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The Ten Commandments An interactive study guide for Bible study groups
Lesson 1 - An introduction To The Ten Commandments The ten individual commandments that God gave Moses at Sinai have
become a standard for moral conduct throughout the world. So much so, that they are the standard upon which most of the world's criminal law is based. And yet for the Christian believer, these commandments are so much more. They frame for us what God considers proper behavior; toward both Him, and our fellow man. And they are, for better or for worse, a testament to the sin nature of man. In this study guide, we will closely examine each of the ten commandments. We will examine the application to the OT Jews as well as how they relate to modern Christianity. But before we begin looking at the commandments, let's take some time and look at the background of Jewish history. I. Moral right and wrong existed before the commandments were written down. A) Gen. 2:16+17 - What was Adam & Eve's moral instruction? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ B) Gen. 4:1-16 - Cain violated three of the commandments and was held accountable. What were they? ___________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Rom. 2:12-16 - Is every person, past, present, and future held accountable to the ten commandments? _______ Why or why not? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
C) Ex. 32:1-6 - From a "religious" perspective, what had 400 years in Egypt taught Israel? __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) Proper conduct is vital to the winning of any battle, even more so when the battle is spiritual. God promises Israel that He will go before them if they obey Him, and they will be cursed if they disobey (Ex. 23:22-33). E) Israel was about to go on a journey to the promised land, through and into hostile territory. Remember that they were slaves in Egypt, they had no military training. They were totally dependent upon God, which meant that for their own protection, God could not wait for them to learn to obey their already dull conscience. Obedience was required immediately. III. The purpose of the 10 commandments, and the rest of the law. A) The law can be divided into two sections. ✗ spiritual; our relationship with God - 1st four commandments, sacrifices, feasts, temple worship, etc.
social; our earthly relationships - the last six commandments, laws of restitution, sexual ordinances, etc. B) Each section has it's unique purpose. ✗ spiritual (Gal. 3:21-25)_______________________________________ ✗
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social (Jdgs. 17:6, 21:25)_____________________________________
IV. Jesus spoke of the commandments. What did He say? Read Matt. 19:16-22 A) (vs. 21) 'perfect' - teleios [tel'-i-os] complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character) B) Can obedience to the commandments earn salvation? _______________
II. If every man has a conscience, why the need to write the law down? A) First of all, who was it written down for?___________________________ B) Gen. 15:13+14 - What is being prophesied here? ___________________ ______________________________________________________________
C) Can selling all your material goods and donating the $$ to the poor earn salvation? _____________________________________________________ D) What is the only means of salvation? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 2
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Read Matt. 5:27+28 A) Can a man violate the 7th commandment without performing the physical act? _______ How? _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ I John 3:14-16 echoes Jesus in terms of the intent of the heart. John specifically equates hatred with murder. From these three passages we can then say: ✗ obedience to the law is irrelevant where righteousness and salvation are concerned ✗ the actual physical act is a result of the state of the heart ✗ even without the physical act, the intent of the heart is judged V. The law in the life of the Christian Believer. A) Matt. 5:13-20. The ministry and work of Jesus was to fulfill the law, not to destroy it. In every command & ordinance Jesus was perfect, and thus He completed the Father's requirements of holiness and righteousness. B) In light of the previous Scripture, explain Gal. 3:10-14; if the law has not
VI. The law is a good thing. Being part of what is commonly referred to as the "Church Age", it is very tempting to try to dismiss the law and the Ten Commandments as being something that we should avoid. Unfortunately, this thinking has led to the present attitude of the Church, which is to take the law and commandments far too lightly. This lesson has demonstrated that we can never attain righteousness or salvation through the works of the law, so Jesus as done it for us. However, we are still held accountable for our behavior in this life, so the law is instructive to that end. Paul sums it up very nicely in I Tim. 1:8-11: "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for murderers, for fornicators, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for enslavers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." NOTES:
been abolished, what is the believer freed from? ____________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Gal. 5:13-16. We have been given liberty through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Is this liberty a license to sin? _____________
