We Americans aren't SO INTO rules now are we, but many of us like reasonable etiquette and ethics. We speak of our love for freedom and protection from danger huh. So what's up with God's Commands? Are they really protective? They are if we obey Him.
As her namesake, The Emily Post Institute continues her work, providing essential guidance for most areas of life. For instance, when in a theater, one must:
1. Refrain from talking. If something must be said, it should be whispered quickly.
2. Use good posture. Slumping in your chair or leaning on your neighbor might block thev iew of those behind you.
3. Remove hats. Ladies may keep their hats on as long as they do not disrupt the vision oft hose behind them in the auditorium.
4. Noises off. Silence cell phones, smart watches, and any other gadgets before any performance.
5. Be mindful of the noise some snacks can make. One must refrain from raffling candy boxes ors lurping drinks.
6. Control coughing. Muffle sneezes and coughs with a handkerchief or 5ssue. If a cough isu ncontrollable, exit the auditorium.
7. Dispose of all trash. If a spill occurs, alert an attendant.
Never forget that we serve a relational God who likes order instead of chaos and injury. All of His commands (are wisely relational). None were given haphazardly or in vain and they can be boiled down to this: They are about loving God as well as properly loving other people (in that order).
Yes, God Has His Top Ten List:
Have you mistakenly viewed this list as thee set of rules that if I focus and follow all of them pretty well, then this will guarantee me an entrance and welcome into God's holy heaven after my death?
It doesn't work like that. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to help us sinful (prone to wander kind of) people realize that we cannot perfectly obey the Law (Romans 7:7-11). That seems like a no-brainer in our day -- we all are in need of God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Despite the claims of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16, no one can perfectly obey the Ten Commandments (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The Ten Commandments demonstrate that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and are therefore in need of God’s mercy and grace, available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Have no other gods before Him (see Exodus 20:2-3).
Do not make any idols (see Exodus 20:4-6).
Do not take the Lord's name in vain (see Exodus 20:7).
Keep the Sabbath holy (see Exodus 20:8-11).
Honor your father and mother (see Exodus 20:12).
Do not murder (see Exodus 20:13).
Do not commit adultery (see Exodus 20:14).
Do not steal (see Exodus 20:15).
Do not lie (see Exodus 20:16).
Do not covet (see Exodus 20:17).
Wait Kurt, Jesus is a Jew and didn't He break the Father's Sabbath law did He? Nope, He never did, but remained loyal.
Jesus cared and indeed healed a person on the Sabbath day:
1. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law in Peter’s home (Mark 1:29–31).
2. A man with a withered hand in the synagogue (Mark 3:1–6).
3. A man born blind in Jerusalem (John 9:1–16).
4. A crippled woman in a synagogue (Luke 13:10–17).
5. A man with dropsy at a Pharisee’s house (Luke 14:1–6).
6. A demon-possessed man in Capernaum (Mark 1:21–28).
7. A lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–18).
Didn't the Jewish Pharisees accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law (Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:2, John 5:14; 9:14–16).
Jesus did not break God's Sabbath law, but He did intentionally act against the Pharisaical interpretation of the law. He broke the Pharisees’ laws and it wasn't to annoy or tick them off.
Why is “You shall not covet” in the Ten Commandments?
Why is “You shall not give false testimony” in God's Top Ten List?
Are the Ten Commandments repeated in the New Testament?
Do NT type of born-again believers really have to or need to obey the Old Testament law?
What are the 613 (give or take..) commandments in the Old Testament Law?
What is the greatest commandment? Hint, it deals with selfless love.
Did Moses copy the Law from the Code of Hammurabi?
What was really inside the ark of the covenant? The stone tablets were.
What is the significance of Mount Horeb in the Bible?
What does it mean to honor my father and mother?
What is a thought crime? Is a thought crime a biblical concept..really?
What did Jesus talk about commandments, “If you love me keep my commands.."?
Why is “You shall have no other gods before me” in God's Top Ten List?
How do we delight in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:2)?
