|
Lesson 14 The Law of God: the Ten Commandments Lord's Days 34 - 38 The Law of God: the Ten Commandments The four commandments of the first table Introduction The Ten Commandments In the previous answer it was said that good works are only good in God's sight if they are done according to the law of God. That is the law of the Ten Commandments. This law was given by God at one time to His people of Israel. It took place in a very solemn manner on Mount Sinai in the wilderness. The people of Israel were on their journey from Egypt - out of the house of bondage, that is, from slavery - to Canaan. With His own finger, God Himself engraved the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone. There are four commandments in regard to what the love to God includes, and six commandments in regard to what is included in the love to our neighbor. Ceremonial laws On Mount Sinai, the Lord gave His people Israel more commandments than only these ten. He also gave them the so-called ceremonial laws, which describe the complete form of worship in and around the tabernacle (and later the temple) with altar, sacrifice, etc. Included in these laws were also special laws for the people of Israel concerning food (for instance, the prohibition against eating pork). The ceremonial laws no longer are in force for Christians, because the sacrificial services were fulfilled in that one sacrifice of Jesus Christ. After this sacrifice, no more offerings need to be brought, and altars and priests are no longer necessary. Also the commandments regarding circumcision and foods are no longer in effect for Christians. Paul said to Peter, "If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" (Galatians 2:14). Paul said this to him because, although Peter did not keep the laws concerning food anymore, he was in danger of falling under the influence of people who taught that Christians should still keep some of these laws. Civil laws Besides the ceremonial laws, God also gave civil laws, which regulated social life (for instance, various rules for the protection of widows and orphans, poor people, and strangers). These civil laws were also only for the people of Israel in the Old Testament time. God reigned over them in a special, more direct way. He did this by means of leaders given by Him, such as Moses and Joshua, judges and kings, priests who also administered justice, and prophets who often had to admonish the people to keep His law. We certainly can still learn many lessons from these laws, for example, not how, but that we must protect widows and orphans, the poor ones and strangers (as well as refugees!). Moral laws: the Ten Commandments for all people and for all times However, the moral law, or the law of the Ten Commandments, is a special law, which was written on Sinai by God's own finger on two tables of stone. By doing so, God declared that this law endures forever; it is a universal law for all people of all times. The content of this law deals with love toward God and our neighbor. The Ten Commandments are thus not only for Old Testament Israel, but are also applicable yet today0 to all people. All standards and principles must be based on these commandments. The wise Solomon said, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Therefore the holy law of God comes up for discussion in the Catechism, immediately following the discussion in the previous Lord's Day about conversion, the new life, and good works. The purpose of living according to the law God's child desires to again live according to God's law, but not as a means to earn eternal life by living in accordance to it. That was merited by Christ for His children by His suffering and death and by His perfect obedience to God's law. The law was, among other things, given to us to show our gratitude for our deliverance by Christ. That is the desire of every sinner who has been delivered by Christ. This desire is wrought by the Holy Spirit, who in regeneration gives a new heart with a new will and new desires. See Lord's Day 32. Should we not gladly desire to serve this God, who we learned to love because He gave us deliverance in and through Christ? This is certainly true, no matter how imperfectly this may be also take place. Paul said, "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man" (Romans 7:22) Not yet perfect The believer is often grieved that here he cannot yet live perfectly according to God's law. That was the reason believing Paul complained, "But I see [yet besides] another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind....O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:23-24). However, he does not despair, for he knows that one day, when he dies, he will be delivered from all sin. Therefore he also says immediately, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25). This is why a Christian longs for heaven (and for a new earth!). Then he will perfectly enjoy communion with God and can again serve God without any sin, just as Adam once was able to do in Paradise. Living according to the law: a delightful life Living according to God's commandments is not an oppressive life, but is a delightful one. It is a great blessing for society, for the law of God is not only meant for the individual believer, but also for all of society. Solomon said, "Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). If society no longer lives according to God's law, all of society will flounder.
Q. 92. What is the law of God?
II. Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. IV. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. V. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. VI. Thou shalt not kill. VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery. VIII. Thou shalt not steal. IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. (a) Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21. First of all the question is raised as to what the law of God is, and then the ten commandments are mentioned. God gave these commandments to Moses, the leader of the nation of Israel. Moses wrote these commandments in the book of Exodus (chapter 20:1-17) and again in Deuteronomy 5. They will now be discussed one by one.
