Lesson 12

LESSON 12

GOD GIVES US HIS WILL TO FOLLOW, PART 3

In the last lesson we looked at the First Table of the Law, which addresses our relationship with God. In this lesson and the next, we look at the Second Table of the Law, which addresses our relationship with other people.

What is the Fourth Commandment?

God says:	From this we know:
Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”	God demands that we honor and obey all his representatives. They have authority from God over us.
Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Proverbs 13:24 “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”	We obey the Fourth Commandment when we honor and obey our parents. Parents bear the responsibility of disciplining their children and teaching them God’s ways.
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.”	We obey the Fourth Commandment when we honor and obey our church leaders. They bear the responsibility of teaching us God’s word faithfully and watching over our souls.
Romans 13:1-7 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”	We obey the Fourth Commandment when we honor and obey our governing authorities (elected officials, police, teachers, etc.). They bear the responsibility of providing order and punishing wrong doers.
Acts 5:27-29 “Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!’” Romans 13:1-2 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”	The only time we can rightfully disobey authorities is when they command us to disobey God. If we disobey at other times, we are rebelling against God.
Luke 2:46-51 “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’ ‘Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” John 19:26-27 “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Matthew 22:17, 19-21 “’Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ ‘Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’”	Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Fourth Commandment by obeying it perfectly in our place.

Some people try to justify not paying taxes or disobeying the government on the grounds that the government does things that are immoral. However, we should remember that when Paul wrote the Romans 13, Nero, the first Roman persecutor of Christians, was the Emperor. Even though this immoral man was the ruler, Paul still made it clear that “whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted” (Romans 13:2).

What is the Fifth Commandment?

God says:	From this we know:
Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”	God commands us not to take a life unjustly.
Deuteronomy 32:39 “See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Romans 13:4 “For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”	God reserves the right to end life for himself. God himself instituted capital punishment. He gives the government the right and the responsibility to carry out capital punishment justly. We are not allowed to take matters into our own hands. If we do, we rebel against God and break the commandment.
Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ [Good-for-nothing] is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” 1 John 3:15 “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.”	To embitter someone’s life through hateful words or actions also breaks the Fifth Commandment. Even hateful thoughts violate the Fifth Commandment.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 1 John 4:20-21 “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those	We show our love for God and obey the Fifth Commandment when we are kind and forgiving and when we help and defend all others, especially fellow believers.
Acts 10:37-38 “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” 1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”	Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Fifth Commandment by obeying it perfectly in our place.

We should also note that since God reserves the right to end life (Deuteronomy 32:39), we do not have the right to take our own life.

You can get more information dealing with Life Issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Suicide, etc.) from a Christian perspective from christianliferesources.com.

What is the Sixth Commandment?

God says:	From this we know:
Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”	In the Sixth Commandment God forbids adultery. God is protecting the blessings of marriage.
Genesis 2:18-24 “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called “woman,” for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”	God instituted marriage; it was not instituted by society. God’s will for marriage is one man and one woman united together as one family for life. Man and woman are to LEAVE their old family and CLEAVE to their new one. Commitment, not love, is the glue of marriage.
Proverbs 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” Genesis 2:18 “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” Proverbs 5:18-19 “ May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.” Psalm 127:3-5 “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’”	God has established marriage to give us blessings: Companionship, Sexual happiness, Children. Note: The WELS Lutherans For Life web-site also contains information on birth control from a Christian perspective.
Malachi 2:16 “I hate divorce, says the LORD God of Israel.” Matthew 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 1 Corinthians 7:15 “But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.” Matthew 19:9 “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”	God hates divorce. He brings people together in marriage and wants them to remain married as long as they both live. Marriage cannot be broken without sin on the part of at least one of the people in the marriage. God will allow a Christian to divorce only if his or her spouse has destroyed the unity of the marriage by marital unfaithfulness or desertion. “Falling out of love” or a less than ideal marriage are not grounds for divorce. Marriages may fall short of God’s intended purpose and blessings; but this does not destroy the marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Ephesians 5:1-8 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Romans 1:24-27 “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” Matthew 5:28 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”	God protects marriage by forbidding adultery (sex by a married person with someone other than their spouse) and immorality (sex by people who are not married—including living together outside of marriage). Adultery and sex outside of marriage are not the only ways in which we break the Sixth Commandment. Some other things that violate this commandment are: Jokes that dishonor sex and marriage, obscene language, homosexuality, and sexual perversions, lust, pornography, and even things such as cybersex.
1 Corinthians 6:18a, 19-20 “Flee from sexual immorality. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”	We obey the Sixth Commandment when we seek to honor God with our bodies. We should stay away from things that cause us to lust. We also obey this commandment when we feed our minds healthy things.
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”	Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Sixth Commandment by obeying it perfectly in our place.

Joseph provides us with a great example of how to deal with sexual temptations. In Genesis 39:6-12 we read how his master’s wife repeatedly tried to seduce him and he rebuked her. Finally, she grabbed his cloak and tried to take him to bed with her. Joseph was so intent on getting out of the situation that he left his cloak behind and ran out of the house. In the same way, we should also try to avoid situations that can lead to sexual sin.