“The Ten Commandments…Today”
10/22/2006 - Marsing, ID
Ricardo Rodriguez
pastor_rr@yahoo.com
Joshua 4:1-11 (v. 6)
“That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?”
“Para que esto sea señal entre vosotros; y cuando vuestros hijos preguntaren á sus padres mañana, diciendo: ¿Qué os significan estas piedras?”
“to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, `What do these stones mean?’”(NIV)
Today’s “modern” society is in conflict over the Ten Commandments. Have they been “done away” by divine fiat or by mankind’s march toward scientific knowledge? Should they be displayed in public places, or reserved for the church? Are they a burden to “enlightened” people, or a blessing to those who obey them? (Meredith)
We live in a time when many of us are seeking the true answers. Our children needs the true answers, our families need true answers and our society needs the true answers. It is time to stop patching one eye, its time to do an auto evaluation of our own spiritual lives and The Ten Commandments is a spiritual measuring stick relevant “YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW”. They are relevant not only because of their content but because of their Creator.
“Men have lost all deep respect for law because they have forgotten the very source of all law and authority! Your Bible says: "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy" (James 4:12). That lawgiver is Almighty God.”
Malachi 3:6
"For I am the Lord, I do not change"
One of the world’s foremost educators warned a group of military leaders of this very problem. He was the late Dr. Rufus von Klein Smid, former chancellor of the University of Southern California. He stated:
"I have no quarrel with the present emphasis placed on science, but today we are paying for support of schools which act from September 1 to June 30 as if there were no God."
Dr. von Klein Smid noted the "absence of moral values" in our youth resulting from this attitude. When you leave the true God out, there is no real standard of behavior left. The result is spiritual chaos and lawlessness and wretchedness in the human heart. In nearly all present-day religious denominations, the tendency is to try to "modernize" and "democratize" God, and do away with His authority to rule His creation—and us, His creatures.
II Tim 4:2-5
“2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
“2Que prediques la palabra; que instes á tiempo y fuera de tiempo; redarguye, reprende; exhorta con toda paciencia y doctrina. 3Porque vendrá tiempo cuando ni sufrirán la sana doctrina; antes, teniendo comezón de oir, se amotonarán maestros conforme á sus concupiscencias, 4Y apartarán de la verdad el oído y se volverán á las fábulas. 5Pero tú vela en todo, soporta las aflicciones, haz la obra de evangelista, cumple tu ministerio.”
It is no wonder our young people are living in the most difficult days mankind has faced. Drug use, alcoholism, violence, sexual immorality, rebellion is at a peak never before seen in the history of mankind.
Sin didn’t start in the 50’s nor the 1800’s but sin has entered man’s heart since before the masses.
This is the same message that Jesus preached:
Mark 1:15
“And saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
“Y diciendo: El tiempo es cumplido, y el reino de Dios está cerca: arrepentíos, y creed al evangelio.”
Bible clearly states: "Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4, KJV). Sin is breaking God’s spiritual law—the Ten Commandments. That is definitely and specifically what sin is! Before God will forgive your past sins, you must first repent of breaking His law!
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).
God’s word is still the same today.
David wrote: "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). David studied and pondered God’s law all day long! He learned how to apply it to every situation in life. This gave David wisdom. "You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies" (v. 98). God’s law showed David the way to go—a way of life. "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (v. 105). Throughout Psalm 119, David declared how he loved God’s law, and used it as his guide in life.
The First Commandment:
Exodus 20:1–3
"And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me”
That is the first and, as we shall see later, greatest commandment. Study the wording of this commandment carefully—and meditate on it as David did! "I am the Lord your God" is a more revealing phrase than at first meets the eye. The "I" who was speaking with such tremendous power was quite evidently the great Creator of heaven and earth.
How, then, does the first commandment apply to you? "I am the Lord your God," the Creator states. Is the God of creation—the God of Israel, the God of the Bible—really your God whom you serve and obey? Or have you conjured up your own false "god" or "gods"? Or are you falsely worshiping according to the "traditions of men," which Jesus said would cause you to worship God in vain? (Mark 7:7).
To Christians, God says that He is the One who has "brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Throughout the Bible, Egypt is used as a "type" to represent sin. All the unconverted are held in slavery to the organized, paganized system of this world, and to their own personal lusts. When a person is really converted, God brings him out of that bondage—and he comes out willingly and gladly! You need to examine whether or not you have ever really come out from the false traditions and ways of this world and have also repented of your own personal lusts and sins.