Q. 93. How are these commandments divided?
(a) Deuteronomy 4:13, Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 10:3-4; The distinction into two tables Before discussing each individual commandment, there is the consideration of the dividing of them. The law was written on two tables. On the first table there were four commandments. All of them deal with the question of how we must serve God. They consider God's honor, God's service, God's Name, and God's Day. On the second table there were six commandments. They deal with the question of how we must associate with our neighbor, our fellow man. That neighbor includes everyone with whom we come into contact, whether far away or nearby, even our enemy. The Lord Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, in which He gave the basic law of the kingdom of heaven, said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:43-45). In the parable of the Lord Jesus about the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), He gave a beautiful example of this. No separation between the first and the second table We can and may distinguish the two tables, but we may never separate them. God desires that to love and serve Him, but also that we love His creature, our fellowman, and that we help him as much as we are able. When we experience God's love towards us, guilty sinners, we will then also spontaneously love Him and our neighbor. Then love, empathy, and compassion will emerge instead of hate, envy, jealousy and indifference. John wrote in one of his letters, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11). God's great requirement In the law God has placed a requirement, namely, perfect love. Only when there is perfect love will there be a good relationship between man and God and between man and his fellowman. That is how it once was in Paradise, and that is how it will be one day in a new heaven and on a new earth.
Q. 94. What does God enjoin in the first commandment?
(a) 1 John 5:21, 1 Corinthians 6:10, 10:7,14; God's honor If my salvation, the perfect, eternal happiness of my soul, is my greatest concern, I must know God in a proper way, which is the knowledge full of love and or trust in God by faith. Otherwise I will am eternally wretched. This is what the first commandment teaches us. In addition, God requires of us to acknowledge Him alone as God and trust in Him alone. We must love, fear, and honor Him with our whole heart. To fear Him does not mean to be afraid of Him, but it means to obey Him with reverence and love. The fear of the Lord is in us if we have reverence and love God and all of His commandments. We must submit ourselves in humility (which is the opposite of pride) and patience, that is, persevering forbearance, in the way He leads us, even when we troubles, crosses, and persecutions come upon us in this way. For our heavenly Father knows what is good for us. We must and may also ask for and expect all that is necessary for our life only from Him. No serving other gods The commandment not to serve other gods means that we may not pay divine honor to other powers, people, animals, or objects. If we do so, we commit idolatry. This can be done in many ways. We may not commit sorcery. Christians will keep themselves far from the so-called "black hole": spiritualistic dealings, such as seeking contact with dead persons, which is of the devil, as in this way we will be in contact with the devil. Then we honor him, in fact we worship him. We should not let ourselves be exorcised or to have the laying on of hands practiced by people who claim to possess healing powers. We must not think that "by knocking on wood" we can keep away the harm we invoked by our words. We also may ascribe superstitious honor to images or objects (fetishism), for this is done by the heathens, who honor the creature instead of the Creator. We may not hang such objects as an amulet or charm in our home or car, or carry it with us, with the secret hope that these will possibly protect us. No sorcery, in whatever form, is permitted, for we then place our trust in the occult, satanic powers and not in God. We may not consult fortune-tellers, for they also use occult powers. We may not believe in horoscopes, because then we believe that the position of the stars, instead of God, determines the course of our life. No worshipping of saints We may not even worship any person, no matter how holy they are (or have been), in a form of reverance in which we ask for their help or intercession. They are or were all sinful people, who of themselves cannot help us. The prophet Isaiah, in praying to God for help and grace for himself and his people, said, "Doubtless Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; Thy Name is from everlasting" (Isaiah 63:16). At the marriage in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-12) the Lord Jesus even rejected the intercession of His mother Mary, who wanted to put in a good word for the bridal couple who had no more wine. Of course, we may ask for intercession from fellow Christians who are still alive. Paul wrote, "Brethren, pray for us" (1 Thessalonians 5:25). However, we then ask for this intercession from others because they belong to that one Body of Christ, His Church. It is said of that Body, "whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Therefore they also pray for one another. We do not ask for this intercession because others would, on account of their godliness or whatever, be more acceptable to God. Then because of that we would expect something from God. The only ground of our expectation may alone be that one perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ: only because of Him can God grant our requests and the intercessions by others for us. A jealous God God wills that we only worship Him and only ask Him for help. He is jealous in regard to His honor, because the honor which is due unto Him is an expression of love toward Him. And He does not want to share this honor with others, just as a girl does not want to share the love of her boyfriend, nor a woman the love of her husband, nor the other way around. God says by Isaiah, "I am the LORD: that is My Name: and My glory will I not give to another" (Isaiah 42:8).
