Pananalig

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
The earth trembled as God began to speak. Moses later recorded, “And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME” (Ex. 20:1-3). This is the First Commandment.
The Bible reveals that this was not God the Father, but the Lord (Yhwh, meaning the “Ever Living One” or “Eternal”)—the Spokesman who later became Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14).
The lightning, thunder, trumpet blast and earthquake that accompanied the receiving of the Ten Commandments were intended for a purpose: “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not” (Ex. 20:20). As the people heard God’s words, they were ready to be obedient to every word, yet history records that the memory of this event quickly faded.
Begin With the Fear of the Lord
The First Commandment is the most basic requirement for beginning to understand God’s truth and to fulfill our ultimate purpose. All humanity is warned to put God first, and to avoid false gods. The Being who issued that first and great commandment rephrased it in Matthew 22:37.
Notice: “Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” In this New Testament passage, Christ was essentially quoting words that He inspired in Deuteronomy 6:5.
The message of putting God first should ring loud and clear. Proverbs 9:10 tells all who will listen, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Psalms 111:10 adds, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: His praise endures for ever.”
Only by putting God first (in every area—worship, obedience and goals in life), is sound judgment and understanding accessible. King Solomon wrote, “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things” (Prov. 28:5). Another key proverb is Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Further notice Job 28:28: “And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
Repetition is the best method to get a point across. The message of these scriptures should echo in our minds, just as God’s voice echoed to Israel when He thundered these commandments.
Without starting in the right direction, everyone will ultimately reach the wrong destination. The First Commandment points mankind in the right direction from the very beginning. Notice what the apostle Paul observed concerning those who left God out of the picture: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:21-22). Getting it right from the beginning is crucial. Notice: “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” (Jer. 8:9).
Another way of putting God first is portrayed in Matthew 6:31-34. Notice this: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles [all non-Israelites] seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” We can rely on this absolute promise—God always keeps His word.
Here is another vital key. Matthew 6:33 talks about seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. But what is righteousness? Psalm 119:172 defines it: “My tongue shall speak of Your word: for all your commandments are righteousness.” Certainly this means that we should OBEY these commandments!
Avoid False Gods
Some might think that obeying the First Commandment is relatively easy, since they do not worship statues of pagan gods. But you could easily violate it without realizing it. People who worship false gods are most often oblivious to that fact. Whatever occupies your interest and/or time more than anything else could well be your god. Idolatry, strictly speaking, is the worship of idols. But there is another, less apparent, form of idolatry. This is the blind or excessive devotion to anything. The object of such devotion becomes a false god and the blind devotee becomes an idolater.
Probably the “god” that people most often put before the true God is money. To many, the chance of winning a lottery or contest is their most treasured “religious experience.” Playing the lottery is at an all-time high. Television commercials promote lotteries, sending people into fantasies. They buy tickets weekly, or even daily, often leading to financial ruin.
Another false god that people worship is politics. Some people, especially conspiracy theorists, exalt their political ideology as a virtual religion. While there may be some credibility to many of these theories, people obsessed by them are blinded to God’s purpose and plan of salvation. They only look at life through the narrow portal of their particular theory. Avoid anything that stands between you and the truth of God!
Many who fall into forms of liberalism generally oppose everything associated with God. Their own ideology is their false god, which credits evolution as the origin of all life. These people are generally the architects and producers of the secular, anti-religious media, which offer today’s generation new depths of sex and violence, disguised as entertainment. Though elevated in university systems and controlling public education, liberal intellectuals almost invariably promote the opposite of God’s truth.
Another pitfall that traps most people is an almost religious reverence for the medical field. A great many people show far more respect to doctors and hospitals than to God. The medical profession certainly has its place and does fill a need. However, many seem to stand in awe of each new medical breakthrough. They place their trust and hope in the false gods of modern medicine and scientific research to deliver mankind from all sickness and disease. Again, not all medical breakthroughs and scientific research are bad, but it is a mistake to put hope and trust in this rather than God. As you draw closer to God, you will come to realize that far better results are possible by looking to Him for healing. God instructs His servants to seek His intervention in healing (Jms. 5:14-15).
It is important to understand that Jesus Christ carried out a dual ministry: (1) preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and (2) healing the sick and casting out demons (see Luke 4:18 and Luke 7:22). The original apostles continued in this same pattern.
In contrast to the first century, healing today occurs primarily within the Church, rather than in dramatic public “healings.” Pseudo-healers have made a mockery of healing, through circus sideshow fakery. Modern medicine may help treat the effects of disease, but only God can truly heal.
Certain people worship sports figures, entertainers or themselves in place of God.
Most people turn to materialism, in one form or another, to fulfill their lives. Some turn to cars, others to clothes, and still others to a combination of every material thing that they can possibly obtain. So many do this in a vain attempt to fill the void that exists within their lives—the absence of God’s Holy Spirit.
Know the Real God
The way to know the real God of the Bible is to seek Him above all else. Read—study—the Bible alongside our literature. This will help you learn to fear and honor God. It will help you gain doctrinal understanding as you become better grounded in the truth. Your relationship with God also hinges upon your contact with Him in sincere, humble prayer. Read the Psalms on your knees in prayer just as if the words were your own. This will help make these words eventually become your own praise toward God. Try this with Psalms 19, 119 or various other chapters that you find inspiring.
Ask God to instill within you a proper fear and respect for Him. If you do this, you will come to view God with greater awe. Strive to fill your mind with uplifting thoughts on the wonders of His creation. Learn to appreciate His handiwork, such as the different kinds of trees, the unique designs of flowers, the incredible organization of beehives and the mysterious migration of birds. Think about the huge spiraling galaxies and remind yourself that God knows every individual star—countless billions of them—by name (Psa. 147:4). And determine to appreciate His incredible wisdom and forethought, which are reflected throughout His creation.
People who aspire to follow God, while enduring this hostile world, must be on guard not to allow anything between them and God. Be aware that human nature tends to set up false gods in place of the true God. Seek to honor and treasure God. Some people are reluctant to praise Him, due to the way pseudo-Christians resort to sanctimonious gyrations in their “worship.” Do not allow this to stop you from learning to do this properly. We can praise God through proper hymns and private prayer. Learn the correct way to praise God, as David and others did in the Psalms and other scriptures. It will then be possible to praise God with your own original thoughts and words. Best of all, you will have been trained to praise God as He has instructed, not as pseudo-Christians do!
“You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me”
The First Commandment and its immediate implications are also found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one [is “only” or “alone”] Lord: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates.”
Human beings were designed to practice the Ten Commandments as a way of life. God commands that we also teach them to our children, discuss them and meditate upon them.
What If…?
We must ask: What if the entire world kept the First Commandment? To begin with, there would be no false religion—none! If all humanity put the true God first, seeking His wisdom and guidance, then wrong or incomplete concepts in all areas of life would disappear. Over 99% of religion today is false, so there would be an immediate and dramatic change all over the earth. As the world came to know and fear the true God, it would learn that His system of government and culture—and every aspect of civilization—should be followed. Mankind would look sincerely into His Word to seek true wisdom and understanding—and God would grant them.
By knowing and fearing the true God, the world would soon come to appreciate and obey the other nine commandments. This is a sneak preview of the millennial rule of Christ.
Chapter Two –
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
The ancient nations, cut off from the real God, almost invariably worshipped idols. The masses needed gods near at hand—and this meant those that could be seen. Before God could instruct Israel how to properly worship Him, He first had to show them how not to worship Him.
Exodus 20:4-6 records the Second Commandment. Here is God’s explicit directive: “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE UNTO YOU ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.”
God specifically defined the forbidden ways that were used to worship idols. He realized human nature’s tendency to justify loopholes around His instructions.
The First Commandment forbids having other gods before the true God. The Second Commandment forbids using an image to represent the true God, or any false god. This commandment deals specifically with using physical images for worship or as representations of anything related to worship. This does not condemn the existence of statues or pictures in general—only their use for worship. Therefore, using any statue or picture to represent God is expressly forbidden. Man is to worship, bow down to and serve the Creator God. God does not allow man to transfer this same honor to an image representing Him. He strongly warned Israel of this danger.
Notice God’s specific instructions to Moses: “You shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall you make unto you gods of gold” (Ex. 20:23). These were God’s first words to Moses after giving him the Ten Commandments!
Again, notice verses 5-6: “…for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.” If people persist in idol worship, God will not only punish them, but also their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. No other commandment gives such detailed implications.
However, Almighty God promises to bless those who love and obey Him!
God’s Warnings to Israel
Leviticus 26:1 warns, “You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God.”
In turning away from worshipping such images, Israel went against the current of the surrounding nations, as well as their carnal human nature. The natural mind seeks for some image to represent the god it worships. Human nature finds it easier to worship a physical object than to worship the invisible God. The Second Commandment forbids using images to assist or remind in worshipping God.
Deuteronomy 4:15-20 expands upon this in greater detail: “Take you therefore good heed unto yourselves; for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: lest you corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air, the likeness of any thing that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: and lest you lift up your eyes unto heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as you are this day.”
The ancient Greeks worshipped as many as five thousand gods, mostly images of men and women. Many of the nations around Israel worshipped images of various land, air and sea creatures, such as the Philistine fish god, Dagon. The Babylonians and others worshipped the “host of heaven”—the sun, moon and stars.
Here is how Moses warned Israel about idolatry: “Take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deut. 4:23-24).
Israel’s Track Record
How well did Israel listen? In only a matter of days during Moses’ absence, Aaron, under pressure from certain people, allowed them to mold a golden calf. The worship of the calf was followed by a celebration in which the people “sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play” (Ex. 32:1-6).
Judges 2 summarizes Israel’s record for about three centuries after arriving in the Promised Land. Less than a generation after Joshua’s death, a cycle started. Israel would turn from God, and then He would deliver them into subjection or captivity. They would repent and turn back to God, who would deliver them from their enemy. As Israel began to prosper due to God’s blessings, they would soon turn away again and the cycle would repeat itself. In departing from God, one of the first things that Israel adopted was idol worship.
Judges 17 and 18 record how low Israel had descended. A Levite named Micah had come to possess a “valuable” idol. He was elated to expand his collection of idols. Judges 17:6 shows the extent to which Israel had forgotten God’s ways. Notice: “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Studying such accounts should help you appreciate the order and harmony that flow from obeying God’s laws.
Psalms 78:56-58 records, “Yet they tempted and provoked the Most High God, and kept not His testimonies: but turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.”
Pictures of “Christ”
God expressly forbids the use of any pictures or images to represent Him. Jesus Christ is now at the right hand of God the Father, serving as our High Priest. There is no justification for any images or pictures of Christ. Even pictures in general are forbidden to be worshipped. Israel was to destroy pictures and images belonging to the nations that occupied the Promised Land: “Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places” (Num. 33:52).
Pictures of Christ are often found in bibles and other literature and on the walls of homes and churches. They are prominent in Protestant churches, as well as Catholic churches that take the extra step of adding statues of Christ and Mary. Not only are these pictures and images forbidden, those that supposedly represent Christ bear no resemblance whatsoever to the way He really appeared. For instance, we know that Christ was Jewish, as the Bible states: “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah” (Heb. 7:14). This is not the usual picture presented either by popular artwork or Hollywood.
Also, Christ is always depicted as having long hair. However, He inspired Paul to write, “Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (I Cor. 11:14). During Christ’s time, the Romans typically had short haircuts. Statues exist today of various Romans and people of other races at that time, in which their hair length is short.
Some confuse Christ’s appearance with the Nazarites. This is because they confuse Nazarites with Nazarenes. Nazarites were those who took the Nazarite vow. They were not to cut their hair or beard during the time of their service (Num. 6:5). Upon completing their vow, they shaved their heads (Num. 6:18). Nazarenes were people who came from the town of Nazareth. The term Nazarite vow has nothing to do with this town, in which Christ grew up.
