Exodus 20:17 “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.”
Simply
put, to covet is to desire and crave for something that isn’t currently
yours. What many people may not know is that coveting isn’t always a
bad thing! The Hebrew word that is used in the tenth commandment is “chamad”
- it is variously translated as covet, desire, take pleasure in, lust
after, long for, and enjoy. For many misguided christians, this doesn’t
seem like a good thing! But let’s be clear, God is very interested in
what is desirable, pleasing, and fun for us. He isn’t some “prude” in
Heaven, ruling against any kind of fun or pleasure.
Let me show you what I’m talking about:
Genesis 2:9 “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
The
Hebrew word for “pleasant to the sight” is the same word - chamad. God
made the trees (and by inference, the whole of creation) to be enjoyable
for us and pleasing to look at! God’s intention in creation was to make
things we would want!
Psalm 19:9-10 “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
Here
we see that we should be coveting - craving and longing for - the
judgements of God, found inside the word. Has there ever been a time in
your christian life when you could say that you coveted (lusted for and craved) the words on the pages of the Bible? This is the healthiest place any believer could be in!
When we move into the New Testament, the good type of coveting is still apparent. The Greek word for covet is “epithymeo” - its meaning is still the same: desire, longing, lust, craving.
Matthew 13:17 uses this word: “...for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
In this verse we see Jesus telling His disciples that many righteous men coveted the very days that they were living in - the days when Jesus walked the earth!
1
Peter 1:12 shows us that it wasn’t just the prophets of old that longed
to know the New Testament realities we’re living in - apparently, even
the angels have this craving! “To them [the prophets]
it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were
ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those
who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from
heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”
So we can see through these verses that there are times when it is right
for us to covet some things! So when does coveting become a bad thing?
When does desiring something become breaking the tenth commandment? The
answer is simple. We can see the difference between godly and godless
coveting in Galatians 5:17 - “For the flesh lusts (epithymeo)
against the Spirit, and the Spirit [lusts ]against the flesh; and these
are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you
wish.” Did you see that? There are two types of covetousness - spiritual and fleshly.
Fleshly
covetousness is only concerned about desiring things that we have no
right to possess. Coveting things that have been devoted to God (i.e.
the tithe) is one of these sinful desires - just ask Achan (Joshua
7:21)! Proverbs 6:25-26 tells us all about the dangers of coveting the
beauty of a prostitute.
But now let’s look at the things that the tenth commandment specifically warns us not to covet.
“Your neighbor’s house...” - We are not to be jealous about where someone else lives.
“...your neighbor’s wife...”
- don’t desire to have someone else’s spouse! But even beyond that,
don’t allow yourself to be jealous of someone else’s family (parents,
siblings, kids, etc.).
“...nor his male servant, nor his female servant...” - don’t envy their position in life. Don’t be jealous of their job, their influence, or the people that look up to them.
“...nor his ox...”
- Cattle and sheep were a means of livelihood in those day. Today we
would say, “Don’t desire or crave your neighbor’s bank accounts or full
wallets.” Don’t be jealous of their wealth!
“...nor his donkey...”
- quite simply, a mode of transportation. Cars, boats, motorcycles -
don’t be jealous of their ways of getting from point A to point B.
“...nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
- If there’s anything else that isn’t mentioned before, it’s listed
right here. The point is simple, don’t desire something that belongs to
someone else!
Your
desires should be focused on the things that you have a right to
possess. You have no biblical right to desire what belongs to someone
else. In today’s society, especially in light of the various protests
against the “rich”, it’s important to remember that this command still
applies! You have no right in God’s eyes to even long for what someone
else has - let alone demand a part of it! Let’s forget this “class
warfare” mindset and move into total obedience to God’s Word. It’s time
to bring our very desires in line with God’s plan for us!
Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let
your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as
you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake
you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
Showing posts with label 10 commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 10 commandments. Show all posts
Monday, August 13, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Stop Lying!
Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Strictly speaking, this command was a prohibition of ‘lying under oath.’ The point in this, the ninth commandment, was to protect people from false accusations. Trials back then consisted of the testimony of two or more eyewitnesses. This command was telling every Israelite to speak truthfully and not accuse anyone of something that they didn’t do. Proverbs 19:19 reinforces this, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.”