(Need a list of the 613 commandments found in the Old Testament Law. Note that some verses contain more than one command).
Are the Ten Commandments taken from the forty-two precepts of Ma'at?
Factoid: Did you know that the Catholic Church has its own top ten list (true) and leaves out part of God's second commandment, perhaps or apparently trying to hide the fact that its own images and religious icons are violations of His very command. God ain't religious, so let's not be religious like any religious people (from any group) think and act. Let's not adjust, add to, take away from, or tweak God's word.
Don't get me wrong. God deeply loves all Catholics and we too opt to show Christ's love to them just like we do to other people-groups. We want to win them with the gospel. Are many of them born again inside? (I don't know 100% for sure like God does). Sadly many still bow before idols in different Lands. God knows who are His/saved -- He is the only one who sees the inner hearts of people.
What does it mean to not add or take away from the Bible?
Why did Moses have to wear a veil?
What exactly is a graven image?
What is the Ark of the Covenant?
Why did God mandate capital punishment for murder (Genesis 9:6)?
Today Father God, please bless your word to us so we'll wisely apply your truth and grow. Please use us (EXODUS 20:1-11 esv) Amen. "And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or 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 or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
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.
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 a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
God's Law does not save sinners (Gal. 2:21; 3:21). The Spirit likes to use it to convict sinners so we'll come to God and repent.
"The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.." Ps. 19:7-8
The NKJV says, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.." but that doesn't mean the Law saves or regenerates the soul.
The Law reveals how God is in His holiness. It reveals man’s need for His forgiveness and salvation (Rom. 3:20). The Law is like a mirror that shows us how very dirty we are inside (James 1:22–25). The Law does not bathe and clean us up inside - it doesn't provide the cleansing we really need. Only Christ can do that!
Under the old covenant, God’s law was written on tables of stone (Exod. 24:12), but under the new covenant from God, He writes His word on our hearts (2 Cor. 3:1–3). The heart of the issue is the issue of the heart.. and He deals with these heart issues if we allow Him to. I say let's prayerfully memorize and internalize His Word. Yes, can happen - the Spirit makes His truth a part of your inner human being, and guess what.. you become more like Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3:18. No you don't become a god). The Holy Spirit empowers, equips, and enables us to fulfill the righteous demands of God’s law (Rom. 8:1–4).
The first 4 of God's Top Ten List (four commandments are vertical), they deal with our relationship with God, while the remaining six are horizontal (they deal with our relationship with other people). If we love God and obey Him, we will also subsequently love others and serve them regardless of how we feel on any given day. (See Matt. 22:34–40.)
Some people obey God because of an unhealthy fear (vv. 18–21). Others obey only because they want to earn His blessings. The highest motive (in the fear of God, in a relationship with Him) for obedience is our love for the Lord. But what if we disobey the Father and the Son, disobey the Bible?
Well, God made provision for Israel's sin in the prescribed sacrifices (vv. 22–26 Applying, basically pointed by faith towards the future bloody cross of Christ at Calvary).
And God has made provision for believers today through the work of Christ (1 John 1:9–2:2). Believers are not under law but we are under His grace. This is not an excuse for us to go sin, but this is an encouragement for us to be daily loving Him with obedience to His will/word. Muse on, go ponder Romans 6.
God's top ten. The Ten Commandments are recorded in the Bible. Where? Here in Exodus 20:1-17 and in Deuteronomy 5:6-21.
THINK: Reflect on all your relationships, your career, how you spend your free 5me – all your life. Be really honest with yourself. Is your life centered around worshipping, glorifying, and serving God? Or is it really focused on serving yourself? In all that you do and all your relationships, are you seeking what will make you happy or trying to see how you can serve others? Look at all those qualities of love – which ones do you struggle to exemplify? If this kind of love comes from the Lord, how can you change your heart’s attitude and your actions?
PRAY: for God to give you His heart for loving others. Pray that He will give you the selfless humility of Christ so that you can look at the world and ask how you can help serve others, not what the world can do for you or how other people can make you happy. Offer your life to God as a living sacrifice and watch Him work through you.
