultery before the age of 40.) 41% of married
women also say they are guilty of this sin. Is it relevant? "Yes!" Because the
statistics are just as bad for the church! Christianity Today did a random
sampling of 1000 subscribers and questioned them on the matter of Adultery.
45% said they had acted inappropriately and 23% said they had committed
adultery. It is relevant because it has a negative effect on our young people.
One-fifth of youth lose their virginity before the age of 13! It is no wonder that
AIDs, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies are on the
increase. It can all be traced back to a lack of morality and standards at home!
When children see their parents living immoral lives, it sends the massage
that sexual immorality is good and acceptable. Billy Graham, in a recent
survey, found that 40% of youth in Bible believing, evangelical churches were
sexually active. He also found that 60% of single adults in these churches
were not only sexually active, but over half reported having multiple partners!

I want you to know tonight that God is still against adultery! He still hates it
and is still punishing those who are guilty of it this evening. This afternoon, I
would like for us to take a few minutes to study this sin called adultery and
see that it is a sin not just against your spouse, but that it touches every area
of your life.

Adultery is a very destructive sin, allow me to show you how! Adultery is a sin
against:

I. YOUR SPOUSE

Adultery does incredible damage to one’s spouse!

A. When a man and woman marry, they become one flesh. (Gen. 2:24.) When
one of the partners joins with a person outside that marriage contract, they
have broken that bond and have joined with another – 1 Cor. 6:16

B. Adultery says to the innocent spouse, "You weren’t good enough for me."
Adultery has the power to destroy the self-esteem of the innocent victim.

C. Adultery destroys trust! Innocent spouse will have a hard time ever trusting
the other spouse!

D. Perhaps this is why Jesus gave an escape clause in cases of sexual

Immorality – Matt. 19:3-9.

E. The marriage must be "adultery proofed!" How is this done? By giving heed
to the command given by Paul in 1 Cor. 7:1-5.

F. Adultery is also an attack at one’s children! (Ill. David’s children followed in

his footsteps. Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. Absolom took his father'’
concubines unto himself. Sexual immorality has a way of filtering down to the
children.) One’s spiritual influence is also compromised when we stoop to
committing adultery. Children lose respect for a parent that destroys the
family over illicit and indecent pleasures.

II. YOUR SELF

Adultery does incredible damage to one’s self!

A. Adultery, among believers, is the result of being in a backslidden condition.
Then, once that line is crossed, the enemy will continue to attack in that area.
Doing it the second, third, fourth times will not be as hard because the will has
been softened and one’s guard is let down.

B. Many people are guilty of adultery even though they have never had sexual
relations with another person. Jesus wants us to know that adultery is as
much a matter of heart and mind as it is of the flesh – Matt. 5:28. (So called
"girl watching." Pornography, sexual fantasies, etc. All lead to adultery of the
heart and make a person just as guilty as physical adultery!

C. There will be a terrible price to pay for crossing that line – Pro. 6:26-29; 32-
33.

D. Committing adultery will your destroy witness and testimony. (Ill. The
televangelists and others we have heard of here in our own area.) When you
commit adultery just try to tell a sinner how he can be saved! (Ill. Nathan’s
words to David still ring true today, 2 Sam. 12:14.)

E. How can a person guard themselves? Adopt the attitude of the Psalmist –
Psa. 100:3, (Ill. Just ask David what happens when you allow your eyes to
wander – 2 Sam. 11-12). Notice what Job said about this issue – Job 31:1-11.
We are to guard our eyes, our flesh and our mind. If we put the right stuff in,
we will get the right results in return – Phil. 4:8.

F. In our world, it is hard to avoid sexual stimulation. Therefore, we are to be

on our best guard at all times!

III. YOUR SOCIETY

A. As goes the family, so goes the society. When we see the family unit being
destroyed, we come to see that our society as a whole is in danger of
collapsing. In fact, every great empire that has fallen has done so as the result
of sexual immorality! Is America next? It all depends on what we do with our
sexuality! (Ill. Immorality, homosexuality, etc, abound in our day. We need to
turn the tide and doing so demands that it begin in my home and yours. We
need to covenant together and vow to God that we will guard our homes and
our lives against these evil sins.)

B. Immorality in the life of a member of the church can tarnish the entire work
of God. Notice, 1 Cor 12:26; 1 Cor. 5:6. Do not think that your sin is a private
thing, just a little affair that you can hide when you please. In truth, it is a sin, it
is adultery and it tarnishes the name of the church and destroys our ministry
in the community!
C. Adultery is such a sin against society that G. Campbell Morgan said, "The
adulterer is the enemy of the state. My personal persuasion is that it is an act
of treason to the state to allow adulterers and adulteresses to go free and
unpunished. The greatness of a people depends upon the purity and strength
of the people, and in every nation where the marriage relation is violated with
impunity the virus of death is surely and certainly at work." I agree with that
statement!

D. God’s desire is that this type of behavior never find manifestation among
His people – Eph. 5:3.

IV. YOUR SAVIOR

A. Of all the reasons for not committing adultery this is the greatest! (Ill.
Joseph – Gen. 39:9) If you are saved, you will want to please the Lord and
nothing displeases Him more than to see His children committing adultery.
Sadly, this which should be our greatest reason for cleanliness in this area is
often the very last one we consider.

B. God, however, has considered it and has made several statements

concerning adultery.

1. Adultery was considered the "great sin" – Gen. 20:9; Gen. 39:9.

2. Adultery was punishable by death – Lev. 20:10. He will still deal with it today
– Pro. 6:23-35. (Ill. Eph. 5:1-7; 1 Cor. 6:9-10)

3. Adultery destroys that which was created to be the most visible and closest
approximation of God’s relationship to His people, marriage – Eph. 5:22-23.
(Ill. The Song Of Solomon – Many would remove it from the Bible. They feel
that it portrays vivid sexual acts. It does! But, they are between husband and
wife and therefore they are good and pleasing to the Lord.)

4. God’s prohibition against adultery was not to ruin man’s fun, it was to
protect the home which He had established – Ex. 20:14!

C. When a person commits adultery, the cause of Christ is hindered and the
Name of Jesus is dragged down. Our duty is to be as sexually pure as we can
be. We are to avoid any activity that may fuel passion and lead to adultery.

Conc: What can we do to avoid the trap of adultery? There are five steps
which can be taken that will safeguard your life against this horrible sin.

1. Walk With God – Gal. 5:16 – If we are doing this daily, we will have the
ammunition available to be able to stand when temptation arises – Eph. 6:10-
17.

2. Avoid Suggestive Activities – Remember the words of Psalm 100:3. Never

allow your eyes to behold things that will cause you to stumble. Keep a clean
life!

3. Avoid Flirty Relationships – Stay far away from the person who is flirty,
watch out for that "friendship" which could lead to other things. Beware that
you never just "play around" with someone who is not your spouse! Often,
simple flirtation leads to big time adultery! No one just wakes up one day and
says "I think I’ll go out and commit adultery today." It is always the result of
things building up on top of other things that leads to that point. If you can
stay from those little things, the big one will never happen to you!

4. Count The Cost – Take a minute to look at the incredible damage that can be
done to your spouse, your Lord, your children and your own life. Nobody,
however great the body, is worth what you can potentially lose!

5. Love Your Mate Only – Proverbs 5:15-21.

If it is too late and you are guilty of committing adultery, there is hope and
forgiveness in the blood of Jesus. He promises us in 1 John 1:9 that He will
forgive all our sins when we confess them to Him. Maybe it hasn’t gotten that
far, but you are guilty of flirting and doing things that you know are
dangerous. Jesus will forgive that also! Maybe your sin is a secret one, you
look at pornography, or watch and read things that you know cause you to
lust in your heart. Jesus will forgive that too.