Pictures of Christ existed as early as 400 years after His death. These “pictures” were paintings that artists conjured up to show how Jesus “must have appeared.” Not surprisingly, most all of these early painters were steeped in counterfeit Christianity.
This explains in part why, instead of portraying Christ as a Jew with short hair, the early images bore a remarkable resemblance to the Roman god Jupiter, who supposedly ruled over all the other gods. Jupiter was attributed to have overthrown his father, Saturn, taking over the rule of the world. This meshed perfectly with the theology of the counterfeit church, which portrayed Jesus as having now superseded the God of the Old Testament, whom they incorrectly identified as God the Father. False teachers portray the theology of Christ as vetoing the harsh rule of God the Father and replacing those “harsh Ten Commandments” with “love and tolerance.”
The use of this image of Jupiter Olympus gained momentum, like all the other false doctrines the counterfeit church perpetuated. Today, people who think that they worship Christ are worshipping something entirely different—in appearance as well as substance!
Recall that the Jews paid Judas Iscariot to lead them to Christ. Upon betraying Christ, Judas did not describe Him in the following manner: “Well, He has this sad, sanctimonious look and exceptionally long hair. He will probably be carrying a lamb on His shoulder and you just could not miss that glowing halo.”
In reality, Christ looked like the average Jew of His day—and so much so that Judas specifically identified Him by kissing Him. Like any carpenter of His time, Christ would have had a weather-seasoned, masculine appearance—not the soft features imagined by painters centuries later. The prophet Isaiah was inspired to record, “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (53:2).
The world’s concept of who and what Christ was is as false as its idea of what He actually looked like! (You may read our article “Did Jesus Have Long Hair?” for more detail.)
A Church Sanctions Idolatry
As an extension of the Babylonian Mysteries religion, the early Catholic church continued their centuries-old tradition of image worship. The true Church exposed the Catholics’ blatant idolatry in the early centuries. In order to avoid condemnation and negative publicity, the Catholic church had to do one of two things: either cease this practice, or change the biblical laws regarding idolatry.
Not surprisingly, they chose the latter.
The theologian/scholar who “saved the day” was Augustine (A.D. 354-430). This man carefully re-structured the Ten Commandments to minimize the direct assault that the Second Commandment brought upon them.
The Second Commandment condemns image worship. Therefore, by “combining” the first and second commandments, Augustine essentially “did away” with the Second Commandment. In order to maintain a total of ten, he split the last commandment into two separate commands. This “re-arrangement” changed the Ninth Commandment to read, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,” and the Tenth to read, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.”
After breaking away from the Roman church, Martin Luther retained the Catholic texts of the Bible including the Augustine division.
Notice the following quote from The Encyclopedia Britannica: “The Church of Rome and the Lutherans adopt the Augustine division…combining into one the first and second commandments of Philo, and splitting his tenth commandment into two” (11th edition, Vol.7, p. 907). Philo was an eminent Jewish scholar of the early first century. He advocated the proper division of the Ten Commandments, as they appear in the King James Version of the Bible.
In combining the first two commandments, Augustine blatantly altered the Ten Commandments. Also, the splitting of the Tenth Commandment presents an unnatural and transparent attempt to alter God’s Word.
In Romans 13:9, Paul mentions all five of the last commandments and makes no distinction in the one forbidding coveting. In Romans 7:7, he states, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet.” We would expect to find this intact as one commandment, since Augustine did not make the change until about 350 years after Paul’s death.
If the Bible you are reading is a classic Catholic Bible, this will explain why the Ten Commandments, as listed from the King James Version, differ from your version. Not all Catholic versions contain this Augustine division. If your Bible does not include the Second Commandment in its true form, obtain a more objective, less corrupted version of the Bible. (You may also read our article “Which Bible Translations Should You Use?”)
Now read Deuteronomy 4:1-2: “Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers gives you. You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish aught from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”
Why would Augustine and other theologians and scholars not fear to violate this direct command from God? Did they willingly violate it for the same reason that they defied the Sabbath commandment and most of the laws and statutes of God? (Read our booklet Many shall come IN MY NAME.)
Idolatry in Perspective
Without God’s Spirit, the human mind is naturally inclined to worship images. Someone who breaks the First Commandment will eventually break the Second Commandment.
Satan the devil has capitalized upon this. He knows that breaking one commandment leads to breaking another. For example, in many pagan religions, adultery—violation of the Seventh Commandment—was actually part of the worship rituals.
A true worshipper of God will not seek or need an image to assist in his worship: “But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
What If…?
This time, we ask: What if the whole world kept the Second Commandment? Not only would image worship disappear, but there would also be a ripple effect. The curses brought upon all humanity for breaking this law would no longer exist. Every faction of false Christianity would cease its worship of pictures and images. Virtually every other religion in this world would lose its core attraction. For example, what good would Buddhism be without a statue of Buddha? The world would move one giant step closer to God.
Chapter Three –
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
God was now ready to give the Third Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain” (Ex. 20:7).
There is far more to the Third Commandment than meets the eye. When taken strictly at face value, it would seem that God is merely forbidding the speaking of His name in a careless or disrespectful manner. But there are considerably more implications within this command. They weigh heavily upon anyone who is serious about obeying the Third Commandment. When God declares, “…for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain,” we should be afraid to take this subject lightly.
The Weight of Words
God places a great deal of importance on what we say. It is not something to be taken lightly. Christ said, in Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.” And Colossians 4:6 states, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt.” The words we speak affect others, positively or negatively, and one day we will have to answer for them.
Are you prepared for that? Perhaps a better question would be, “are you preparing for that?”
Our words have an impact on those who hear them. The book of Proverbs contains many vital instructions concerning what we say. In Proverbs 17:28, Solomon was inspired to write, “Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
Chapter 15, verse 4, states, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” And chapter 10 states, “The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaks frowardness [perversity]” (vs. 31-32). A person’s righteousness, or lack thereof, is reflected in his conversation. Christ stated in Matthew 12:34, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Do your words reflect righteousness? Do you show love toward God and neighbor when you speak?
What Does It Mean?
People generally associate taking God’s name in vain with obscene language. This is correct, but only part of the meaning. God has revealed to all who carefully examine, in Scripture, His many names, which define who He is. He expects His people to revere Him and all His attributes. When a person uses the name of God in a way that denies His true meaning and character, he is breaking the Third Commandment. In this day and age, people like to talk about God, but they are not in awe of His power or His name.
What about you? Are your words uplifting to others? Do you ever find yourself using God’s name carelessly in conversation? Are you unwittingly using euphemisms, which may seem less offensive and even harmless?
A euphemism is nothing less than a substitute for profanity. It is, however, no less offensive, and considered just as serious, to God. Remember, we must obey God in the spirit of the law, and not just the letter. “Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life” (II Cor. 3:6).
If a person uses euphemisms, he is merely trying to “soften the blow” of the more abrasive words that go through his mind, either consciously or subconsciously. Christ said, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart [mind]; and they defile the man” (Matt. 15:18). As the saying goes, “It is the thought that counts.” Our thoughts can count for us—or against us!
Are Your Words “Apples of Gold”?
A Christian follows Christ’s example. I Peter 2:21 states, “For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
One example that Christ left us is that of controlling His tongue. Continuing in verses 22-23: “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously.”
The ultimate goal of a Christian is to become like Christ, “…the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). We are exhorted to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).
Are you letting Christ live in you? Christ stated, that a person will be known “by [his] fruits [by what he does and says]” (Matt. 7:16-20). Are you learning to control your tongue?
Solomon was inspired to write, in Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (NKJV). When you speak, are you setting “golden apples on a silver platter”—or are you opening a tomb full of poisonous asps (Rom. 3:13)?
With the many pressures that we face today, it is easy to let some areas of our spiritual growth go un-addressed, especially if we feel that they are not as important as others. But to God, sin is sin. We may try to “sugarcoat” foul language, but Galatians 6:7 states, “God is not mocked.”
The Real Importance of God’s Name
In Matthew 6:7, Christ commands His followers to avoid “vain repetitions” when they pray. This is immediately followed by what is commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Most recite this prayer word for word, misinterpreting Christ’s instructions. “In this manner, therefore pray,” does not mean that we are to verbally copy it, word for word, every time we pray. Jesus was merely providing an overall outline for prayer. He was not dictating the exact words that we should use, nor the exact length of every prayer. By repeating a prayer that has been memorized (perhaps since childhood), a person actually detracts from the meaning and purpose of prayer, thereby literally praying in vain. That is serious to God!
Verse 9 tells us to “hallow” God’s name. The Third Commandment instructs us to show proper respect for it. This does not mean that we should try to pronounce God’s name in the original Hebrew or Greek in which it was written. Certain religious groups make a big issue of this in order to seem extremely righteous. They admit, however, that since there was no preservation of vowels in the Hebrew language, no one knows the exact pronunciation of the Hebrew word for “Lord.” The real importance lies in the meanings that His names carry, not the way in which they are pronounced.
God’s names reveal the many aspects of His nature and character. Christians, whose hope is to one day be a part of the God Family, should honor and revere God for all that He is: our Creator, Sustainer, Healer, Provider, Lawgiver, Avenger and, ultimately (Heb. 11:6; Rev. 22:12), our Rewarder. (Take time to read our booklet What is Your Reward in the NEXTLIFE? to learn more about how you can be born into the God Family.)
King David was inspired to record, in Psalm 8:1-4, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! who has set Your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have You ordained strength because of Your enemies, that You might still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man, that You are mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?”
David, a man after God’s own heart, was in awe of God and everything that He had created. Should we be any less in awe of Him, especially when we look around and see His handiwork, of which we are a part? “For You have possessed my reins: You have covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Your works…My substance was not hid from You, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth” (Psa. 139:13-15).
Should Christians Swear?
In today’s world, it is considered perfectly normal for people to swear and use God’s name to back up their oaths! This is not only common in people’s personal lives, but, with oaths, this is a standard part of most legal proceedings. But what does God’s Word say about this? In Matthew 5:34-37, Christ stated, “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your…yes [be], yes [and your]; no, no: for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil.”
The Ninth Commandment states, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex. 20:16; Deut. 5:20). Revelation 21:8 states, “…all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” The fact that this command is not binding enough in the minds of most people—even to the point that man’s law requires the taking of oaths—is a sad commentary of how little regard people have for God’s Word!
Avoiding Religious Titles
In many of the world’s religions, ministers and priests assume the title of “Father” or “Reverend.” What does the Bible say about this? In Matthew 23:9, Christ commanded, “…call no man your father upon the earth: for One is your Father, which is in heaven.” Christ was specifically referring to the Pharisees of His day, who, because of pride and vanity, expected others to address them as “Father” or “Rabbi.” Christ condemned them for their self-righteous attitudes.
God is our only spiritual “Father.” It is blasphemy to bestow this religious title upon any man! Psalm 111:9 states, “…holy and reverend is His name.” “Reverend” means worthy of worship. No man is worthy of such high esteem. Paul, one of God’s greatest servants, was inspired to write, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18). Even Christ Himself stated, in Matthew 19:17, “there is none good but One, that is, God.” Christ, who was God in the flesh (John 1:14), did not exalt Himself. Anyone who dares to take to himself a title belonging to God (thereby also violating the Eighth Commandment) will one day have to repent before God—or suffer the consequences!
Flowing from this practice is the tradition of “confession” to priests. Understand. Sins cannot be forgiven by any man. No human being can mediate between you and God. Jesus Christ alone holds this office. Paul wrote, “Wherefore He [Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). Paul also wrote, in I Timothy 2:5, “For there is…one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” Therefore, you should confess your sins to God only—not to another human being. Read David’s example in Psalm 51.