Q. 95. What is idolatry? (a) Ephesians 5:5, 1 Chronicles 16:26, Philippians 3:19, Galatians 4:8, Ephesians 2:12, 1 John 2:23, 2 John 9, John 5:23. Idolatry An idol is everything which removes God from His rightful place. Idols are persons or powers (sometimes even animals or objects) to whom divine honor is shown, because one expects help from them, whereas they of themselves cannot help us, for they are powerless of themselves. Literally, an 'idol' is a 'non-god.' God revealed the powerlessness of idols when the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel prayed in vain to their god (1 Kings 18). The heathens often worship their idols in the form of images, animals, or objects. In our modern world there is mention made of the worshipping of occult powers in various forms. Behind all these idols and powers lurks the power of Satan, the greatest idol. Present day idols But there are also other idols. An idol is also somebody or something from whom or from which we expect everything, without whom or without which we really cannot live. It includes everything that engages us in such a way that we put God in the second place or even usually forget. This can be sports, drugs, alcohol, sex, going out and having fun, our work, our beautiful home, nice clothing, money, honor, fame, or whatever. Heroes in the world of sports, movies and music are also idols to many enthusiasts. We can even commit idolatry with certain views, for instance, if we elevate our own people and race above others. The idol which is served and honored most - and is recognized least of all as an idol - is our own self: when we pride ourselves regarding our own expertise and knowledge, trust our own opinion, and live according to our own mind and will. This idol can even cloak itself in religious attire. Paul said of such people, "Whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things"; but also, "Whose end is destruction" (Philippians 3:19). Human traditions Everything that we place beside or instead of God and His Word and render divine honor, is idolatry. Therefore it is also idolatry if we ascribe as much value to human and ecclesiastical traditions as to God's Word. Other religions Finally, idols are also the gods and powers which are worshipped in other religions, for God desires to be served only in and through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Peter said at Pentecost, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Q. 96. What doth God require in the second commandment?
(a) Isaiah 40:18-19, 25, Deuteronomy 4:15-16, Romans 1:23, Acts 17:29; God's service In the first commandment the question concerns who alone is to be served and honored as God by us: it is only that God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. In the second commandment the concern is regarding the manner in which God desired to be served. We cannot, nor are we required to, nor may we serve God by complying with all kinds of commandments which people have made, no matter how pious they may be (or seem to be). Jesus reproached the Pharisees because of their self-willed religion, which the Lord already warned against in the Old Testament (See Isaiah 29:13). "But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). We must serve God only in the way in which He commands us in His Word. That is to believingly read and hear His Word time and again, continually seeking communion with Him in Christ, by prayer and faith, and in all this to pray for the enlightening and guidance of the Holy Spirit. No image worship God desires to be served and worshipped directly, in Christ, and not by means of images. Heathens have made themselves images cut from wood or stone in order that they could have a representation of their god, or they have even imagined their gods in animals, sometimes even in trees. In this way, they continually paid divine honor to these images, by kneeling before them, kissing and worshipping them, and bringing offerings before them. God does not want images to be made of Himself, or of anything which He has created, for the purpose of rendering divine honor to them. He is not a physical Being, but is a spiritual One, and His glory and majesty are too great to have anything of Himself represented by an image, for He is an almighty, omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent God. Any image of Him would belittle Him. Then it would seem to still be possible to make a visible representation of Him, which would take away His glory. The use of images occurred often in the religion of the Babylonians (from whom Abraham was removed) and in the religion of the Egyptians, from whose midst the Israelites were led forth. Also the inhabitants of Canaan made statues of their false gods, with which they committed gruesome sins, for example, during the feasts around the images of Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility. When they had sinned to the full extent (Genesis 15:16), the inhabitants of Canaan had to be destroyed because of this idolatry. God wanted His people of Israel to live there alone so that they would not be polluted with their abominations (Deuteronomy 20:16-18). The histories of the golden calf during the wilderness journey (a young bull which was supposed to represent God's power) (Exodus 32) and the calves of gold at Dan and Bethel, which King Jeroboam made (1 Kings 12:25-33) show us how frightful wrath of God is when His people surrender themselves to this sin.
