Jesus Christ Is Coming Back Again! He Will Return!

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen and Evangelist Robert L. Sumner

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Christmas is a time when many Christians look back and rejoice about the time when the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world as a baby, having been miraculously conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. He came into the world that time in fulfillment of Biblical predictions. He came into the world that time with the purpose of being put to death on a cross in payment for the sins of humanity. By his death, he provided forgiveness and salvation for all of us. These blessings and many more are given to anyone who will believe on him as Lord and Savior. 

      Yes, Jesus Christ came into the world long, long ago, and we rejoice that he did so. Some days after his resurrection for death, he returned to heaven and took his place at God the Father's right hand. But he will not stay there forever! He will return! This is a thrilling teaching of God's infallible Word, the Bible.

      Evangelist Robert L. Sumner has produced a good sermon on this subject. A link to it is given below. Dr. Sumner, now 90 years old, has spent a lifetime preaching and teaching the Word of God to both non-Christians and Christians. He also has written many books and pamphlets with them in mind. He also has long been the editor of a publication called "The Biblical Evangelist."

      Here is the link to Dr. Sumner's sermon on the Christian's blessed hope, which is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven:

http://www.biblicalevangelist.org/index.php?id=1142&issue=Volume+42%2C+Number+2

How To Come To Jesus: A Short And Simple Sermon On Salvation

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen And Evangelist John R. Rice

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      Evangelist John R. Rice, now deceased, was greatly used by God to win many non-Christians to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Many of his sermons were put in print, and continue to reach others for the Lord, long after they were first preached. He also preached many sermons and wrote many books and pamphlets to help converts grow in their Christian walk. Many of them are still in print.

      What follows is a link to one of Evangelist Rice's sermons to non-Christians. It is called "How To Come To Jesus: A Short And Simple Sermon On Salvation." Here is the link:

http://www.gotothebible.com/HTML/howtocometoJesus.html

"True Christian Union, And The Devil's Countefeit"

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen and Evangelist R. A. Torrey

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     The acceptance of all religious beliefs as equal is much in demand these days. According to many persons, it makes no difference if one is a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, or something else. These persons say we all worship the same God, just in different ways, and that we all are going to the same place, just taking different paths to get there.

     Among those claiming to be Christians is the popular idea that all who claim to be Christians should be accepted as such, and that different doctrinal beliefs should not get in the way of Christian fellowship and unity.

    But for those of us who believe the Bible to be the infallible Word of God, we ask a question: is that the basis for real Christian unity? Evangelist and Bible scholar, R. A. Torrey addressed this matter in his day in the early 20th century. What follows is a link to one of his sermons on the subject. It deserves careful consideration, for it gives clear Biblical guidance on this vital matter. His sermon is called "True Christian Union, And The Devil's Counterfeit." Here's the link:

http://ratorrey.webs.com/True%20Christian%20Union%20and%20the%20Devil's%20Counterfeit.htm

Confronting The Problem Of Pornography

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Pornography has been around for a long time. But it has become a greater problem in recent years for a number of reasons, one of which is its accessibility on the internet.

     We Christians are not immune to this moral plague. Those caught up in it, whether Christians or not, need help in overcoming it, or help to avoid starting down its path of destruction. No doubt there are many programs and ministries that offer the needed help. What follows is a link to one of them that deals with the matter from a Biblical and Christian perspective. The link takes you to a news item about it on the Baptist Press website. Baptist Press is a Southern Baptist news source.

     Here's the link: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39752

R. G. Lee On Calvinism

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen And Pastor David R. Brumbelow

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Calvinism is a much-disputed topic among Christians. Perhaps its most controversial doctrine is called "limited atonement," by which Calvinists mean that Jesus Christ did not die to save everyone, but only those whom he has chosen to save. According to the few numbers of persons who become Christians compared to the general population, Calvinists must believe the Lord did not die to save very many. The odd thing is that Calvinists insist Jesus Christ died for them, specifically, even though they cannot point to one Bible verse that says he did so. They make a claim they cannot prove from the Bible. Here is an example of what I mean: Charles Spurgeon was one who believed in "limited atonement." But there is no Bible verse that says "Jesus Christ died to save Charles Spurgeon."  The only way we can prove from the Bible that he died for anyone is to cite verses that state he died for everyone. And several verses do just that. The article below refers to those verses. Because he died to save everyone, we can say he died to save us, specifically.

     Although I am not a Southern Baptist, I am aware of the fact that Calvinism is a hot topic among Southern Baptists. Some of them have documented the fact that many of their leaders have not and do not accept the doctrine of limited atonement. Southern Baptist pastor, David R. Brumbelow has done so in a recent posting on his blog spot. He gave me permission to post it on my blog spot. It is given below (in red). I think you will enoy reading other items on his blog spot. Here is a link to it: http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/

   

R. G. Lee (AD 1886-1978) was pastor of Citadel Square Baptist Church, Charleston, South Carolina, First Baptist Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee (1927-1960). He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and authored numerous books. Lee was a conservative leader in the SBC. He was very evangelistic. Many of his sermons were published in the Sword of the Lord. I had the privilege of hearing and meeting Dr. Lee. Back in the day my preacher dad, Joe Brumbelow, called him, “The greatest living preacher.” Lee’s most famous sermon was, “Payday Someday.” 
Recently someone has referred to R. G. Lee numerous times as having been a 5-point Calvinist. I have no doubt Lee was a Calvinist, but what most would probably refer to as a Moderate Calvinist (or perhaps today a Traditionalist or a non-Calvinist, the descriptors vary). From the direct quotes below, it is obvious that Dr. R. G. Lee was not a 5-point or Strict Calvinist. Rather than Limited Atonement (Jesus died only for the elect), Dr. Lee believed Jesus died for all mankind. He could look any man in the eyes and say, Jesus died for you.

“Wonderful inclusiveness here, in the outstretched and encircling arms of the Christian Gospel - ‘to everyone.’ Nobody excluded. Everybody included.” -R. G. Lee, The Name Above Every Name, Christ for the World Publishers, Revell; 1938.

“There is no ground for boasting. The beggar who puts forth his hand and takes the gift can claim no credit. Believing is not in itself a virtuous act, a meritorious effort by which the sinner earns the favour of God. No, all boasting is excluded by the very freeness and simplicity of salvation which at the same time excludes all excuse from those who refuse or neglect it.” -R. G. Lee, The Name Above Every Name, Christ for the World Publishers, Revell; 1938.