Whatever the need, remember, Jesus loves you and He will make it right!

"Thou shalt not commit adultery!"

8.

Exodus 20:15 THOU SHALT NOT STEAL

Intro: Many are the lives that have been touched by theft. Millions of dollars are
lost every year in this country over the theft of goods and services. One estimate
says that 1 out of every 52 shopper’s carries something out of the supermarket for
which they haven’t paid. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 4
million people are caught shoplifting every year. But for every one caught, 35
others get away with it. This means that there are over 140 million incidents of
shoplifting every year in America! What’s really tragic is that only 10% of all
shoplifters come from low incomes. 70% are middle class and 20% are classified
as wealthy.

These facts are astounding! America appears to be a country of thieves. I suppose

that if everyone who was guilty of theft were arrested, there would be no jails to
hold them, nor arresting officers to lock them up! One new hotel reported that in
their 10 months of operation, they lost 38,000 spoon, 18,000 towels, 355 silver
coffee pots, 1,500 silver finger bowls and 100 Bible to thieves.

Regardless of the reason, stealing is wrong! God, in these verses condemns it and
declares it to be a sin. Tonight, I would like for us to take some time to look at the
8th Commandment and consider what stealing really is, as we think together on
this thought, "Thou shalt not steal."

I. STEALING IS A VIOLATION OF THE LAW

A. The Correct Means Of Getting Gain – God has authorized two primary
methods by which people can legitimately increase their possession. When we
engage in these 2 areas of getting gain, we are doing it the right way. Notice what
they are.

1. As A Reward For Work – Contrary to popular belief, work is not a curse! It is a

means, ordained by God, whereby people can obtain the resources they need to
function in the world. In fact, work is glorified by God – 2 Thes. 3:10.

(Ill. One evening a man saw his neighbor, a famous author, carrying coal into his
house. The neighbor told him that it was undignified for a man of his social
standing to be seen carrying coal. The famous author replied, "Any man who is
ashamed to carry his own coal deserves to sit all winter by an empty fireplace.")

God’s will is that we obtain the things in life we need by the labor of our hands!

2. By The Reception Of A Gift – Another legitimate means of increasing our

possessions is by the generosity of another. Some one may give us a gift, or we
may receive and inheritance, or we may be the beneficiary of a will or insurance
policy. These are all legitimate ways of getting gain. There is nothing wrong with
receiving things from others. Often, God may choose to bless your life in this
way.
B. The Corrupt Means Of Getting Gain – This is by taking that which does not
belong to us as our own. Also know as stealing. God has condemned this practice
and has declared that His children should leave it behind with the other works of
the flesh – Eph. 4:28.

II. STEALING IS A VIOLATION OF A LOYALTY

A. As An Employee – Employee theft costs companies billions of dollars every

year, somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 billion. According to USA Today,
48 % of all American workers took something from an employer last year. People
do this by taking thing home, selling things without their employers knowledge
and pocketing the money, taking kickbacks, falsifying time records, wasting time
while at work, etc.

(Ill. Many years ago a young lad in a small village was working in a general store
when a man entered and ordered some cloth. Observing that the owner of the
establishment wasn't there, the customer suggested the boy cheat a little and give
him an extra yard or two. "It'll be all right, son," he said. "No one will ever know
about it. Your master isn't in." Looking somewhat stunned, the youngster quickly
replied, "Oh, but you're mistaken, sir. My Master is always in! You see, I'm a
Christian." He was conscious of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.)

(Ill. After F. E. Marsh preached on this subject, a young man came to him and
said, "Pastor, you have put me in a bad fix. I've stolen from my employer, and I'm
ashamed to tell him about it. You see, I'm a boat builder, and the man I work for
is an unbeliever. I have often talked to him about Christ, but he only laughs at
me. In my work, expensive copper nails are used because they won't rust in water.
I've been taking some of them home for a boat I am building in my backyard. I'm
afraid if I tell my boss what I've done and offer to pay for them, he'll think I'm a
hypocrite, and I'll never be able to reach him for Christ. Yet, my conscience is
bothered."

Later when the man saw the preacher again, he exclaimed, "Pastor, I've settled that
matter and I'm so relieved." "What happened when you told your boss?" asked the
minister. "Oh, he looked at me intently and said, 'George, I've always thought you
were a hypocrite, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe there's something to your
Christianity after all. Any religion that makes a man admit he's been stealing a
few copper nails and offer to settle for them must be worth having.'")

Anytime we take things that are not ours from an employer, we are guilty of
stealing. Whether it is time, or materials, the result is the same! Notice what God
has to say to employees – Col. 3:22-24; Leviticus 19:35-36; Deuteronomy 23:13-16.

B. As An Employer – When employees are underpaid, over worked and treated

badly, this too is a form of stealing! God has certain principles, which are to be
followed by employers – Col. 4:1. However, I am of the opinion that there is less
theft among employers than there is among employees!

C. In Our Ethics – Often, we are guilty of stealing in various area of our lives.
Things like taxes, keeping our word, honoring our debts, borrowing things and
not returning them. When we are obligated to do something, we should do it!
When we don’t, we have stolen. When we owe a debt, or taxes etc, then we also
must pay that, or, again, we are guilty of stealing before God.

(Ill. One Sunday morning, Charles Finney preached a message entitled The Sin
Of Borrowing Things And Not Returning Them. He said, "When I went to my
toolshed yesterday with some men on hand to do some work, I found it
practically empty. President Mahan had borrowed my plow and never sent it
back. Professor Morgan had sent for my spade and I haven’t seen it since. Deacon
Beecher has had one of my monkey wrenches for so long a time that the memory
of man cannot recall how long ago it was borrowed. What does it mean? It means
that there are some among the best of us such a carelessness concerning our
fundamental everyday obligations." The sermon was extremely effective. The next
morning before dawn, one neighbor trying to bring back a workhorse had to be
rescued from Finney’s dog. All the rest of the morning, there was a steady stream
of the neighbor’s kids bringing back borrowed tools. They ever returned things
that were not Finney’s)

What the Lord wants us to see is that when we owe something, whether it be our
money or just the fulfillment of our word, He expects us to make it right!)

III. THE VIOLATION OF A HEAVENLY LOVE

(Ill. There is one more form of stealing that many are guilty of tonight. There is no
law of man against it, yet it is far more terrible than these other forms mentioned.
It is the idea that a man can steal from God. Just the thought that man would steal
from God is amazing. Let’s see how it is done.)

A. The Stealing Of The Tithe – Notice what Malachi says about the tithe – Mal.
3:8-10. God sys that when we hold back that which belongs to the Lord, then we
are guilty of stealing from God. Now, when we think of all that He has given us.
How He loves us and how He saved us by His grace, how can a person with any
sense at all condone stealing from the Lord? (Ill. We rob God when we do not give
Him what is His, or when we use what is His for our own purposes. The tithe is
not ours to use!)

(Ill. You might rob a man, your employer, a bank or shoplift from a store and get
away with it here. But, my friends, you will never rob God and get away with it.
He will get what is His!)
(Ill. A Pastor related that he heard a pastor friend say that he had to visit a church
member at the hospital. The first pastor asked him what she was having done.
The second replied, "Oh, she’s just having here tithe removed." That happens to a
lot of people! If you give God what belongs to Him, He will give you what you
need. Are you as faithful with the Lord’s money as you should be? We need to
remember that none of us has the right to all that we earn. 100% belongs to God,
but 10% (at least) is to be dedicated to His work, and is to be given through His
storehouse, 1 Cor. 16:2. When we follow His plan, we will prosper – 2 Cor. 9:1-7)

B. The Stealing Of Time – You and I have been allotted only so much time in this
world. If we waste that time instead of using it for the glory of the Lord, we are
guilty of theft! Are you using your time as you should?