God commands: "You shall have no other gods before Me." Have you put something else in place of God? Is your time, your interest, your service taken up more with something other than the true God? What idol have you placed between yourself and the true God, studying His Word, and living by it? God says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). Throughout its pages, the Bible declares that God is the real Creator of this earth and of the universe. He is the one who gives life and breath to all creatures (Genesis 1). Do you honestly think of and worship God as your Creator and the One who gives you every breath of air you breathe? You should, for that is part of worshiping the true God and having no false gods before Him!
The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 1:20). In the Bible, God is revealed not only as the Creator, but the One who sustains and who rules His creation—intervening in the affairs of His servants to guide and to bless and to deliver them. David said: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2). Literally hundreds of times, David called upon God to intervene and deliver him from some trouble or calamity. Do you go to God with these matters, or do you trust in your own strength and in purely human devices?
(Born of the Spirit)
Mankind is ultimately to be born of the spirit—made of spirit—composed of spirit (John 3:6). We will be part of the spirit-born, ruling family of God. God plans that those who overcome human nature in this life and learn—through the help of His indwelling Holy Spirit—to keep His perfect laws shall be made like Him—born into His very family and kingdom! Then, after this life of growing and overcoming, after this spiritual rebirth, we will be able to exercise some of the prerogatives of God Himself! We will be qualified as an additional member of the ruling Kingdom of God!
Science and this civilization compete with God, and therefore become false gods! Modern science is trying desperately to give mankind power far in excess of its mental and spiritual capabilities for handling such forces! As former President Eisenhower said in his first inaugural address: "Science seems ready to confer upon us as its final gift the power to erase human life from this planet." And now—realizing what they have already done forebodes destruction of this earth—scientists are working feverishly to colonize the very heavens! And here on earth our civilization continues its paganized teaching that mankind is the ultimate judge of what is right or wrong and puts human beings completely in the place of God and His laws! Whether we realize it or not, this carnal attitude—this God-rejecting attitude—permeates every phase and facet of our civilization today!
What You Serve Is Your "God"
Most people who just go to church once a week and take their religion for granted do not actually know what real worship is. They think "worship" is something you do once a week in church, not realizing that it should affect every thought and word and action every day of your life! In everything you think or say or do, you either serve God, or else you serve your own lusts and Satan the devil! The Apostle Paul was inspired to explain this: "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16). There is no middle ground! You either delight in God and His law and serve and obey Him all day long, or else you serve and obey your own lusts! One key to this situation is how you use your time. For your time is your life! The Bible commands us to be "redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16).
How much time do you actually spend each week studying and meditating on God’s Word and law as David did? How much time do you spend in earnest, prevailing prayer to Almighty God? How much time do you spend in discussing the Bible with others, teaching it to your family, writing words of spiritual edification to others as well as words of purely social interest?
Most professing Christians think of their religion as just occupying a corner of their lives. But in all fairness and love, we say that the day will come when they will realize that that type of religion is false religion and false worship! What is the most important thing God commands you to do? When Jesus Christ your Savior was asked this question, He answered: "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37–40).
The destiny of all nations and individuals rests on these two commandments! If men will obey these two commandments as they are magnified throughout the Bible, they will be blessed! If not, they will be cursed and will become wretched in their own confusion and frustration! As Jesus said, the very writings of the prophets hang on whether or not nations obey or disobey God’s law. Every prophecy written against a nation shows that God foresaw that the nation would disobey and turn away its eyes from His law and obedience to His commandments! These are living laws—like the law of gravity—that rule the world in which we live!
Learn to Love and Worship God Above All Else
Jesus said that the great commandment is to love God with all of your heart and soul and mind. You are to worship and serve God with all of your being! Whenever you think or speak or hear of anything good or beautiful or wonderful, you should think of God! Remember James’ inspired statement: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). Because you love Him, because you know His way is right, because you truly worship Him, you should meditate on God’s law and on His Word daily as David did. You should study your Bible regularly to live by every word of God. You should pray to God regularly, with sincerity and with all your heart, as Jesus did, setting us an example. Whenever you find that God commands you in His Word to do something, you should immediately say: "Yes, Lord," and not argue, "reason" or evade the issue, as so many falsely professing Christians do today.
Knowing that He made you and that your life really belongs to Him, you should present your body a living sacrifice as God tells you to do (Romans 12:1). You should serve and obey God with all your being—with a willing heart—and do all in your power to prepare yourself for and to further the work of reaching others with the message of the soon-coming government of God that will finally bring real peace to this earth. Your attitude should always be that of Jesus Christ, your example, when He was called upon to give His very life: "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). This is what true worship really means! This is how to keep the first commandment, the great commandment!
Works Cited:
Meredith - The Ten Commandments, (Copyright © 2006 Tomorrow’s World), By Roderick C. Meredith, Tomorrows World, Retrieved October 14, 2006, from http://www.tomorrowsworld.org.
