Being content can only happen when God is first in your life

The word ‘covet’ means to eagerly desire something. It is not just about things but also desires in the heart. It can lead to fighting, idolatry (having other ‘gods’), disputes over things like inheritances and even wanting justice. Money is especially a problem … the Scriptures say ‘where your treasure is there will your heart be also’.

It is possible to covet things which are good and this is not necessarily a sin. These passages help to give a description of what the tenth commandment means but there is more to being right with God than any of the commandments. Breaking any of them is sin and this places us all in the condition which the apostle Paul referred to … ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’.

Right living is only possible through being connected to the one who kept all the commandments perfectly … Jesus Christ.  He was the only one who could pay the price for sin. His perfect obedience becomes ours when we are united to him by faith alone.

 

 

 

There are 3 indicators for us in this: the moral test, the relational test and the truth test.

These passages contain information for us on each of these indicators.  With the moral test we are directed to the keeping of God’s commands and especially Jesus’ words: ‘If you love me you will keep my commands’. This is always in the context of free forgiveness through gospel grace.

The relational test is to do with love. Our first love to God and then to those around us …’Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself’. It is good to ask the question ‘Do I sacrifice what I want to do in order to help someone else?’

Finally, there is the test for correct understanding of the teaching about Jesus. Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ does not have the truth in them (Vs22). Being in a right relationship with God means receiving by faith what Jesus has accomplished for us at the cross.

 

 

 

Joy comes from a relationship with and an understanding of the character of God.

It has been said that the message of Scripture is about fellowship with God. In this passage we find some reasons for this. The apostle John first reminds us that Jesus is real and that what we believe about Jesus matters because it leads to a rich fellowship with the church and with God.

The pathway to joy was well expressed in the words of one of the church ‘fathers’ who said something like … ‘Our hearts are restless until they find rest in God’. Darkness and light can’t exist in the same space. Sin is within us and we need to face up to it. Unrepentant sin robs us of our joy. We need to confess our sins.

The basis of joy comes from the character of God when we see how He has dealt with us in Christ, our ‘Advocate’. He pleads for believers with an infallible argument, His atoning blood, so that the pronouncement on us in the court of heaven is: ‘not guilty’, ‘not guilty’, ‘not guilty’.

 

Do this in remembrance of me

 

The early church in Corinth had serious problems in doing what Jesus had said about the Lord’s Supper. They had brought in practices from outside the church and were also using segregation. In this passage, from the apostle Paul’s letter to them, we find correctives for these problems.

There is the teaching about self-examination, orderly conduct to be observed and remembering that the Lord’s Supper comes from Jesus himself. It is about what he has accomplished as a substitute through his death on the cross and resurrection. It is for people who have been forgiven and set free from guilt through trusting in his sacrifice … the ransom price for sin.

 

 

‘Everything in the church revolves around Jesus’

In the final passage from this letter we have a ‘snapshot’ of what the New Testament church was like. Here the apostle touches on the matter of monetary giving. It should be habitual and proportional and willing. It should also be carefully administered to ensure accountability with integrity. Churches should be generous in supporting other churches where necessary.

The apostle Paul himself was not always sure where God was leading him but served the Lord in whatever situation he found himself. He also frequently encountered much opposition at the same time as his ministry was being used effectively. He wrote the following advice to the church … ‘be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong … do everything in love’.

Where possible, households and marriages alike are to be involved in the Lord’s work. The letter ends with the apostle mentioning Jesus 4 times in the last 3 verses. Everyone needs to turn to and love him. Everything literally revolves around him.

 

 

Gracious authority appeals rather than mandates, intercedes and is willing to take the place of another.

There have been many and varied approaches to the matter of authority over the years. Perhaps one of the most surprising was that of the Queen’s uncle, King Edward V111. His relationship with an American divorcee, who he wanted to marry, sparked a constitutional crisis. This ended up in him abdicating the throne rather than ending the relationship.

In this passage we find a startling approach to authority by the apostle Paul where he sets aside his authority and appeals to Philemon, in the matter forgiving his runaway slave, on the basis of love. The slave, Onesimus, had become a Christian while he and Paul were in jail. Paul was not in jail for anything he had done wrong but for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We can learn 3 things about authority in the way Paul writes to Philemon, who had also come to Christ under Paul’s ministry. Firstly, authority should prefer to appeal rather than command. Secondly, authority should be willing to intercede. Paul uses paternal language in writing to Philemon about his slave. Thirdly, authority is willing to take the place of another. Paul had been willing to give up everything to everyone that they might come to Christ. It is a beautiful picture of how Jesus used his authority for us. He did this by going to the cross.

 

 

God alone is the giver and taker of life

The Ten Commandments were given to the nation of Israel following their delivery from slavery in Egypt. We too are to respond positively to them as they still display God’s character … his holiness and righteousness. The sixth commandment is short and to the point … we are not to kill other people, either premeditated (murder) or accidentally (manslaughter).

The rationale behind this is that human beings are created in the image of God and to strike at that image is sin. Killing human life is an attack on God … life and death is placed in the hands of God alone. Israel never went to war and had victory apart from the express commandment of God. If they went on their own they lost.

The New Testament church is reminded that ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood’ … it is now war against our sinful desires. We are called to even love our enemy and love our neighbor as ourselves. Name calling and insults are getting pretty close to killing … everyone who hates a brother or sister is a ‘murderer’.

Jesus came to give life. He didn’t come to take it. He made atonement for the sins of all those who turn to him in and through His death on the cross. Forgiveness is found in him alone and through him we have the grace to truly love our enemies.

 

 

 

 

 

 Honouring parents is a life-long commitment.

The family unit is important to God and so we are to honour our parents in a way that honours Him. These passages present some of the teaching of Scripture on this subject. There is also Jesus’ own example that whilst suffering in agony on the cross out of infinite love He commits the care of His own mother Mary to the disciple John.

 

 

 Life is intimately connected with priorities … in spiritual life there are only two.

The first century Corinthian people saw death of the body as liberating and this was why they lived so carelessly. In this passage Paul addresses the critical gospel priorities for the church in Corinth which had succumbed to the harmful philosophies of their surroundings.

The gospel is both Christ crucified and Christ risen and because of this believers have new life beyond the grave. Death is not the end. This also has implications for how the gospel is presented to those outside of Christ. If the message ends with Christ dying on the cross as a substitute for sin it is incomplete. The message ends with Christ having risen on the third day. He appeared to the apostle Paul on the Damascus road.

 

 

 

We are to worship God by resting

The fourth commandment has been widely misunderstood because of confusion over what is symbolic and what is moral. God himself lays down the pattern for it in his resting after the six days of creation. In these passages we find some of the main teaching on this for his people both before and after the birth of Jesus.

It is important to remember that the fourth commandment, to keep the Sabbath holy, is relevant for all people because of the need for us to rest from our work. The most wonderful aspect of the Sabbath, however, is found in the rest that Jesus gives to his people through what he has accomplished in his death on the cross. The forgiveness of sins, received by faith alone, leads to holy living and rest from their consequences, which he bore in his body at Calvary.