C. The Stealing Of Titles - (Ill. There is also the matter of Lordship. We are guilty
of stealing when we hold back areas of our lives from His Lordship. When we try
to exercise control over our own lives, instead of giving Him the place of
supremacy, then we are guilty of stealing from the Lord.)

D. The Stealing Of Talents – The Bible is clear when it tells us that when we are
saved, we are given certain gifts from the Heavenly Father – 1 Cor. 12:7-27. When
we fail to exercise our God given gifts and talents, we are guilty of stealing from
the Lord. When we fail to fill our place in His body, we are thieves and robbers.
Our lives are gifts and they are to be invested for the glory of God.

Conc: If we were honest tonight, most, if not all, would have to admit that they
were guilty of stealing in one form or another. If this is the case in your life, then
God has a word for you. According to the Word of God, when we steal, we are to
repay – Eze. 33:15-16. We are to practice restitution to those we have wronged.
Whether it is an employer, a neighbor or even God. We are to make it right,
whatever the cost!

(Ill. At Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78, George Washington and his troops
were in utterly desperate straits. He appealed to the government of Pennsylvania
for help. Jacob DeHaven, a staunch believer in the revolutionary cause, lived near
Valley Forge. hearing of Washington's appeal, he loaned him $50,000 in gold and
$400,000 in supplies.

The army survived the winter, but after the war DeHaven was never repaid. Now
his descendants are trying to collect. They claim that the loan, compounded at 6%
interest daily, amounts to $141.6 billion.

In one sense, all the money in the world could never repay DeHaven for what he
did. In reality, he saved the cause of freedom for all America.

There's another debt all of us owe that we can never repay. It is the price Jesus
Christ paid to give us liberty from the bondage of sin.)

God’s will is that His people never resort to stealing, and if we are guilty, then we
need to make restitution. Thou shalt not steal!

9.

Ex. 20:16 HOW TO HANDLE YOUR NEIGHBOR'S REPUTATION

Intro: This 9th Commandment has to do with controlling One's tongue. A very
important, but extremely difficult task. James tells us the tongue can be tamed by no
man, James 3:1-8. However, Jesus reminds us that we can do all things through him,
Phil. 4:13. Therefore, there is absolutely no excuse for a big mouth! We have an altar
that is about 24 feet across. This should be sufficient space for just about anyone to lay
their tongue on it and get it under control.

Few people realize the awesome, destructive power of the human tongue. Because of a
miss-spoken word, homes have been splintered, reputations shattered and lives literally
destroyed and even ended. That little piece of muscle that lies in your mouth behind
your lips and your teeth bless or bruise, heal or hurt, love or lambast. It all depends
upon how you use it.

This verse deals primarily with one's testimony in a trial setting. God says that we must
never be guilty of lying on our neighbor thereby causing him to suffer. We are exhorted
to always be truthful and absolutely honest when dealing with another person. As we
consider some of what God has said about the tongue, may He help us to understand
that every time we speak of another, we literally hold that person's reputation in our
hands. Tonight, I would like to speak for a few minutes on this thought, How To Handle
Your Neighbors Reputation.

I.  A REPUTATION IS A VALUABLE POSSESSION

A. According to the Bible, one's "good name", or reputation, is far more valuable than
riches or expensive ointments, Pro. 22:1; Eccl. 7:1.

B. Your Reputation Determines The Level Of Respect You Receive - No one puts much
confidence in a person who is dishonest, deceptive, or otherwise living his life in a sinful,
shameful manner. I really respect people about whom I never hear a negative remark.
Jesus was such a man - Luke 2:52. We should do all that is in our power to see that we
never allow our names to be associated with that which is disrespectful and shameful. It
will undermine your good name and cause people to lose respect for you. Your life
ought to be a beacon of integrity and decency.
C. Your Reputation Determines The Level Of The Response You Receive - Every
Christian wants to be respected as a Christian and have his/her testimony be respected
and responded too in a positive manner. The type of response that we can expect will
always be determined by the kind of life others see us living! It has been said, "What
you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying." In other words, the
world will never believe what say until they can see what we believe!

D. Your reputation is important, because what people perceive you to be is usually a

fair indicator of what you really are. You see, your reputation is what others think you
are and character is what you really are. However, people can misread us and
misunderstand us and cause us to be something less than we actually are. However, as a
general rule, your reputation is a direct result of your character. In other words, men
think the way they do about you because of the way they see you act and live before
them.

E. Your own reputation is valuable. Therefore, guard it with your very ife. And, pray
that others will do the same. Now, you cannot be responsible for what others do with
your reputation, but you are responsible for what you do with theirs. Keep this in mind
as we go forward with this message.

II. A REPUTATION CAN BE VANDALIZED PUBLICALLY

A. It Is A Serious Thing - When we undermine the reputation of another by the words

we speak, we are guilty of destroying that persons respectability and credibility before
others. We are guilty of doing unspeakable damage to a person's life and ministry by
the words we say about them.

(Ill. I remember reading of a woman who was guilty of gossiping about her pastor. She
was convicted and went to him to apologize to him and to try and make restitution for
her wrongdoing. The pastor graciously accepted her apology and then told her that if
she wanted to make it all right again, that she should take a chicken, kill it, pluck it,
carry its feathers to the top of the highest building in town and cast its feathers to the
four winds. When this was done she was to return to the Pastor. She carried out his
directive and returned to him. He looked at her and said, "Now go and collect every one
of those feathers." She replied, in horror, "That is impossible!" He said, "So, it is
impossible or you to take back all those things you have said about me.")

(Ill. Another Pastor was having trouble with a gossip in the church. Every time she
would see his car parked anywhere strange, she began immediately to spread the word
that their Pastor was having an affair. There was no truth to her rumors, but she kept it
up until the pastor, in an effort to stop her mouth, left his car parked in front of her
house, day and night for a week. That cured the problem.)

The words of a false witness can be forgiven, but they will never be forgotten by those
who are touched by their poison! Eternal damage can be done to reputations and
ministries. People can even wind up in Hell because of the lies of a foolish person. I
don't know about the rest of you, but I have absolutely no use for a gossip and a
talebearer! I don't think the Lord does either!

The man who with the breathe lent him by heaven,Speaks words that soil the whiteness
of a life;Is but murder, for death is given,As surely by the tongue as by the knife!

Jean Blewett

B. It Is A Sad Thing - It is a sad day when one person thinks they have to repeat
something on another. This is behavior that is hateful to God and demeaning to men!
There are several ways in which people are guilty of using their tongues against
another.

1. Slander - defined as, "Communication of false statements injurious to a person's

reputation." We are guilty of slander when we knowingly lie about another person in
an effort to harm their reputation.

2. Lying - "A false statement deliberately presented as being true." Whether we admit
it or not, we are all guilty of lying. Its no wonder when 67% of Americans do not believe
in "Absolute truth." It is said that 91% of us lie regularly. Most never make it through
a week without lying and 1 out of 5 cannot even make it through one day without telling
a lie. Even men of God lie - Ill. Aaron - Exodus 32:24. Statistics say that people lie 92%
of the time to save face and 98% of the time to keep from offending someone else. But,
we have gone way too far when we tell things on others that we know are untrue.

3. Criticism - What I am referring to are statements made about another's actions, ways
and deeds in an effort to hurt their reputation. Constructive criticism is a good thing,
but destructive criticism is right out of the pit of Hell! (Ill. The vulture sees nothing but
that which is rotten and dead. He does not see the flowers and the green grass. He does
not see the living things all around. His focus is on that which is dead and corrupt.
There are a lot of vultures around the Lord's house!