“Just as there is universal guilt among men, so there is the universal offer of salvation from God…Repeatedly God declares that sin is universal, that no one escapes. Repeatedly, too, God declares the atonement to be universal. That does not mean that salvation is universal, for many will not be saved…God has done His part for man’s salvation, but man fails or refuses to do his part. That is the sum and substance of all excuses and objections. Man’s free and wicked will is the only barrier in the way of his salvation.” -R. G. Lee, God’s Answer to Man’s Question, Zondervan; 1962.

“Jesus died for all (2 Corinthians 5:15), gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6), tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9), and would have all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3,4). God put the iniquity of all on Jesus (Isaiah 53:6), wishes all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), does not wish any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). God’s grace that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11). God teaches that whosoever believeth shall not perish (John 3:16).” -R. G. Lee, God’s Answer to Man’s Question, Zondervan; 1962.

On 2 Corinthians 5:21, “Meaning what? Meaning that on the cross Jesus became for you, for me, for every man, all that the holy and just God must judge that we, through faith in him, might become all that God cannot judge.” -R. G. Lee, Heart to Heart, Broadman; 1977.

“Jesus, by the sacrifice of Himself, could redeem as many fallen worlds as God has stars in His Heaven - because the infinite merit of the Son of God atones for the sins of the whole world.” -R. G. Lee, Great is the Lord, Christ for the World Publishers, Revell; 1960.

Some of my dad’s most prized possessions were his books by Dr. R. G. Lee. I would recommend any preacher, young or old, to get every book you can by Robert Greene Lee.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, February 17, AD 2013. 

The Great Doctrines Of The Bible

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen and Dr. William Evans

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     If we want to live stable Christian lives that stand the tests of time, trials, temptations, and false teachings, we must be grounded in the great doctrines of the Bible. The Bible is a book of doctrine from beginning to end. As we read through it, we learn its doctrines.

     A good way to learn Bible doctrine in a short period of time is to read books that arrange the Bible's doctrines by topics, and that give Bible verses in which those doctrines are taught. One such book is by William Evans. It is called "The Great Doctrines Of The Bible." Unlike some books on Bible doctrines, this one is relatively easy to read and understand. So, if you want to discover what the Bible has to say on many subjects, click on the following link to "The Great Doctrines Of The Bible, and start reading." Here's the link: http://baptistbiblebelievers.com/LibrarybyTopics/TheGreatDoctrinesoftheBibleWilliamEvans/tabid/255/Default.aspx

Names, Titles, and Character of Jesus Christ

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     The Bible is the world's most interesting book. It is the book of beginnings, and the book of endings. It is such because it tells us where we've come from, and where we're going. Most importantly, it is the Book of God. That is, it is the Word of God.

     What makes the Bible so interesting is the fact that its central message is not about a bunch of facts, but about a person, the world's most important person: the Lord Jesus Christ.

     If you would like to read a list of the names and titles of Jesus Christ, and a list of his characteristics, please click on the following link. On the right side you will see many references to Bible verses. If you hold your cursor over a reference, the verse will appear so it can be read.

     Here is the link: http://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral19.cfm

Christian Fundamentalists Believe The Whole Bible Is Equally Inspired, But Most Don't Believe It Is Equally Important

 By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com 

       I enjoy reading Dr. Roger E. Olson's blog spot. That doesn't mean I agree with all he says. At times, I strongly disagree with him. But it can be educational.  I'm a fundamentalist, and a member of Independent Fundamental Churches Of America, International. But he comes right out and says he is not a fundamentalist, and does not hesitate to oppose fundamentalism.
      In a recent post on his blog spot, Dr. Olson wrote about why he is not a fundamentalist. Here (in red) is part of what he wrote:  " So why am I not a fundamentalist (by my definition of that)? I find fundamentalism too much like the religious type the New Testament describes as 'the scribes and Pharisees.' It is too rigid, exclusive, dogmatic, resistant to truth (e.g., age of the earth as proven by science), divisive, suspicious, judgmental, “wooden” in terms of its approach to Scripture. (By that I mean inflexible, literalistic, putting all Scripture on the same level of importance.)"  

     Here (in red) is my reply to this part of Dr. Olson's post:  "Dr. Olson, your last statement that fundamentalists put all Scripture on the same level of importance is a misrepresentation of most fundamentalists. Most of us believe the Bible is equally inspired in its entirety, but we do not believe all of it is of equal importance. That is why we give out the Gospel of John as an evangelistic tool, and not, for example, the Book of Esther or  1 and 2 Chronicles. That is why we tell a new Christian to read the New Testament before the Old Testament. Even fundamentalist John R. Rice did not believe what you say fundamentalists believe.  In his book, "Our God-breathed Book -- The Bible," Rice has a chapter called "The inspiration Of The Bible Is Claimed Alike For All its Parts."  One section of that chapter is called "No Degrees In Inspiration." In it, Rice says this: "This does not mean that all Scripture is as important in some particular situation as some particular part is. It does not mean that John 3:16, for example, is not to be treasured more than some narrative verse in a minor prophet. But it means that every bit of the Word of God is inspired perfectly and alike.   There are no degrees of inspiration." The most that can be said about fundamentalists on this point is that SOME might take the view you referred to. But I wouldn't be surprised to find that very few fundamentalists hold that view. In all my reading of fundamentalist literature over the years, I do not recall ANY fundamentalist "putting all Scripture on the same level of importance."

An Attorney says church by-laws should define marriage

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

    Baptist Press has a good article on the importance of local churches putting in their by-laws their view of marriage. Doing so will help Bible-believing churches deal with our culture's increasing acceptance of homosexuality. The read the article, click on the following link: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39695

A Study Of The First Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

This is a simple study of the first of the ten commandments.

    The ESV (English Standard Version) is quoted in this article, unless noted otherwise.

Where the command is found, and what it says. 

   This command is found in Exodus 20:3 and in Deuteronomy 5:7. It says this: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
The first commandment prohibits idolatry. But why?

    It is significant that this is the first of the ten commandments. But why does it head the list? Perhaps there are at least three answers to the question:

    1) It heads the list, first of all, because of who God is. The next command tells us that God is a jealous God. He tolerates no rivals. But his jealousy is not the petty jealousy of a self-doubting, controlling lover. Rather, God’s jealousy is based on the fact that he is the one true God. Because of who he is, he is worthy of absolute devotion from the human race. Not only is he the one true God. He also is good, loving, gracious, and wise, to name a few of his attributes. And because of these attributes, he deserves our absolute devotion. But there is another reason this command heads the list.