I John 2:1-2 states that when we sin, we have an Advocate with God the Father—Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive us. We can therefore boldly approach His throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16).
God’s Word tells us that there are, in fact, circumstances when people should confess their faults to others—and this is partly so that God’s servants can pray for each other (Jms. 5:16). However, there is a difference between asking a brother’s (or sister’s) forgiveness and prayer in overcoming a human weakness or fault—and confessing past sins. A Christian should not confess his sins to another person, because it is only God who can forgive us of our sins (Mark 2:7-10; Luke 5:21-24). God also forgets our sins once we have repented of them, whereas people do not. (Take note: James 5:16—“Confess your faults one to another”—is the verse most often used to justify the Catholic practice of confession to priests. However, this is strictly speaking of when people have sinned against that other person. They should confess their offense to that person.)
Some have tried to cite John 20:23 as proof that people holding certain religious offices have the authority to forgive sins. It reads, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (NKJV). There is nothing here indicating that physical men can forgive sins in a spiritual sense. The context of Christ’s words was about the authority—in this case, to disfellowship dissenters and heretics in the Church (and to later allow them back into the congregation, after repentance)—that He was giving to His future apostles (John 20:21; I Cor. 5:2; I Tim. 1:20). (You may read our booklet What is true CONVERSION? It gives much insight concerning the subject of repentance and conversion.)
In More Than Just Words
A person can take God’s name in vain by more than just the words he speaks. As the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” Matthew 7:21 states, “‘Not everyone who says unto Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father in heaven’” (NKJV). And in Matthew 15:8-9, when speaking to the Pharisees, who did not “practice what they preached,” Christ said, “This people draws near unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” These are strong words!
In the end, hypocrisy is the ultimate form of taking God’s name in vain. If one claims to be a Christian, but argues that “the law was nailed to the cross,” then he is taking God’s name in vain in the worst possible way! Christ plainly stated that He did not “come to destroy but to fulfill [the law]” (Matt. 5:17). And in Luke 6:46, He asked, “And why call you Me, Lord, Lord, and DO NOT the things which I say?”
If a person claims to be a Christian, but does not live “…by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4), then he is directly breaking the Third Commandment. When someone breaks any of the Ten Commandments, he automatically breaks the Third Commandment. Proverbs 30:9 shows that even one who steals food when he is hungry profanes God’s name: “...lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” James 2:10 states, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend [stumble] in one point, he is guilty of all.”
A Christian should constantly examine himself. Paul instructed, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves” (II Cor. 13:5).
Are you examining yourself? Do you see the areas of your life that need improvement? Have you been taking God’s name in vain, in actions or words? Have you been carelessly using euphemisms? If so, these are all things that you can overcome. As Paul stated, in Philippians 4:13, those whom God is calling “can do all things through Christ which strengthens [us].” It is the goal of God’s people to overcome sin, and one day to take the name of God (as the bride of Christ), as a bride takes the name of her husband (Rev. 21:2).
Are you preparing for this?
To measure our spiritual growth and character development, we must analyze such areas as misusing language—expletives, euphemisms, and other vain phrases that violate the Third Commandment. Realize that you can never break the habit of using foul language unless you abhor anything that can cut you off from God. All sin must be eliminated. Pray that God will help you see sin as He does, instead of seeing it as something that you can tolerate!
What If…?
We ask again: What if the whole world kept the Third Commandment? The most obvious change would be the end of profanity and the misuse of God’s name. This would include all euphemisms and other vain phrases. Foul language in movies, music and television would disappear. From military drill sergeants to college football coaches, people would find new and better ways to express themselves. Even the wording of legal formalities would be rephrased.
Vain repetitions in “prayers” would stop. Also, there would be no more sermons (or “gospel” music) misusing God’s name while preaching contrary to His truth. False messages about God would no longer be aired on television or radio or posted on the Internet. False Christianity and every brand of false religion would be effectively “muzzled.” God’s name would only be used as taught by His true servants.
What a truly different world we have already described, and this is if just the first three commandments were universally kept!
Chapter Four –
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
The Fourth Commandment completes the grouping of the commandments that instruct man in his relationship with his Creator—love toward God. Carefully read this longer command:
“REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor the stranger that is within your gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:8-11).
This commandment is controversial to most professing Christians. God instructs to observe it. But most simply choose to ignore it. Yet, the Fourth Commandment is the all-important test commandment. How we keep it demonstrates to God our willingness to honor Him and walk in His ways. God’s Word describes it as a sign identifying the people who seek to obey God.
The Fourth Commandment is the only command upon which a covenant was made. The two commandments that are the most lengthy and detailed—the second and the fourth—are the ones that most Christian churches have chosen to alter for their own convenience. As we saw, they “combined” the Second Commandment with the first, effectively removing it from their bibles. In regard to the Fourth Commandment, they claimed the authority to effectively change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first. We will see why Satan has gone to great lengths to deceive the world on the importance of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath From Creation
The first word in this commandment, “remember,” shows that Israel had known of the Sabbath at one time. The Ten Commandments existed and were in force before Moses.
Notice: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made” (Gen. 2:1-3).
The Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday evening and ends at sunset on Saturday evening. God blessed and sanctified this time, making it holy. When God confers such honor upon anything, we should take special notice! Many scriptures make clear why He set the Sabbath apart from the rest of the week.
God made the Sabbath as a time for man to rest from the previous six days of work. He knew that man would need this rest, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The Sabbath is a time to break away from the daily routine and to commune with God, and reflect on our purpose for being.
Notice that God commands man to work six days. He wants man to provide for himself (and his family) and manage his life and finances in accordance with His laws. Many verses, such as John 5:17, 36, show that both God the Father and Christ work—so should we.
Who was the Creator God who brought the Sabbath into being? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3). The “Word” (Greek: Spokesman) was the Member of the God Family who did the creating. Verse 14 confirms the identity of the Word: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.” This verse, and those following, point to none other than Jesus Christ. He was the One who created, sanctified (set apart) and ordained the Sabbath.
The account of the revealing of manna (bread from heaven) is closely related with the Sabbath. This occurred before Israel reached Sinai and received the law. Before the manna was given, some instructions for gathering it were given, in Exodus 16:4-5: “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
Israel was further instructed to gather only enough for each family’s daily needs. Any manna left overnight would rot and breed worms. The only exception was that the double portion given on the sixth day would not deteriorate the following Sabbath morning. This miracle was intended to prove to Israel that God would provide for their needs on the Sabbath!
Verse 4 shows that God used the Sabbath as a test command: “…that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.” This was to test the Israelites’ response to God’s instructions. The Sabbath is also a test for God’s people today.
Notice: “And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord has said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which you will bake to day, and seethe [boil] that you will seethe; and that which remains over lay up for you to be kept until the morning” (Ex. 16:22-23). Besides showing that God provided extra manna on the sixth day, this also shows that the preparation day was always the time to physically prepare for the Sabbath. This includes the bulk of major cooking.
Israel was told that no manna would appear on the Sabbath. They were not to gather any on that day. Yet some went out to find it anyway. God chastised Israel for this: “How long refuse you to keep My commandments and My laws? See, for that the Lord has given you the Sabbath, therefore He gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide you every man in his place, let no man go out of his place [to work by gathering manna] on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day” (vs. 28-30).
This account teaches an extremely important lesson. Only God controlled these factors, not Moses or any other human being. The Being who blessed and set apart the Sabbath as holy time proved that He could provide for those who observed and kept it. This event also emphasizes that the seventh day was sanctified—set apart—as the Sabbath, before the Ten Commandments were officially given to Israel. People who keep God’s commandments today will find that God will provide for them as well!
The Sabbath as a Covenant That Identifies
The Sabbath is so important to God that He made a special covenant (agreement or contract) with Israel for keeping it, in addition to the Ten Commandments: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you” (Ex. 31:12-13). Thus, the Sabbath was a sign identifying Israel, setting them apart for a special purpose!
Exodus 31:14-15 reveals the consequences of ignoring God’s Sabbath command: “You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”
God then presented the perpetual Sabbath covenant: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed” (vs. 16-17).
Notice that the Sabbath command here derives its authority from the time of Creation, not from Moses.
Proof that the Sabbath is the sign between God and His true people is found in Ezekiel 20:11-13: “And I gave them My statutes, and showed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifies them. But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted.”
God was so passionate about Israel’s rebellion and Sabbath-breaking that He inspired Ezekiel to emphasize the seriousness of their actions. “I am the Lord your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; And hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness” (vs. 19-21).
The word “sabbaths” refers to both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, which God also describes as sabbaths. In every case above, God referred to the sabbaths as “MY” sabbaths—not “YOUR” sabbaths or “THOSE JEWISH” sabbaths. The Sabbath belongs to God. People who reject it are rejecting Him!
Even today, the modern-day descendants of ancient Israel continue to rebel against God and break His sabbaths. There will come a time, after God’s fury is poured out on them, that they will keep His sabbaths along with the rest of the world. Notice this: “As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: and I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out” (Ezek. 20:33-34).
These verses depict the soon-coming millennium, when Christ will rule in righteousness and equity. He will gather the Israelite survivors of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord and bring them back to the land He has reserved for them. This time, Israel will obey. (Read our booklet REVELATION Explained at last.)
The following scriptures should help you appreciate the unique opportunity that Israel was given by God. Psalms 147:19-20 reads, “He shows His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them.” Now notice Amos 3:1-2: “Hear this word that the Lord has Spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
Throughout Israel’s history, both the northern ten-tribe nation of Israel (“the house of Israel” or Northern Kingdom), and Judah (“the house of Judah” or Southern Kingdom) have been guilty of breaking the Sabbath. The house of Israel abandoned the Sabbath and most of God’s other laws. As a result, these tribes went into captivity for many centuries, thus losing their identity, and becoming lost to history. The nation of Judah also went into captivity because of Sabbath-breaking and idolatry. Jewish leaders such as Ezra and Nehemiah, who returned after their captivity, were diligent in keeping the Sabbath. They realized that neglecting this vital command was the main reason for their captivity (Neh. 13:17-18). Turning away from observing the Sabbath always leads to idolatry and worshipping false gods. Sabbath-keeping shows God the course one has chosen to follow.
(Our most important book, AMERICA and BRITAIN in bible prophecy, carefully explains why Israel was taken into captivity, and what these twin sins mean for these nations today.)
Christ’s Teaching and Example
Christ made a profound statement during a confrontation with the Pharisees: “And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man [not “the Jews”], and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).
Jesus stressed that the Sabbath was made for man and his needs—to rest and be refreshed and mainly to commune with God. Yet the Pharisees acted as if all mankind was created for complying with their own endless rules. They had become lost in their own maze of regulations, which separated them from the Sabbath’s true meaning. Christ said that the Sabbath was made for man. Notice, He said that it was made for man—all humanity—not just for the Jews. He explained that He was Lord of the Sabbath (vs. 28). As Maker, Sustainer, and Author of the Sabbath Covenant, He alone deserves the title “Lord of the Sabbath.”
Christ showed that the Pharisees’ condemnation of gathering corn to be eaten on the Sabbath was unfounded (vs. 23-26). His example showed that it was permissible to gather food on the Sabbath to fulfill immediate hunger.
In Mark 3:1-6, the Pharisees closely watched Christ to see whether He would, on the Sabbath, heal a man who had a withered hand. When Christ perceived that they sought to accuse Him, He responded, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?” (vs. 4). The Pharisees would not answer Him. Christ immediately healed the man, after which the Pharisees sought to kill Him. What an indictment against self-righteous human nature! Christ’s example shows that it is permissible to do good on the Sabbath and to relieve suffering. This is in harmony with the spirit of the Fourth Commandment.