(Ill. A lady was looking out her window, watching her neighbor hang her wash on the
clothesline. As she watched, she remarked to a friend, "Our neighbor sure isn't clean.
Why, just look at those streaks on her laundry." Her friend replied, "Those streaks are
on your windows, not her clothes!" Sometimes, it is the sin in our own heat that makes
us look for the evil in others!)

(Ill. If the best thing you can do is criticize, you would do well to keep your big mouth
shut!)

4. Talebearing - This is the practice of spreading gossip and rumors about others. It
may be that the rumors are true. But, even that does not give us the right to tear down
another's reputation. If we learn a secret about our neighbor, then we had better tell no
one but God. He knows how to deal with their need and with them. I will promise you
that He knows how to handle the gossip as well! Gossip is always a sin!

5. Insinuation - This is the practice of insinuating or hinting that something may be

wrong in the life of another. When we are guilty of making people doubt another's
reputation, we are guilty of sin before the Lord. (Ill. This is the tactic that Satan tried to
use against Job - Job 1:11; 2:5.)

6. Flattery - Flattery is saying something to a person's face that we would never behind
their backs. Usually flattery is given in an attempt to gain something from that
individual. Flattery is lying!

7. Exaggeration - This is an easy lie to tell. We stretch number, statistics, etc., to make
things look better. What fisherman is there who has not been guilty of stretching the
size of the one the got away? When we exaggerate, we are lying!

8. Silence - When we here an untruth told and we remain silent, we are guilty of the
"slander of silence." We become a party to the deception by not setting the record
straight.

9. "Loose lips sink ships!" This old saying is appropriate to the church tonight. Many
churches are in turmoil because of gossiping and foolish talking tonight. God will deal
with the gossip. Notice what the Word has to say about the trouble a gossip can cause -
Pro. 26:20-28.

C. It Is A Sinful Thing - when we practice any of these methods in regard to another,

we are guilty of sin before the Lord! (Pro. 12:22; Lev. 19:16-17; Eph. 4:25. In fact, God
includes abuses of the tongue as three of the seven things He hates the most - Pro. 6:16-
19.) Are you guilty of using your tongue to harm another? If so, then you need to repent
of that sin and get right with God! When you use you tongue to attack another, you are
opening up your life to the judgment of God. James is exactly right when he says the
tongue is "World of iniquity." The question tonight is, what shape is your world in?

III. REPUTATIONS SHOULD BE VIGOROUSLY PROTECTED

A. Confront The Gossip - Be quick to stand up for those who are being torn apart by
the mouth of a gossip. We are just as guilty as the one talking when we stand there
listening and do and say nothing in our brother or sister's defense. Be ready though,
most gossips are sneaky, conniving people. They will be just as ready to turn their sharp
tongue on you as they would on anyone else! In fact, if a gossip will gossip to you, he/she
will probably gossip about you!

B. Conceal The Guilty - This does not mean that we condone sin in the lives of believers.
It ides mean, however, that we hesitate about bringing it out into the open. Many lives
have been destroyed because people talked about others behind their backs and
condemned them instead of praying for them and letting God work it out in His time
and in His way.

As usual, God has a word about his matter also, Pro. 11:13; 17:9; 1 Pet. 4:8.

C. Here is a good practice for living when it comes to what you will say or refrain from
saying. We can form an acrostic from the word THINK. We should THINK before we
speak of another.

T - Is it True?

H - Will it Help?

I - Is it Inspiring?

N - Is it Necessary?

K - Is it Kind?

If what you have to say fails in any of these categories, then it is pretty safe to say that
you would be better off not using your tongue for damage.  A good habit to fall into is
that of saying nothing about anyone unless it is good!

Conc: Are you guilty before the Lord tonight of using your tongue in a manner not
pleasing unto Him? If so, then I invite you to come to the altar and get that thing made
right with the Lord. If you have been hurt by the long, wicked tongue of another, then I
invite you to bring that injury to Jesus and let Him heal your heart. Every child of God
needs to search his or her heart and determine for whose glory we are using our
tongues. God help us to do the right thing!

10.

Exodus 20:17 THE SIN NOBODY WILL ADMIT TO

Intro: Tonight, we come to the last of the 10 Commandments. In these Laws of God
governing life on earth we have seen that God has a high standard of holiness that He
expects His people to strive for. I trust that as we have moved along through these
verses, you have seen some area in your life where you recognized the need for some
correction and have made the efforts necessary to change to come in line with God's
Word.

As we look at this 10th Commandment, the first characteristic I notice is that this
Commandment represents a move away from actions into the realm of attitude. While
breaking all the rest of the Commandments has its origin in the heart and mind of man,
they all find their ultimate expression in some type of physical activity. This
Commandment is different! While there is evidence of lying, stealing, adultery, murder,
disobedience to parents, taking God's Name in vain, making graven images and having
other gods before God, there is usually little or no evidence of covetousness. As a result,
this is a sin that is rarely, if ever confessed and owned up to. In truth, we are all guilty,
we just won't admit it to ourselves, others or the Lord. Of all the Commandments listed,
this is probably the one most often broken and the one that will most readily cause you
to break the other nine. We will see as we look at The Sin Nobody Will Admit, that
covetousness is a serious sin and that it needs to be confessed and forsaken by every
child of God.

Ill. Once, Abraham Lincoln was seen walking with his 2 sons and both the boys were
crying. As passerby asked the President what was wrong with his boys. "Exactly what's
wrong with the whole world," said Lincoln, "I have three walnuts and each boy wants
two."

Ill. Dr. Ken Trivette shares the following story. "On the night of November 16, 1930,
Mrs. Henrietta Garret, a lonely 81 year old widow died in her home in Philadelphia,
and, unwillingly, started the most fantastic case of inheritance litigation in history. She
had failed to leave a will, or no will was found to her $17,000,000 estate; a mystery still
unsolved. She had expertly handled her financial affairs since her husbands death in
1895 and therefore many felt that she must have realized that without an will, her
fortune would become involved in legal battles.

Although, Mrs. Garret, at the time of her death, had only one known relative, a second
cousin, and less than a dozen friends; attempts to prove relationship to her and claim a
part of her estate was made by more than 26,000 persons from 47 states and 29 foreign
countries, represented by more than 3,000 lawyers. In their efforts to obtain her estate,
there were those that committed perjury, faked family records, changed their own
names, altered data in Family Bibles and concocted absurd tales of illegitimacy. As
result, 12 were confined, 10 received jail sentences, 2 committed suicide, and 3 were
murdered. I wonder how many would have admitted they were guilty of covetousness?"

There are many, who if they were honest, would have to admit that they possessed a
covetous heart! One cannot read the Bible without finding incidence after incidence
where men wanted that which wasn't their's. In the Garden of Eden, Eve coveted the
forbidden fruit and brought sin and death into the world. At Ai, Achen coveted some
gold, silver and expensive garments and brought defeat to a nation and death to himself
and his family. Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard and committed murder in his attempt
to grab what belonged to another. David coveted Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, and as a
result brought the sword of God into his household for generations. Judas was
motivated by a covetous heart. Annanias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost because
they were covetous. Even the great Apostle Paul was plagued by thought covetousness -
Rom. 7:7. Covetousness had been a problem as long as man has been in this world.
Even in these last days, men still want that which isn't theirs. Notice, 2 Tim. 3:1-2; Luke
12:15. Tonight, let's look a little more closely at this Commandment as we consider this
thought, The Sin Nobody Will Admit.

I. COVETOUSNESS DISEASES ALL OF LIFE

A. It Makes Us Greedy Of Gain - When we are possessed of a covetous heat, we are

never satisfied with that which we have! There will always be a powerful urge for more.
It is interesting to note that the word "covet" means "To desire greatly." It usually has
reference to an object. When we are guilty of covetousness, we are guilty of having a
heart for things instead of a heart for the Lord. When we come to the place where we
are never satisfied with God's blessings and we are always looking for a way to increase
our possessions, then we should face the fact that we are just plain greedy!