You see, the penalty for making a false accusation was severe. Deuteronomy 19:18-19 shows us what that penalty was - “And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.” It was simple: if you lie under oath and try to use the law as a weapon against an innocent man, you were to be punished for whatever crime you were accusing him of. That means if you were falsely accusing a woman of adultery, you were required to face the penalty of adultery. If you falsely accused someone of theft, you would be demanded to pay to that person what they supposedly stole from you
This may seem harsh, but it’s not! I can guarantee that the culture of Israel wasn’t plagued with frivolous and baseless lawsuits! Justice was upheld and innocent reputations were protected. This was the letter of the law.
The spirit behind the law goes much further, leading to a simpler concept - speak the truth. God’s people were to be a people of truth. Lying and falsehood were to have no part in Israelite culture. The book of Proverbs is filled with such warnings to take the technicality of the ninth commandment and apply it to your daily life. Listen to these scriptures:
Proverbs 12:19 “The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” It’s common sense - you simply cannot continue to push lies forever. Eventually you will be found out!
Proverbs 26:18-19 “Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, ‘I was only joking.’” We’ve all done this - sometimes for surprise parties, sometimes to pull a prank on a friend. The sad truth of it is, even when the lie is under the cover of a joke, it will still damage the trust in the friendship.
Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” This passage lists both sides of the ninth commandment - false witness in a trial and lying during everyday life. Both of them alike are an abomination to God. God feels just as strongly about lying as He does ‘hands that shed innocent blood’ - that is murder! Proverbs 12:22 repeats this point: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” God hates lying but He delights in the truth!
Why does He hate lying so much? First of all, you need to understand His nature. Numbers 23:19 tells us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” God isn’t like us, no matter how hard we’ve tried to humanize Him. God means everything that He says - His entire nature and character backs up the words that He speaks. James 1:17 tells us that God has no “shadow of turning.” - not even a hint of change.
So if lying doesn’t come from God’s nature, where did humanity (created in God’s image) pick it up? Jesus was very upfront about this in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Do you see this? Satan is the liar and the father of any lie.
Telling lies is so serious in God’s eyes that it’s listed alongside murder, sexual immorality, and idolatry in Revelation 21:8, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Notice it says all liars - not just the biggest liars. You see, when you tell a lie you are taking the side of Satan Himself! Ouch!
Truth and lying are enemies, they cannot exist together. Try it. Try mixing a little bit of lie with truth. What happened? It turned everything you were saying into one big lie! As children of God, as His own special people, believers are to be people of truth.
Colossians 3:9-10 “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” We were all liars before we were saved. Satan was our father and we both shared a common destination. But now, Jesus delivered us and we have been recreated in God’s own image. Now, our goal is to be more and more like Him every day. We can’t reach this goal if we still think that little lies are harmless.
Remember this, lying (in any shape or form) is Satan’s native language, but God always speaks truth! Whose side do you want to be on?
Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. “
Strictly speaking, this command was a prohibition of ‘lying under oath.’ The point in this, the ninth commandment, was to protect people from false accusations. Trials back then consisted of the testimony of two or more eyewitnesses. This command was telling every Israelite to speak truthfully and not accuse anyone of something that they didn’t do. Proverbs 19:19 reinforces this, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.”
You see, the penalty for making a false accusation was severe. Deuteronomy 19:18-19 shows us what that penalty was - “And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.” It was simple: if you lie under oath and try to use the law as a weapon against an innocent man, you were to be punished for whatever crime you were accusing him of. That means if you were falsely accusing a woman of adultery, you were required to face the penalty of adultery. If you falsely accused someone of theft, you would be demanded to pay to that person what they supposedly stole from you
This may seem harsh, but it’s not! I can guarantee that the culture of Israel wasn’t plagued with frivolous and baseless lawsuits! Justice was upheld and innocent reputations were protected. This was the letter of the law.
The spirit behind the law goes much further, leading to a simpler concept - speak the truth. God’s people were to be a people of truth. Lying and falsehood were to have no part in Israelite culture. The book of Proverbs is filled with such warnings to take the technicality of the ninth commandment and apply it to your daily life. Listen to these scriptures:
Proverbs 12:19 “The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” It’s common sense - you simply cannot continue to push lies forever. Eventually you will be found out!
Proverbs 26:18-19 “Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, ‘I was only joking.’” We’ve all done this - sometimes for surprise parties, sometimes to pull a prank on a friend. The sad truth of it is, even when the lie is under the cover of a joke, it will still damage the trust in the friendship.
Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” This passage lists both sides of the ninth commandment - false witness in a trial and lying during everyday life. Both of them alike are an abomination to God. God feels just as strongly about lying as He does ‘hands that shed innocent blood’ - that is murder! Proverbs 12:22 repeats this point: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” God hates lying but He delights in the truth!
Why does He hate lying so much? First of all, you need to understand His nature. Numbers 23:19 tells us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” God isn’t like us, no matter how hard we’ve tried to humanize Him. God means everything that He says - His entire nature and character backs up the words that He speaks. James 1:17 tells us that God has no “shadow of turning.” - not even a hint of change.
So if lying doesn’t come from God’s nature, where did humanity (created in God’s image) pick it up? Jesus was very upfront about this in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Do you see this? Satan is the liar and the father of any lie.
Telling lies is so serious in God’s eyes that it’s listed alongside murder, sexual immorality, and idolatry in Revelation 21:8, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Notice it says all liars - not just the biggest liars. You see, when you tell a lie you are taking the side of Satan Himself! Ouch!
Truth and lying are enemies, they cannot exist together. Try it. Try mixing a little bit of lie with truth. What happened? It turned everything you were saying into one big lie! As children of God, as His own special people, believers are to be people of truth.
Colossians 3:9-10 “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” We were all liars before we were saved. Satan was our father and we both shared a common destination. But now, Jesus delivered us and we have been recreated in God’s own image. Now, our goal is to be more and more like Him every day. We can’t reach this goal if we still think that little lies are harmless.
Remember this, lying (in any shape or form) is Satan’s native language, but God always speaks truth! Whose side do you want to be on?
Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. “
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
That's Not Yours!
Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
Theft, for any reason, is wrong. The motive doesn’t matter. The end results don’t matter. It’s wrong because God says so - we don’t need another reason. It’s sad to see how many people have adopted the “robin hood” mentality. It’s become a heroic thing in our society to take from people who have and give it to those who don’t have. As noble as this might sound, it is no different in God’s eyes than petty thievery or armed robbery. Taking something from someone by force or cheating them out of it by deceit is simply sin.
Do you believe me? Do you believe that you can have the best of motives still not be justified in stealing? Or do you need more proof than the simple, four-word commandment? Listen to what the Proverbs 6:30-31 says, “People don't hate a thief who steals to fill his empty stomach. But when he is caught, he must pay seven times as much as he stole. It may even cost him everything he has.” It doesn’t matter if the thief is stealing to feed himself - it doesn’t matter how noble his motives are - he will be held accountable for what he does.
Why is God so opposed to theft - especially if it’s “for a good cause”? God hates it because He is a Giver, not a taker! The most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us that God’s love motivated Him to give. James 1:17 agrees with this concept, it says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” You see, God is love, and love always gives.
Thieves are not on God’s side. It doesn’t matter what the motivation is, when someone takes something that doesn’t belong to them, they are following in the footsteps of Satan himself. John 10:10 shows us this: “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The devil is a thief. He took what didn’t belong to him in the Garden of Eden. He is constantly trying to steal what God gives to His people. He isn’t just a thief, he is the thief. And any time a person takes what doesn’t belong to them, they are following the same path!
When someone takes what doesn’t belong to them, even if they’re taking it for someone else, they are not walking in God’s love. Paul said in Romans 13:9 “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” When you love people with God’s kind of love, you will give like He gives. You won’t want to take from anyone! This is important for God’s people to understand. He is our Father - we should want to be like Him!
So what’s the answer? What if I have stolen something from someone? What if I walked out of a store without paying for something? What if I stole from my employer by goofing off when he was paying me to work? What if I realize now that I need to repent? Can I just ask God for forgiveness and leave it at that? Well, not exactly. You see, it would be silly for a man to rob a bank, move to Mexico, and then ask for forgiveness while he’s still living off of the money he stole. The Bible talks about something called restitution - something every repentant thief needs to know.
Exodus 22:1-4 shows us God’s law for a person who was caught stealing. “Suppose a man steals an ox or a sheep. And suppose he kills it or sells it. Then he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox. Or he must pay back four sheep or goats for the sheep...What if the stolen ox, donkey or sheep is found alive with him? Then the thief must pay back twice as much as he stole...A thief must pay for what he has stolen. But suppose he does not have anything. Then he must be sold to pay for what he has stolen...” Do you see this? It was never God’s will for a thief to be forgiven and then keep what he stole!