What is meant by
"liberty"? ______________________________________________________ D) I Jn. 3:18-24. ✗ 'keep' (vs. 22, 24) - tereo [tay-reh'-o] to guard from loss or injury; to note; by implication, to detain; to withhold; hold fast, serve, watch ✗
What is the believer's responsibility to the commandments?_______
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Lesson 2 - You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me Read Ex. 20:1-17. As we saw in the previous lesson, the Ten Commandments can be divided into two categories. The first four govern our relationship with God, while the last six govern our relationships among men. It is fitting then, that the relationship with God comes first. In order to "keep" the commandments as Jesus instructed, our hearts and minds must first be in submission to God the Father. One only need to read the newspaper to see that our social order is crumbling into chaos, because we have neglected that relationship with God. I. "I am the LORD your God....." A) Right from the start, God establishes that He is addressing His people, the nation of Israel. B) Read Rom. 2:12-16. ✗ Did mankind know the commandments before they were written down? ____________________ ✗
How did they know them? ___________________________________
______________________________________________________________ C) The written record of the Ten Commandments then, is an official directive to Israel. It is God firmly establishing what He expects from His people, in order that they might be His mouthpiece and testimony. D) According to vs. 17-24, why did Israel fail in her mission as God's witness on the earth?___________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ II. "...which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." A) God had delivered Israel from her Egyptian bondage, and this experience was fresh in the hearts and minds of the people. They were preparing to go into the promised land and take possession as God promised in Gen. 17:8. B) In delivering Israel from the physical slavery in Egypt, He also freed them from the spiritual slavery to Egyptian paganism. C) Ex. 3:17+18. Why do you suppose that God wanted His people to go into the wilderness to sacrifice? __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 5
D) II Cor. 6:14-18. How does this principle apply to the Christian life? ____ ______________________________________________________________ To Christian worship? __________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E) I Pet. 2:11+12. How does obedience to the commandments relate to the mission of being God's witness? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________ III. "You shall have no other gods before me." ✗ 'gods' - 'elohiym [el-o-heem'] gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God A) Do not confuse this first commandment with idolatry. Idolatry, which is dealt with in the second commandment, is putting other gods on equal footing with Jehovah God. B) This first commandment deals with replacing Jehovah God altogether ["before me"], and worshiping that replacement god as being supreme. C) Rom. 1:20-25. What had replaced God in this text? _________________ Does this same replacement exist today, and if so. in what form?______ ______________________________________________________________ D) List some other "organized" forms of God replacement that exist today. ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ IV. God replacement in the Church. A) As much as we hate to admit it, violations of this first commandment are rampant in the modern Church. B) These violations are very subtle, and many people don't recognize them. 6
C) In almost all cases within the Church, what ends up replacing God is us. D) Examples of God replacement include: ✗ tradition - when Church tradition supersedes God's Word (Mk. 7:113) ✗ adding to or taking away from the Word; conforming it to our own ideas (Pr. 30:5+6, Deut. 4:1+2) ✗ a faith driven by emotion and/or experience (Jer. 23:31-36) ✗ an attitude of self-sufficiency (Pr. 3:5+6) E) List any other examples you might think of: ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ If we stop and think about this, it is reasonable to say that if mankind were to be obedient to this first commandment, the other nine would be unnecessary. But human nature reveals to us the necessity of all ten commandments, due to the sin nature of man. Jer. 17:9+10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." The more things we have in place that reveal our wickedness, the better the chance that we will seek out the Savior. Make sure that you are not replacing God with something or someone else in your life. This is the first step to being a witness for Him. NOTES:
Lesson 3 - You Shall Not Make Any Graven Image Read Ex. 20:1-17. Verses 4-6 tackle the second commandment, which is the command against idolatry. Idolatry, while having some similarities to "God replacement", is distinctly different in that it can be practiced side-by-side with the worship of Jehovah. While the first commandment deals with replacing God altogether, this second commandment deals with putting people, objects, desires, or passions on equal footing with God. Idolatry is not to replace God, but rather to make other "gods" of equal importance. I. Idolatry is to worship, honor, or esteem other creatures or things, as though they are equal to God. Read Ezekiel chapter 8. There are four instances of idolatry in this chapter: A) vs. 3-6 _______________________________________________________ B) vs. 7-13 ______________________________________________________ C) vs. 14+15 ____________________________________________________ D) vs. 16+17 ____________________________________________________ E) What is the result of their idolatry as stated in vs. 18? ________________ ______________________________________________________________ II. Idolatry is often tied to objects. Historically we know that the Israelites followed the example of pagan nations, and created their own idols out of metal, stone, or wood. A) Ex. 20:4 is an explicit command to not create any objects in any likeness for the purposes of worship or veneration. B) Verses 4-6 are one continuous sentence. Notice the colon at the end of verse 4. Verse 5 is a further explanation of the previous statement, which tells us that making objects for worship and veneration is wrong. This does not mean that we should not make symbols of our faith (wooden cross, the fish, etc.), just that we are to consider them nothing more than symbols. C) Ezek. 8:10 describes the pictures and engravings of all sorts of things on the wall. Do you know of any religious idols in our day? _____________ ______________________________________________________________
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III. Idolatry is often a result of the perception that one has needs that cannot, or will not, be met by God. A) "Then said he to me, Son of man, have you seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD sees us not; the LORD has forsaken the earth." (Ezek. 8:12) - Israel still acknowledges the existence of God, they simply believe that He no longer cares. B) 'serve' (vs. 5) - `abad [aw-bad'] to work for; to serve, enslave; to be bondmen. C) Christians in theory, serve God out of love and devotion to Him. Idolators serve their gods to get something in return. (Ezek. 8:14+15) IV. Idolatry skews our thinking and perverts our understanding of God. How is this demonstrated in the following references: A) Ps. 106:34-39 _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ B) Ps. 115:1-8 ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Is. 2:5-9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) Hab. 2:18-20 __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E) The New Testament likens covetousness to idolatry (Col. 3:5). While they may be listed as two separate commandments in the Old Testament, covetousness is one form of idolatry. And like the previous four examples, covetousness skews our thinking and understanding. We will cover covetousness in detail in lesson #11, but for now, explain as best you can why covetousness is considered idolatry. _______________
V. Idolatry has long-lasting effects on future generations. A) vs. 5 - God is a jealous God. According to Is. 42:8, what will God not give to idols? __________________________________________________ B) Read Is. 8:17-22. What is God's response when His people commit idolatry? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Ex. 20:5, 'visiting' - paqad [paw-kad'] to visit with; to oversee, to go see, look, sum, visit. C) When one of God's people engages in idolatry, God is forced to bring judgement in order to bring that person back. If the idolator does not respond, God must withdraw from that man and increase the judgement. It then becomes a downward spiral as the idolatry is passed on to future generations. D) There is good news in vs. 6. God shows mercy to all those who love and serve Him, and any idolator can repent and experience that mercy. VI. List as many types of idolatry that you can identify in our modern world. ____ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ NOTES:
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Lesson 4 - You Shall Not Take God's Name In Vain Read Ex. 20:1-17. The third commandment given to Israel was that they were not to take the name of the Lord their God in vain. This is often misunderstood, and defined as using the Lord's name as a curse word. While certainly offensive and sinful, cursing in God's name is not what is referenced here. This commandment is far deeper and much more personal than mere words. Like idolatry, it is also very subtle and insidious, being practiced by countless Christians while they don't even know it. Let's take a look, shall we? I. Read Ex. 20:7. These commandments are given to God's people specifically, not to the pagan world. A) Remember the division of the Ten Commandments as discussed in sect. III of the first lesson. Commandments 1-4 deal with spiritual law, while 6-10 deal with social or civil law. B) All of mankind is expected to abide by the social law, but the spiritual law is reserved for God's people. That is because one must establish a relationship with the Living God in order to uphold the spiritual law. C) Read Rom. 8:5-8. Who are those mentioned here as being "after the flesh"? _____________ And "after the Spirit"? ___________________________________________ Why is the lost man not subject to the spiritual law of God? __________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) In Ex. 20:7, notice the phrase "the LORD your God". This is quite different to the phrase "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" which is found in Ex. 3+4. E) Jehovah God has now become personal to them because a relationship has been established. The personal nature of one's relationship with God is the key to the 3rd commandment. II. "Take" vs. "use". A) When the LORD's name becomes a curse word, that is "using" His name. "Taking" implies more than mere use, it implies ownership. 'take' - nasa' [naw-saw'] to lift; accept, advance, bear, bring forth, carry, exalt, extol, lift up, marry, magnify, obtain, receive, regard, respect. 11