ACT: Worship God alone. God wants to be more than just first in your life. He wants to be all. Make a list of everything you do in an average week, from grocery shopping to work to soccer practice to watching Neqlix. Then write down how you can use those things to glorify God. Then journal – How can you worship God alone in every moment of your life, even when you are having your “free 5me”? Making God first isn’t just about giving Him the first 10 minutes of your day in devo5onal 5me; it’s about giving Him your whole life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1–2)! Aner you have written all of this down, put it into practice! Live it out!
Ceremonial Law is about being set apart for God - be holy for He is. O
We will soon look at the Law in three different categories, just summarizing the main purpose of those types of laws instead of looking at every law individually:
More on these laws later, but examples of these types of laws here are coming from all over the Torah/Pentateuch.
The people had to be consecrated to receive the Law – set apart as God’s people (Exodus 19). All the ceremonial laws are connected to this theological idea:
- The distinction between clean and unclean foods, acts and items were to make a distinction between what is set apart for God and what is not (Leviticus 20:25). Laws about discharges such as childbirth and semen didn’t mean those things were “dirty,” but because they were associated with life and death, they required a purificaton period and an offering so the people could return to a purified or clean state.
- The laws about not mixing different threads together in clothing or mixing different seeds in a field or mixing different breeds of animals were symbolic of making distnctons, keeping God’s people set apart (Levitcus 19:19).
- The atonement sacrifices were about purifying God’s people and the Tabernacle from their sin so that God could dwell in their camp among them (Levitcus 16:16).
- The non-atonement sacrifices were offerings of praise, thanks and devotion to the Lord, celebrating their relationship with God and all He had done for them.
- The festvals revolved around the agricultural year, which acknowledged God as Provider, but they also celebrated what God had done for His people: Passover – the Exodus from Egypt; Pentecost – giving the law; Tabernacles – dwelling with His people (Levitcus 23). The New Testament teaches us that Jesus fulfilled the entre Law which includes the ceremonial laws.
And “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Later in Leviticus, God will give them instructions for all the different sacrifices they should regularly offer and what they all mean:
- Burnt offering & grain offering (Levitcus 1–2) – were offered every day, twice a day, so that they burned contnually on the altar; offered with wine so that meat, bread and wine made a “meal” for the Lord. These offerings represented Israel’s commitment to God and their covenant relatonship – that they would walk contnually with Him.
- Fellowship offering (Levitcus 3) – not offered for sin, but for thanksgiving or praise, to make a vow, or a general freewill offering just out of love for the Lord. These were eaten as a feast in the tabernacle courtyard with the priests and the family of the offeror, representing joyous communion with God, feastng with Him.
- Sin or purification offering (Levitcus 4–5) – offered to purify both intentonal and unintentonal (sins of ignorance) sin against God; blood sprinkled on the veil, put on the horns of the altar and poured around the base. This blood purified the tabernacle so a holy God could continue to dwell with His people.
- Guilt or reparaton offering (Levitcus 6) – “Whereas the sin offering pertained to violatons against “the Lord‘s holy things” (5:15) and “the Lord‘s commands” (5:17), the guilt offering relates to defrauding another person, though this is also recognized as being unfaithful to the Lord.” In this offering, the sinner made restituton for what he had done plus 1/5 of its value. The example in Levitcus 6 is the holy items of the Tabernacle, but it could be making reparations for stealing something or any damage caused to life, body or property (e.g. Exodus 22:1–17).
Once a year on Yom Kippur, the people would offer two goats – one as a sin or purification offering for the people, to cover all their sins for the whole year. Its blood would be put on the horns of the altar, the curtain, and the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant, inside the Holy of Holies – this was the only time anyone could enter there. The second goat would be “offered” alive. Instead of killing it, Aaron confessed all the sins of Israel over it and sent it out into the wilderness, the idea of a scapegoat - so it would symbolically take their sins far away from the camp (Leviticus 16). Hebrews explains in detail how Jesus fulfilled all these sacrifices with His once-for-all sacrifice for all sin of all people of all times. He was the high priest of a “greater and more perfect tent, not made with hands, that is not of this creation” (Hebrews 9:11).