(Ill. Many are like the man who was tired of his friends owning nicer homes that his. He
always felt inferior to them and decided to even things out a bit. He went to see a realtor
and put his home on the market and began to search for a new one. One day as he was
reading the paper, he came across a listing for a home that seemed to be just what he
was looking for. So, he called the realtor and said that he would like to see this home,
that he was interested in purchasing it. The realtor replied, "Sir, that is your house!
That is the house we are trying to sell for you." Sounds like us doesn't it? We always
think the grass is a little greener just down the road. If I can get this thing, or that job,
or this much money in the bank, then I will be happy. It will never happen! The more
we have, the more we want! Humans by nature are greedy and self-centered, always
trying to grab more than they can hold. This attitude poisons life and creates a sourness
of heart and a bitterness of disposition. The covetous person is never contented, but
they are always reaching out for more.)

B. It Makes Us Grab Another's Wealth - According to this verse, a covetous heart may
cause you to go after things that are not yours to go after. This verse says that men can
covet property, people and possessions. When we come to the place where we are
willing to do anything to have that which belong to another, then we have crossed the
line and are guilty of sin before the Lord.

It is wrong to covet:

1. Property - This verse refers to a neighbor's house. In oriental cultures, it is not

considered wrong to take things that are found to be abandoned. However, if we know
that something belongs to another person, we are to leave it alone. In fact, we are to
protect their interest in it as if it were ours. It isn't wrong for me to like my neighbor's
home and to use legal means to purchase it from him, but when I resort to illegal,
unethical tactics to obtain his property then I am guilty of covetousness and theft.

2. People - This verse mentions my neighbor's wife. To desire another man's wife, our
another woman's husband, is sinful in many ways. If I think another man's wife is
pretty, I have committed no sin, but when I begin to have a lustful desire to possess her,
then I am guilty of adultery and of covetousness. (Ill. David resorted to lying and
murder to possess Bathsheba - 2 Sam. 11)

3. Possessions - Among the items listed here are servants, animals and anything that
belongs to my neighbor. When you possess something that I am determined to possess
at any cost, then I am guilty of covetousness. It is alright to like the same things, to
possess the same things, but when we want that which is the property of another, then
we have crossed the line and are guilty of a covetous heart before the Lord.

C. When we are possessed of a covetous heart, we have ceased to trust the Lord to meet
our needs and instead are looking to acquire that which belongs to another. This kind
of attitude will ruin your life.

(Ill. When archeologists were unearthing the ancient city of Pompeii, where 20,000 died
during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, they uncovered the bodies of many of the dead.
Among them, they found the well preserved bodies of people who were caught totally
off guard by the explosion of this powerful volcano. People were found sitting at their
dinner tables, their food still on their plates. Others were found in their beds sleeping.
One woman, however, stands out from among all the victims of Pompeii. When the
scientists uncovered her body, they found clutched in her hands 10's of thousands of
dollars worth of precious stones. It seems that as death rained down from the mountain
above, she risked her life trying to save a couple of handfuls of her wealth. Now, 2,000
years later, those things she tried so vainly to hold onto, are the property of another!)
So it is with the covetous person in our day! In the end, those things we deemed so
valuable, will be absolutely worthless. Don't allow a covetous spirit to dominate your
life.

I. Covetousness Diseases All Of Life, and

II. COVETOUSNESS DISREGARDS GOD'S LAW

A. Covetousness may be the greatest among the sins listed here in these verses.
Covetousness has the power to lead men to break the other Commandments.

B. Let's just stroll through the first 9 Commandments and see how a covetous heart can
lead us to break them.

1. V. 3 - How many have placed money and possessions ahead of God?

2. V. 4-6 - How many have bowed at the altars of materialism and greed while refusing
to bow at the altar of the Lord?

3. V. 7 - Many have blasphemed the Lord's Name in their efforts to acquire things. You
do not have to speak to blaspheme the Lord! A life that is lived in a manner inconsistent
with the clear teachings of Scripture is blasphemy.

4. V. 9-11 - Many have desecrated the Lord's Day in an effort to make money! Many
who work on the Lord's Day do not out of necessity, but out of greed for gain.

5. V. 12 - Many parents are treated poorly and cast aside because they are too great a
financial burden on their children. The child feels that he/she may have to give up
something they think they need. As a result, they neglect their parents. What if mom
and dad had done that to them when they were helpless?

6. V. 13 - Many are dead tonight because someone wanted that which belonged to
another.

7. V. 14 - Many marriages are in shambles because people have been so caught up in

earning heir salt, that they have neglected their sugar! Others have had their head
turned by another man or woman and they have allowed a covetous heart to destroy
their home.

8. V. 15 - It goes without saying that stealing is the end result of a covetous spirit that
has gone too far.

9. V. 16 - Often, people will lie about another and spread gossip that can destroy their
lives because they are envious and covetous of that person's life, lifestyle, position or
walk with the Lord. Many people have had their lives totally ruined by the covetous
heart of another.

C. It seems plain to me that a covetous spirit is wicked and sinful before the Lord!
Perhaps this is why the Lord gave such clear warnings against it and its influence in our
lives - (Luke 12:15; Psa. 10:3; Mark 7:21-22)

I. Covetousness Diseases All Of Life

II. Covetousness Disregards God's Law and

III. COVETOUSNESS DENIES THE LORD

A. It Demonstrates A Lack Of Faith - When we are constantly going after that which
we do not have, we are simply saying that the Lord cannot be trusted to take care of His
children. He has promised us in His Word that He will give us those things that we are
in need of - Phil. 4:19. However, when we refuse to be content with that which we
already have, then we are guilty in the eyes of the Lord. We are saying that He hasn't
done enough and that we can't trust God to meet our need! God help us to always look
to the Lord for the things we have need of and to always remember that we are to
practice contentment with what we already possess - Heb. 13:6; 1 Tim. 6:6-8. God's
plan for us in regard to obtaining things is found in Mat. 6:25-34. When we forget that
He is the provider and begin to think that getting relies on us, then we have passed from
faith into covetousness and we are guilty of sin!

(Ill. An ancient Persian legend tells of a wealthy man by the name of Al Haffed
who owned a large farm. One evening a visitor related to him tales of fabulous
amounts of diamonds that could be found in other parts of the world, and of the
great riches they could bring him. The vision of all this wealth made him feel
poor by comparison. So instead of caring for his own prosperous farm, he sold it
and set out to find these treasures. But the search proved to be fruitless. Finally,
penniless and in despair, he committed suicide by jumping into the sea.

Meanwhile, the man who had purchased his farm noticed one day the glint of an
unusual stone in a shallow stream on the property. He reached into the water, and
to his amazement he pulled out a huge diamond. Later, when working in his
garden, he uncovered many more valuable gems. Poor Al Haffed had spent his
life traveling to distant lands seeking jewels when on the farm he had left behind
were all the precious stones his heart could have ever desired.)

In our greed for more, we often lose that which we already have!

B. It Demonstrates A Lack Of Faithfulness - When we alow a covetous heart to

dominate our lives, we will become slaves to the things we want. When this happens, we
will be guilty of placing the Lord in second place in our lives. There is nothing wrong in
possessing things, but we fall into sin when things begin to possess us! When we allow
things to supercede God in our lives, then we are guilty of idolatry!

(Ill. An article from the Reader's Digest tells of a zoologist who designed an
experiment in which an ape was introduced to the profit motive. To accomplish
this, the specialist first taught the animal to draw and paint, and he found him to
be capable of some rather admirable accomplishments. Then he started rewarding
him by giving him peanuts for his work. Soon the ape was doing "any old scrawl"
just to get the peanuts. The experimenter wryly observed, "I had introduced
commercialism into the ape's world and ruined him as an artist."

