God’s Moral Laws.
Can you recall God’s 9th commandment?
Don’t feel bad if not. Most may not recall the commandments by number, but we know or remember many of them by heart such as the 9th; “Though shall not lie” or (bear false witness).
Honest question, no pun intended! Have you ever told a lie?
Well, of course you are not alone on that either. All humans have at some point in our lives, either as a child, an adult, or certainly a politician, have told lies. Honestly if you or I, or anyone, were to profess otherwise, well that would surely be another another lie.
So it is safe to say your answer like mine, like all people, would be yes?
Lets consider another widely and well known commandment, the 8th, “Thou shall not steal!”
Have you ever taken anything, physical, intellectual property, or otherwise, that didn’t belong to you?
I’m confident if we are truthful with ourselves, though maybe not with malicious intent, we have all taken “stolen” something at least once in our lifetime correct?
So, we will check yes to stealing.
Now it heats up, pun intended!
Have you ever looked at another person with sexual desire (lustfully)?
Uh oh right! Few will even bother to lie about commiting that one, which is covered by the 7th Commandment, “Thou shall not commit adultery.”
“Adultery” by human definition mind you; is to “engage in sexual intercourse outside of marriage”, did you know that?
Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 “I tell you anyone who looks at another lustfully has already committed adultery with them in their heart.”
I can guess what you are thinking at this point, “come on man who hasn’t? We’re only human!” That is true, and God knows it because He created us.
With that being said your honest answer to violating the 7th commandment is safely yes?
Don’t quit here, if you’re feeling irritated it’s just conviction, the good news is, it means you still have a conscience and which is a very good thing. We are all guilty, so just breathe deeply and press on because Peace is what you seek, therefore truth is what you need.
Let’s move on to God’s 3rd Commandment; have you ever used a term involving God’s name? For example, I’ll just cite as “GD”, such as “this GD person” or “that GD thing”? Or maybe you exclaim, as I often defaulted to years ago when frustrated “Jesus Christ!”
Let’s consider the first of two parts in the 3rd commandment which is certainly clear; “Thou shall not use the Lord your God’s name in vain”. maybe you’ve thought it’s not really a big deal?
Imagine for a moment you substitute God or Jesus names with that of your mother or father or some other individual for which you have great respect, would you use their name, or want others for that matter, to reference their name as foul curse, as a cuss word, to “damn” something or someone else? I’m sure the honest answer is course not, who would?
With that being said, maybe you are thinking right now, or perhaps you have justified to someone in your life, “I just say it out of habit, I don’t mean anything by it” or ” God knows I don’t mean it bad towards Him”. Though it’s a tough pill to swallow, there is no easy way to let you down, you’d be very wrong. That is exactly what God means when He says “In vain”. By Definition: Nugatory (no value); no purpose; useless; pointless, fruitless; frustrated; worthless.
Now imagine again your loved one or your own name for that matter being used as a “curse” word.
I you’re of a passive type, you would likely just withdraw and internalize the hurtful use of your name as rejection.
On the other, if you are the assertive type, you would likely make known your utter disdain for the inconsiderate misuse of your name very clear, and further advise that the continued flippant abuse of your, or your loved one’s name, will bring about unfavorable consequences. Truthfully, am I correct?
So, to the question have you ever used, or more approprietly abused our Lord’s name for any reason? I’m guessing we are once again at “who hasn’t, and you’re probably right.
However, that again being said, you are guilty of using the Lords name in vain.
Now God is passive in that He wants us to turn the other cheek, respond to evil with good, to be righteous which is something human anger can not produce. In James 1:19 we are advised to be “Quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger”.
On the other hand, God’s nature is just, He can not be unjust as He defines and sets the standard for justice.
That brings us to the second part of God’s 3rd Commandment which seems pretty darn important with regard to the first part yet most people do not recall this, “for the Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse His name.”
Think about that for even a nano second, I do not know about you, but I don’t want that target on my head. So when we think about a loving God who gave us life and think deeper about the hurtful misuse of His name, it really isn’t excusable, is it?
Realistically, it is much too easy to remember, to respect and accept God’s feeling about the misuse of His name, and to develop a new word, or habit of expressing our displeasure another way, or perhaps just “bite the bullet” and skip “cursing” altogether. Just remember, the blatant misuse of His name, is not optional.
Now filling in the other equally important commandments;
The 1st Commandment;
“I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me.”
This means anything else we put above or value more than God in our lives, such as money possessions power prestige, or perhaps something you actually worship like an object, the stars, sun, moon, nature, another person, or perhaps even yourself.
For God “is a jealous God” and He says so, leading us into his 2nd Commandment.
“You shall not make for yourself any created image or the likeness of anything that is in Heaven, nor those things that are in the water or the earth beneath. You shall not adore them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”.
Exodus 25:5 (LINK: 10 Things you should know about the Jealousy of God).
God is also jealous for the devotion, wholeheartedness, loyalty, and love of his people.
4) “Remember to keep the Sabbath holy”.
5) “Honor your mother and father that your days may be long”.
6) “Thou shalt not murder”
10) “Thou shalt not covet (desire) your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, nor his servants, nor his OX, his donkey (his nice 4 x 4 truck) or anything that is his.”
These are God’s mostly simple rules for us to live by. He knows we are not perfect, again He made us. But it is what lies in our hearts and our desire to live according to His will that He weighs.
It is because He first loved us, that He provided us with a life instruction manual (the Holy Bible).
It it because He is Holy, He can not tollerate sin, but through His love “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”, that He gave us a these perameters to live by, and He ended them simply with this;
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 14:15
Are you ready to acknowledge God, your short comings, to ask His forgiveness which He freely gives, to know Him better and find ever lasting Peace?