Christ has fulfilled these sacrifices, we don’t have to offer animal sacrifices anymore. Yet, like all the Laws, the principles behind these sacrifices will apply. The New Testament encourages us to offer spiritual sacrifices which align with the same theological purpose of the physical sacrifices:
Q: What are some ways you can offer praise and thanks to God besides just singing in church?
Q: Why is it important to reconcile with others before offering our gibs to God?
Q: Do you have set procedures/guidelines that you live by for most areas of your life?
What To Meditate Upon: Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21, 30:15–20; Joshua 1:7–9; and Matthew 22:34–40
What does Joshua say their lives will be like if they follow God’s Law?
Q: What does Jesus say is the founda^on of all the Law and Prophets?
Q: Today we are discussing the Ten Commandments; why are these laws important?
Q: In what ways are the Ten Commandments helpful in leading a God-honoring life?
In the OT three main festivals were celebrated each year, coinciding with each of the three main harvests – barley, wheat and fruit (grapes and olives, which would make wine and oil). When they brought in these harvests, they celebrated the Lord, praising Him for His provision. But in Israel, each of these three main fes$vals also celebrated something the Lord had done for them during this $me period in their history – the great story of their physical redemp$on from slavery in the Exodus:
- Passover (barley) – celebrated the Angel of Death’s passing over their homes in the 10th plague, salvaton by the blood of the Lamb, and their exodus from slavery in Egypt.
- Pentecost (wheat) – 50 days later, celebrated the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai
- Tabernacles or Booths (wine/oil) – celebrated how God dwelled with them in His tent (tabernacle) while they lived in tents or booths in the wilderness In the New Covenant, Jesus redefined each of these festvals according to His great spiritual redemp$on, by His blood in the New Covenant:
- Passover is parallel to the Lord’s Supper, celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection. In the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples were celebra$ng Passover, during which Jesus took the Cup of Redempton (one of four cups of Passover, the one drunk after the meal) and redefined it, “this cup is the New Covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Jesus is the Passover Lamb, whose blood saves us from death and redeems us from spiritual slavery.
- Pentecost in the New Covenant celebrates the giving of the Spirit instead of the giving of the Law (Acts 2). The giving of the Spirit happened during the celebration of Pentecost, which is why there were Jews from many different na$ons in Jerusalem, so that when the disciples spoke, the foreign Jews heard them in their own languages.
- Tabernacles – in the opening of his Gospel, John makes a direct parallel between the Feast of Tabernacles and the incarna$on of Jesus when he says, “The word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). Just as God dwelled with His people in the tabernacle in the wilderness, Jesus came down from heaven and lived among His people, right in the middle of their mess, in their “wilderness.”
Q: What faith-focused traditions or celebra@ons have you found most meaningful in helping you remember what Christ has done for us?
Q: In what ways could you re-focus your celebra@on of these holidays on Christ and what He has done? What tradi@ons or prac@ces may help you re-focus?
THINK AGAIN: Reflect on the way you live your life. Are you living as set apart for God in the midst of the world? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and transform you to be more like Jesus or are you just going along with what the world says? Are you conforming to the world or being transformed into the image of Jesus? Be honest with yourself and analyze the way you spend your time, the way you spend your money, the company you keep, the way you operate in your career – everything about your life. Are you living as if your life were a living sacrifice for God? Or are you just doing what you want with your life?
PRAY AGAIN: Spend some time with Jesus. Yes, in thanksgiving and praise of God for all He has done for you. He continues to do good things for you each day. Spend time offering Him a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Then pray for Him to show you how you can make your whole life a living sacrifice to Him. Ask Him to renew your mind, to mold you and transform you into who He wants you to be – more and more into the image of His Son.