We too forfeit something worthwhile whenever we become preoccupied with

material returns. This doesn't mean we shouldn't seek enjoyment out of life. The
Scriptures do not say that the profit motive is wrong in itself. But the problem is
obvious. Living only for a bigger and better salary, home, car, or vacation doesn't
satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts. It may seem as if happiness and
satisfaction will increase as we gain more and more possessions, but it doesn't
work that way. When we are guilty of possessing a covetous heart, we can be sure
that the level of our devotion to Jesus Christ will suffer.)

(Ill. According to zookeepers, two reptiles will sometimes grab different ends of
the same piece of food. Sooner or later their struggle for that last bite brings them
nose to nose. But then comes the surprise. The snake with the widest bite will
keep right on going and actually swallow the other.

Man may think that he can control his covetous urges, but he will quickly find
that they will swallow him alive and will destroy his usefulness for the Lord.)

C. We can never be faithful to the Lord as long as we are consumed by other

things in life. Jesus must fill our vision! Until He does, everything else in life will
be out of balance!

Conc: When it comes to possessing things, many of us are like the maid of a certain
wealthy men. One day as he descended the stairs, he overheard the girl say, "Oh if I
just had 5 dollars, I would be so contented." Wondering what would happen, he pulled
a 5 from his wallet and as he passed by he handed it to her. She stammered a thank you
and the man walked out of the room. Just before he passed our of earshot he heard her
mutter in disgust, "Now, why didn't I ask for 10?"

You've probably heard of the court battle over the million dollar Pepsi cap. It seems
that one woman left a Pepsi bottle behind when she left her job for the day. Apparently,
she didn't want it and just forgot to discard it. A coworker, however, was always
looking at Pepsi caps trying to win free drinks. When she saw this Pepsi sitting there
and inquired about it, she found that no one knew who's it was and she was told to
throw it away. Before she did though she looked at the cap and discovered that it was a
winning cap worth one million dollars.

Now it seems that the first lady, the one who left the drink behind for another to throw
away, is suing the second lady for all the money. It didn't mean a thing to here until she
found out it was worth something. Sounds a touch greedy to me.

Our problem is not that we have too little, nor is it that we possess too much. Our
problem is that we want more than we need. Epicurus has written, "If you want to
make a man happy, add not to his possessions, but take away from his desires." How
true! We need to search our hearts this evening and see what motivates us. Are we
always talking about money? Are we always feeling jealous because someone has
something we think we need? Are we guilty of going after things instead of the Lord?
Do you need to come to this altar and confess to the Lord that you are guilty of the sin
nobody will admit to? If you have a covetous heart, it will be your downfall, unless you
make it right with God. Will you come to Him and allow Him to get real big in your
vision while other things are allowed to shrink? Let's just be honest with Jesus tonight.
There were other laws in existence at the time of Christ, such as the Mosaic sacrificial law,
which had to do with the temple and the sacrifices connected with it. These ceremonial and
temple laws terminated when the temple service ceased to be of value at the death of Christ.
All Christians believe that they were abolished and annulled in the great sacrifice on Calvary.
Col. 2:14. It is not of these laws that we speak, but of the law of God contained in the ten
precepts. This law we believe to be of as much force as ever, and binding upon Christians
and upon all men in all ages. Matt. 5:17-19; Lake 16:17; Rom. 3:31. It is to this law that we
are addressing ourselves.

Christ believed in and kept the law. "I have kept My Father's commandments," Christ says,
"and abide in His love." John 15:10.
The apostles took the same stand on the law as did Christ. That, of course, would be
expected. Those who hold that Paul spoke or wrote against the law put Paul against Christ.
Paul indeed ignored the ceremonial law and taught that circumcision was without value, but
when it came to the law of God, he stood exactly where Christ stood. Note how indignantly
Paul repels the charge that faith makes void the law. "Do we then make void the law through
faith?" he exclaims. "God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31. There were no
stronger words of protest that Paul could find than those he used, "God forbid." The charge
was so preposterous, so out of harmony with all that he taught and believed, that he bursts
out in vehement protest at the very thought of it.

The idea that either Christ or the apostles would attempt to annul the law of
God is so strange and amazing that we cannot believe that men who speak
thus are aware of the implication of their words. Abolish the law! Abolish
the ten commandments! We can conceive that the evil one might desire to
have this done, but we cannot believe that either Christ or the apostles
would have anything to do with such an undertaking; nor do we believe that
those who advocate such doctrine have considered what it means to abolish
86
the law. Let us list the substance of each of the ten commandments, and consider the result
were they to be abolished.

The Ten Commandments as Abolished

1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Abolished.
2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." Abolished.
3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Abolished.
4:. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Abolished.
5. "Honor thy father and thy mother." Abolished.
6. "Thou shalt not kill." Abolished.
7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Abolished.
8. "Thou shalt not steal." Abolished.
9. "Thou shalt not bear false witness." Abolished.
10. "Thou shalt not covet." Abolished.

We confess that we are perplexed that anyone can think that Christ or the
disciples ever attempted to abolish these commandments. With Paul we say,
"God forbid."
Consider these commandments. Can a Christian look at them and say that
they are, or ought to be, abolished? Is the commandment, "Thou shalt not
steal," abolished? Or the commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery"?
or, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me"? God forbid! Such teaching
is from beneath and not from above. Let all Christians forever banish any
such idea from the mind. God did not proclaim the law from heaven and
announce severe penalties for its transgression, merely to abolish it later.
God did not lay down rules for man's conduct, then send His Son to die
because men transgressed those rules, and immediately afterward annul the
very law that demanded the death of Christ. If the law were to be annulled,
it should have been annulled before Christ died. This would have saved
Him the agony and terror of the cross. To keep the law in force just long
enough to exact the penalty of death, and then annul it, is making the cross
of none effect and Christ's death a miscarriage of justice.

We do not believe that any

man, however great, has any right or mandate to change God's
commandments.
A law publicly announced cannot be secretly annulled. If a change in the
law is desired, the change should be made by as great authority as the one
who first enacted it, and the nature of the change should be made plain. If,
as in this case, the observance of one day is to be discontinued and the
observance of another day ordered, this change must be made plain beyond
the possibility of misunderstanding. Also, if the new day is to be honored
with the same reverence as the old, then its institution should be
accompanied with the same or greater manifestation of respect and honor.
God Himself led the way in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. He
Himself proclaimed it ,in flaming fire from the mount. He Himself wrote it
in enduring stone. Millions of God's people were witnesses and heard the
proclamation, and myriads of angels were there.
None of these conditions was present at the time when the first day of the
week was supposed to have been instituted. Sunday came in unannounced,
unheralded, unnoticed, in every way an anticlimax to the original institution
and inauguration of the Sabbath of the Lord.

God did everything that He could do to magnify the seventh-day Sabbath.

He honored it by keeping it Himself. He rested upon it, He blessed it, He
sanctified it, He proclaimed it in glory from the mount. He did none of these
things for the first day of the week.
Did God or Christ Change the Sabbath?
Christ had nothing to do with any change of the Sabbath day from the seventh to the first day
of the week.