Q. 97. Are images then not at all to be made?
(a) Isaiah 40:25; Making images and representations The words of the second commandment, "or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth", cause the question to arise whether it is entirely impermissible to make representations. This cannot be the intention, because God Himself commanded the representation of angels (cherubim) on the ark and on the curtains of the tabernacle. Also, in the temple of Solomon there were carved lions, oxen, palm trees, pomegranates, and lilies (1 Kings 6:29, 7:19, 29-42). Thus, in no way may we make representations of God, who has not been created, but this is permitted of things which have been created. But what do these quoted words then mean? Well, we must read these words in their context. They are followed by, "Thou shalt not bow thyself to them, nor serve them." We may make images of created things, but not with the purpose of worshipping them or of using them in worshipping God. God desires a true spiritual religion. Our hearts, in our prayers and in our worshipping of the Lord, must be directed towards God who dwells in heaven, not to something visible. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth," Jesus said to the Samaritan woman when she asked Him how God wanted to be worshipped (John 4:24). Threat and promise The second commandment says that God is a jealous God. This means that He is jealous for His honor; He alone wants to be honored as God. For that reason such a serious threat follows in the second commandment, "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." God will severely punish transgressors of that commandment. He will even punish their children to the third and fourth generation. Our sins almost always have consequences for our descendants; our bad example often also causes them to sin. However, God reveals His goodness to an even greater extent towards them that serve Him in the way He commands and towards their descendants, "And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments." God will bless a Christian upbringing, and by it a good example causes also brings about good results.
Q. 98. But may not images be tolerated in the churches as books to
the laity?
(a) Jeremiah 10:8, Habakkuk 2:18-19; Images and representations in the church God desires to instruct us by His Word. That is what we hear when it comes to us in the lively preaching in His house, the church. However, we ourselves must also read the Word in our own home, that is, if we can read. Especially in the past, there were many people who did not know how to read. During the Middle Ages, this skill was taught only in monastaries. Therefore it was often only the priests and monks who could really read well, while the ordinary people, the so-called laity, could not. Thus the question arose whether it was not permissible to use images or icons in the church in order to teach the people something: images of the prophets, of Mary, of Christ, of the apostles and of the saints in later years; or icons with representations of them. In this way in the fourteen so-called 'stations' were the representations of where the Lord Jesus supposedly stood still or suffered on the way when He went from Pilate to Golgotha. Such images and representations would then, as a sort of illustration or example, encourage and assist the thoughts to be directed to what the figures portrayed had said and done; especially the laity, who could not read the Bible for themselves, could learn much from them. There is little or no report of images in the early church in the first five centuries, but in later years there was. In the eighth century, it led to a fierce iconoclasm in the Eastern church. At the outside, the use of images in churches and homes was forbidden by a council (a general church assembly), but a later council again accepted them. Devotion and worshipping In the Roman Catholic Church, the use of images is officially accepted. They make a distinction between permissible devotion of the images and the improper worship of such images. In the first place, this distinction does not bear in mind the simple fact that in the devoutness of the people devotion and worshiping cannot be kept apart: images, icons, and crucifixes are worshipped, and that is idolatry. But, the devotion of images defies the clear prohibition that the use of images is forbidden in the service of God. In addition, the worshipping of images is in conflict which the clearly expressed prohibiting of making images in connection with serving God. That prohibition is stated in the law and in many places in the Bible. "They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither do they speak through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them" (Psalm 115:5-8). This is what God says about images of false gods, but He also does not want His service to resemble the worshipping of false gods in any way. Therefore, God's wrath waxed hot against the golden calf of Aaron and the calves of gold of Jeroboam. They were meant to represent the power of God and by means of these images God was to be worshipped. But God does not want to be served in that way, for then He would have the resemblance of a false god. When we use images, we focus our attention on those images, whereas God requires that we lift our hearts and thoughts up to Him, who dwells in the heavens. Besides, God only wants to be called upon in the "image" that He Himself gave us: His Son Jesus Christ, who is the express Image of the invisible God. The rejection of images For this reason there was in the Reformation of the 16th century a radical rejection of images in churches and homes. God has commanded us to teach the people, also those who cannot read, through the preaching, the lively proclamation of His Word, and not by means of dumb images which cannot speak. We must not desire to be wiser than God.
