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Obeying God's Commandments
Let's have a look at the ten commandments given by God to mankind only a few thousand years ago, but a moment in eternity, and meditate on them a little.
Deuteronomy 5:1 to 5 (NKJV)
And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. (Mount Sanai, the Mountain of God) The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:
Exodus 20:1 to 26 (NKJV)
1And 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 bondage.
Commandment #1
3“You shall have no other gods before Me.
Today most people put many things before God and most of those who claim to put nothing before God ignore or are blind to God's own commandments, they fail to see the plank in their own eye. (See:Remove The Proverbial Plank From Your Eye)
Commandment #2
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; 5you 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, 6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
It may not be so obvious that people are worshipping idols today but people by the millions buy or watch movies and videos, go to or watch sporting activities of all sorts, spend all their free time at hobbies, pass-times and habits and such things while spending no time in even meditation with God over His teachings let alone other things they should be doing. They also frequently and blatantly make people their idols. I won't name any so not to partake in their sins or encourage others to do so.
Commandment #3
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.
No one has full knowledge of the teachings of God the Father and Jesus Christ and speaks of them without error always but some pretend to. No one can know God perfectly but many pretend to. No one can do God's will without sin all the time but many pretend to. Everyone takes God's name in vain, at least once in a while, for we are not yet perfect and not without sin. Paul stated quite plainly in Romans 3:23 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Commandment #4
8“Remember (or observe) the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but 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.
11For 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.
There is a very good reason why most professing Christians do not obey, remember or observe this commandment. It is a sign between God and His people. Only God's people will observe, remember and obey this commandment.
Many are not aware that the ten commandments are repeated in full in the holy scriptures. The second set is found in Deuteronomy chapter 5. I have included only those parts that differ here in this composition.
Deuteronomy 5:14 and 15
that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Commandment #5
Back to Exodus 20:12
12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
This commandment is getting harder and harder to keep because of the simple reason that alarming numbers of children are being brought up in single parent environments. It seems that parents lose the respect from their children also because they do not follow God's laws and the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. There is no fault in the commandment but there is much fault in its observance. Everyone bears some of the fault.
Deuteronomy 5:16
16‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Commandment #6
Back to Exodus 20:13
13“You shall not murder.
Most of society claims to obey this commandment whole heartedly. The fact is becoming blatant that large parts of society are aiding and abetting murderers, like Islamic fundamentalists, by allowing them to infiltrate and practise their evil culture in nations formed on Christian principles and values.
Commandment #7
14“You shall not commit adultery.
Jesus expounded on this commandment.
Matthew 5:27–28 (NKJV)
27“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Is anyone not guilty?
Commandment #8
15“You shall not steal.
Malachi of the old testament witnessed for God in stating:
Malachi 3:8 (NKJV)
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
Again I ask, is anyone not guilty?
Commandment #9
16“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Too many people like to express every little thing that they do not like about their neighbours. They really do themselves, the people who listen to them and the people they talk about a disfavour much of the time and sometimes a big injustice. It is dangerous behaviour because you will be held accountable for the harm you have committed. The scriptures also state in Romans 1:18 (NKJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Small talk far too often leaves no room at all for the word of God.
Commandment #10
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.”
Along with the fourth commandment this commandment seems like the one that most of society gets exactly wrong. They live by the standard or unwritten law, "keep up with the Joneses" or covet all that is your neighbours or want everything that looks appealing to you. And so we have fads and crazes. Probably the most common one today is cell phones. Surely they are not necessary and they are surely abused.
Deuteronomy 5:21 (NKJV)
21‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’
In closing
So don't consider yourselves above God's law. God is not at all impressed by conceit or pride or ignorance but He understands a contrite spirit and expects a spirit of repentance.
Jeremiah 48:29 and 30 (based on NIV84)
29“We have heard of Moab’s pride, her pompous pride and conceit, her pride and arrogance and the haughtiness of her heart. 30I know her disrespect but it is futile,” declares the LORD, “and her boasts accomplish nothing.
Does this not describe large swaths of our societies in the western world?
Finally notice Psalm 51:17 (NKJV)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart, These, O God, You will not despise.
If you, or I, go through life with a contrite and broken spirit you will not be despised by God. If you see the fault in others in yourself also and repent and strive to better yourself through obedience to God, including obeying His ten commandments, God will forgive you through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who is the propitiation or conciliation for your sins, as He is able, by His grace and the grace of our Father, to forgive, to accept your new repentant self and to grant you eternal life at the appropriate time.
2017 Jacques Gauvin
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