The ten commandments were spoken from mount Sinai. With awful grandeur the King of
kings, the infinite God, declared His law and enjoined obedience to it. The commands, “Thou
shalt,” and “Thou shalt not,” are plain and positive. He who has given life and preserves life
has the right to command and control those who are dependent on Him for every breath they
draw. Ms126-1901.12
The first words that God spoke were, “I am the Lord thy God.” [Exodus 20:2.] By this
declaration He asserted His authority to present His claims before the people. He had freed
them from their bondage, and they owed their service to Him. Ms126-1901.13
The first commandment is a requirement in reference to man’s worship. Ms126-1901.14
The second commandment prohibits man from worshiping the true God through any creature
or image. It forbids the making of any image which man might try to liken to the Creator. It
forbids the making of an image of any creature to represent God or to be associated in any
way with the worship of God. Ms126-1901.15
“To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman
melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver
chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot;
he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have
ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a
curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing: he
maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be
sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and
they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye
liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who
hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names
by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou,
O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed
over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the
Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching
of his understanding.” [Isaiah 40:18-28.] Ms126-1901.16
The Lord urges His supremacy. But Satan well knows that the worship of the living God
elevates, ennobles, and exalts a nation. He knows that idol worship does not elevate, but that
it degrades man’s ideas by associating with worship that which is base and corrupt. He is at
work constantly to draw the mind away from the only true and living God. He leads men to
give honor and glory to objects that human hands have made or to soulless creatures that God
has created. The Egyptians and other heathen nations had many strange gods—creatures of
their own fanciful imagination. Ms126-1901.17
The Jews, after their long captivity, would not make any image. The image on the Roman
ensign or banner they called an abomination, especially when these emblems were placed in
a prominent place for them to respect. Such respect they regarded as a violation of the second
commandment. When the Roman ensign was set up in the holy place in the temple, they
looked upon it as an abomination. Ms126-1901.18
The use of images by the Roman Catholic Church is antichristian. Those who worship them
are commandment-breakers. Image-worship is contrary to God’s positive commands. The
second commandment is entirely opposed to such practices. But the popes have tampered
with the commandments. In all the books of devotion given to the people, the second
commandment is omitted. The third they call the second, the fourth the third; and the tenth
they have divided into two. Thus in the place of conforming their practices to God’s
commands, they have altered His commandments to harmonize with their practices. To suit
their worship they have taken away from and added to God’s Word. Ms126-1901.19
By their treatment of His Word the popes have exalted themselves above the God of heaven.
This is the reason that in prophecy the papal power is specified as the “man of sin.” [2
Thessalonians 2:3.] Satan is the originator of sin. The power that he causes to alter any one of
God’s holy precepts is the man of sin. Under Satan’s special direction the papal power has
done this very work. Although those standing at the head of the papacy claim to have great
love for God, He looks upon them as haters of Him. They have turned the truth of God into a
lie. Tampering with God’s commandments and placing in their stead human traditions is the
work of Satan and will divorce the religious world from God; for He declares, “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.” [Exodus 20:5.] God will fulfil this word.
“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” [Galatians 6:7.] Pharaoh sowed
obstinacy, and he reaped obstinacy. He himself put this seed into the soil. There was no more
need for God by some new power to interfere with its growth than there is for Him to
interfere with the growth of a grain of corn. Ms126-1901.20
All that is required is that a seed shall be left to germinate and spring up to bring forth fruit
after its kind. The harvest reveals the kind of seed that has been sown. Ms126-1901.21
When light from God, strong and convincing, came to make known the great I AM, Pharaoh
was compelled to yield. But as soon as the pressure was removed, his unbelief returned and
counteracted the great light which God had given. When he refused the evidence of the first
miracle, he sowed the seed of infidelity, which, left to its natural course, produced a harvest
after its own kind. Afterward the king would not be convinced by any working of God’s
power. The monarch hardened his heart and went on from one step to another of unbelief,
until throughout the vast realm of Egypt the firstborn, the pride of every household, had been
laid low. After this he hurried with his army after Israel. He sought to bring back a people
delivered by the arm of Omnipotence. But he was fighting against a Power greater than any
human power, and with his host he perished in the waters of the Red Sea.Ms126-1901.22
The despisers of God’s law are practicing the same sin that Pharaoh practiced. They are
hardening their hearts. The voice of God is rejected for human theories, for Satanic
suggestions and delusions. The Holy Spirit is resisted and set aside. The iniquities of the
fathers are visited upon the children. The seed that they sow by precept and example are
reproduced in their children.Ms126-1901.23
The Spirit of God keeps evil under the control of conscience. When man exalts himself above
the influence of the Spirit, he reaps a harvest of iniquity. Over such a man the Spirit has less
and less influence to restrain him from sowing seeds of disobedience. Ms126-1901.24
Warnings have less and less power over him. He gradually loses his fear of God. He sows to
the flesh; he will reap corruption. The harvest of the seed that he himself has sown is
ripening. He has a contempt for God’s holy commandments. His heart of flesh becomes a
heart of stone. Resistance to truth confirms him in iniquity. It is because men sowed seeds of
evil, that lawlessness, crime, and violence prevailed in the antediluvian world. Ms126-
1901.25
All should be intelligent in regard to the agency by which the soul is destroyed. It is not
because of any decree that God has sent out against man. He does not make man spiritually
blind. God gives sufficient light and evidence to enable man to distinguish truth from error.
But He does not force man to receive truth. He leaves him free to choose the good or to
choose the evil. If man resists evidence that is sufficient to guide his judgment in the right
direction, and chooses evil once, he will do this more readily the second time. The third time
he will still more eagerly withdraw himself from God and choose to stand on the side of
Satan. And in this course he will continue until he is confirmed in evil and believes the lie he
has cherished as truth. His resistance has produced its harvest. By his example he leads
others to follow the same course of resistance against God. Ms126-1901.26
Those who transgress the law of God are teaching their children to show disrespect for this
law and to rebel against the Lawgiver. They place their children in the enemy’s ranks where
they are cut off from the blessings of God’s covenant and are brought under His judgments.
If parents die while they are transgressors of God’s law, their children will be inclined to do
as they have done. Ms126-1901.27
By precept and example children of ungodly parents receive an education in evil-doing.
When their measure of disobedience and transgression is full, God reckons with them. Both
parents and children are held accountable for their idolatry. God bears long with perverse
resistance, but He will surely punish iniquity. Ms126-1901.28
God announces Himself as “showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep
my commandments.” [Exodus 20:6.] Ms126-1901.29
Those who obey these precepts sow seed for a bountiful and glorious harvest, for the mercy
of God is shown to their children and their children’s children to the third and fourth
generations. This principle is of as much force today as it was when God spoke the words
from mount Sinai. The Lord loves and honors obedience now just as much as when He gave
His law. Ms126-1901.30
All false worship is spiritual adultery. The second precept, which forbids false worship, is
also a command to worship God, and Him only serve. The Lord is a jealous God. He will not
be trifled with. He has spoken concerning the manner in which He should be worshiped. He
has a hatred of idolatry, for its influence is corrupting. It debases the mind and leads to
sensuality and all kinds of sin. Ms126-1901.31
To make an image of God dishonors Him. No one should bring into service the power of
imagination to worship that which belittles God in the mind and associates Him with
common things. Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.Ms126-
1901.32
They must exercise living faith. Their worship will then be controlled not by the imagination,
but by genuine faith. Ms126-1901.33
Let men worship and serve the Lord God, and Him only. Let not selfish pride be lifted up and
served as a god. Let not money be made a god. If sensuality is not kept under the control of
the higher powers of the mind, base passion will rule the being. Anything that is made the
subject of undue thought and admiration, absorbing the mind, is a god chosen before the
Lord. God is a searcher of the heart. He distinguishes between true heart-service and
idolatry. Ms126-1901.34
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” [Verse 7.] Those who are
brought into covenant relation with God are pledged to speak of Him in the most respectful,
reverential manner. Many refer to God and mention His name in their religious conversation
much as they would mention a horse or any other common creature. This dishonors God. By
precept and example, parents should educate their children on this point, lest by irreverence
they grieve away God’s Spirit from their hearts and the hearts of their children. Ms126-
1901.35