   2) It heads the list because the Hebrew people needed it. Those persons were sinful creatures, just like the rest of us. They were easily drawn into sins of one kind and another, one of which was idolatry. Psalm 106 gives us some insight into their sinful tendencies. Verses 6 - 12 tells us of many good things God had done for his people by saving them from death at the hand of their Egyptian enemies. Verse 13 says: “But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert…..” Verse 19 - 21 say: “They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things for them….”

    God, being omniscient, perfectly understood those persons’ potential for falling into idolatry. In fact, it was while Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments that Aaron and his people made the golden calf to worship. Ex. 32 and Deut. 9 tell us of Moses descent from Mt. Sinai, only to learn the people had become idolatrous. They had broken the first commandment even before they had received it from Moses! But there is a third reason this command heads the list.

    3) This prohibition of idolatry heads the list because of what the Hebrews would face in their new homeland: rampant idolatry. The Egyptians whom they left behind were idolatrous, and so were the ones living in the place to which they were moving. So, they had to be very careful not to get drawn into idolatry.

    Note the warnings against going down that path of destruction. They are found in Ex. 34:11 - 16; in Deut. 11:16; and in Deut. 12:29 - 31. In spite of these warnings, the people went into idolatry, and Psalm 106, quoted above, had as one of its purposes the retelling of that sad fact. Consider what Psalm 106:34 - 36 says: “They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them.”

    Here is what commentator John Gill said on Psalm 106:36: “They served "their" idols, the idols of the Canaanites, who were dispossessed of their land for their idolatries and other sins; and these Israelites were put in their place. They served those which they were ordered to destroy; they who knew the true God, whose servants they were, or ought to have been, and professed to be, and were so called; and yet served the idols of the nations driven out before them. Which were a snare unto them; either the Canaanites were, who were left in the land, with whom they mixed, and whose works they learned; these ensnared them, and drew them into idolatry, (Joshua 23:13), or the idols they worshipped, which were the cause of many evils and calamities, (Judges 2:3) , or the act of serving and worshipping them, (Exodus 23:33) (Deuteronomy 7:16) . They were by these means like a bird or beast in a snare, and brought into trouble and distress, out of which they could not extricate themselves.” .

      God knew in advance what they would be up against. He knew their potential to sin. He knew they would be drawn into idolatry. No wonder, then, that this command heads the list.
The New Testament also prohibits idolatry.

    The Old Testament has many strong statements against idolatry. But so does the New Testament. Let us consider some of them, seeking to learn practical truths from them. I will quote the verses. You think them over. Their lessons are easy to see.

    1 Corinthians 5:11 says: “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler - not even to eat with such a one.”

    1 Corinthians 6:9 and 10 says: “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters…….will inherit the kingdom of God.”

    1 Corinthians 10:14 says: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

    Galatians 5:19 and 20 tell us of the works of the many flesh. Paul made this statement about all these sins, including idolatry: “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

   Ephesians 5:5 and 6 says: “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

   1 Thessalonians 1:9 tells us Paul told the newly-converted Thessalonians: “….you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

   1 Peter 4:3 tells us the non-Christian Gentiles of Peter’s day were known for their “lawless idolatry.”

( The KJV says: “abominable idolatries.” The Greek word for “abominable“ is also translated in Acts 10:28 in the KJV as “unlawful.”)

   1 John 5:21 says: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

   Revelation 21:8 says this about unrepentant sinners, including idolaters: “…..their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

There are three practical truths to be learned about idolatry from these verses:

1) The New Testament condemns it just as strongly as the Old Testament.

2) God will certainly punish unrepentant idolaters.

3) Converts to Jesus Christ are expected to turn from idolatry.
An important lesson for Americans. 

     There is an important lesson about idolatry for us Americans to learn. It is this: Idolatry is very deceptive to us, because in our culture it is more inward than outward, more unintentional than intentional. What I mean is, we don’t often bow down to outward idols, but to inward ones. We don’t intentionally practice idolatry, but our wrong priorities displace God from the center of our lives.

    Did you notice that Ephesians 5:5 says a covetous person is an idolater? How susceptible we are, then, to idolatry in a nation where we want to enjoy “the good life” of pleasure and material prosperity, even if those things take priority over more important issues such as family and character, and even if they take priority over the most important issue, that is, God himself. Whenever we make life revolve around ourselves, we have a problem with idolatry, though we do not like to think of it in that way.
The way out of idolatry.

    Whether we bow down idols, or whether we, as it were, bow down to ourselves by making life revolve around us, we need to know how to find our way out of the problem. Here are some things we must do to change for the better:

1) Admit the problem to ourselves, and confess and forsake it. Proverbs 28:13 says: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” We might do well to confess it to a trusted Christian friend who will pray with us about it. See James 5:16.

2) Claim Christ’s power over it. Philippians 4:13 says: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (New King James Version)

3) Flee from it. “Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.“ 1 Corinthians 10:14.

4) Keep ourselves from it. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21.

5) Don’t blame God or someone else for your idolatry. James 1: 13 - 15 gives good teaching about temptation. Those verses say: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” God won’t tempt us, but others might do so. But even then it is our responsibility if we fail to resist the temptation. See 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Idolaters can be saved.

     This is a grievous sin, but God will save anyone who does what the Bible says must be done to be saved: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Acts 16:31.

A Study Of The Tenth Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

    

This is a simple study of the tenth commandment.
      All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless noted otherwise.
Where it is found, and what it says.
      This command is found in Exodus 20:17, and in Deuteronomy 5:10. The command says: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
This is a prohibition of an internal attitude
      One of the striking things about this command is that it is a prohibition of an internal attitude, not just an external action. It is harder to prohibit an attitude than to prohibit an action. We might not make idols to worship, and yet be idolatrous in our hearts. We might not take the name of God in vain with our mouths, but do so in our hearts. We might not murder someone, and yet want to do so. We might not commit adultery, and yet have adulterous thoughts. We might not steal, but wish we could do so. We might not bear false witness against someone, and yet be liars at heart. In other words, we might be outwardly obedient to the ten commandments, and yet inwardly be in defiance of God's authority. We might be like the little girl who did not want to sit down to eat dinner with her family. She wanted to stand next to the table. Upon her father's insistence, she sat down to eat. But she told her father she was sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside. But when it comes to the tenth command, we cannot only follow it externally. We either covet, or we don't. That is, we are either covetous, or we are not. That is the distinguishing feature about this command.
What does the word "covet" mean?
     The NKJV (New King James Version) Study Bible, second edition, published by Thomas Nelson, answers  this question in its comment on Ex. 20:17, which says: "Covet means 'to have a strong desire for.' Coveting was not merely an appreciation of something from a distance, but an uncontrolled, inordinate, selfish desire. This tenth command governed an internal matter: the sin of coveting occurred in the mind. This demonstrated that God intended the Israelites not only to avoid the actions named in the previous commands, but also to turn away from the evil thoughts that led to those actions."   