B) The best example to explain "take", is the name change in a marriage. When a couple marries, the wife generally assumes the last name of her husband, and all that goes with it. Her identity, reputation, and honor are established or destroyed by the name of her husband. C) To take the LORD's name is to assume His name and identity in "marriage". When we are born-again, we are now identifying with Jesus, and we are taking His name and all that goes with it. D) To take His name in vain therefore is to be born-again, yet still live in the flesh. It would be like a new wife being married, yet still running with her old boyfriends. III. Examples of taking the LORD's name in vain. Explain how each one relates to the 3rd commandment. A) Gal. 3:1-9 _____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ B) James 3:1-10 __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) I Jn. 2:15-17 ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) I Jn. 3:14-18 ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E) While individual, single actions can be violations of the 3rd commandment, the intent is more toward a way of life. F) There are plenty of Old Testament example of this way of life, including: Samson, King Solomon, King Saul in his later years, Jacob in his early years, and others. G) Shining examples of those who upheld the name of the LORD would include Daniel and his three friends, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. IV. God will hold offenders accountable. 'guiltless' - naqah [naw-kaw'] to be or make clean; to be bare, be blameless, be free, be innocent; to leave unpunished. 12
A) I Jn. 1:7 makes it clear that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin." When a man is born-again, ALL sin, whether past, present, or future, is washed away. B) This guilt then is a reference to earthly consequences. God will chastise His own if they take His name in vain. C) What does Heb. 12:5-10 tell us regarding our relationship with the LORD? _______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) I Cor. 5:4-8. God gives us a role in His chastisement. What is it? ______ ______________________________________________________________ E) How does I Jn. 5:16+17 tie in to this? _____________________________ ______________________________________________________________ God's name is very important to Him, and it displeases Him when we do damage to it. Proverbs 22:1 tells us, "A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold." If you have chosen His name, use it wisely, and don't be guilty of taking it in vain. Bring honor to His name, and He will be pleased. NOTES:
Lesson 5 - Remember The Sabbath Day, To Keep It Holy Read Ex. 20:1-17. Verses 8-11 instruct us in the 4th commandment, which stated that the Jews were to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. This is an issue that requires quite a bit of digging to fully understand, and careful analysis when applying it to the Christian Church. It is a good transition from the spiritual law to the social law, and contains elements of both. The thing to keep in mind as we discuss this commandment, is the state of man's heart. That is really where this issue lies. I. What is the sabbath day? 'sabbath' - shabbath [shab-bawth'] intermission, (specifically) the Sabbath. It comes from the root shabath [shaw-bath'] which means, to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; to cease, celebrate, put away, make to rest, make still. A) The sabbath was an intermission, a time-out if you will, given for the purpose of rest. B) The sabbath was the seventh day of the week. The Jewish day begins at 6 P.M. rather than midnight, so the sabbath would be from 6 P.M. Friday through 6 P.M. Saturday. C) They were instructed to remember [be mindful of] the sabbath day, and keep it holy [make the day separate as set aside for the LORD]. D) The sabbath spoken of here is the weekly Saturday observance. But there were other sabbath's asscociated with feasts (Lev. 16:19-31, Lev. 23), and even a 7 year sabbath for the land (Lev. 25). E) Notice that verse 10 states the sabbath is "of the LORD your God". It is His day, and it revolves around Him. II. The origin of the sabbath day. A) "rested" - nuwach [noo'-ach] to settle down, let alone, give comfort; to be confederate; to be quiet. B) The sabbath day originated with God in Gen. 2:1-3. Do you think God was tired and needed a nap? ____________________________________ C) During creation week how did God finish every day but the 2nd? (Gen. 1:4, 12, 18, 21, 25) _____________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
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D) Based upon His previous actions, what do you suppose God did on the seventh day? (note: read definition of "shabath" above) ______________
