Q & A 92
Q. What is God’s law?
A. God spoke all these words:
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
“I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of slavery;
out of the house of slavery;
you shall have no other gods before me.”
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
“You shall not make for yourself an idol,
whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is on the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth.
or that is on the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I the Lord your God am a jealous God,
punishing children for the iniquity of parents,
punishing children for the iniquity of parents,
to the third and fourth generation
of those who reject me,
of those who reject me,
but showing love to the thousandth generation of those
who love me and keep my commandments.”
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
“You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God,
for the Lord will not acquit anyone
who misuses his name.”
who misuses his name.”
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God;
you shall not do any work—
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God;
you shall not do any work—
you, your son or your daughter,
your male or female slave,
your livestock,
or the alien resident in your towns.
your male or female slave,
your livestock,
or the alien resident in your towns.
For in six days the Lord made
the heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that is in them,
and all that is in them,
but rested the seventh day;
therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day
and consecrated it.”
therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day
and consecrated it.”
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
“Honor your father and your mother,
so that your days may be long
in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you.”
in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you.”
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not murder.”
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not commit adultery.”
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not steal.”
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor.”
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house;
you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
or male or female slave,
or ox, or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”1
or ox, or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”1
Thoughts: This is an interesting answer to an interesting question . God's Law is not the 4,000 plus commands found in scripture- but these Ten Commands contain the Law. These commands were written in stone for a reason. There are other laws in scripture- cultural/national laws having to do with the legal code for the nation of Israel; dietary laws to help with hygiene and identity; sacrificial laws- describing the cult of Temple worship; The national laws are helpful for understanding about right and wrong but do not directly apply to us. Dietary Laws are no longer valid as Christ described in Mark 7 (Peter confirmed in Acts 10:9-16). Sacrificial Laws are fulfilled in Christ our ultimate sacrifice- and there is no longer any Temple in which to sacrifice. But the Moral Law found in the Ten Commandments have both principle and content that apply to us today. Reformed people have seen the Law not as something that just convicts us of sin but also is a valid guide for the way we should live. To not heed this law is to be in disobedience or breaking the law of God.
Prayer: Lord, give me ears to hear what you say to the churches and to your people today through your Law. Help me to understand that the grass withers and the flowers fade but your Word endures forever.
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