Why do we covet?
     The Lord Jesus Christ answered this question in Mark 7:21 - 23, which says: "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."  The Lord's statements reveal that we covet because we have corrupt hearts. Remnants of this corruption remain, even if we have obtained forgiveness and salvation by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must always be on guard so it does not dominate our lives.

How serious is the sin of covetousness? 
     1 Corinthians 5:11 says: "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler --- not even to eat with such a one."  The seriousness of this sin is revealed by what we read in 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11, which says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." The seriousness of this sin is stated in Ephesians 5:5, which says: "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."
This sin can be forgiven.

      Yes, this is a serious sin. But we can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and obtain the washing, sanctification, and justification we need. If we have believed in him, we need have no fear of going to hell, but can rejoice that we are on our way to heaven.

Some other points based on the tenth command.
     First, this command is not to be understood as a prohibition of desiring something new or different, except that we should not desire a new spouse. There is nothing inherently wrong with desiring a new car, new house, or  new something else, so long as that desire is not allowed to dominate our lives and cause problems between us and those who have them. We must respect the possessions of others, and be glad that they have them to enjoy.
     Second, this command should teach us to be content with what we do have, rather than be discontented about what we don't have. 

Some other Bible verses that relate to the tenth command.
     Exodus 18:21 says: "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." (The King James Version says they were to be "......men of truth, hating covetousness....")

     The context of Ex. 18:21 is this: Moses had too many responsibilities, and his father in-law made the wise suggestion that helped him ease his work load. But the men for the job were to be men of good character, even hating a bribe, i. e. hating covetousness. Those who accept bribes are covetous of the money or whatever is offered as a bribe.

      Joshua 7:20 and 21 makes reference to Achan's sin of coveting  certain objects, taking them, being confronted about it, and paying the consequences for having done so. The verses say: "And Achan answered Joshua, 'Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil (of war) a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.'" 

     The background to Achan's confession is the fact that the army of Israel had lost a battle with an enemy which they easily should have defeated. The reason they lost the battle was Achan's covetous actions. In this case, one man's sin brought defeat to all of the army. The lesson for us is that we must be on guard against covetousness. It will destroy us and others, if we are not careful to resist its subtle entrance into our lives.

     Psalm 10:3 says: "Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursues the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. For the wicked boasts of the desire of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD." It is interesting to see how this verse is translated in the King James Version, the New King James Version,  the New American Standard, updated edition, and even in the margin of the 1611 KJV. From the ESV we learn that greediness, i. e. covetousness, leads some persons to curse and renounce the LORD. One reason for this is that one cannot follow greed and the LORD at the same time. Another reason is that greed clouds the good morals of a person and prompts them to do what they normally would not do. It will cause some persons to curse and renounce the LORD, steal, tell lies, or even murder someone.

     Psalm 119:36 and 37 is a prayer to God. It says: "Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at  worthless things; and give me life in your ways." We learn form this prayer that we should pray about our struggle with greed, i. e. covetousness. It is a means of obtaining victory over its intrusion into our thinking.

     Proverbs 21:25 and 26 says: "The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back." Many covetous persons are hard workers. Their greed motivates them to work hard to get what they want. Not so the sluggard. He craves things, but expects to get them at the expense of someone else. Not so the righteous person. He has a good work ethic, and is also generous to those in need.
Some New Testament statements about this command.

     There are other Old Testament references to what is  prohibited in the tenth command. But let us now turn our attention to some New Testament statements about the subject, though earlier in this article we did consider what Mark 7, 1 Corinthians 5 and 6, and Ephesians 5 say about it.

      Romans 7:7 says: "What then shall we say? That the law (of God) is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' " One thing that makes this statement significant is that the apostle Paul wrote it. He was a man of very good character. It would have been hard to find any fault in him before he became a Christian. But all was not well on the inside with Paul. He, like the rest of us, had a corrupt heart. And though he tried hard to do so, he could not completely keep this corruption from revealing itself.
      Perhaps Paul could have sympathized with the rich man we read about in Mark 10:17 - 22. He asked Jesus: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  The Lord told him that he needed to keep certain commands, to which the man replied that he had done so from his youth. The Lord then told him, "You lack one thing: go sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." What was the man's response? We are told: "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."  Both he and Paul were, outwardly, good men. But they had an enemy within: covetousness, and it was exposed by the Word of God.

      1 Timothy 3:1 - 7 gives the requirements for "anyone who aspires to the office of overseer." The list includes both positive and negative characteristics. At the end of verse three it says "not a lover of money." The King James Version says: "not covetous." This must refer to a man having outward evidence of covetousness. If he does, he is not qualified to hold the office of overseer.

      1 Timothy 6:6 - 10 applies to our subject because it speaks directly about the importance of being content with what we have, and it clearly warns against coveting what we don't have. The verses say: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (King James Version)
     One thing we can learn from these verses is that one way to protect ourselves against covetousness is to learn to be content with what we have. There are many happy poor people, and many unhappy rich people.  What often makes the difference between the two is the perspective they have on wealth. Once we learn that wealth does not guarantee happiness, we will have a better perspective of it. 

      Hebrews 13:5 will be our last verse to consider in relationship to the tenth command. It says: "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' " From this short statement we can learn some important truths: 1) It is our responsibility to keep our lives free from the love of money. We cannot be passive about the matter, expecting God or others to do for us what we must do for ourselves. 2) One way to keep our lives free from the love of money or material possessions is to practice generosity. We should give to those in need, using common sense as we do so. 3) We should remember that our greatest "possession" is not money or material things, but the Lord  himself.  We can lose all our belongings and money, but the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. His constant presence with us is of greater value than all the world's wealth!      