Remember the story of Zacchaeus? Do you remember this tax collector and thief’s response to being accepted and forgiven? He said, “"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took." This is a very important point - you can use this to tell if a thief is really repentant or not. Repentant thieves will usually become the most generous people in the world! Ephesians 4:28 backs this up - it says: “Those who have been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.”
Stealing - whether it’s big or small, whether the thief is selfish or “noble”, no matter what the circumstance - is always a sin! Whether it’s an employee that takes a 30-minute lunch when they only get 20. a thief that steals a few thousand dollars from a bank, or a congressman that confiscates millions from the “rich” to give to the “poor” - in God’s eyes, it is all equally wrong. Why? It isn’t wrong because someone gets hurt. It isn’t wrong because someone loses out on what is rightfully theirs. It is wrong simply because...God said so!
Theft, for any reason, is wrong. The motive doesn’t matter. The end results don’t matter. It’s wrong because God says so - we don’t need another reason. It’s sad to see how many people have adopted the “robin hood” mentality. It’s become a heroic thing in our society to take from people who have and give it to those who don’t have. As noble as this might sound, it is no different in God’s eyes than petty thievery or armed robbery. Taking something from someone by force or cheating them out of it by deceit is simply sin.
Do you believe me? Do you believe that you can have the best of motives still not be justified in stealing? Or do you need more proof than the simple, four-word commandment? Listen to what the Proverbs 6:30-31 says, “People don't hate a thief who steals to fill his empty stomach. But when he is caught, he must pay seven times as much as he stole. It may even cost him everything he has.” It doesn’t matter if the thief is stealing to feed himself - it doesn’t matter how noble his motives are - he will be held accountable for what he does.
Why is God so opposed to theft - especially if it’s “for a good cause”? God hates it because He is a Giver, not a taker! The most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us that God’s love motivated Him to give. James 1:17 agrees with this concept, it says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” You see, God is love, and love always gives.
Thieves are not on God’s side. It doesn’t matter what the motivation is, when someone takes something that doesn’t belong to them, they are following in the footsteps of Satan himself. John 10:10 shows us this: “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The devil is a thief. He took what didn’t belong to him in the Garden of Eden. He is constantly trying to steal what God gives to His people. He isn’t just a thief, he is the thief. And any time a person takes what doesn’t belong to them, they are following the same path!
When someone takes what doesn’t belong to them, even if they’re taking it for someone else, they are not walking in God’s love. Paul said in Romans 13:9 “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” When you love people with God’s kind of love, you will give like He gives. You won’t want to take from anyone! This is important for God’s people to understand. He is our Father - we should want to be like Him!
So what’s the answer? What if I have stolen something from someone? What if I walked out of a store without paying for something? What if I stole from my employer by goofing off when he was paying me to work? What if I realize now that I need to repent? Can I just ask God for forgiveness and leave it at that? Well, not exactly. You see, it would be silly for a man to rob a bank, move to Mexico, and then ask for forgiveness while he’s still living off of the money he stole. The Bible talks about something called restitution - something every repentant thief needs to know.
Exodus 22:1-4 shows us God’s law for a person who was caught stealing. “Suppose a man steals an ox or a sheep. And suppose he kills it or sells it. Then he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox. Or he must pay back four sheep or goats for the sheep...What if the stolen ox, donkey or sheep is found alive with him? Then the thief must pay back twice as much as he stole...A thief must pay for what he has stolen. But suppose he does not have anything. Then he must be sold to pay for what he has stolen...” Do you see this? It was never God’s will for a thief to be forgiven and then keep what he stole!
Remember the story of Zacchaeus? Do you remember this tax collector and thief’s response to being accepted and forgiven? He said, “"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took." This is a very important point - you can use this to tell if a thief is really repentant or not. Repentant thieves will usually become the most generous people in the world! Ephesians 4:28 backs this up - it says: “Those who have been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.”
Stealing - whether it’s big or small, whether the thief is selfish or “noble”, no matter what the circumstance - is always a sin! Whether it’s an employee that takes a 30-minute lunch when they only get 20. a thief that steals a few thousand dollars from a bank, or a congressman that confiscates millions from the “rich” to give to the “poor” - in God’s eyes, it is all equally wrong. Why? It isn’t wrong because someone gets hurt. It isn’t wrong because someone loses out on what is rightfully theirs. It is wrong simply because...God said so!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Don't Look, Don't Touch!
Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”
This is pretty clear, right? Any married person having sex outside of that marriage covenant is a clear violation of God’s law. Make no mistake about this. It doesn’t matter how your spouse is treating you, it doesn’t matter if you’ve “fallen in love” with someone else, it doesn’t matter what you want or what you feel - any sexual relations outside of your marriage covenant is wrong!
We live in a society that places little to no value on commitment and way too much value on emotions. Your covenant with your husband or wife wasn’t intended to be based on emotions. Your love - and your fidelity - should be based on what you promised, not what you feel at any given moment.
Adultery is serious. It’s devastating. It destroys lives and tears families apart. It carries from one generation to the next like a disease. Many thousands of men and women, even people who were strong in faith and used mightily by God, have fallen to the sin of adultery...and God hates it!
The consequences of adultery are tragic.
Proverbs 6:32 “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own life.” Do you see that? Adultery destroys your life.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers...will inherit the kingdom of God.“ Adultery keeps you out of the kingdom of God.
Proverbs 6:34 “For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.” There are always consequences of adultery - In this world (with other people) as well as the next (standing before God).
Listen to what Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” There is no question here, God will judge adulterers. Why does He hate adultery so much? Because He intended marriage to mirror His relationship with the church. You see, marriage isn’t a two-way contract - it has three partners. You, your spouse and God. God is always faithful to us, He never fails us. He keeps His promises and His covenant and He expects us to do the same! This is the type of covenant He created marriage to be, faithful and unconditional!
For most people, it’s obvious that going outside of your marriage covenant for sexual gratification is wrong. We can see that there are drastic consequences for adulterers. But what we don’t seem to realize is that God’s command against adultery doesn’t only apply to our actions - it is also binding on our very thoughts. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:27-28: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.“ Wow...Jesus just told us that a lustful look is going to be judged the same way as a physical act!
God has poured out His grace on us and has empowered us to live a godly life. Because of this, He expects us to go further than mere outward obedience. Now He expects obedience from the heart. He expects us to do more than abstain from illegal relations - now He expects us to guard our hearts and our eyes. Job had insight on this even before Jesus came. This is what he said in Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.”
There is one more side to adultery that often goes unspoken. This is the spiritual side of adultery. You see, when we were born again, we committed our lives to God. We entered into a covenant of grace, commitment, and loyalty. When we made Him Lord, we made a promise to serve Him exclusively. But so many of us break this promise and go outside of our covenant with God to find satisfaction. We break our commitment and begin to “cheat” on God for the thrills of sin. Listen to what James tells us in his letter: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.“ Whenever we take God’s plan and passion for our life, and mix it with the way the world does things - we become spiritual adulterers.
While I’m writing this, I know that there will be people who will nod their head and mentally agree with every word - but then go right back to what they were doing before. So listen to this closing statement from Romans 2:22, and take it to heart: “You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery (those of you who agree with everything you’re reading right now),’ do you commit adultery (in action, in thought, or in spirit)?”
This is pretty clear, right? Any married person having sex outside of that marriage covenant is a clear violation of God’s law. Make no mistake about this. It doesn’t matter how your spouse is treating you, it doesn’t matter if you’ve “fallen in love” with someone else, it doesn’t matter what you want or what you feel - any sexual relations outside of your marriage covenant is wrong!
We live in a society that places little to no value on commitment and way too much value on emotions. Your covenant with your husband or wife wasn’t intended to be based on emotions. Your love - and your fidelity - should be based on what you promised, not what you feel at any given moment.
Adultery is serious. It’s devastating. It destroys lives and tears families apart. It carries from one generation to the next like a disease. Many thousands of men and women, even people who were strong in faith and used mightily by God, have fallen to the sin of adultery...and God hates it!
The consequences of adultery are tragic.
Proverbs 6:32 “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own life.” Do you see that? Adultery destroys your life.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers...will inherit the kingdom of God.“ Adultery keeps you out of the kingdom of God.
Proverbs 6:34 “For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.” There are always consequences of adultery - In this world (with other people) as well as the next (standing before God).
Listen to what Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” There is no question here, God will judge adulterers. Why does He hate adultery so much? Because He intended marriage to mirror His relationship with the church. You see, marriage isn’t a two-way contract - it has three partners. You, your spouse and God. God is always faithful to us, He never fails us. He keeps His promises and His covenant and He expects us to do the same! This is the type of covenant He created marriage to be, faithful and unconditional!