Q. 99. What is required in the third commandment?
(a) Leviticus 24:15-16; The hallowing of God's name The third commandment deals with the use of God's holy name. It may only be used with holy reverence. Earlier, in ancient times and also in Israel, names had a meaning. This is still true among some people today, for example, in Africa. However, most people, in the Western European and American society, for example, are given a name at random. They could as well have been named differently from what their parents named them. Their name does not relate anything about them; it does not say what they are, think, or feel. In fact, their name has no meaning. It is merely a name. However, God's name is full of meaning. His name is not to be separated from His Being. His name tells us who He is. His name reveals His characteristics. Thus His name LORD (in the Hebrew JAHWEH) signifies that He is the unchangeable God, the God of the covenant, who will always keep His promises: the I AM THAT I AM (Exodus 3:14). Thus God's name is not "merely a name," but is something of His Being. By His name He reveals Himself to us and is known by us. Since God's name and God Himself are not to be separated, we may not misuse God's name. When we use His name, we must always realize of whom we are speaking: the high and holy God, who always sees and hears us. God is holy, but also His name is holy. His name is unique: "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me" (Deuteronomy 32:39). "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6: 4). For this reason, God will punish any misuse of it. The misuse of God's name: cursing and the mild oath There is in the first place the deliberate misuse, the intentional, mocking misuse of His name. That is blasphemy. This occurs even now, in public or in a veiled form, in conversations, newspapers, in much modern literature, in radio and television broadcasts, and in other media. There is also cursing, at times consciously and sometimes consciously, namely, the use of God's name as a swear word. This is actually the opposite of a prayer for preservation; it is a prayer for eternal condemnation, for eternal destruction. It is true that most often it is not meant to directly provoke God, but, for example, is to express anger or aggresion, or general dissatisfaction. How many people there are who at times cannot even talk for three minutes without the use of a curse. Some have become so accustomed to it that they do not even hear it of themselves anymore. Much literature is offensive, because it is polluted by this dreadful sin. Is it then so bad, this thoughtless and unintentional misuse of God's name? Yes, it is very bad, for then men give evidence that they do not the least respect for God's holy name, and therefore not for God HImself. By doing this they dishonor God. We must shudder every time we hear or read such a curse. If we really love God, it must be painful for us. It must also cause us grief that the ban on swearing has alas disappeared from the laws of our government. It was not that long ago that it was forbidden and was punishable to curse in public - in school, in the army, or on the street. In addition, there are the often used mild-oaths, such as shortened versions of the name of God or of Jesus, or just a part of a dreadful curse. Such a mild-oath is often used only as "filler," without the person realizing what he is saying. This use is also a serious sin. If love toward and reverence for God truly lives in our heart, then we will not want to dishonor Him in our use of words, in idle and vain using of His Name or part of it without thinking and without a realization of the holiness of His Name. Does He not desire to be praised in all our words and works? Perjury or rash swearing Finally, there is the misuse of God's holy Name by perjury or rash swearing. When using an oath, we call upon the all-knowing and almighty God as our witness, that we speak the truth or mean what we promise. We ask Him to help us to be able to faithfully fulfill our promises. (I swear that I бн. So help me God). If such an oath is insincerely pronounced, we insult the all-knowing God. Then we misuse His holy Name in a very unholy manner. However, it is also a misuse of His Name, if we without necessity use the wording of the oath, as if we ask God for help or punishment ("May God help/punish me", "This or that may happen to me, if I do not do this or that..."etc.). For does not this also give evidence of lack of holy reverence for Him? Often we do not even think of Him when we use such expressions.
Q. 100. Is then the profaning of God's Name by swearing and cursing
so heinous a sin that His wrath is kindled against those who do not endeavor, as much as in
them lies, to prevent and forbid such cursing and swearing?
(a) Ecclesiastes 29:24, Leviticus 5:1; Combating cursing In the Old Testament time, blasphemy had to be punished by death. Think of the half-Egyptian, half-Israelitish youth, who strove with a man of Israel, taunted him by mockingly using the name of his God. That young man had to be stoned (Leviticus 24:10-23). This shows us how serious the misuse of God's holy Name is. But also perjury and rash swearing are serious sins, for which God will punish us in time or in eternity. For this is also blasphemy, a dishonoring of His Name, thus of Himself. God even reckons this sin so evil, that we also are subject to His wrath if we do not rebuke or forbid the cursing of others as much as possible. In His Word, He says: "And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity" (Leviticus 5:1). We can forbid this sin by demanding from our children, students, employees, or subordinates that they not swear. We must explain to them with love that swearing is a terrible sin. It is not only a matter of us being grievously offended by it, but that God's honor is injured by it. It is bad when we, because of cowardliness or from fear of being laughed at or of disrupting a good relationship, are silent when others swear. On the other hand, the admonition should be done with tact, meekness, and love. It is often better to take the person aside who swore in order to admonish him or her, instead of reproving them in the presence of others, because the latter can sometimes lead to still greater swearing. Sometimes, however, an overt admonition can also be necessary for instructing others or keeping others from swearing.