In the same account found in Matthew 12:11-12, Christ used the analogy of rescuing an animal in distress, with which the Pharisees agreed. Yet, they did not allow for Christ to heal someone on the Sabbath. He used this same analogy in Luke 13:15-17, of loosing livestock from a stall to lead them away for watering on the Sabbath, with which the Pharisees also agreed. But they protested Christ’s healing of an Israelite woman bound with an affliction for 18 years. This account also confirms that Christ allowed certain necessary physical duties to be carried out on the Sabbath, such as feeding and watering livestock. However this is not license to plan or do work on the Sabbath!
The Sabbath is made for mankind. Instead of being a time of strict “do’s and don’ts,” it can be a time to do good and relieve suffering, as well as a time of rest and worship.
Sabbath Convocation
Leviticus 23 covers the subject of the seven annual sabbaths, or Holy Days. Verses 1-3 explain the weekly Sabbath. Notice: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.”
The weekly Sabbath is a holy convocation—a commanded assembly, during which God’s people are given spiritual food from His servants. The Sabbath service is a delight and joy and has always been eagerly anticipated by God’s people through the ages. Notice the admonition given in Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” It is crucial that God’s people assemble each week for His spiritual food, as well as for fellowship.
Isaiah contains beautiful and reassuring encouragement for those who keep from polluting God’s Sabbath and follow His law. “Neither let the son of the stranger, that has joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord has utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus says the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant; even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off” (56:3-5).
The Sabbath—a Delight
Another passage in Isaiah provides some guidelines as to how to keep the Sabbath: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words: Then shall you delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” (58:13-14).
The term “turn away your foot from the Sabbath” means that you should not walk over the Sabbath, or forget that it is holy time set aside by the Creator. “Not doing your pleasure” refers to misusing the Sabbath for hobbies, sports activities, or other personal pursuits.
There are certain activities that are helpful in appreciating the Sabbath and God’s creation, such as taking a walk or playing the piano. Since it is a time of rest, you should avoid certain activities, such as running or exercising.
Remember, the Sabbath is a feast day, so a special Sabbath meal would be appropriate. When we understand and keep the Sabbath as God intended, it will indeed be a delight. (For more information about the Sabbath, read our book The SABBATH or Sunday—Which? and our companion booklet The SABBATH – Has time been lost? as well as our article “How to Make the Sabbath a Delight.”)
The promise attached to the Sabbath command is significant. To “ride upon the high places of the earth” means to be elevated and promoted by blessings that only God can provide. This could include better health, a more rewarding job, wisdom and understanding. God is not bribing anyone into keeping the Sabbath. The real rewards He wants us to seek are the spiritual ones.
What If…?
What if the whole world obeyed the Fourth Commandment? People would grow close to God as a result of obeying Him. If the entire world kept the Sabbath and Holy Days, everyone would know who the true God is, because the Sabbath identifies Him and His people.
Keeping the Sabbath would most likely lead to keeping the other laws of God. Using the Sabbath for the purposes He intended would focus people’s minds on His way. This would leave this world’s false religions in shambles, because God’s laws would then replace their own laws. This is why Satan has gone to such great lengths to blind the world from the benefits of keeping the Fourth Commandment.
(To review how counterfeit Christianity changed the seventh-day Sabbath to the first day of the week, take the time to read our extensive and fascinating book The History of God’s TRUE CHURCH.)
Chapter Five –
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
The Fifth Commandment is the first that deals with man’s relation with his fellow man—love toward neighbor, in this case, parents. Exodus 20:12 reads, “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER: that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you.”
This commandment connects the first four commandments, “love toward God” with the last five, “love toward neighbor.” This is because honoring God bears a strong relationship to honoring parents. The implications of this commandment are serious.
Since a child learns to honor his parents before learning to honor God, this is the natural transition from love toward neighbor to love toward God and vice versa.
This commandment is directed to children, regardless of age. Notice that God promises long life to all those who obey this pivotal commandment.
The concept of honor begins with the concept of obedience. In life, there are many things that a child must learn to respect. There are boundaries of acceptable conduct that have to be ingrained. Once the value and benefits of obedience are ingrained, children have a jumpstart in the right direction.
It is important to always remember that discipline, tempered with love, not only defines the boundaries, but also instills confidence and security within a child. He knows that his parents always have his best interests in mind. A child prefers rules and standards that define the set limits of what is permissible and what is not.
The Fifth Commandment Ignored
Everything that leads to fulfillment in life is summed up in the Ten Commandments. The value of teaching a young child these laws is absolutely priceless. In these perilous times, immediate and extended families are not close enough. The influence of diligent parents overseeing their children’s daily needs, both physical and spiritual, has largely become a thing of the past.
By the 1960s in much of the Western world, the daily pressures of life boiled over in various college campuses. These revolts were compounded by new influences that dropped morals to lower depths, such as illegal drug use (marijuana, LSD, heroin, etc.). Others included the hippie movement, unprecedented promiscuity, chaotic hard rock music, and the “counterculture” that opposed the values of “the establishment” and promoted anarchy In effect, this counterculture mentality pressured youth to essentially disown the principles of the Fifth Commandment, or face rejection by their peers. To be part of the “in” crowd, youth were expected to sever close parental ties, and embrace their peers’ values. Most adults then were shocked at the open rebellion of youth. Nothing of this kind had ever happened before and they were convinced that things could not get any worse. But they have.
Today, some even call their parents or their mates’ parents by first name, dishonoring the high office of a parent.
These influences have not dissipated. They became ingrained in the minds of the children and grandchildren of the counterculture movement.
Many people of this third generation suffer from deep-seated problems resulting from long-term effects of their parents’ and grandparents’ mistakes. Many were born illegitimate, as were their parents.
Earlier generations could at least look back to their grandparents and see examples of moral, and even a certain “religious,” discipline, hard work, and endurance in adversity. Recent generations have been denied such anchors of stability. Materialism and the downward spiral of morality have warped vast numbers of youth—sometimes beyond redemption. It is common to find children repeatedly sent to detention programs due to deeply imbedded criminal behavior. In recent years, school shooting massacres have become almost commonplace. Public counselors are swamped with youth behavioral cases, accompanied by new upsurges in drug and alcohol abuse. Law enforcement has uncovered numerous bombing plots engineered by students.
Many ask, “Where did we go wrong?” The next step is usually to blame television, music, movies and the other usual “suspects”—schools, bad neighbors, poverty, environment, etc. While these issues are definitely part of the problem, the bigger picture must be considered. When a civilization cut off from God becomes more and more materialistic, moral collapse is predictable and unstoppable.
The Vital Role of Parenthood
God intended that families consist of a father and mother who diligently apply His ways in child-rearing. The family is the basic unit—not a “village,” as advocated by today’s liberals. The presence of both parents is vital to doing the job right. The absence of either parent results in a crippled family structure. In the eyes of a child, both parents represent God, in that they provide for the child’s needs similar to the way that God provides for the needs of adults. A child’s relationship with his parents during his formative years determines how his relationship will be with God.
The New Testament admonishes parents to avoid either extreme of being too lenient or too harsh. Notice: “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Col. 3:20-21). A parent who establishes firm guidelines and administers prompt discipline gets better results than one who withholds discipline, resorting to constant fussing and nagging. This type of “correction” only results in loss of respect from the child. Since God expects parents to represent Him, they are obligated to follow His rules and examples in disciplining and training.
Notice Ephesians 6:1-4: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor your father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise) that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth. And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
This key scripture builds directly upon the Fifth Commandment. Paul stresses its importance, noting that it is the first commandment with promise—long life. If children are taught to properly fear and honor their parents, they will fear and honor God as they reach adulthood. God’s principles are guaranteed to work. As our Creator, He understands the human mind. Long life is virtually assured for anyone who obeys this commandment.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 is a vital scripture that is often forgotten in child rearing: “And these words [the Ten Commandments, along with the statutes and precepts], which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: and you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates.”
From the Book of Proverbs
Notice some of the Proverbs pertaining to childtraining, instruction and correction:
“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the Lord loves He corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights” (3:11-12).
“He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes [early or promptly]” (13:24).
“Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying” (19:18).
“When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge” (21:11).
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (22:6).
(Also read these other Proverbs 22:15; 23:13-14; 25:12; 28:23; 29:15, 17.)
The Fifth Commandment in Perspective
After giving the Ten Commandments, God’s initial instructions to Moses show how seriously He regarded complete obedience to His law. Notice this warning: “And he that smites his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death…And he that curses his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death” (Ex. 21:15, 17). Strong words—and Leviticus 20:9 repeats this.
God knows that anyone who dishonors others, especially parents, will also dishonor Him. Many people today notice these judgments and say, “That God of the Old Testament was harsh!” This totally misses the point. Instead, they should ask, “Do I regard God’s living law with the due fear that God required of physical Israel?”
Ephesians 6:1 teaches, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Parents must diligently conduct themselves in ways that deserve honor from their children.
The phrase “in the Lord” defines the conditions of obedience. This term emphasizes that obedience to God comes before obedience to parents. For example, if a parent tells his child to mow the lawn on the Sabbath, the child must put God’s law first, even if it means disobeying his parents. “In the Lord” means that any parental command that is against God’s laws would have to be respectfully declined.
Mark 7:9-13 reads, “And He said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoso curses father or mother, let him die the death: but you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, it is Corban [a consecrated or dedicated offering], that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me; he shall be free. And you suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you.”
The scribes and Pharisees got around the spirit of the law by legitimizing their neglect of their elderly parents. They did this to increase their offerings for the sake of political clout. Christ condemned their hypocrisy. He defined the obligation to give financial and other assistance to one’s elderly parents.
This is further explained by Paul in I Timothy 5:16. Notice: “If any man or woman that believes have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”
Members of God’s Church are taught to help support their own elderly parents (widows in this case), so that the Church would be relieved of that burden. The Fifth Commandment demands that we honor and support our parents until the end of their lives.
What If…?
We face a similar question to previous commands: What if the whole world obeyed the Fifth Commandment? The end of juvenile delinquency would only be the beginning. Honoring parents would naturally lead to honoring God.
Reform schools and youth detention centers would close or would become educational centers. Drug dealers and gangs would be out of business—as youths would honor and obey their parents who warned them about these dangers. Without drug habits to feed, theft would decrease.
Children could safely walk to school without worrying about gangland drive-by shootings. With more diligent parental guidance, we would see positive changes in the media and in the values that they project. Respect for the elderly would reappear, along with respect for authority, including police officers and teachers. Generations would live longer as they would receive the promised blessing due to showing honor to their parents.
Chapter Six –
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
The Sixth Commandment is recorded in Exodus 20:13: “YOU SHALL NOT KILL.” The Hebrew word for “kill” is ratsach, but “murder” is a more accurate translation. This term means a willful, deliberate and malicious act, as opposed to an action resulting in accidental death. (God does not view accidental death as murder – see Deuteronomy 19:1-13).
In a world cut off from God, many today have little regard for the sanctity of human life. God said, “He that smites a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death” (Ex. 21:12).
Today in most Western societies, committing murder could cost the murderer as little as five years, with probation!
Since God is the Giver of life, He forbids man from taking it. This includes suicide and abortion. Mankind is made in the image and likeness of God and has been given a mind and potential destiny to be born into God’s Family. This is why we must respect human life with the sanctity God intended.
Christians and the Sixth Commandment
Christians are those who follow—who copy—Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:21; Phil. 2:5). We must ask, “What would He do if He were here today?” Would Christ bear arms and kill His fellow man? Did He teach contrary to the Ten Commandments? Did Paul and John merely record their own opinions about love, the law and sin? What did Christ actually teach about fighting, hating and killing? (You are urged to read our booklet WAR, KILLING and the MILITARY.)