Ministers, by carelessly introducing the name of God into their conversation, may teach
lessons of irreverence. By mingling His holy name with common matters, they show that
they are not spiritually minded; for they mingle the sacred and the common. They are not
living up to their holy profession. While claiming to be worshipers of God, they walk
contrary to His law. Ms126-1901.36
Swearing, and all words spoken in the form of an oath, are dishonoring to God. The Lord
sees, the Lord hears, and He will not hold the transgressor guiltless. He will not be mocked.
Those who take the name of the Lord in vain will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God. Ms126-1901.37
In a special sense the first four commandments reveal the duty of man to his Maker. These
four precepts were written on the first table of stone. Man has a God who is the Author of his
being—a God whom he must love and obey with heart, mind, soul, and strength. Ms126-
1901.38
The last six commandments, written on the second table of stone, point out man’s duty to his
fellow man. He who is true to his God, loving and obeying Him, will be true to his neighbor.
A man who is false to his God will be false to his neighbor. Those who keep the first four
commandments will keep the last six. Ms126-1901.39
After giving the ten commandments, the Lord more explicitly enlarged upon them, laying
down the principles that should be carried out in the practical life. These specifications are
called judgments, or statutes, because the magistrates were to give judgment according to
them. God did not speak them with an audible voice to the Israelites, but gave them to
Moses, who communicated them to the people. In several instances difficult cases had arisen
upon which Moses felt incapable of rendering a decision. He had supplicated the Lord to
decide them for him. The Lord now gave general statutes that would govern decisions in
these particular cases. Ms126-1901.40
The Lord desired to guard the interests of servants. He commanded the Israelites to be
merciful, and to bear in mind that they themselves had been servants. They were directed to
be mindful of the rights of their servants. In no case were they to abuse them. In dealing with
them, they were not to be exacting as the Egyptian taskmasters had been with them. They
were to exercise tenderness and compassion in the treatment of their servants. God desired
them to put themselves in the place of the servants, and deal with them as they would wish
others to deal with them under the same circumstances. Ms126-1901.41
Because of poverty, some were sold into bondage by their parents. Others who were
sentenced for crimes by the judges were sold into bondage. The Lord specified that even
these were not to be held as bondservants for more than seven years. At the end of that time
every servant was given his freedom, or if he chose, he was allowed to remain with his
master. Thus God guarded the interests of the lowly and the oppressed. Thus He enjoined a
noble spirit of generosity and encouraged all to cultivate a love for liberty, because the Lord
had made them free. Any one who refused liberty, when it was his privilege to have it, was
marked. This was not a badge of honor to him, but a mark of disgrace. Thus God encouraged
the cultivation of a high and noble spirit, rather than a spirit of bondage and slavery. Ms126-
1901.42
God desires Christians to respect the liberty that He has in so marvelous a manner given
them. In Christ is vested the ownership of every man. Man should not be another man’s
property. God has bought mankind. One man’s mind, one man’s power, should not rule and
control another’s conscience. In the sight of God, wealth and position do not exalt one man
above another. Men are free to choose the service of God, to love the Lord, and to keep all
His commandments. Ms126-1901.43
How carefully God protects the rights of men! He has attached a penalty to wilful murder.
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” [Genesis 9:6.] If one
murderer were permitted to go unpunished, he would by his evil influence and cruel violence
subvert others. This would result in a condition of things similar to that which existed before
the flood. God must punish murderers. He gives life, and He will take life, if that life
becomes a terror and a menace. Mercy shown to a wilful murderer is cruelty to his fellow
men. If a wilful murderer thinks that he will find protection by fleeing to the altar of God, he
may find that he will be forced from that altar and be slain. But if a man takes life
unintentionally, then God declares that He will provide a place of refuge to which he can
flee. Ms126-1901.44
“He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.” [Exodus 21:17.] Thus
God expressed His mind in regard to rebellious children. He made it a capital crime for
children to curse or to smite their parents. And He will punish the parents, if they do not
govern and control their children. How many children are lost to all virtue! How many are
abandoned to vice and iniquity! How many abuse their own parents! Ms126-1901.45
It was Jesus Christ Himself who gave special directions to Israel. Do these specifications
testify of a Christless dispensation? Is this code of statutes of a lower order than are the
statutes which are given in this age? The Lord guards the interests of His people. He gives
special directions concerning the poor. How impartial are His ways! How exalted are all His
requirements! Ms126-1901.46
The Lord gave many other statutes or judgments, which were to be strictly obeyed. These are
recorded in the twenty-first, twenty-second, and twenty-third chapters of Exodus. Ms126-
1901.47
The Lord also specified the conditions on which His people, the Israelites, would receive the
promised blessing: Ms126-1901.48
“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place
which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not
pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice,
and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto
thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites,
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I
will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their
works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye
shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take
sickness away from the midst of thee. Ms126-1901.49
“There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I
will fulfil. I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt
come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets
before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the
beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out from before
thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea
even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the
inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt
make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they
make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.”
[Exodus 23:20-33.] Ms126-1901.50
These promises are given on conditions of obedience. God will bless and honor those who
honor Him. The living God pledges Himself by promises to those whom He lays under
obligations to Himself. His people must take Him as their Ruler. They must obey the laws of
His government. They must not only refrain from worshiping all other gods, but overthrow
them utterly, thus evidencing their great abhorrence of idolatry. Ms126-1901.51
After God had given Moses various laws and ordinances, He directed him to go down to the
people and acquaint them with these laws. Moses was instructed to read them to the people.
While in the mount he had written them just as they had been spoken by the Son of God.
“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and
all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will
we do.” [Exodus 24:3.] Ms126-1901.52
Preparation was now made for the ratification of the covenant, according to God’s directions.
Moses “builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of
Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and
sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood, and put
it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the
covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said
will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all
these words.” [Verses 4-8.] Ms126-1901.53
Here the people received the conditions of the covenant. They made a solemn covenant with
God, typifying the covenant made between God and every believer in Jesus Christ. The
conditions were plainly laid before the people. They were not left to misunderstand them.
When they were requested to decide whether they would agree to all the conditions given,
they unanimously consented to obey every obligation. They had already consented to obey
God’s commandments. The principles of the law were now particularized, that they might
know how much was involved in covenanting to obey the law; and they accepted the
specifically defined particulars of the law. Ms126-1901.54
If the Israelites had obeyed God’s requirements, they would have been practical Christians.
They would have been happy, for they would have been keeping God’s ways and not
following the inclinations of their own natural hearts. Moses did not leave them to
misconstrue the words of the Lord or to misapply His requirements. He wrote all the words
of the Lord in a book, that they might be referred to afterward. In the mount he had written
them as Christ Himself dictated them. Ms126-1901.55
Bravely did the Israelites speak the words promising obedience to the Lord, after hearing His
covenant read in the audience of the people. They said, “All that the Lord hath said will we
do, and be obedient.” [Verse 7.] Then the people were set apart and sealed to God. A
sacrifice was offered to the Lord. A portion of the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon
the altar. This signified that the people had consecrated themselves—body, mind, and soul—
to God. A portion was sprinkled upon the people. This signified that through the sprinkled
blood of Christ, God graciously accepted them as His special treasure. Thus the Israelites
entered into a solemn covenant with God. Ms126-1901.56
*****
As representative of the fallen race, Christ passed over the same ground on which Adam
stumbled and fell. By a life of perfect obedience to God’s law, Christ redeemed man from the
penalty of Adam’s disgraceful fall. Man has violated God’s law. Only for those who return to
their allegiance to God, only for those who obey the law that they have violated, will the
blood of Christ avail. Christ will never become a party to sin. Bearing the penalty of the law,
He gives the sinner another chance, a second trial. He opens a way whereby the sinner can be
reinstated in God’s favor. Christ bears the penalty of man’s past transgressions, and by
imparting to man His righteousness, makes it possible for man to keep God’s holy law.