         
       

A Study Of The Ninth Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

 

This is a simple study of the ninth commandment.
    All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless noted otherwise.
Where it is found, and what it says.
      The ninth commandment is found in Exodus 20:16, and in Deuteronomy 5:20. Here is what it says: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
What exactly does this command prohibit?
     We know what the word "false" means, but it will help us to know what the word "witness" means. The Hebrew dictionary in The Strongest Strong's Concordance says the word for "witness" means "witness, testimony; an object that serves as a memorial or a person giving of legal evidence." So, then, this command prohibits giving false evidence against our neighbor. However, we know that the prohibition applies to anyone else, even our enemies, for we are always to be truthful.

Why does anyone bear false witness against someone?
     Jesus Christ told us the answer in Matthew 15:19, in which he said: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." So the source of this sin, as with all sins, is a corrupt heart. Even if we are not guilty of bearing false witness, all the sins we have committed and will yet commit come from a corrupt heart.

How serious is the sin of bearing false witness?
    According to Revelation 21:8, it is very serious. It says:"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." To bear false witness is to lie. And Revelation 21:8 tells us what the result will be for those who face God as unforgiven liars. But any sin will be forgiven by Jesus Christ, if the guilty person admits to him their guilt and believes on him as Savior. If you are in need of salvation, the Bible says: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." (New King James Version)
The wisdom of this command.
      It is easy to see the wisdom of this command. It puts the brakes on our sinful natures which would lead us to be false witnesses for a variety of reasons. If a family member has abused us sexually or physically or emotionally or verbally, our sinful natures would prompt us to retaliate, which might be done by bearing false witness against them by knowingly stating they had done more harm to us  than they, in fact, did. We might do the same if we have been mistreated by a neighbor or a boss or a fellow-employee.
      However,  it is never right to bear false witness against someone. We must resist the urge to do so. We can go to the Lord in prayer and tell him that we are struggling with the urge to retaliate by being a false witness, and he will help us. We can claim the truth of 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
What should we do, if we have borne false witness against someone?
       First, we must admit it to God. Proverbs 28:13 says: "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." Psalm 32:5 tells us of David's honesty with God about his sins, and its result. It says: "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." David found forgiveness for his adultery and murder. We, too, can find it if we have been false witnesses.
      Second, we need to admit to the one or the ones about whom we have lied. This needs to be done, even if they have harmed us in some way.
      Third, we must admit our wrong-doing to the ones who were told our lie or lies. Making amends for being a false witness will be a very humbling thing to do, and it can get very involved. But it must be done. We would want our name cleared of false charges, if it happened to us. Why would we do less for someone else? In Matthew 6:12, Jesus Christ said: "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
What if we have been the victim of a false witness?
     This can be a very painful thing. It is perfectly normal and acceptable to want our name cleared. We can even take steps to get it cleared. But we have to forgive the liar of their wrong-doing, even if they do not do anything to set the record straight.
      Consider some Biblical statements that teach we must forgive those who have wronged us. In Matthew 6: 5 - 15, the Lord gave his disciples some instructions about prayer. In verse 12 he said we should ask God the Father to forgive our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And then, after this model prayer was concluded, he returned to the subject of forgiving others and said: "For if you forgive others their trespasses (sins), your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
      Ephesians 4:31 and 32 says: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you." It is not always easy to forgive someone who has wronged us, but with the Lord's help it can be done.  Philippians 4:13 says: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (New King James Version.) Preacher Stephen, about whom we read in Acts 7, is a good example of one who forgave his enemies. While he was being stoned to death by them simply because he preached the Gospel of Christ to them, he prayed a remarkable prayer. Acts 7:60 says: "And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' " May God help us to follow his example.
False witnesses must be forgiven and held accountable.

      Even though we must forgive those who have wronged us, it does not mean they should not be held accountable for their actions. They need to answer for what they have done. They need to make amends. They need to be brought to justice. But their victims, especially Christian victims, need to follow what Matthew 6:12 and Ephesians 4:31 and 32, quoted above, say.
Other Biblical statements about false witnessing.  

      Let us now consider some other Biblical statements about false witnessing. Some verses will just be quoted, and some will be commented on. They all deserve consideration.

      Ex. 23:1 says: "You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness."

      Psalm 27:12 is the psalmist's prayer that reveals his pain of being victimized by falsehood. It says: "Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence."

      Psalm 35:11 and 12 also reveal the pain felt by one who had been lied against. It says: "Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft."

      Psalm 120:1 - 3 is the psalmist's pain-filled prayer, pain caused by lying and deceit. It says: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree."

      Proverbs 6:16 - 19 tells us: "There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies,and one who sows discord among brothers."  We need to pay close attention when the God of love says he hates something.

     Proverbs 12:17 says: "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit."

     Proverbs 17:4 says: "An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue."

     Proverbs 19:5 says: "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not  escape." While it is true that false witnesses and liars seem to get by with their sins, one day they will have to answer to God.

     Proverbs 21:28 says: "A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure."

     Proverbs 25:18 says; "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow." This is not a flattering description of such persons. 

     Earlier in Matthew 15:19 we read that sins of speech, and all other sins, reveal a heart problem. D. L. Moody wisely said that what is in the well of our heart will come up in the bucket of our speech.

      Matthew 26:59 - 64 tell us of those who lied about the Lord Jesus Christ. It is remarkable to read that it was the religious leaders of the day, that is, the chief priests and the whole council, who sought false testimony against him in order to put him to death. Truth was not on their side, so they stooped so low as to get liars to help them silence Jesus. He who was truth incarnate was opposed by men who embodied falsehood. Those evil men sought to permanently silence the one who is "the way, the truth, and the life." But their success was only temporary, for he came back to life and proved that truth always wins in the end.

      Preacher Stephen, about whom we read in Acts 6 and 7, followed in the Lord's footsteps by being a victim of liars. Once again the religious leaders opposed the Gospel. Acts 6:13 tells us they "set up false witnesses" against him." The result was the same as when Jesus was lied about. That is, Stephen, too, was put to death. 

      What we learn from these facts about Jesus and Stephen is that when wicked persons are determined to get their way, they will even stoop to using lies.
Christians aren't false witnesses about Jesus Christ.

      1 Corinthians 15:12 - 15 makes reference to the sin prohibited by the ninth commandment. Those verses say: "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God (The King James Version says, "we are found false witnesses of God"), because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised."

      From these verses we learn how important the resurrection of Christ is. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. It is not a falsehood to claim that he was raised from the dead. The evidence of it is plentiful and undeniable, and it is appealed to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. Belief in his resurrection is necessary if one wants to become a Christian.  That is, you must believe in it, in order to be saved. This is what Romans 10:9 and 10 says: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

      The important question is: have you believed in Jesus Christ and confessed faith in his resurrection?  If so, you are saved. If not, you need to be saved before it is too late. Death ends all further opportunity to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore believe in him  at once, for you might die unexpectedly at any time!
     