B) According to Rom. 14:1-7, is the church to observe the weekly sabbath? _______ Why or why not? _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________ E) There was a purpose for the sabbath beyond the need for physical rest. What might that be? ____________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ III. No work was to performed on the sabbath day. 'work' - mla'kah [mel-aw-kaw'] deputyship, i.e. ministry; employment or work; also property (as the result of business, + cattle, + industrious, occupation. A) Specifically, what work was prohibited on the sabbath? ______________ ______________________________________________________________ B) In Ex. 16:22-26, we see the first practical application of the sabbath day. What was prophibited in this text? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ C) The Church gathers for worship on the first day of the week (Sunday) because that is the day of the resurrection. D) This practice was established early on in the NT Church (Acts 20:7, I Cor. 16:2) E) Are we specifically required to meet for worship on any day? _________ V. Spiritual application for the Church. A) Old Testament law required the Jew to bring daily sacrifices of both animals and agricultural products. Obviously, the Church does not practice this, but we are told in Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." B) Likewise, we do not keep the weekly sabbath, but we are to observe it in a similar way. The spiritual purpose behind the sabbath was to cause the Israelites to pause, give God the honor due Him, and celebrate His goodness. This is something we as Christians should be doing every day. ✗
Psalms 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
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Eph. 5:18-21 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
C) Lk. 13:11-16. What was Jesus response to the critics in this text? ______ ______________________________________________________________ D) What does Jesus say about the Sabbath in Mk. 2:27+28? ____________ ______________________________________________________________ E) How does this relate back to Ex. 2:10? ____________________________ ______________________________________________________________
NOTES:
IV. Is the Church instructed to observe the sabbath? A) It is easy to say that the sabbath is a uniquely Jewish command which does not apply to the Church. While that may be true by the letter of the law, all the Jewish laws have some sort of spiritual application to the Church. 15
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Lesson 6 - Honor Your Father And Mother Read Ex. 20:1-17. The social or "civic" section of the Ten Commandments begins with honoring one's parents. I refer to these last 6 commandments as social law, because they govern our relationships with our fellow man. That does not mean that these things are not as important as the spiritual law, it simply a different relationship that we are dealing with. However, unlike the spiritual law that is specifically given to God's people, the social law applies to every man, and God will hold all of us accountable. I. What does it mean to "honor" my father and mother? 'honor' - Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. A) In plain English this is show them, and treat them, with all due respect. And to do so simply because of their God-given authority. B) This begins in youth as a child honors his parents through obedience. (Eph. 6:1-3) C) As the child grows and learns, He honors his parents through continued obedience AND accepting and learning from chastisement. (Prov. 3:112, 4:10) D) Finally, when the child reaches adulthood, he honors his parents by living his life as he has been faithfully taught by his parents. (Prov. 4:2027) E) As always, exceptions are to be made when parents instruct their children to follow after sin. II. When children become adults, their parents "get old". A) There is something to be said about age, experience, and wisdom. While they don't always go together (Job 32:7-9), more often than not, they do (Ecc. 1:12-18). B) Read Deut. 21:18-21. Understand that the son in this text is an adult. ✗ There are 5 sins listed here, what are they? _____________________ ______________________________________________________________ ✗
There is one sin that is not listed, but implied. What is it? _________
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If this is an adult child, why are Dad & Mom still involved? _______
C) Read Gen. 48:8-20. ✗ What did Jacob do that was unusual? __________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ✗
In the eyes of the world, who had more authority; Jacob or Joseph?
______________________________________________________________ ✗
In God's eyes, who had the authority? _________________________
Joseph defers to his father, and trusts his judgment. Part of honoring our parents as adults is to trust their judgment unless they give us specific reason not to. D) Read I Tim. 5:1-10. ✗ What is to be done for widows who have living children? _________ ✗
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What does this suggest about the care of parents who can no longer care for themselves? _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________ III. There is a promise associated with this commandment, which is above and beyond God's general promise of blessing. A) As seen in vs. 12, what is the promise? ____________________________ B) Eph. 6:1-3 says something similar. but there is a big difference between them. Explain. _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Prov. 7:1-5. Why does obedience to this commandment result in long life? __________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ IV. Did the following people honor their fathers and mothers in their particular circumstances? Why or why not?