Jesus was prophesied in Isaiah to come and “magnify the law” (42:21). Is there evidence that He did this?
Matthew 5:21-22 states, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
This is serious instruction! It obviously does expand—magnify—the Sixth Commandment.
Verses 38-39 and 43-44 contain more: “You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also…You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
Three times Christ said, “You have heard,” followed by, “But I say.” Each time, He made the law even more binding. Those who claim to seek God will be unable to explain away the truth of these verses.
How important are these things to God? Verse 45 answers: “That you may be the children of your Father…in heaven.” Just like any human parent, God expects His children to obey Him. Christ’s command is so important that it qualifies whom God considers to be His children.
Notice what is at stake for those who ignore and disobey God: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (I John 3:14-15).
Again, this is a most serious instruction! Ultimately, all violence and aggression come from hate and anger. Christ was very specific about the need to control these attitudes—and what would result if one did not.
God gives His Spirit to those that obey Him—who have repented of sin. Notice the following account involving John the Baptist: “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?…and the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:12, 14).
The Old Testament God who thundered from Mount Sinai, “You shall not kill,” is the same God—Jesus Christ!—who thunders the same command to you and me today. He further commands, “Do violence to no man.”
As a wise instructor once observed, “Christ is pictured as a rebellious young man who came to do away with His Father’s law.” Yet, He did not.
Here is one more proof that Jesus Christ was the God of the Old Testament. Paul wrote, “And [Israel] did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that rock was christ” (I Cor. 10:4). Theologians and religionists try to place Christ in conflict with—in opposition to—the God of the Old Testament. How absurd!
When David referred to God as “my Rock,” he meant Christ. Moses was given the Ten Commandments by Christ, and Abraham talked with Him face-to-face (Ex. 3:14; John 8:58).
From the Book of Proverbs
There are many proverbs on the subject of anger, strife and hate, and they become their own vital, longer Bible study. Anger is not condemned as a sin, but is a frame of mind that can easily lead to sin if allowed to fester. Ephesians 4:26 states, “Be you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
The following proverbs explain the dangers of harboring anger and wrath:
“He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbor: but a man of understanding holds his peace” (11:12).
“A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covers shame” (12:16).
“He that is soon angry deals foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated” (14:17).
“He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly” (14:29).
(Also read Proverbs 15:18; 16:32; 17:14, 19; 18:19; 19:11, 19; 20:3, 22; 22:10, 24-25; 25:8, 28; 29:10, 22).
Excuses People Make
Human beings are wonderfully skilled at justifying their actions, including breaking the Sixth Commandment. Many point to Israel’s destruction of most of the nations of Canaan as an excuse to kill. But why did God command Israel to destroy the Canaanites?
Notice this: “When the Lord your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you; And when the Lord your God shall deliver them before you; you shall smite them, and utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: Neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give unto his son, nor his daughter shall you take unto your son. For they will turn away your son from following Me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy you suddenly. But thus shall you deal with them; you shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire” (Deut. 7:1-5).
God was forced to destroy these nations instead of allowing them to co-exist with Israel.
God, as the Giver of life, has the right to decide who lives or who dies. He decided to destroy the Canaanites because of their immorality and corruption, which included child sacrifice, rank idolatry and gross perversion. Modern nations are in danger of receiving the same death penalty.
God knew that this was inevitable and told Abram, over 400 years before, “And you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they [Abram’s seed—the nation Israel] shall come here again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen. 15:15-16).
Another excuse used to justify violence and killing is the “obligation” of vengeance. Romans 12:19 states, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
This verse shows that vengeance cannot be used as an excuse for violence. Living by this scripture would eliminate useless, agonizing worry and suffering! It is better to let God settle the score.
Leviticus 19:18 states, “You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Make no mistake. Men and nations are not free to go to war and kill because of any supposed Old Testament authority to do so.
Media’s Devastating Influence
Of all the factors that influence youth, hardly any dominates more than television. Its effect has been nothing less than devastating. Consider the following quotes.
“American children watch an average of three to four hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today’s television programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may: (1) become “immune” to the horror of violence, (2) gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, (3) imitate the violence they observe on television, and (4) identify with characters, victims and/or victimizers…
“Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness. Sometimes, watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see. Children with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violence. The impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the child’s behavior or may surface years later, and young people can even be affected when the family atmosphere shows no tendency toward violence” (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “Children and TV Violence,” No. 13, April 1999).
“Do you despair at the sight of the youngster in a trance in front of the television set? You are not alone. With sets turned on in the inner city for 11 hours a day, with video, pay per view and multiplying cable channels, TV has become the closest and most constant companion for American children. It has become the nation’s mom and pop, storyteller, baby sitter, preacher and teacher. Our children watch an astonishing 5,000 hours by the first grade and 19,000 hours by the end of high school—more time than they spend in class…
“The concern is that in later life, those conditioned to violence will intuitively continue to regard it as exciting, charismatic and effective. Consider how pervasive it is. By the age of 18, according to one estimate, a youngster will have seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV, including 40,000 murders. TV Guide looked at 10 channels on one normal 18-hour day and found 1,846 individual acts of violence—and every hour of prime time carries six to eight acts of violence. Violence has become normal, the Pied Piper to lure the vulnerable to a darker world.
“The youthful world has become dramatically more violent. Consider this piece of anecdotal evidence turned up by CBS News: The seven top problems in public schools in 1940 were identified by teachers as talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, cutting in line, dress-code infractions and littering. By 1980, the seven top problems had been identified as suicide, assault, robbery, rape, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and pregnancy” (U.S. News & World Report, “The Victims of TV Violence,” Aug. 2, 1993, Vol. 115, Issue 5, p. 64)
“In World War II, the Japanese would make some of their young, unblooded soldiers bayonet innocent prisoners to death. Their friends would cheer them on. Afterwards, all these soldiers were treated to the best meal they had had in months, sake, and the ‘comfort girls.’ The result? They learned to associate violence with pleasure.
“This technique is so morally reprehensible that there are very few examples of it in modern U.S. military training. But the media is doing it to our children. Kids watch vivid images of human death and suffering, and they learn to associate it with laughter, cheers, popcorn, soda and their girlfriend’s perfume.
“After the Jonesboro shootings, one of the high school teachers told me about her students’ reaction when she told them that someone had shot a bunch of their little brothers, sisters, and cousins in the middle school. ‘They laughed,’ she told me with dismay, ‘They laughed.’ We have raised a generation of barbarians who have learned to associate human death and suffering with pleasure” (National Forum, “Teaching Kids to Kill,” Fall 2000, Vol. 80, Issue 4, p. 10).
It is not an exaggeration to say that television has now replaced God, that Hollywood has replaced the Levitical Priesthood, and a cheap, shallow world of fantasy has replaced the truth of the Bible, virtually the world over!
What If…?
Once again, we present the same question: What if the whole world kept the Sixth Commandment, even just in the letter of the law? Military assaults and invasions would no longer be carried out. The ever-present threats of nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare would no longer exist. The defense budgets of all nations would be available for more constructive uses.
On the domestic level, people would no longer have to live in constant fear for their lives. Homicides, suicides and abortions would end. Police forces would be reduced. Television and movies would not glorify violence and murder. This is a glimpse into Christ’s soon-coming millennial rule.
Chapter Seven –
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
The Seventh Commandment is found in Exodus 20:14: “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”
This commandment was given to protect the honor and sanctity of marriage and, like the Fifth Commandment, it also protects the entire family unit.
God Ordains Marriage
The most important human relationship—marriage—was first introduced in Genesis 2:18, when Eve was created: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Eve was created after Adam, not with him. God wanted to illustrate to Adam how incomplete and futile his life would be without a “help meet.” Once Adam realized his need for human companionship, he could better appreciate having a wife. Eve’s attributes were designed to complement Adam’s. She was designed by God with the attributes needed to nurture and care for children. God made her suitable and fully compatible for Adam as his lifetime marriage partner.
Verse 24 states, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Here, marriage is defined in greater detail. God created and ordained marriage as the union in which man and woman could be physically and emotionally fulfilled. Marriage was ordained to be a giving relationship with mutual love, care and consideration. God intended that man and woman mutually assist each other in the development of character. Marriage also serves as the basis for having and raising children. Children were to be provided a safe haven and given many years of diligent training and supervision.
God intended that family life serve as the training ground for children. As children learn to obey and honor their parents, they will learn to obey and honor God. The father and mother’s closeness and loyalty to each other helps children develop and succeed in an atmosphere of confidence and security.
In Colossians 3:18-19, Paul states, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Recognize that if these had not been common marital problems at that time, Paul would not have mentioned them in this letter. Whatever the cause for bitterness, generally the solution involves diligence in understanding and conciliation. This works if the husband loves his wife and she is submissive, as Christ commanded through Paul.
In Ephesians 5:22-23, Paul compares marriage to the relationship between Christ and the Church: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church: and He is the Savior of the body.”
This is a profound statement! The husband must conduct himself toward his wife as Christ does toward His Church! A husband must nurture, guide, train and provide for his wife, just as Christ does for His Church!
Verses 24-25 and 28 further explain the analogy: “Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it…So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself.”
The two partners become one flesh (through marital relations) just as the Church is the body of Christ. “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh” (vs. 30-31).
Though the world is oblivious to this “great mystery,” it is plainly written in verses 32-33: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
In recent times, this understanding was restored to the Church of God by Herbert W. Armstrong, who stressed that the lesson of marriage was to ingrain faithfulness in God’s Church. Thus, God’s Church would be loyal to Christ for all eternity.
You Are Not Your Own
I Corinthians 6:15-17 reads, “Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot [sexually immoral woman]? God forbid. What? Know you not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, says He, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” Becoming “one flesh” with a harlot emphasizes the seriousness of adultery! Genesis 2:24 shows that the two become “one flesh”—one marriage unit, as well as one in their sexual relationship. Adultery and fornication are serious for anyone—but especially those called by God to be part of Christ’s spiritual body, His Church. Paul explains the foolishness of those actions, adding that Christians must exercise the power of God to rule over the pulls of the flesh.
I Corinthians 6:18-20 states, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy [Spirit] which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
How does a person sin against his own body? One aspect made evident in the above scriptures is that the husband’s wife is actually his own flesh (Eph. 5:28-29; I Cor. 7:3-4). If he sins against his wife by committing adultery, he sins against himself. “Flee fornication” means to FLEE, just as Joseph did when confronted by Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39:7-12. We must not tolerate it and see how long we can resist this temptation. Those now called of God do not have claim over their own bodies. They have been bought and paid for by the sacrifice of Christ—they are not their own! A Christian must always remember this!
The Adultery-Idolatry Connection
Temptation and sexual seduction have long been integrated with idolatry in order to attract followers. Satan the devil has made adultery, fornication and sexual orgies part of the worship rituals in many pagan religions.
Numbers 25:1 records this history: “…the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifice of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.”
In this account, many in Israel were being tempted by the deception of Balaam. He schemed a way to get God to curse Israel. Balaam arranged for thousands of beautiful Moabite and Medianite women to take part in a “religious” ceremony in the worship of Baal-peor. This sensual orgy was orchestrated to cause Israel to stumble and sin. Historical accounts point out that women involved in such pagan ceremonies were often forced to do this.
In ancient times, temple prostitutes were used to worship various pagan gods. The allure of the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh (I John 2:16) reinforced the attraction of idol worship. Notice the following quote: “In Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, Chaldea, Canaan and Persia, the worship of Isis, Molech, Baal, Astarte, Mylitta, and other deities consisted of the most extravagant sensual orgies and the temples were merely centers of vice. In Babylon some degree of prostitution appears to have been even compulsory and imposed upon all women in honor of the goddess Mylitta. In India the ancient connection between religion and prostitution still survives… Among the Jews, who stood apart from the surrounding peoples, THE OBJECT OF THE MOSAIC LAW [the “laws of God,” or the Ten Commandments] WAS CLEARLY TO PRESERVE THE PURITY OF THE RACE AND THE RELIGION” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. 22, p. 458). (Emphasis ours.)