       

A Study Of The Eighth Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

This is a simple study of the eighth commandment. 
     All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless noted otherwise.
Where it is found, and what it says.
     The eighth command is found in Exodus 20:15, and in Deuteronomy 5:19. It says: "You shall not steal."
What it prohibits.
    This command prohibits taking without permission what does not belong to us.. How much better our world would be if everyone followed this command! For example, we would not have to lock up our houses when we are gone. Our cars would not be stolen. Banks could leave their vaults unlocked. Purses could be lost, but found with everything still inside. And we would not have to be concerned about a more modern problem: identity theft. Yes, following Ex. 20:15 would make life so much easier.
Why does someone steal?

     But why  do we have a theft problem? The Lord Jesus Christ's  answer to the question is found in Matthew 15:19. He said it is a heart problem. Here is what the verse says: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." We all are sinners with a heart problem that expresses itself in many ways, one of which is theft. This is not to say that everyone steals. But is to say that whatever sins we commit find their source in a corrupt heart.
Other Biblical prohibitions of theft.
      Ex. 21:16 prohibits kidnapping. It says: "Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death." This seems to be a prohibition of what we call "the slave trade." Some persons are taken against their wills and sold for a variety of reasons. Some are sold as slave-laborers, some as sex-slaves, some as informants, some as drug-couriers, some as soldiers, and the list could go on.
More Biblical teaching about theft.
     The Jews were to take human theft so seriously that both the seller and buyer were to be put to death. From this severe penalty we can learn a valuable lesson: punishment of crime is a deterrent to crime, even if does not completely eliminate it. Ecclesiastes 8:11 applies to this subject. It says: "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil." Though some countries are too severe in their punishment of criminals, even more reasonable punishment has been proven to effectively reduce the number of crimes people commit.
     Proverbs 6:30 and 31 says: "People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house." This teaches us that we should take into consideration the circumstances behind a theft. A hungry person should ask for food rather than steal it. But we should have compassion on someone in time of desperate need. Car theft is not good. But if someone stole our car to drive someone to the hospital in an emergency situation, we should be more understanding of their actions. Desperate people do not always use good logic.
     Proverbs 9:17 makes this statement about theft: "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." The context of this verse is verses 13 - 18. A careful look at the context reveals that the subject is sexual activity.  "Water" and the bread" are metaphors for sexual pleasures. The point is that, though sex outside of marriage is pleasurable, it is wrong and has serious negative consequences. Immoral behavior can negatively affect our physical health, and always negatively affects marriage and family relationships, and especially our relationship to God.
     Proverbs 30:7 - 9 is a prayer to  God: "Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God." One important thing we learn from these verses is the fact that when a Christian steals something, he or she profanes the name of God. The King James Version says that the Christian who steals takes the name of God in vain.  That is what profaning God's name means.  It subjects God's reputation to abuse. This is a good reason to not steal.
     Jeremiah 7:9 and 10 says God asked his wayward people this question: "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal (a false god), and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house (God's temple), which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations' ?" This was God's sober message to his people through the prophet Jeremiah. It was a thankless task to call those people to repentance and obedience. They had strayed so far from God that they felt they could commit the sins mentioned, which included the one prohibited in the eighth commandment, and worship God as though all was well.

    It reminds me of what happened many years ago in one of my pastorates: The offering plates were kept on the table in front of the pulpit. A regular attendee saw that some persons put cash in the offering plates before the service started. When this man thought no one was looking, he stole money from the offering plates. Well, he was seen by a reliable witness and was confronted. He admitted to the theft of money. We had reason to believe this had, perhaps, been done a number of times before he was caught.  It is hard to understand how someone could steal money from offering plates and sit through church services where God is worshipped and his Word is preached. And that is what Jeremiah 7:9 and 10 are all about.

    Romans 13:8 - 10 applies to this study of the eighth command. It says: Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Love will keep us from stealing.

    One valuable lesson to be learned from these verses is this: if our hearts are full of love for God and others, we do not need a law that prohibits stealing, for love will keep us from committing this sin. All of God's laws are good. But what pleases him the most is when we do right because our hearts are right, instead of doing right only because a law prohibits doing wrong.
Don't steal and don't be lazy.

    Ephesians 4:28 says this about stealing: "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."    What can we learn from this verse? 1) We can learn that Christians, and especially new Christians, need to be told to give up the sins they practiced as non-Christians. We cannot assume that they will automatically leave behind all bad habits and sinful behavior. Long-standing bad habits don't always go without a struggle.  2) We can learn from this verse that the sinful habit of stealing needs to be replaced with the good habit of working for a living. Those who have been accustomed to laziness and stealing might find it difficult to replace those bad characteristics with a strong work ethic, but it must be done. They need to learn to show up regularly and on time for a job. They need to learn the importance of a job well done. They need to learn to follow an employer's orders. They need to learn to earn an income, and to do more than is asked of them.

    The apostle Paul demonstrated a strong work ethic. Acts 18:1 - 3 tells us he supported himself as a tent maker. In Acts 20: 33 - 35we read what Paul told the elders of the Ephesian church: "I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

    Paul's own example gave force to what he said about the importance having a strong work ethic. Therefore, when he wrote to the Thessalonian church about this subject, he had earned the right to be heard. Here is what he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:9 and 10: "Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write unto you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you brothers to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

     Paul felt compelled to bring up this subject in his second letter to the Thessalonian Christians, too. Here is what he wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 - 12: "Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with  the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat any one's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living."   

    Perhaps we could put the teaching of the eighth commandment and 2 Thessalonians 3:6 - 12 together and come to this conclusion: the Bible says we should not steal, nor should we be lazy.
Unrepentant thieves will be judged by God.

    The sin of stealing, like all sins, is serious.  Thieves are given a stern warning in 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11, which says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
God will forgive repentant thieves. 
     Of course, thieves will be forgiven and changed if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. This is what 1 Corinthians 6:11 says happened to the Corinthians who became Christian: "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Mark 15:27 says that two thieves were crucified at the same time as Jesus. But one of them repented when he acknowledged his sinfulness and turned in faith to Jesus for forgiveness and received it. It was to that repentant thief that the Lord made the wonderful statement, "Today you will be with me in paradise." You might be guilty of this sin. If so, you, too, can obtain forgiveness from Jesus Christ. The Bible says: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." (New King James Version.)

