May 31st, 2016

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We close out our look at the Ten Commandments with a look into the final two.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s. Exodus 20: 16-17
The 9th Commandment talks about more than lying against your neighbor. Have you ever looked deeper into this? Why would God use the term that translates into neighbor? What about not speaking the Truth at all times to all people. After all, everyone is considered as neighbor, not just the people next door. Are we not also to be witnesses of the Truth which is Christ and His work in our lives? The Hebrew word for truth has the first, near middle, and last letters of the alphabet. This brings new meaning to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If we cannot speak the truth (bearing false testimony) in any fashion then we are denying our relationship with Christ who is recorded by John saying, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6).”     
The 10th Commandment talks of coveting. Some have come to understand coveting to mean being jealous of, then acting upon it through theft or adultery. It is more than that, coveting refers to selfish desires and or lusting after another’s possessions or partners. When the intentions of the heart are not scripturally sound nor within godly standards, are we not breaking this commandment. Do not think that just because we do not confess it that God has no knowledge of it, He knows. We need to reveal our hearts to ourselves to understand our need for the saving grace of God to deliver us from sin. What are we commanded to do in order to deny ourselves from the desires of temptation that lead to sin? Paul tells us in Galatians 5:24, “Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”.
In Conclusion
We may be physically bound by the law of man but we are fully bound by God’s Commandments and Statutes which override man’s law. Not just Jews and Christian believers, but all God’s Creation. Scripture indicates that God was known about by many peoples and was praised for His works. Our Father was feared by many and His Statutes were known of and written about since the beginning.  We as Christians are given the purpose of sharing God’s Word with the world through Love and understanding. We must not give in to the evils of this world which will cause us to sin. Take special care in all you do not to go against God’s Law. Paul reminds us that we are still required to follow His Commandments because Jesus came to fulfill them with Love.
Read Galatians 5: 13-26