When people immigrate to a new country, why do they do it? Why are people willing to risk their life, in order to leave their home country behind, and start all over again in a new place? It’s because they are motivated by the things they can personally benefit from. Jesus laid out this idea when He gave an answer to the people who were looking for Him. The previous day Jesus had fed the 5,000 with the loves and fish, now they wanted another meal. John 6:26 “26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” They were looking for another free meal, not a new King. Today people are looking for better jobs with higher wages, better living conditions and freedom from oppression or persecution. These are the main reasons why people come to a new country. It’s for personal benefit. They do not come because they are excited to have a new set of laws to follow. It’s not because they are excited to have a new president to follow. And it’s certainly not because they are excited to have new customs and traditions to follow. The new country and its laws are not top of mind. Personal benefit is top of mind. As a matter of fact, the new laws that accompany any new country can be very problematic for a new citizen.
The lack of knowing what the laws are, can be a big problem. When they don’t know the laws, and eventually break some of them, they end up having to deal with the trouble of law enforcement. Before they know it, the new country has become a confusing, frustrating and difficult place to live. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Does it not make sense that the first thing you should do when changing citizenship is to know and understand the laws of your new country? This will keep you from breaking them and having to deal with the consequences. When you decided you wanted to enter the kingdom of God, did you investigate the kingdom laws? Do you even know them now? Do you not think your life would go smoother if you followed the laws of your king? Or do you still just do whatever you want to do? This week, before we finish God’s top the list, which would be commandments 5-10, I want us to understand the concept of laws, so we don’t have a misconception of them. We have to understand the difference between principals, laws, traditions and commands. They are related, but different. Like this: A principal is the underlying concept behind a law. Operating your car in a safe manner...that is a principal. A law is a written instruction that must be followed. “55 MPH” written on a speed limit sign...that is a law. A tradition is something passed down through generations. Driving 70 MPH while on a 55 MPH highway...that is a tradition. A command is a verbal instruction to reinforce a law. When the highway patrolman pulls you over and says “Slow down!”...that is a command.
As we go over the remaining six commandments and where we find them in the New Testament, you will see that Jesus wants us to understand and follow kingdom principals, not just memorize laws. Jesus had harsh words for those who would prefer their religious traditions over the commandments and kingdom principals that He taught. He summed it up like this: Matthew 19:17-19 “17...If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In these two verses, Jesus addresses all six of the remaining commandments. Let’s look into each of them. Commandment #5 Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Obedience is the underlying principal behind children honoring their parents. Obeying a parent is a vital thing for a child to learn, because it will have life long repercussions. How does it make you feel when you see a young child disobeying their parent? And what is the next step after disobedience? It’s disrespect. How does it make you feel when you see an older child talking back to their parent with disrespect and absolute distain in their voice? Something inside of us becomes very uncomfortable when we see this behavior. It’s created by a lack of discipline from the parent, which in turn causes the child to break the commandment of God.
God intends for us to learn obedience at an early age, so we will understand how to behave as His children. We are supposed to obey Him, but when we don’t, discipline is in order. This commandment is repeated by the apostle Paul and also by Jesus on several occasions in the New Testament. Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Paul gives instructions to both children and parents. Children are to follow the 5th commandment if they want long life and fathers are told not to provoke their children, but to use the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Provoking would mean the father is not acting in an honorable way. A way that is not in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. How can you honor your parents, when you can’t obey them? (When they want you to disobey God) Here are some suggestions for kids and adults alike...even if your parents have not been honorable, these will show them honor. 1. Tell them you love them. (We are to love, even our enemies.) 2. Show appreciation (for any good things that they have done.) 3. Ask them for their opinion. 4. Show love to your siblings.