Q. 101. May we then swear religiously by the name of God?
(a) Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20, Isaiah 48:1, Hebrews 6:16; Permitted oaths Some have maintained that, in order to prevent any misuse, it would be better to never swear an oath. The extremist Anabaptists at the time of the Reformation stated that it was forbidden to ever swear an oath. In this case, such people often appeal to the words which were spoken by Christ, "Swear not at all". (Matthew 5:34). However, to appeal to this word of Christ is improper. In this Scripture, He rejects rash and needless swearing, in which, out of some reverence for the name of God, they did not use His name, but swore by heaven or earth, or by Jerusalem or their own head ("my head may fall off, if..."). The fact that a sincere and earnest oath is permitted is evident from the fact that God Himself pronounced an oath many times. Among the many texts in the Old Testament, we mention only Genesis 22:16-17, where the Lord promised to bless Abraham, because he was so obedient that he was even willing to sacrifice Isaac at God's command, "By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord,(...): that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed." And in Deuteronomy 6:13, the Lord commands that when we swear, to do this only by His name. In the New Testament, we point to Paul, who called God as a Witness to confirm that he, to spare them, had not yet come to Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:23). When? We must realize that with an oath, we always call upon God as witness. Therefore swearing an oath is always a holy matter. But when are we allowed to swear a holy oath? It is not to be done without reason, of our own accord. We may do so when the authorities require it of us, because they must, as the minister of God (Romans 13:4), maintain authority, truth, and justice. Therefore they may require an oath, for instance, the oath of obedience to the laws of the country upon the acceptance of an important government office, or an oath of loyalty at the commissioning of an officer in the army. It may also be required when a judge, as an extreme means in order to obtain the truth, requests of us to confirm our testimony with an oath. A false oath, which is called perjury, will be severely punished by the judge when discovered. At the acceptance of some occupations, an oath of faithful devotion to duty may be required. Moreover, in some instances the promise of confidentiality must often be made regarding information that can arise in our profession. Think, for example, of a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer, or a certified accountant. Actually, all promises which we make in church, such as the acceptance of an office, at the time of marriage, and of holy baptism are oaths, because these promises are made before God's countenance. However, whenever an oath is not required of us, the word of the Lord Jesus applies that our yea must simply mean yea, and our nay also really must be nay (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). Q. 102. May we also swear by saints or any other creatures? A. No; for a lawful oath is calling upon God as the only one who knows the heart, that He will bear witness to the truth, and punish me if I swear falsely (a); which honor is due to no creature (b).
(a) 2 Corinthians 1:23, Romans 9:1; Swearing by a creature Finally, the question is whether it is only permissible to swear an oath by calling on the name of God. Are we not permitted, in order to prevent the vain use of God's name, to swear by someone who is, so to speak, close to God, for instance, because he or she lived exceptionally pious or died as a martyr? No, that can not be done and is not permitted. Only God deserves that honor, for God alone knows the heart and can discern truth and untruth. He alone can and will punish the person who commits perjury, even if that perjury is never discovered by any person. The final and unerring judgment is only God's due. It is His honor also, which He can and will not share with any creature, for He alone is the All-knowing and Almighty One. In the Old Testament, we read, "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave, and swear by His name" (Deuteronomy 10:20).