ACT AGAIN: Offer yourself. Make a list of all the ways that you can offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice – in your work, your family life, your free time, your community, in all things. Take that list and go to the altar and lay it in the offering plate, committing yourself to offer yourself to Him (it may be the actual altar at a church, or you may create a symbolic altar in your home with an offering plate on it).
What is the purpose of the Mosaic Law?
Why is being a good person simply not enough to get you into heaven?
Q: “Are you trusting in yourself to keep all the Ten Commandments all the time (which you can’t do)?” OR “Have you made the smart choice to repent and believe - to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, realizing that He has fulfilled all the commandments all the time for you, even paying your penalty for breaking them?” Here and now is good. The choice is before you and not to decide is to decide. Godlife.com/gospel
The keeping of the Sabbath day was a sign of the covenant between Israel and the Lord and we regenerated Gentiles in the church are not Israel: God said to the Jews, “You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come” (Exodus 31:13).
What day is the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? Why do so-called Christians like to argue about this?
What is the difference between the ceremonial law, and the moral law?
"The Law of Moses is the first five books of the Bible, or the Torah (Hebrew for “law”), also called the Pentateuch (Greek for 'five books'). More strictly speaking, the Law of Moses refers only to the 600-plus commandments and regulations in the second through fifth books of the Torah. We often refer to the commandments as “the Law of Moses”; of course, they are actually the Law of God. Moses was the one through whom God gave Israel the law."
You want to intimately know and please God right? And God wants close. He desires to bless and use you. He really wants you and your friends blessed, protected, provided for, and spiritually growing in His word and will for you. He cares and has a good purpose for your life.
Is saying 'OMG' or words like geez still taking the Lord's name in vain?
What is the Judeo-Christian ethic?
How can I not go to hell? -- cuz that's not the best option for anyone.
What does the Bible say about adultery?
What does it mean that love is the fulfillment of the law in Romans 13:8?
"Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments." Psalm 112:1
"All your commands are trustworthy. Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause. They almost finished me off, but I refused to abandon your commandments. In your unfailing love, spare my life; then I can continue to obey your laws. Your eternal Word, O Lord stands firm.." Psalms 119:48-148
God's Top Ten List reminds me of an ole bird story I heard a couple times. Was it helpful? Yep, back in the day my former So Cal pastor, Greg, found a bird livin' totally free sort of.. but the bird was out fearing a lot. It was out in his backyard and more vulnerable than it ever wanted to be.Greg came across this bright teal colored bird (I'm trying to remember the farbe) that was all nestled down in the grass. Mr. Laurie then explained, "Now it wasn't the kind of bird that is typically seen out in the wild or in grasses. It was the kind of bird someone would have in a nice cage. I thought maybe it was someone’s pet out on the lamb so to speak.. that had flown away.Have you ever found a domestic bird outside before? My brothers Kevin, Kyle and I have, a couple times. We've been kind of city kids so they must have been domesticated.Greg said, "I also noticed At the time that my German Shepherd was looking intently at this bird. I thought, “That bird’s days are numbered. His minutes are numbered.” So I got down on the bird’s level and put my finger out. Sure enough, he jumped right on my finger. I walked into the kitchen with this beautiful little bird sitting on my finger. I decided it must be someone’s pet bird that got away.Greg and his wife Cathe then went and borrowed a cage from a neighbor down the street. They set it up on the counter, and opened the door. That little bird couldn’t get in there fast enough. Immediately he was hopping from perch to perch, chirping away with joy. Happy days were here again!!!We may think it seems cruel to put that poor bird I found into a cage. But that bird didn’t want to be out roaming the wilds any more where it could be quickly pounced on and devoured.The once lost bird didn’t see the cage as something that kept him miserably confined; he saw it as a strong barrier which kept the staring German Shepherd out."Greg went on to explain, "In the same way, if you want to be happy, you will choose to live within certain wholesome, and protective parameters."
On July 14 let's talk about the different Types of Law: ie, Ceremonial Law.