Jesus said: Matthew 15:4-6 “4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.” That brings us to Religious tradition. Contrary to popular belief, tradition is not to be upheld at the expense of scripture. That may sound like a no brainer, but how many things that religious people actually believe are in the Bible, exist only in their denominational traditions? And they hold it as high as the Bible. For instance let’s take the tradition of infant baptism. You will not find that anywhere in scripture, but there are people who will fight you about this. The Bible is abundantly clear of what baptism is, who it is for, and what it accomplishes. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him in His death and resurrection. Acts 2:38 “38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 6:3-4 “3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Not all traditions are bad or lead to bad things, but if a church tradition cannot be supported by scripture...in context, then it should not be something you are willing to fight for. Are you doing things that are tradition but are not biblical?
Ok, here’s one more unbiblical church tradition that may shock you. The teaching that Jesus stands at the door of a sinner’s heart and knocks to come in. Asking Jesus into your heart is not in the Bible. Here is the verse used out of context to support that idea. Revelation 3:20 “20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” If you look at that verse alone, you might believe it’s a salvation passage, but it’s not. This verse in Revelation is talking about the church in Laodicea and how they had left Jesus outside. He’s talking to believers, not sinners. Jesus is waiting to be allowed back into their church. It has nothing to do with salvation or asking Jesus into your heart. As you can see, following religious traditions can lead you down some non biblical roads. Commandment #6 Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.” The law is written against murder, but what is the underlying principal? Jesus tells us in the New Testament. Mathew 5:21-22 “21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;...” Jesus says that the same judgment that is set aside for murder also applies to being angry with your brother. Why did Jesus take it that far?
We’ve all been angry with our brothers at one point or another. It’s because anger is the root of murder. If you allow anger to continue unchecked, it will lead to thoughts of much worse things. That’s why forgiveness is so important. It’s to keep you from festering in anger, which leads to murder. 1 Peter 4:14-15 “14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.” If you are going to suffer, let it be for Christ, not your own evil. The law is “don’t murder”, but the principal is “don’t be angry” because of where it leads...to suffering. Do you remember the Bible verse that says “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering?” I hope not, because it’s not from the bible. That is a quote from Yoda in Starwars. But the concept came from the bible. Commandment #7 Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.” The law is written against adultery, but what is the underlying principal? Jesus tells us in the New Testament. Matthew 5:27-28 “27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus says that adultery starts with lust. Here is another New Testament reference to adultery. Adultery is an external action, but so are several other sins. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Here we see several of the commandments repeated by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian church. Notice how he lists all these things that will keep you out of the kingdom of God and then says “and such were some of you.” All of the sins listed are external actions, but the principal behind all of them begin in the heart and mind. Commandment #8 Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.” Theft is about taking what you want. Greed is the underlying principal. It’s all about what you desire. I deserve it, so I’ll just go ahead and take it. Honest work on the other hand, is about what you can obtain in order to share with and provide for others. Here’s what the New Testament says about it.
Ephesians 4:28 “28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. What did we just read from 1 Corinthians? Being a thief is listed as something that will keep you out of the kingdom of God. Commandment #9 Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This commandment is pretty straight forward. Don’t lie...and yet, it is probably the most common of all the commandments we break...daily. Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” We lie to cover our actions, to save face or to slander others. But what does the New Testament say about it? Revelation 21:7-8 “7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Lying seems innocent enough when we justify it to ourselves, but it’s put in the same category as murder and sorcery. Does it seem innocent now?
Commandment #10 Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” God will provide everything that you need...if you are committed to providing for the needs of others. God is your source, not your neighbor. What your neighbor has, should be of no concern to you. Don’t be desirous of his stuff, you have no idea what he did to obtain it. Heres what the New Testament says about it. Colossians 3:5 “5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Did you hear that last part? Covetousness is idolatry...not like idolatry or similar to idolatry...it is idolatry. Have we not already covered that in an earlier commandment? Do not covet is the law, but jealousy and selfish desire is the underlying principal for covetousness. This New Testament passage sums up the last 5 commandments. Here, Paul gives us the underlying principal to keeping the law of God. Romans 13:8-10 “8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Love is the ultimate expression of keeping the law. Jesus said this: Matthew 22:37-40 “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Your ability to follow the 10 commandments is directly proportional to how much of God’s love you allow to flow through your life on a daily basis.
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