For most people, it’s obvious that going outside of your marriage covenant for sexual gratification is wrong. We can see that there are drastic consequences for adulterers. But what we don’t seem to realize is that God’s command against adultery doesn’t only apply to our actions - it is also binding on our very thoughts. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:27-28: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.“ Wow...Jesus just told us that a lustful look is going to be judged the same way as a physical act!
God has poured out His grace on us and has empowered us to live a godly life. Because of this, He expects us to go further than mere outward obedience. Now He expects obedience from the heart. He expects us to do more than abstain from illegal relations - now He expects us to guard our hearts and our eyes. Job had insight on this even before Jesus came. This is what he said in Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.”
There is one more side to adultery that often goes unspoken. This is the spiritual side of adultery. You see, when we were born again, we committed our lives to God. We entered into a covenant of grace, commitment, and loyalty. When we made Him Lord, we made a promise to serve Him exclusively. But so many of us break this promise and go outside of our covenant with God to find satisfaction. We break our commitment and begin to “cheat” on God for the thrills of sin. Listen to what James tells us in his letter: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.“ Whenever we take God’s plan and passion for our life, and mix it with the way the world does things - we become spiritual adulterers.
While I’m writing this, I know that there will be people who will nod their head and mentally agree with every word - but then go right back to what they were doing before. So listen to this closing statement from Romans 2:22, and take it to heart: “You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery (those of you who agree with everything you’re reading right now),’ do you commit adultery (in action, in thought, or in spirit)?”
Monday, July 23, 2012
What Makes A Murderer
Exodus 20:13 KJV “Thou shall not kill.”
In light of the things that have happened in recent days, perhaps our society could use a little clarity on this, the sixth commandment. Firstly, this commandment isn’t the complete ban on ending life. The Hebrew word that the King James translates “kill” is ratsach. Its literal meaning is premeditated murder or manslaughter - in other words, it’s the intentional murder of an innocent person. Actually, every other english version carries the literal meaning of ratsach and translates it as “murder”.
You see, we were created in the image of God - the crown of His creation. We’re the only creatures that have a spirit attached to our soul and body. Every human being is a beautiful thing; and our life is precious. It is so precious, that God demands justice for every innocent life that is cut short wrongfully. What is the price that a murderer must pay? Genesis 9:5-6 tells us: “Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” God was very clear, anyone who purposely cuts an innocent life short will have his own life cut short.
This isn’t barbaric. This isn’t fighting murder with murder. This isn’t “cruel and unusual.” This is justice. To end the life of a murderer is to give value to the life that he took. It’s saying, “we value life so much, that we’re going to demand in from the hand of anyone who steals it from another.
I probably should clarify - this kind of justice doesn’t belong to the individual. We as individuals have no right to take justice into our own hands! This is what Paul said in Romans 13:4, “For he [the government and authorities] is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” When God set up earthly governments, He gave them the responsibility of carrying out justice for any civil wrongdoing - including murder. He has entrusted them with the protection of human life under their authority, and He will demand an account one day!
But, what I want you to see is that the sixth commandment becomes significant for a believer in another way. Like all of the commandments, God is just as concerned with the heart as He is with the action. This command is much deeper than a simple prohibition on murder. Listen to what 1 John 3:14-16 says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Did you see that? God holds someone who has hatred for his brother equally as guilty as a murderer! Why? Because hatred is murder - in the heart. We are called to love each other, to bear with each other, and to continue in fellowship with each other. When we continue in love for each other, John says we have passed from death to life. So there is a very strong connection between love and life. This same connection exists between the lack of love (hatred) and the lack of life (death). When we step out of love for anyone, we’ve stepped out of life. If we do this, if we begin to hate anyone, the penalty of murder rests on our spirit - death. You see, when we have hatred or bitterness in our heart toward a believing brother or sister, God sees their blood on our hands!
If only more churches realized this! If only this was common knowledge among believers! We would be much more repentant, I’m sure! But instead, we have Christians with murder in their hearts coming and waving their bloody hands in God’s face while they worship! How can we still think that God takes hatred and unforgiveness lightly? Isn’t it clear to us that He views it the same as murdering an innocent life?