Q. 103. What does God require in the fourth commandment?
(a) Titus 1:5, 2 Timothy 3:14, 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, 2 Timothy 2:2 and 3:15; Keeping the Lord's day holy In the fourth commandment, hallowing of the Lord's day, the weekly day of rest, comes up for discussion. The Old Testament Sabbath was founded in creation. We literally read in Genesis 2:3, "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made." God blessed that day, that is, made it a special day. He also sanctified that day, that is, as a holy day set it apart from the other days of the week. Working, even by slaves or bondwomen, was not permitted on that day. Working was not even allowed for people who belonged to another nation, but who temporarily resided among the Israelites. However, it is not only a matter of taking a rest from work. What is the purpose of the institution of this day? First of all, it is to give us a day of reflection, a day in which we are not busy with our work, but in which we are constantly reminded of the greatness and glory of God's work, in order to honor Him for that. This teaches us, time and again, to experience our dependency upon God, because in creation He also gave us power and talents for our daily work. Thus we are not indebted for our lives and all our goods to our work, but to our Creator. The Lord also desires that we separate ourselves one day a week, on God's holy day, from all earthly worries, in order to have a special opportunity to be occupied with the affairs of His Kingdom, to honor, praise and serve Him, and, in particular, to listen to the proclamation of His Word. The seventh day and the first day This principle has been upheld since the dawn of the New Testament time. Only the seventh day has been changed into the first day of the week. For Christians, Sunday has become the Lord's day, because of the resurrection of Christ from the dead on that day. Quite often the question has been raised whether this shift from the seventh day to the first day of the week is proper. Should not the day of rest be observed on the last day of the week (as it is literally stated in the law, which is everlasting) instead of on the first day, as the majority of Christians do? We point to the fact that on the first day of the week, immediately after His resurrection, met with His disciples. And a week later, He met them again on the first day of the week. But did not Paul go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day? Yes, in the period of transition, when the gospel first had to be brought in the synagogue, he visited the gathering of the Jews on the last day of the week. However, when Christian congregations came into existence separate from the synagogue, they came together on the first day of the week. This is evident, among other things, by Paul requesting the gathering of gifts on this day (1 Corinthians 16:2). And, for as far as we can retrace in the historical writings, the Christian church already in the first centuries observed the first day as the day of rest. Why was this? Obviously, it was because this is the birthday of the Christian church: Christ rose from the dead on the first day. There is perhaps some symbolism in this shift from the last to the first day. The Old Testament Sabbath on the last day of the week points to the day of rest that followed on God's work in creation. It points out that we should actually merit the rest by living according to the law and by doing good works. However, the New Testament day of rest, on the first day of the week, points to the work of Christ. He merited that rest, which we receive out of grace. On the day of the resurrection of Christ, everything became new. Therefore we may begin the week with a day of rest. It is the rest of the eternal Sabbath, from which we may now already begin to live and which gives us competence and hope for all the other days of the week. The gathering together of the congregation The Lord gave us six days to do our work, to provide for the nourishing of our body. However, He Himself desires to take care of nourishing our souls, particularly in calling us together as a congregation on the day of rest in His house to hear His Word. This is, under God's blessing, our spiritual food. We will spiritually pine away if we do not get this regularly. The 24-hour-economy (working seven days each week) of the Western world, which is so obsessed by money and pleasure-seeking, may well lead to more materialistic prosperity, but it will always be at the expense of spiritual wellbeing. The Lord requires us, if possible, to diligently come together on the Lord's day. The congregation of Israel after its captivity (in the 6th century before Christ) gathered twice on the Sabbath in the synagogue. Jesus also, "as His custom was, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." He also explained what He had read. At one time when in Nazareth He explained a portion of Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor" (Luke 4: 16-18). In the first Christian congregations, the Word of God in the Old Testament was read in the weekly gatherings. The doctrine of God's Word was explained and psalms were sung. In this way the congregation was taught and edified, that is, they were built up in the knowledge of and faith in Jesus Christ. Paul exhorts, "When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying" (1Corinthians 14:26). The epistles, written by the apostles (which are now included in the New Testament), were also read and discussed. These epistles were mutually exchanged, as we read, "And when this epistle is read among you, cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea" (Colossians 4:16). The Catechism says, "especially on the sabbath," because also during the week there are sometimes gatherings of the congregation. Because the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Supper take place in the public gatherings of the congregation, it is also on the Lord's day that sacraments are administered. Then the leader/minister, in public, on behalf of the congregation, prays for all the needs in the congregation and needs outside the congregation. We read of Paul and Silas "And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made" (Acts 16:13). Also our gifts (which we earned during the week) are gathered on the Lord's day, so that assistance can be given to all who need help in and outside of the congregation. Paul asked the congregation at Corinth to have the collection of gifts taken on the first day of the week during the service for the needy of the "mother church" at Jerusalem. He would then be able to take those gifts with him when he was in the vicinity. "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him" (1 Corinthians 16:2). In many churches, collections are taken on Sundays. The first purpose is to maintain the church services and the ministry. Among other things, we are to think of the upkeep of the buildings and the minister's salary, and of the schools (in particular also the theological seminaries). Gifts are also asked in order to be able to help where there is a need, needs of those in the congregation, but also outside of the congregation (sometimes far away) e.g., when people, somewhere in the world, are stricken with a disaster. Free time on the Lord's day Beside the time of the gatherings of the congregation, there is, of course, some time left over. We may use that time to spend extra time with our family, at least if we have a family. This is especially true if we do not get around to this during the week because of work pressures. What an oasis of calm Sunday can then be in the bustle of the week! Then we may and must let our daily work be left untouched. This does not mean that we can then go out together. The church service should diffuse an effect upon the entire day, for the entire Sunday remains the Lord's day. The time which remains is especially suitable for singing together and talking with our children, also to talk together about the sermon and about what we have read together in God's Word, for instance, at the table. It is also appropriate for personal reading, in quietness, of a portion of the Bible or some other spiritual literature. On the Lord's day a looking forward to the re-creation The Lord's day serves as a reflection upon the creation and upon the resurrection of Christ as the beginning of the re-creation, but also to look forward to the completion of the re-creation. One day it will be the eternal Sabbath or Lord's day, namely, in the new heavens and on the new earth. Then all God's children will be, as it were, in God's house. Then we, as God's children, will be forever delivered from sin. Then God will forever be praised, served, and honored. The weekly Lord's day must be a preparation for this. Therefore an effect must issue forth from the Lord's Day for the entire weed which follows. During the week we must also prepare ourselves for the weekly and for the eternal "day of the Lord." How should we do that? It is by continually putting into practice the resisting of all kinds of sinful inclinations and sinful deeds; by a prayer in faith, fighting against the satanic powers which want to lead us astray; by a continual reading of God's Word continuously, in order that the Lord may work in us through His Word and Spirit. Then the eternal, never to be lost life already begins during our life on earth. That is the eternal Sabbath. The social element of the day of rest In the institution of the day of rest there is also a social element. As a punishment upon the fall, God at one time imposed upon us the burden that we must often do our work with pain and sorrow. However, He does not want us to always and only be slaves of our work. God wants to provide for us in such a way that we may one each week to rest in order to obtain new strength. In this respect, the day of rest is also a foretaste of the eternal rest. On the new earth, after the resurrection of God's children from the dead, work will still be done, but then all sorrow, pain, and care in working will be gone. The observance of the Sabbath may not be a burden and only be characterized by many restrictions. The Lord's day is especially the day to serve God, and that should be a delightful service, which it is for all those who faithfully observe the day of rest, this very special gift of God. The transgression of the fourth commandment a very serious sin It is a very serious sin to not observe the weekly day of rest. Time and again it is pointed out in the Bible that the desecration of the Lord's day is one of the worst, and besides idolatry and adultery, one of the most common sins. The prophet Ezekiel called it (in chapters 20-23) one of the worst sins of the people of Israel, which led to the punishment of captivity; and the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 56, calls those blessed in the first place who keep the Sabbath. Lawful work on Sunday May we not do any work on the Sabbath? Yes! From of old there were three kinds of work considered permissable on Sundays: works of necessity, of mercy, and of love. A policeman, doctor, those who provide maternity care, ambulance drivers, those who work in hospitals, nursing homes, old people's homes or other "houses of mercy," the church custodian, and, of course, the minister - and more could be named - will have to, sometimes by rotation, work on Sunday. This must necessarily be restricted to truly essential work: for the protection or security of other people, for assisting sick people or others requiring care, and for the maintenance of the worship services. Furthermore, thought is to be given to private visits and offering help to the sick and those in need of help. The Lord Jesus Himself also did this: He at times healed the sick on the Sabbath. The Sabbath must show something of God's special care for men. God only forbids - and that very strictly! - all work which is not absolutely necessary and all work which is not purely a work of mercy and charity. This is therefore all work that has the intent of increasing production and earning money; included in this is the assembly-line industry. Naturally, this can sometimes cause irresolvable problems when we think of production processes, which cannot be halted for even one day. However, we need to realize that they bring with them more curses than blessings. Questions to go with Lesson 14 (Lord's Days 34 - 38).
|