Christian Basics 1
The basic law (v.8).
Love forbids adultery (v.9).
Love forbids killing (v.9).
In Discipleship Journal, Carole Mayhall tells of a woman who went to a diet center to lose weight. The director took her to a full-length mirror. On it he outlined a figure and told her, "This is what I want you to be like at the end of the program." Days of intense dieting and exercise followed, and every week the woman would stand in front of the mirror, discouraged because her bulging outline didn’t fit the director’s ideal. But she kept at it, and finally one day she conformed to the longed-for image. Daily Bread, August 8, 1990.
Are you working on your basic Christian figure today?
Let’s look at some of God’s basics we can all agree on…
The basic law (v.8).
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
One law embraces all: love. Owe no man anything but love.
We saw last week that we are to set the example in paying honor when it is due and to pay debts when debts are due (Rom 13:7).
How does this work out in daily lives?
We shouldn’t purchase things that aren’t needed. Our money might better be used to meet: starvation, disease, and the needs of the dying masses every day.
We should never purchase unless we can meet the obligation of the debt.
We should never purchase an expensive item i.e. a car or house if we cannot make timely payments.
We are to owe no man anything, because our real possession is not of this world.
Other’s seek after money and possessions and value others accordingly, we must always pay our debts and fulfill our obligations.
We are to owe no man anything because we might damage the name of Christ in doing otherwise, and push men farther away from the Kingdom of God.
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess” (Matthew 23:25).
“Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped and entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth” (James 5:4).
“Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest” (2 Kings 4:7).
Love, God’s love is our greatest asset for winning people to Jesus and to bring about an ideal society. …love fulfills the law.
If we love with God’s love, then we fulfill the law; and the ideal society and life would be a reality.
We love one another to show what society can be.
However, if we owe debts and commit sins, then we are no different from the world. We prove to be false, and are hypocrites and God is not in us...
Love fulfills the commandments of God.
Let’s look at love…
Love forbids adultery (v.9).
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery… Rom 13:9
“Thou shalt not commit adultery” Ex 20:14; Deut. 5:18.
We are not to commit any form of sexual immorality. This includes sex before marriage, homosexuality, and any other sexual deviations.
Love forbids adultery, that is, any sex outside the marriage bond.
How can love forbid a loving act the world might ask?
Is not sex an act of love, an act of mutual sharing that enriches life they ask?
Scripture says:
Yes, if experienced within a true marriage, spiritually united by God.
No, if experienced outside a true marriage, outside a couple who have been truly bound together by God.
Scripture is pointed and clear about this fact. Scripture says:
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18).
You see sexual immorality is a sin against the human body.
Sexual immorality destroys our rationality and intelligence.
Sexual immorality destroys a person’s body in that it lowers our body to the level of an animal, and God has created you above all else…in HIS very image.
Sexual immorality destroys a person’s body in that it corrupts the most intimate temple of the Holy Spirit.
Sexual immorality destroys a person’s body in that it uses the human body only as an object or tool to satisfy urges and passions.
Sexual immorality destroys a person’s body in that it creates all sorts of emotional and spiritual problems for the persons involved.
The point: love forbids sexual immorality.
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication [immorality]” (Romans 1:26-29).
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [homosexuals], nor abusers of themselves with mankind” (1 Cor. 6:9).
Love forbids killing (v.9).
For this…Thou shalt not kill… Romans 13:9
Love forbids killing. “Thou shalt not kill.”
God gave this commandment to protect human life.
Life is to be respected and cherished; no life is to be taken—not one’s own or the life of anyone else.
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22).
“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).
“He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Matthew 19:18).
“But let none of you suffer as a murderer” (1 Peter 4:15).
How do we get rid of anger and hate?
Scripture says...
“He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” ·Romans 13:8
“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” ·Romans 13:9
“Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” ·Romans 13:10
“Love is the fulfilling of the law.” ·Romans 13:10
Love is the answer to anger, hate, and killing.
A person must come to know God and be born of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly says true love is possible only if a person is born of God.
“Beloved, let us love one other: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:7-11).
A person must think upon and understand the love of God. If they come to know the love of God, they will love others.
“Hereby perceive [know] we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
A person must seek the gift of love from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God can stir men to love one another if they will seek Him.
“Follow after [seek] charity [love]” (1 Cor. 14:1; cp. 1 Cor. 13:1-13).
“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22).
A person must diligently seek to obey the commandment of Jesus.
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).
Are you exhibiting these basics in your life today?
The only way to be able to practice these basics is found in submission to Christ Jesus alone.
Will you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in your life today?
Then, will you commit to attend at least one additional Christian fellowship this next week?
God wants you here and we would love the additional time of fellowship with you.
Be here next week to see what Part 2 of Basics can do in your life and walk with Christ…