Believers step out of love and into hatred for the same reason that most murderers murder - anger. That person did something wrong, hurt us somehow, and instead of pulling a gun and shooting them, we harbor bitterness and unforgiveness in our heart. But in God’s eyes, there’s no difference! Whether you think you have a right to hate them or not is irrelevant. Whether you think they should be forgiven or not is irrelevant! God gave us a very clear command - love them!
Let’s take it one step further. We all know that God is a merciful and forgiving God. His mercy covers all our sin, it’s everlasting, and it’s new every morning! But did you know there is one condition to having your sins forgiven? You can find it in several verses:
Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Colossians 3:12-13 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
Do you realize that God will not forgive your sin when you hold unforgiveness in your heart? Do you realize that, as long as you’re holding that person guilty for the hurt they caused, God holds you accountable for your sin? Don’t you understand that loving and forgiving others are the conditions for receiving any forgiveness from God?
James 2:13 “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” I don’t know about you - but I need mercy! Because I need God’s mercy, I must show mercy to others.
In light of the things that have happened in recent days, perhaps our society could use a little clarity on this, the sixth commandment. Firstly, this commandment isn’t the complete ban on ending life. The Hebrew word that the King James translates “kill” is ratsach. Its literal meaning is premeditated murder or manslaughter - in other words, it’s the intentional murder of an innocent person. Actually, every other english version carries the literal meaning of ratsach and translates it as “murder”.
You see, we were created in the image of God - the crown of His creation. We’re the only creatures that have a spirit attached to our soul and body. Every human being is a beautiful thing; and our life is precious. It is so precious, that God demands justice for every innocent life that is cut short wrongfully. What is the price that a murderer must pay? Genesis 9:5-6 tells us: “Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” God was very clear, anyone who purposely cuts an innocent life short will have his own life cut short.
This isn’t barbaric. This isn’t fighting murder with murder. This isn’t “cruel and unusual.” This is justice. To end the life of a murderer is to give value to the life that he took. It’s saying, “we value life so much, that we’re going to demand in from the hand of anyone who steals it from another.
I probably should clarify - this kind of justice doesn’t belong to the individual. We as individuals have no right to take justice into our own hands! This is what Paul said in Romans 13:4, “For he [the government and authorities] is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” When God set up earthly governments, He gave them the responsibility of carrying out justice for any civil wrongdoing - including murder. He has entrusted them with the protection of human life under their authority, and He will demand an account one day!
But, what I want you to see is that the sixth commandment becomes significant for a believer in another way. Like all of the commandments, God is just as concerned with the heart as He is with the action. This command is much deeper than a simple prohibition on murder. Listen to what 1 John 3:14-16 says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Did you see that? God holds someone who has hatred for his brother equally as guilty as a murderer! Why? Because hatred is murder - in the heart. We are called to love each other, to bear with each other, and to continue in fellowship with each other. When we continue in love for each other, John says we have passed from death to life. So there is a very strong connection between love and life. This same connection exists between the lack of love (hatred) and the lack of life (death). When we step out of love for anyone, we’ve stepped out of life. If we do this, if we begin to hate anyone, the penalty of murder rests on our spirit - death. You see, when we have hatred or bitterness in our heart toward a believing brother or sister, God sees their blood on our hands!
If only more churches realized this! If only this was common knowledge among believers! We would be much more repentant, I’m sure! But instead, we have Christians with murder in their hearts coming and waving their bloody hands in God’s face while they worship! How can we still think that God takes hatred and unforgiveness lightly? Isn’t it clear to us that He views it the same as murdering an innocent life?
Believers step out of love and into hatred for the same reason that most murderers murder - anger. That person did something wrong, hurt us somehow, and instead of pulling a gun and shooting them, we harbor bitterness and unforgiveness in our heart. But in God’s eyes, there’s no difference! Whether you think you have a right to hate them or not is irrelevant. Whether you think they should be forgiven or not is irrelevant! God gave us a very clear command - love them!
Let’s take it one step further. We all know that God is a merciful and forgiving God. His mercy covers all our sin, it’s everlasting, and it’s new every morning! But did you know there is one condition to having your sins forgiven? You can find it in several verses:
Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Colossians 3:12-13 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
Do you realize that God will not forgive your sin when you hold unforgiveness in your heart? Do you realize that, as long as you’re holding that person guilty for the hurt they caused, God holds you accountable for your sin? Don’t you understand that loving and forgiving others are the conditions for receiving any forgiveness from God?
James 2:13 “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” I don’t know about you - but I need mercy! Because I need God’s mercy, I must show mercy to others.
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