The following is from the same source and summarizes these historical observations: “Among the ancient nations of the East, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE JEWS, prostitution appears to have been connected with religious worship, and to have been not merely tolerated but encouraged.” Only in the true worship of the true God was this sexual perversion not found. When obeyed, God’s laws protected Israel’s purity.
Israel was more than willing to commit idolatry when adultery was included. Concerning this, Paul wrote in Colossians 3:5-6, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.”
Such lusts of the flesh are covetousness which, in turn, leads to idolatry—breaking the seventh, tenth and second commandments. Ephesians 5:5 confirms this: “For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
The wrath of God came upon those who committed adultery with the Moabite and Medianite women that Balaam had gathered. Numbers 25:9 shows that 24,000 died as a result of this sin.
The penalty of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Leviticus 20:10 reads, “And the man that commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he that commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” God promised swift and severe punishment for those who committed adultery. They were an example used to instill fear in others.
What Christ Taught
In Matthew 19, the Pharisees asked Christ if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause. Christ responded in verses 4-6, “Have you not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
Christ taught that the marriage vow was binding. The Pharisees quickly asked about the bill of divorcement that Moses allowed. Christ answered in verses 8-9, “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away does commit adultery.”
As an apostle of Christ, Paul had the authority to clarify this. This clarification involved brethren in the Church who had been previously married to spouses who were unconverted and not in the Church. The unbelieving spouses had willingly departed, rejecting the beliefs of their converted mates. In these cases, the converted spouses were not bound (I Cor. 7:12-16). This clarification did not supersede Christ’s words, but was an amendment for certain brethren who had come into God’s Church.
Matthew 5:27-28 is a powerful statement with enormous implications: “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Far from doing away with God’s law, Christ significantly expanded and magnified it. It is now far more binding—even one’s thoughts are to be controlled, as opposed to obeying just the letter of the law. Though the world thinks that the law is done away, God’s people know that it is still in effect.
So careful is the walk of a Christian that Paul had to caution the brethren in Ephesians 5:3-5, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
From the Book of Proverbs
The Proverbs contain many additional admonitions and warnings about adultery, with some very extensive:
“Discretion shall preserve you, understanding shall keep you…To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flatters with her words; which forsakes the guide of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house inclines unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life” (2:11, 16-19).
“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that you cannot know them. Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house: lest you give your honor unto others, and your years unto the cruel: lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labors be in the house of a stranger; and you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly” (5:3-14).
“And why will you, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?” (5:20).
“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; but if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that doeth it destroys his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts” (6:23-35).
(Also take the time to read Proverbs 7:4-27; 9:13-18; 5:15-19; 18:22; 19:14.)
Solomon’s Experience
King Solomon, who possessed great wealth and was in a position to fulfill every conceivable desire of his heart, made some profound observations (Ecc. 1:13). He learned many lessons by way of experience. We can benefit from his wisdom.
Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines—1,000 of the most beautiful women in the world. He observed that trying to satisfy carnal lusts was an exercise in futility. He saw that lust was equal to grasping an illusion. God allowed Solomon to go to these lengths and to record them for our benefit. It is better to learn from his example than to make the same mistakes.
Solomon finally concluded, “All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Ecc. 1:8). Ecclesiastes 5:10 continues, “He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”
We can take his word for it, since he spoke from experience, not from wistful hopes or wishes. Whatever one lusts after, he would never be satisfied with it—be it 1,000 of the world’s most beautiful women or fabulous wealth. Though Solomon had all this and had accomplished great things, he lamented, “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Ecc. 2:17).
Here was his conclusion: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc. 12:13). The phrase “duty of” was inserted by translators. The last phrase should simply be, “for this is the whole man.” Fearing God and keeping His commandments are to be ingrained into the innermost being.
This key principle is also found in Leviticus 18:5: “You shall therefore keep My statutes, and My judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.”
Solomon paid dearly for these experiences, as recorded in I Kings 11:4: “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.” Verse 11 continues, “Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”
Solomon’s actions brought consequences. The same is true for anyone today!
Moral Collapse
God warns against moral permissiveness: “Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness” (Lev. 19:29). God shows that prostitution results in the land becoming full of wickedness. Every other form of evil follows its wake.
Occasionally, news broadcasts will show a group of residents protesting against a strip club or a massage parlor moving into their neighborhood. It is generally known that these elements bring with them other vices, such as more open prostitution, drug rings, organized crime, homicides, theft and other crimes of opportunity. General corruption fills their neighborhood.
Wickedness breeds more wickedness, which leads to moral collapse. Here is what God instructed: “Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. And you shall not let any of your seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself therewith…it is confusion. Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you” (Lev. 18:20-24).
These verses make it clear that God not only condemns homosexuality, but He also calls it an abomination. Bestiality is also forbidden and is simply called confusion.
God then admonished Israel to avoid this wickedness and its consequences: “And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourns among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled) That the land spew not you out also, when you defile it, as it spewed out the nations that were before you” (vs. 25-28).
Today’s liberal educators, politicians, entertainers, media stars, and clergy promote “political correctness,” including acceptance of homosexuality. Anyone who disagrees with them is usually labeled a “homophobe” and a bigot. Just as nature itself teaches that it is a shame for a man to have long hair, so also does it cry out against these abominations. Those who are deeply warped into such behavioral patterns are rarely salvageable in this life.
People, like nations, can morally collapse and corrupt others. God can and will eventually redeem the vast majority of these people and they will learn to honor God’s ways. Tragically, today’s liberal concept of mercy is co-existent with sin and perversion. But God has a much better plan in store for the recovery of those who have self-destructed in this life.
What If…?
The same question repeats itself: What if the whole world kept the Seventh Commandment? Adultery would not exist. People would consider the long-term consequences of their actions.
Almost every television program and movie would have to rewrite their scripts. Advertising would have to find a new theme to sell everything from ratchet wrench sets to used tires without their traditional sex pitch. Magazines would have to do the same. The Internet’s biggest moneymaker and fastest growing business—pornography—would collapse!
Further, there would be no more prostitution, strip clubs, adult movie theaters, exotic sex shops, or escort services. Extramarital affairs would not exist, drastically affecting the divorce rate, sending many children into a much happier future. Illegitimate births and sexually transmitted diseases would disappear. Sexually suggestive clothing styles, which lead to a variety of sexual sins and crimes, would disappear. And the list goes on.
All of these changes and more will be effectively implemented in the coming millennium, when Satan’s influences are gone.
Chapter Eight –
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Next, God thundered the Eighth Commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:15: “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.”
To obey this command is to respect the property and possessions of others. It also entails the way people are to conduct business. God’s way is honesty, fairness, and justice in all dealings, including every facet of finances and accounting.
Stealing Brings Consequences
God views stealing as an act of deception, which is lying. In Leviticus 19:11, 13, stealing is classified: “You shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another…You shall not defraud your neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with you all night until the morning.” God’s laws protect those who, through hard work, seek to make an honest living. The violators of His law were to be punished with swift justice, thus instilling fear in many potential thieves and scam artists.
As part of the punishment, God required that the thief pay more than the original value of what was taken. The amount was to be determined by judges, but in some cases, was set in law. Exodus 22:1 explains how this was usually applied: “If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.”
The thief was at greater risk in Israel because he forfeited any protection of his life under the law. “If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him” (vs. 2). God’s laws protected and benefited the victim. On the other hand, modern laws tend to favor the perpetrators, who are often the ones portrayed as the victims. Today, we are far removed from God’s way of justice. People of the liberal establishment, well entrenched in the judiciary systems of this world, make themselves out to be more righteous than God.
In ancient Israel, the penalty for kidnapping was death. Notice: “If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and makes merchandise of him, or sells him [slavery]; then that thief shall die; and you shall put evil away from among you” (Deut. 24:7). God allowed no loopholes for liberal judges or lawyers, who thrive in our day. The penalty for kidnapping or any other transgression was fixed and non-negotiable. Everyone knew exactly what was at stake when they considered committing a crime.
Certain classes of people are generally vulnerable to theft and deception. The elderly are usually preyed upon by scam artists. The poor are usually sought out by petty thieves. In Isaiah 10:1-2, God chastised Israel for not defending the poor and needy whom God put in their care: “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; to turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!”
When God condemned ancient Israel or Judah for wickedness, stealing was usually listed first among their sins. Take Jeremiah 7:8-10, for example: “Behold, you trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom you know not; and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?”
It is remarkable how this rebuke against Judah, shortly before the Babylonian captivity, fits the mentality of self-professing Christians today. Most of those who attend the major denominations consider themselves “delivered” to do as they please—to break the laws of God with impunity. They believe that righteousness is imputed to them, through grace, regardless of their conduct. Paul directly says that grace is not a license to sin and claim immunity (Rom. 6:1-2).
Withholding the wages of a hired worker is also stealing. Many employers practice this deceit. James 5:4-6 states, “Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth [Sabbath]. You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you.”
This powerful rebuke is a slap in the face to any who conclude that, as long as one just has “love,” there is no obligation to their fellow man.
New Testament Teachings
Here is Paul’s clear admonition to the Church: “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs” (Eph. 4:28). Paul understood that before learning the truth and coming into the Church, many had violated the Eighth Commandment. He admonished them never to steal again, but to provide for themselves and others through honest hard work. Paul stressed the necessity of honest hard work in providing for one’s dependents.
A thief’s motives and actions are completely opposed to the way of Christ. Notice: “The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Notice that a thief comes to get for himself and to take as he sees fit. Christ, on the other hand, came to give. And He gave the principles by which His followers can have abundant life.
Romans 2:21 makes a serious charge: “You therefore which teaches another, teach you not yourself? You that preach a man should not steal, do you steal?” Paul was addressing the Jews as teachers, since they had been schooled in the law. Yet the message applies to any who have the opportunity to teach. They are held accountable by Christ to “practice what they preach.”
Tithes and Offerings Belong to God
God commands that we pay tithes and give offerings. To withhold them is stealing from God. Carefully read Malachi 3:8-12: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer [this means crop-destroying insects] for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the Lord of hosts.”
The penalty for withholding the tithes that belong to God is an automatic curse upon the whole nation. (Read our thorough booklet End All Your FINANCIAL WORRIES.)
God inspired Malachi to write of the blessings that occur upon paying God’s tithes. In the statement, “and all nations shall call you blessed,” God is saying, in effect, “Stop stealing from Me and see if I will not bless you with great abundance.” This is an offer that no individual or nation should pass up.
From the Book of Proverbs
The proverbs below pertain to honesty and integrity, and deceit, theft, robbery and casting lots:
“He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor” (28:8).
“A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment” (17:23).
“Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate” (22:22).
“Whoso is partner with a thief hates his own soul: he hears cursing, and betrays it not” (29:24).
“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (16:33).
(Also read Proverbs 6:30; 11:1; 16:11, ; 18:18; 20:10, 23; 21:7; 22:28; 23:10-11; 29:4.)
An Unrecognized Form of Robbery
The following quote comes from Herbert W. Armstrong’s article “Does God Exist?,” which was printed in The Plain Truth Magazine, in June 1972:
“But now let’s compare the wisdom and intelligence of man with that of God who brought these marvels into being, and keeps them functioning.