A Study Of The Seventh Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     

This article is a simple study of the seventh commandment.
      All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless otherwise noted.
Where this command is found, and what it says.
      The seventh commandment is found in Exodus 20:14, and in Deuteronomy 5:18. The command says: "You shall not commit adultery." This is a short, to-the-point prohibition of this sin.

But what is adultery?
     The answer is not as easily answered as the questions, "What is murder?," and "What is theft?"  Is adultery sexual intercourse between two persons, neither of whom is married to anyone? Or, is it sexual intercourse between two persons who are not married to one another, but who, perhaps, are married to someone else?
     The Keil And Delitzsch commentary on Ex. 20:17 says adultery "signifies the sexual intercourse of a husband with the wife of another, or of a wife with the husband of another." This means both persons are married.
      The Net Bible footnote on Ex. 20:17 says: "This is a sin against the marriage of a fellow citizen --- it destroys the home. The Law distinguished between adultery (which had a death penalty) and sexual contact with a young woman (which carried a monetary fine and usually marriage if the father was willing.) So it distinguished fornication and adultery. Both were sins, but the significance of each was different. In the ancient world this sin is often referred to as 'the great sin.' "
A well-known Biblical example of adultery.
      One of the most well-known examples of adultery in the Bible is the one spoken of in 2 Samuel 11. In that chapter, we read of two married persons, King David and Bathsheba, having committed this sin. Though both were guilty of "the great sin," it seems David's sin was the greater of the two for at least two reasons: 1) He no doubt used his authority as king to make this affair happen. Perhaps Bathsheba felt she could not deny the king's advances. Though this does not excuse her sin of adultery, we can understand the awkward circumstance she, a woman of the average citizenry, found herself in. Kings then and  now have great power. 2) Another reason David's sin was the greater of the two was the fact that he had known remarkable blessings from God throughout his life. Besides being made king of Israel by God's choice, he had known the privileges of spiritual intimacy with God. He was the one who, in his youth, had faced the giant soldier, Goliath, in the name of the LORD and had obtained victory over him. He was the one who had written  the beloved twenty-third Psalm. He was the one whom God had looked upon as a man after God's own heart, we read in 1 Samuel 13:14. Therefore, when David committed this sin with Bathsheba, he fell from a spiritual mountain top into a deep valley, full oof darkness and guilt.
What we can learn from King David.
      David's fall can teach us some important lessons:  1) If a man so blessed as was David can fall so low, it can happen to any one of us. Therefore we must be on our guard not to stray from the Lord. 2) Men are drawn into sexual sin when they see scantily dressed and provocatively dressed women. David saw Bathsheba taking a bath. She might not have been aware of the fact that she could be seen from David's rooftop. But David wanted what he saw, and used his authority as king to get it --- to get her. 3) Men need to protect themselves from sexual temptations, and resist them, and women need to avoid being a source of those temptations.
Advice from the Book of Proverbs on this subject.
      Proverbs 5 has good counsel on this subject. Though it warns men about immoral women, it works both ways. Women and girls need to protect themselves against immoral men,  of which there are many. Proverbs 5:12 - 14 says this of the regret that comes to the person who ignores the warnings against sexual sins. In the end, that person says: "How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ears to my instructors. I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation." Proverbs 5:20 - 23 says: "Why should you be intoxicated my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? For a man's ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray."
      Proverbs 6 has several statements about this subject. Consider verses 32 - 35, which say: "He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts."
Why does someone become an adulterer?
      What is the cause of this sin? In Matthew 15:19 Jesus Christ answers the question. He said this: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." In other words, the blame rests on the shoulders of the one who commits adultery. It can't be blamed on someone else. For example, David could not excuse his wicked behavior because Bathsheba could be seen while taking a bath. We can't excuse wrong behavior on anyone or on anything but ourselves. We do what we do because we want to do it. It all starts in our thoughts, and if left unchecked, goes from thought to action. Jesus spoke of our thoughts when he said this: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Though his point was that adulterous thoughts are sinful, and not just adulterous acts, it is still true that it starts in the heart and mind. For further Biblical confirmation of the fact that sin starts in the heart and mind and, if allowed to do so, turns into action, read the important words about temptation in James 1:13 - 15.
More Biblical statements about the serious nature of sexual sins.
       1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11 says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
     Galatians 5:19 - 21 lists several sins and calls them "works of the flesh." The King James Version says one of those sins is adultery. And what is the result of living and dying as an adulterer? Verse 21 tells us: "I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
     1 Thessalonians 4:1 - 8  warns Christians about sexual immorality, and says: "....the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.".
     Hebrews 13:4 also emphasizes the seriousness of sexual sins. It says: "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will  judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."
God will forgive those who repent of sexual sins.
     The verses in 1 Corinthians 6, Galatians 5, and Hebrews 13 give the bad news for adulterers. But how grateful we should be that Christ died for all sins, including adultery, and offers full forgiveness to anyone who sincerely turns from that sin to him, and believes in him as Savior. Thank God for what we read in Romans 10:13: "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Biblical churches must confront sexually immoral members and attendees.
     The seriousness of sexual sins is seen in the fact that the Bible says Bible-believing churches should confront their members and Christian attendees who are guilty of them.  Here is what 1 Corinthians 5:9 - 12 says: "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people --- not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler --- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. Purge the evil person from among you." Can it get any plainer than this, that churches have a moral duty to confront sexually immoral Christians who regularly attend their services?
    But this confrontation needs to be done with the right attitude, and Galatians 6:1 tells us what it is. The verse says: "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."   

A Study Of The Sixth Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

This is a study of the sixth commandment.
      All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless otherwise noted.
This command is found in Exodus 20:13, and in Deuteronomy 5:17.
     The command says: "You shall not murder." Though it is a short command, the subject gets a lot of attention in the Bible. It is especially practical in many cultures around the world known for violence, and is important here in the United States with its increase in murders.
The King James Version is misunderstood by some readers. 
The King James Version words the command this way: "Thou shalt not kill." This has been misunderstood by some persons who interpret it as a prohibition of all taking of human life, whether by capital punishment for murder, or in war against murderous nations, such as Nazi Germany.
This command does not prohibit capital punishment and war.
      However, even though capital punishment and war are not desirable, this command does not prohibit them. Rather, the command prohibits murder, which is the unnecessary taking of human life. This command, then, would prohibit, for example, most abortions of human beings.
But why did God prohibit murder?
      For Bible-believing Christians, the prohibition is rooted in the fact that mankind was created in the image of God, as we are told in Genesis 1:26 and 27, and in Matthew 19:3 - 6. The fact that humans were created in the image of God distinguishes them from animals.  Quite significantly, the verses in Matthew 19 quote the Lord Jesus Christ, who in his statements put his stamp of approval on the miraculous account of creation that we read in Genesis 1:26 and 27. This is the account so scorned by atheists, who believe in the evolution of mankind.     