“The grain of wheat GOD causes to grow out of the ground is a perfect food. But, like other perfect gifts from God, man fails to value the priceless perfection of the all-wise God, and, undertaking to improve on God’s handiwork, perverts, pollutes, and defiles it! Every bit of God’s perfection man’s hand has ever touched, it would seem, he has besmirched, spoiled and polluted!
“And the poor, defenseless grain of wheat is no exception! Into flour mills of human devising go the millions of bushels of healthful wheat. And there the supposedly intelligent human takes it apart, removes the alkaline-reacting mineral elements, and turns out for human consumption sacks of white flour composed largely of the acid-reacting carbohydrate elements—with poison bleach added!
“Out of this, the human population makes healthless bread, biscuits, doughnuts, pastries, puddings, macaroni, spaghetti, gravies, etc., etc., often mixing flour with ‘refined’ sugar and greases or fats—a combination guaranteed to wreck any organism in time! Yes, the sugar refiners do the same thing to sugar; and nearly all foods on the market for human consumption today have gone through man’s factories and suffered from man’s processes until they have been devitalized, depleted of their health-giving nutrients, and turned from foods into slow-acting poisons! And these foodless foods with which man has tampered in lust for profits have produced in human bodies a whole series of diseases of which our forefathers of a few generations ago had never heard! There is a reason why the history of degenerative diseases has paralleled the rise of modern technology!
“Today human beings drop dead before their time with heart failure; others die with cancer; the population suffers rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, kidney diseases, anemia, colds, fevers, pneumonia, and thousands of other diseases. We respond to the toothbrush and toothpaste ads and frantically brush our teeth, but our teeth keep decaying, and we lose them beginning at an early age because of a lack of calcium and other elements in our diet.
“It would seem man is not very intelligent after all!
“Then, too, the God who created this earth and all vegetation told us to let our land lie idle every seventh year. But man is too greedy to do that. And so our land is worn out and depleted, and natural good foods such as carrots, beets, and turnips are lacking in the necessary mineral elements and vitamins! And drug companies get rich selling vitamin pills!
“Whose intelligence is higher—that of the God who provided every perfect need for every living thing or that of greedy, gullible, God-rejecting humans who in the interest of bigger profits and more luxuries for themselves have robbed the very foods which God created and gave us, of their health- and body-building values?”
What If…?
Once again, we consider the big picture: If the entire world kept the Eighth Commandment, there would be many dramatic changes. Most locks would no longer be needed. The remaining locks would be used to signal privacy or to detain prisoners convicted of other crimes. Armored cars would be obsolete. So would security guards. Theft-related homicides would no longer exist. There would be no need for burglar alarms or steering wheel locks.
Prices in department and discount stores would drop significantly due to the removal of all the built-in cushions to cover the cost of shoplifting (called “shrinkage”). Home, car, and business insurance would also drop significantly. Businesses would be more equitable to workers and they would be diligent to honestly work for their pay. Labor unions would not be needed, since workers and employers would be cooperating in a spirit of equity. The elderly would no longer have to be on guard against scam artists that specialize in wiping out their life savings. Such practices as bribery, extortion and “white collar” crimes would no longer exist. The world would be a much better place without stealing and robbery.
The way of give would predominate in such a world—not the way of get.
Chapter Nine –
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
God gives the Ninth Commandment in Exodus 20:16: “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR.”
This commandment condemns deception—in every form. This includes outright lying, false advertising, slander, as well as false testimony in a court of law. Justice can only be based on truth. Of course, truth extends far beyond judicial proceedings.
Truth embodies the very character of God—all that He is and does. God’s character is so perfect—but also so powerful—that He literally cannot lie (Heb. 6:18). He wants all mankind to learn the value of truth in every aspect of life.
Judgment for False Witnesses
Exodus 23:1-2 reads, “You shall not raise a false report: put not your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. You shall not follow a multitude to do evil [in other words, riots]; neither shall you speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment [in others words, collusion or scheming].”
Notice Deuteronomy 19:15, which diminished the chance of false accusations: “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Two or three witnesses were always required to establish a charge before a judge.
Next, the judges had to diligently examine the individual bringing the charges. Notice:
“If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother; then shall you do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shall you put the evil away from among you. and those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you” (vs. 16-20).
God’s judgments far exceed those of man. God looks at the long-term effects. Man only looks at the short term.
The Trend in Israel and Judah
When any or all of the tribes of Israel rebelled and rejected the words of God’s prophets, lying and falsehood reigned. Notice Isaiah 30:9: “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord.” Liars would naturally avoid hearing this law, because they are condemned by it.
Notice this strong indictment from Isaiah 59:4, 13: “None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity…In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
Israel’s historic tendency to seek out and listen to false prophets is also condemned in Jeremiah 7:8: “Behold, you trust in lying words, that cannot profit.”
Now compare David’s attitude as he wrote the following Psalms. Some of them reveal man’s deceitfulness, while others exalt the truthfulness of God’s way:
“I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord” (31:6).
“Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous” (31:18).
“For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak” (59:12).
“For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue” (Psa. 109:2).
“Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me your law graciously” (Psa. 119:29).
“I hate and abhor lying: but Your law do I love” (Psa. 119:163).
“Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue” (Psa. 120:2).
The Truth in Perspective
Christians must follow God’s Spirit. “Howbeit when He [It], the Spirit of truth, is come, He [It] will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). In prayer to God, Christ stated, “Sanctify them [those whom God committed unto Christ] through your truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17). In John 14:5, Thomas asked, “How can we know the way?” Christ replied, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (vs. 6). God the Father and Christ personify truth.
In contrast to God, whose way is embodied in truth, notice the way of the devil. In John 8:44, Christ condemned the Pharisees, who refused to accept His word. Notice: “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
This scripture explains why false religion, engineered and orchestrated by Satan, is deeply embodied in deceit. Every entity that opposes God’s way operates on the principles of treachery, deceit and falsehood—the antithesis of truth.
Verses 31-32 reveal a profound concept about truth: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The Jews felt that they were already free. Christ explained that they were servants of sin—so is anyone who sins as a way of life.
One of the greatest assets that a Christian can have is the desire to seek the truth. As one speaks the truth and exerts effort to live by the truth, he will come to acknowledge the truth when he is corrected. When a person does this, in spite of weaknesses and imperfections, God can easily work with him, like clay in the hands of a potter. To grow and develop, one must become, and remain, anchored to the truth.
Paul taught that we must control the tendency to lie and exaggerate the truth. Consider his words: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another” (Eph. 4:25). Also, “Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Col. 3:9). In order to overcome the carnal inclination to lie, one must realize its futility and the danger of its consequences.
However, God’s Spirit and obeying God’s laws will help you to overcome this.
Revelation 21:8 reveals the ultimate fate of all who will not repent of lying: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
From the Book of Proverbs
The following list contains various proverbs that address truthfulness and deceit:
“These six things does the Lord hate: yes, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren” (6:16-19).
“He that hides hatred with lying lips, and he that utters a slander, is a fool” (10:18).
“He that speaks truth shows forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. There is that speaks like the piercing of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counselors of peace is joy” (12:17-20).
“Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are His delight” (12:22).
“A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame” (13:5).
“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies” (14:5).
(Also read these Proverbs 17:7; 19:5, 9; 21:6; 25:18; 26:28.)
What If…?
We revisit the same great question: What if the entire world obeyed the Ninth Commandment? There would be no more lying. There would be no more propaganda from politicians and world leaders. Everyone could believe every word of the news, as well as from advertisements. Exaggerations, distortions and half-truths would give way to the full truth. Every conversation and business dealing would be honest—void of all forms of deceit.
All slander and character assassination would cease. People would be known for what they truly are, instead of what is perceived about them because of slander or gossip. People would no longer put up false fronts. Con men and scam artists would disappear.
All this is prophesied to occur in Christ’s 1,000-year rule, as revealed in Isaiah 32:5-6: “The vile person shall be no more called liberal [generous], nor the churl [selfish] said to be bountiful. For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy.”
Chapter Ten –
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
God’s voice thundered the Tenth Commandment in Exodus 20:17: “YOU SHALL NOT COVET your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The word “covet” comes from the Hebrew word chamad, which means “to desire or lust for something pleasant or of precious value.” It is easy to understand why God does not want us to desire someone else’s wife or house. But what about the other things listed in this command?
Although a manservant was a bondman, or servant, of the owner, he was often more than a common laborer. He may have been a skilled supervisor of other servants and of sizeable herds or flocks owned by his master. Likewise, the maidservant may have been an irreplaceable manager of many functions of a home, like tutoring, or weaving fabric for clothing. The value of these servants was great. They could make the difference in a successful household.
The value of an ox was also significant. Large and powerful, oxen were usually put in teams, pulling wagons or plows. Even the beef from such a large animal was valuable. The ass was another valuable animal and a tireless worker. They were larger than donkeys but slightly smaller than horses. Asses were more commonly used in Israel than other animals, such as mules, which were products of hybrid breeding and forbidden in Israel (Lev. 19:19).
The last thing mentioned is “anything that is your neighbor’s.” This covers everything else belonging to your neighbor.
The total of the items listed is seven. In the Bible, the number seven signifies perfection and completion. Perhaps this is why God listed this many items. God allows no loopholes for man to covet anything that someone else possesses. Of course, it is not wrong for someone to desire a mate. But to desire someone else’s mate is prohibited. The world has yet to learn this lesson.
Covetousness in Perspective
Paul upheld the law and explained in Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet.” Now consider verse 14: “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Most do not think of the Ten Commandments as spiritual in nature, but rather as “do’s and don’ts” pertaining to the letter of the law. But they are much more than this.
Remember that Christ magnified the commandment against killing to show that anyone who even harbors hatred for another is as guilty as a murderer. He also showed that anyone who even lusts after a woman is guilty of adultery. Christ expanded the letter of the law to include the control of thoughts—the innermost being, or the heart. The Tenth Commandment is unique. It deals with the innermost thoughts of people and spiritual thinking toward physical things. For example, you could obey the Eighth Commandment by merely not stealing. However, the Tenth Commandment forbids people from even thinking about stealing—and, of course, just desiring things that belong to someone else.
Satan, as the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4), and the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), broadcasts his attitudes, such as coveting. Human beings are naturally “tuned in” to the attitudes of the devil’s wavelength. Only with God’s Holy Spirit can you develop the self-control to “tune them out.” (You may wish to read our booklet Did God Create HUMAN NATURE?)
Those who succumb to addiction have, in effect, failed to control their lust for alcohol, drugs, adultery, gambling or anything else. This could also apply to television, videos, the Internet or music. With the power of God’s Spirit, determination and persistence, these can be overcome.
Here is how Paul cautioned those who were in the process of overcoming: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:3-5).
In avoiding temptation, Proverbs 6:25 warns, “Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.”
All actions spring from thoughts. In fact, we are what we think. This is why David meditated upon God’s perfect law. He sought to think like God thinks. Carefully read Psalms 119 in its entirety on your knees and ask God to help you appreciate what He appreciates, just as David did. On this theme, Philippians 2:5 states, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Overcoming means literally “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).
Biblical Examples
God required that all leaders who were selected to assist Moses meet certain qualifications: “Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Ex. 18:21).
Proverbs 28:16 states, “The prince that wants understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hates covetousness shall prolong his days.”
In giving guidelines to Timothy about qualifications for bishops (ministers) and deacons, Paul stressed that they must be “not greedy of filthy lucre” (I Tim 3:3, 8). Greed for money is probably the most common type of lust and would undermine one’s ability to assume greater responsibility.
To people consumed with greed for money and all it represents, Christ admonished, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15). He also inspired Paul to write, “Let your conversation [conduct] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have” (Heb. 13:5). Of course, this is important instruction for every human being.
David prayed, “Incline my heart unto Your testimonies, and not to covetousness” (Psa. 119:36). Learn to express this often in prayer, and remember it the next time you are facing temptation.
God condemned Judah for turning away in Jeremiah 6:13: “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely.” This is repeated in Jeremiah 8:10.
The prophet Ezekiel writes this about those who live at the end of the age just prior to Christ’s Return: “And they come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness” (33:31).
Sadly, the covetousness of this materialistic world prevents most who hear God’s truth from acting upon it.
Notice what Paul stated in Galatians 5:16: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Then Peter adds this: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (II Peter 1:4).
And John wrote, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever” (I John 2:16-17).
These scriptures explain our natural vulnerability to lust. The way to overcome this is through God working within the mind.
Other Forms of Coveting
Although the Bible contains no direct laws concerning gambling, those who earnestly seek to follow God will see that the principle opposes God’s ways, just as much as stealing. When a person gambles, his entire approach is based on the way of get, which is contrary to God’s way of GIVE.
Gambling casinos appeal to the lusts of people who desire to “hit it big” and “get something for nothing.” They lust for riches, relying on luck rather than on God. Nowhere does God wish us “the best of luck.” If we obey His laws, we can expect Him to bless us. But disobedience brings curses. Luck is not even in the picture.
Lacking self-control, a great many people have become addicted to gambling, in many cases losing all their assets. Any activity that gives way to lust should be avoided. This includes all forms of gambling—horse and dog races, card games with stakes, lotteries, sweepstakes, and even office pools, and any “get rich scheme” in which there is a risk of personal loss.
A close look at the various cities around the world where gambling casinos thrive reveals a host of problems. Invariably, prostitution, organized crime, homicides and drugs are rampant. These things are all based on lust and greed.
Some ask God to bless them in winning a lottery or sweepstakes, since they barely make ends meet and need help to get out of debt. So many fail to realize that God does not—and would never—bless anything that is contrary to His Law.
Throughout the Bible, there are examples of God’s servants casting lots as a solemn appeal to God to decide a matter according to His will. But God’s people should never cast lots for the purpose of gambling. This in itself terribly cheapens God’s correct use of lots.
It is God’s will that people learn to trust and look to Him, while following His ways and laws—This is how character is developed. If God were to “bless” His people with “jackpot winnings,” they would quickly amass too many material possessions, while probably losing the focus of developing His holy, righteous character—which is the Christian’s purpose for being.
There are many proverbs discussing the importance of employing diligence in all the affairs of this life. Certainly, a Christian is not expected to be a pauper (Matt. 6:33). But it is only through hard work and perseverance that the diligent person will grow his fortune.
What If…?
We ask the same question of the final commandment: What if the entire world kept the Tenth Commandment? With no more lust and covetousness around, idolatry and adultery would greatly diminish. But that is just the beginning. Lust-driven consumerism would disappear, and along with it, consumer debt and bankruptcy.
More people would drive affordable vehicles, instead of going into debt to buy something that appeals to lustful vanity. In short, materialism and impulse buying would vanish, as would all credit card debt, which results.
The world will one day learn that only with the help of God’s Spirit can mankind successfully control lust and keep the Ten Commandments!
Chapter Eleven –
ARE THERE NEW COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
In their zeal to get rid of the Ten Commandments, most professing Christians conclude that the New Testament’s “new commandments” somehow abolished them. The Bible suggests nothing of the sort!
Christ declared, in Matthew 5:17-19, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Greek word for “fulfill” is pleroo. Its meaning depends upon the context. In this case, the translators’ use of the word “fulfill” correctly fits the context. They could have also used “satisfy,” “complete” or “accomplish.” For example, suppose the word “end” was used for pleroo. “End” would not fit the context, because the verse would read, “…I am not come to destroy, but to end.” This would be meaningless—“end” and “destroy” mean the same thing!
Another key passage is Matthew 19:17. Christ was asked a profound question by a wealthy nobleman: “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Christ answered, “Why call you Me good? There is none good but One, that is, God: but if you will enter into [eternal] life, keep the commandments.”
Christ’s New Commandment
In John 13:34-35, Christ stated, “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” Christ also commanded this in Matthew 22: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (vs. 37-39).
There is no hint of God’s law being done away, suspended or replaced by “love” or any other religious sounding phrase.
In Matthew 22, the old standard was to love others as yourself. But in John 13, Christ gives us a new and higher standard—to love others as He loves us.
The Ten Commandments were given to the nation of Israel as the basis of the covenant between all the Israelites and God. However, the Ten Commandments also apply to all humanity for all time. God revealed to Israel what He will ultimately reveal to the whole world. Israel was a carnal nation, not yet given God’s Spirit. Thus, they could only keep the letter of the law. This was the old version of “love toward neighbor.”
The new version was given on the night before Christ was crucified. He instructed His disciples, who became the original apostles and leaders of His Church. This instruction applied to His Church.
Notice John 17:9, 11: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me; for they are Yours…and now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those who You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are.”
The older version—love toward your neighbor—is still in effect today. So are the Ten Commandments. The new command applies specifically to God’s Church, not the world. The Church is the mother who nurtures those who are preparing for positions of responsibility in the kingdom of God.
The true Church has the Spirit of God and follows Christ’s example (I Peter 2:21). Only with God’s Holy Spirit can one keep this new commandment. To require someone without the Spirit of God to love someone as Christ loves him would be unreasonable and actually impossible (Rom. 5:5).
For people in the world, God considers loving your neighbor as yourself to be both reasonable and possible. When God’s Spirit becomes available to all mankind, the standard will be raised.
New Commandment From John
Now read I John 2:7-9: “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines. He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.”
Notice that nothing is changed as far as the Ten Commandments are concerned. Nothing is mentioned about doing away with it. Notice the phrase, “which thing is true in Him and in you.” It followed the phrase, “Again, a new commandment I write unto you.”
What is the thing that is “true in Christ” that is in you (brethren to whom John sent this letter)? Here is the answer: “Howbeit when it, the Spirit of truth, is come, it will guide you into all truth: for it shall not speak of itself; but whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it speak: and it will show you things to come. it shall glorify Me: for it shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are Mine: therefore said I, that it shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you” (John 16:13-15).
A careful reading of this scripture reveals that it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, that is “true in Christ.” The Holy Spirit is in Christ, and in the members of God’s Church. God’s Spirit sets His people apart from the world—this is the key message of I John 2:7-9.
In II John 5-6, John stated, “And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”
As before, this scripture does away with nothing. In fact, what John calls a new commandment still applies today. Notice the statement, “And this is love, that we walk after His commandments.” This is the same as I John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”
Here is how Paul summed up God’s wonderful, perfect Law: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). We must seek God so “That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers” (I Kings 8:58).
What If…?
Now we consider the greatest question: What if the whole world kept the Ten Commandments? What if everyone obeyed Christ’s instruction to keep this entire law?
People would no longer idolize anything or anyone, because they would put God first in their lives. God’s name would no longer be misused or carelessly thrown around. Everyone would keep the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. Families would be happier because people would honor their physical parents and their spiritual Father. There would be no more hatred, killing or war. Husbands and wives would be faithful to each other, and there would be no more illegitimate births. There would be no more sexually transmitted diseases. There would be no more thefts, robberies or embezzlements. Slander, perjury, and gossip would be things of the past. People would not lust for anything that belongs to someone else.
In Matthew 24, Christ described conditions that would precede His Second Coming. Verse 12 describes how “iniquity [Greek: lawlessness] shall abound” and the result would be that “the love of many shall wax cold.”
But the time is coming when the whole world will keep God’s Law—the Ten Commandments.
God’s Word Points the Way
The following quote from Mr. Armstrong sums up this booklet. It is taken from his “Personal from the Editor” in Tomorrow’s World, May-June, 1970:
“The world has rejected God’s Law—God’s way. It has gone the way that has brought every curse on mankind. The world tomorrow will change all that. It will be ruled by God’s law!
“To qualify to become a King—a ruler in the kingdom of God—you must come to really know that Law. And the whole Bible is a magnification—an elaboration of its principles. It is only those who repent of their transgressions of God’s great spiritual Law—the Ten Commandments—and who surrender to and accept as Savior Jesus Christ, who can become begotten children of God. No one is a true Christian until he has received the Holy Spirit of God (Rom. 8:9). That is God’s gift. It imparts the very life of God. It renews and opens the mind to comprehend spiritual knowledge. It bestows the love of God—divine, spiritual love. It imparts power. It instills faith.
“Then, once really converted—the entire direction of your life changed—you must continually overcome. There are three very tough things to overcome—your own self with the pull of human nature; the world, with its customs, false teachings, wrong ways, wrong fellowships; and the invisible yet very real devil. You must grow not only in spiritual grace, but in the knowledge of Christ—the knowledge in God’s instruction book—the Holy Bible. You must study—understand it—live henceforth by its directions. It points the way—walk ye in it!”

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Ug ang Dios misulti niining tanan nga mga pulong, nga nagaingon: Ako mao si Jehova nga imong Dios, nga nagbawi kanimo gikan sa yuta sa Egipto gikan sa balay sa pagkaulipon.
1. Dili ka magbaton ug lain nga mga dios sa atubangan ko.
2. Alang kanimo dili ka magbuhat ug usa ka larawan nga linilok bisan sa dagway sa bisan unsang butanga nga atua sa itaas sa langit, kun dinhi sa ilalum sa yuta, kun sa anaa sa tubig sa ilalum sa yuta:
Dili mo iyukbo ang imong kaugalingon kanila, ni mag-alagad kanila; kay ako si Jehova nga imong Dios, mao ang Dios nga abughoan, nga nagadu-aw sa pagkadautan sa mga amahan sa ibabaw sa mga anak, sa ibabaw sa ikatolo ug sa ibabaw sa ikaupat ka kaliwatan sa mga nagadumot kanako, Ug nagapakita ako sa mahigugmaong kalolot alang sa linibo kanila nga nahigugma kanako, ug nagabantay sa akong mga sugo.
3. Dili mo paggamiton ang ngalan ni Jehova nga imong Dios sa pasipala; kay si Jehova dili mag-isip nga walay sala niadtong nagagamit sa iyang ngalan sa pasipala.
4. Hinumduman mo ang adlaw nga igpapahulay, aron sa pagbalaan niini.
Sa unom ka adlaw magbuhat ka, ug buhaton mo ang tanan nga imong bulohaton; Apan ang adlaw nga ikapito maoy usa ka adlaw nga igpapahulay alang kang Jehova nga imong Dios. Niining adlawa dili ka magbuhat, ikaw, bisan ang imong anak nga lalake, bisan ang imong anak nga babaye, bisang ang imong sulogoon nga lalake, bisan ang imong sulogoon nga babaye, bisan ang imong kahayupan, bisan ang imong dumuloong nga anaa sa sulod sa imong mga pultahan. Kay sa unom ka adlaw gibuhat ni Jehova ang langit ug ang yuta, ang dagat, ug ang tanan nga anaa niini, ug mipahulay sa ikapito ka adlaw; busa gipanalanginan ni Jehova ang adlaw nga igpapahulay, ug gibalaan niya kini.
5. Tahuron mo ang imong amahan ug ang imong inahan, aron magahataas ang imong mga adlaw sa yuta nga ginahatag kanimo ni Jehova nga imong Dios.
6. Dili ka magpatay.
7. Dili ka magpanapaw.
8. Dili ka magpangawat.
9. Dili ka magsaksi ug bakak batok sa imong isigkatawo.
10. Dili ka maibug sa balay sa imong isigkatawo; dili ka maibug sa asawa sa imong isigkatawo, ni sa iyang sulogoon nga lalake, ni sa iyang sulogoon nga babaye, ni sa iyang vaca, ni sa iyang asno, ni sa unsang butanga nga iya sa imong isigkatawo