      Many statements in the Bible extol the uniqueness of mankind because we have been created in God's image.  For instance, Psalm 8:3 - 9 records part of the psalm-writer's prayer, in which he said to God: "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the work of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" 

      For more about the uniqueness of man as God's creation, consider David's prayer to God in Psalm 139:13 - 16, which says: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
Consider the reason for murder.
      Murder is the symptom of something else. The reason for murder is the corruption of the human heart. Though we might not like to admit it, we all come into the world with corrupt hearts, and we have the potential for doing great harm to others.  Every cuddly, cooing little baby has the potential for becoming an Adolf Hitler, a Joseph Stalin, an Osama Bin Laden. Fortunately, only a relatively few persons follow those baser instincts that cause them to become murderers. It all depends on the choices we make about how we will live our lives.

Biblical evidence that murder is a symptom of a corrupt heart.
      Why do Christians believe murder comes from a corrupt heart? The answer is this: the Lord Jesus Christ said so in unmistakable terms. His statements are found in Mark 7:21 - 23, which says: " For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and they defile a person." These words prove that a corrupt heart is the source of murder.

      More evidence from the Bible that a corrupt heart is the source of murder is found in Galatians 5:19 - 22, which says in the King James Version: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these:  "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."        

     Still more evidence that murder comes from a corrupt heart is found in Genesis 6:11 and 12, which says: "Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth."   Violence is expressed in many ways, one of which is murder.
God will punish unforgiven murderers.

     Galatians 5:19 - 22, quoted above, tells us that that God will keep murderers out of the kingdom of God. And Revelation 21:8 says: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

     These statements reveal how seriously God opposes murder and murderers.  The fact that God will judge murderers ought to cause them to seek the mercy of God now, while they still have opportunity to find it. Murder is a horrible sin, perhaps the worst crime against a fellow human being, but not so horrible that God will not forgive those who have committed it. Any murderer who sincerely turns to Jesus Christ for forgiveness will find it. But death ends all opportunity to be forgiven. Therefore, a murderer must turn to Jesus Christ and believe in him before death ends that opportunity. The one who dies without having believed on Jesus Christ for salvation will go to hell, which is a horrible place from which there is no escape.
Murderers should be punished by civil authorities.

     Now, since God will punish murderers, it is only logical that such persons should be punished by civil authorities. Punishment of murderers accomplishes at least three things: 1) It holds a person accountable for their behavior, which might, then, keep them from doing so again. 2) It serves as a deterrent to others who might otherwise commit murder if they think there will be no punishment for the crime. 3) It gives the murdered person's family and friends a sense that justice has been carried out on their behalf, and on behalf of the victim.  

The Bible endorses the punishment of murderers by civil authorities.
      One of the Old Testament endorsements of such punishment is found in Genesis 9:6, which says: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." Of course, not all murder results in the victim's blood being shed. Some victims are murdered with poison, some are murdered by strangulation, some are murdered by drowning, and others by other means that cause no bloodshed. But whatever the means used to commit murder, the Bible endorses the punishment of the murderer by civil authorities.

     Another Old Testament endorsement of punishment of murderers is found in the book of Numbers, chapter 35. In verses 16, 17, and 18 we read: "The murderer shall be put to death." The same point is made in other verses of this chapter. And in verse 30 we read: "If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness." In verse 33 the Jews were told: "You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it."

     The New Testament, too, endorses  the punishment of murderers by civil authorities. For example, Romans 13:3 and 4 says: "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrong doer."  Since swords were used in that day to carry out capital punishment, Paul's point seems obvious: murderers should expect the death penalty!

Some murderers referred to  in the Bible.
      Satan was the first murderer. The Lord Jesus Christ told his listeners in John 8:44 that "he (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning." This refers, perhaps, to his malicious nature displayed during and after his rebellion against God. Though no murderer can truthfully say, "The devil made me do it!," they can say, "The devil wanted me to do it!," for he is behind all murders. It seems he delights in the death and destruction of human beings.

     Genesis chapter 4 tells us of the first murder in human history. We read in that chapter that Cain murdered his brother, Abel. The reason he did so was because he was jealous of his brother's acceptance with God, and he was angry that God had not accepted his self-centered attempt to worship him as he saw fit, rather than by a manner pleasing to God. Cain's jealousy led to his anger, which then led to the murder of his brother.     
      Another murder recorded in the Bible is king David's murder of his loyal soldier, Uriah. This is recorded in 2 Samuel 11. Here we see how one sin led to the sin of murder. Here is how it came about: king David committed adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, while Uriah was off to war. To cover up the fact that he had gotten her pregnant, David had Uriah come home for a few days. David's plan was to set up circumstances that would make it look like Uriah got Bathsheba pregnant. His plan did not work, for Uriah refused to have sexual relations with her at that time. So, David came up with another plan, which would get Uriah killed in battle. Perhaps David's goal was to keep Uriah from revealing the fact that he was not the father of Bathsheba's child. As you might know, 2 Samuel 11 and 12 reveal how David got Uriah murdered, but that he still was exposed as an adulterer. We see something similar in the murders  of Abel and Uriah: in each case, one sin led to another, which led to murder. Fortunately, David got things right with God, and was forgiven of this horrible sin against Uriah.

     The most famous and most significant murder recorded in the Bible, and the most important one in all history, was the murder of Jesus. But his murder had positive results. It was a horrible murder, but God brought great things out of it. Romans 5:8 says: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 1 Peter 2:24 says of Jesus: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.." 1 Peter 4:14 says: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." 

     Yes, "Christ died for us," Peter wrote. But he didn't stay dead. He came back to life! Paul pointed this out in 1 Corinthians 15:3 and 4, which says: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."
    Christ's death was very important, but so was his resurrection. It was so important that 1 Corinthians 15:17 says: "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." The bodily resurrection of Jesus is so important that we cannot be saved without believing it really happened. If you want to become a Christian, take to heart what Romans 10:9 and 10 says about this subject: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."