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A) Jacob (Gen. 27:1-14) ___________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ B) Esau (Gen. 28:6-9) _____________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Joseph (Gen. 45:9-15) __________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) Jeroboam (I Kings 12:1-15) ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E) Samuel (I Sam. 3:1-19) _________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ F) Gideon (Judges 6:25-31) ________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
Lesson 7 - You Shall Not Kill Read Ex. 20:1-17. The commandment, "Thou shalt not kill", has become a point of division in recent years among Christian denominations. With arguments about abortion, capital punishment, and war, many seem to have lost sight of what God's intent and meaning was in issuing this commandment. We need to go back and clearly define those parameters in order to properly apply this 6th commandment. I. What the Old Testament says. (vs. 13) 'kill' - ratsach [raw-tsakh'] properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill a human being, especially to murder:--put to death, kill A) This seems fairly straightforward at first glance, but with the meaning of the Hebrew word, it seems to indicate murder specifically. B) God makes a clear distinction between murder and accidental death. The man who kills purposely is considered a murderer, while the man the kills accidentally is not. (Num. 35:15-30, Deut. 19:3-13). C) As listed in Ex. 20, the Ten Commandments seem to govern behavior which is purposeful, not accidental. It would be reasonable to assume that accidents are not part of this commandment against killing. D) Prov. 1:10-18 makes a distinction between the innocent (vs. 11) and the guilty (vs. 18). III. What the New Testament says. A) Jesus, when listing the commandments for the rich young ruler, begins with, "You shall do no murder". (Matt. 19:18+19) B) I Pet 4:15 links murder to other purposeful acts of the will. C) I Jn. 3:15 gives us an additional clue about killing and murder. What is
NOTES:
the clue? _____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) The OT command is a reference to murder, and murder only. IV. Capital Punishment A) Ex. 21:22-25. This is the "eye for eye" policy. Explain ________________ ______________________________________________________________
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B) Deut. 19:17-21 reiterates this policy. According to vs. 19, what is the purpose behind the "eye for eye" standard? ________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) In vs. 15 of Deut. 19, there is a provision to help insure that Israel does
VI. Abortion A) The abortion debate is commonly framed within the argument of "choice". But before we can get to choice, it must be established whether or not the "fetus" is a living soul. If so, then abortion is murder. B) Jer. 1:4+5. What three things does God specifically say about Jeremiah before he was born? __________________________________________
not punish innocent people. What is that provision? _________________ ______________________________________________________________
Is it possible to do these things in relation to a non-living mass of tissue? _______________________________________________________
D) According to Num. 35:15-20, what defines a murderer? _____________
C) Ps. 51:5+6. What does David say about his conception? _____________
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E) What is the punishment for murderer? ____________________________
Can iniquity and sin be charged to a non-living mass of tissue? ________
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D) Gen. 25:22+23. God specifically calls the two in the womb children. He also calls them nations, and uses the word "are", which denotes present tense. Can nations be formed from a non-living mass of tissue? _______
Conclusion: capital punishment is NOT murder.
V. War A) Eccl. 3:8 indicates that there is a proper time and place for war. B) As unpleasant as it may be, war is a tool that God uses for a specific
E) Three questions: ✗ Is the womb's resident a living soul? __________________________
purpose. What is that purpose according to Amos 1:13+14? _________ ______________________________________________________________
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Is the womb's resident guilty of any crime? _____________________
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Is the abortion procedure purposeful or accidental? ______________ Conclusion: Abortion IS murder.
C) The final vanquishing of all evil is seen in the last great battle between God and Satan and his followers (Rev. 20:7-10). D) Read I Sam. 15:1-3. ✗ Who was Israel to go to war against? __________________________ ✗
Who/What was to be destroyed in this war? ____________________
The 6th commandment against murder need not be a point of division among Christians. God is very clear about this in scripture, it is not a "gray area". NOTES:
______________________________________________________________ E) War is conducted against nations, not individuals. This precludes the commandment against killing. A just war to vanquish evil is not murder, because the ones being judged are not innocent. Conclusion: A just war, either offensively or defensively, is NOT murder. 21
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Lesson 8 - You Shall Not Commit Adultery Read Ex. 20:1-17. Adultery, which seems to be so commonplace in our society, is particularly offensive to God. In a few of the Old Testament prophecies He uses the concept of physical adultery to explain the spiritual condition of Israel. A condition for which she is judged most severely. It is a sin issue which unfortunately is taken far too lightly, both in the physical realm, and the spiritual realm. 'adultery' - na'aph [naw-af'] to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize; adulteress, commit adultery, woman that breaks wedlock. (Strong's Hebrew) 'adultery' - The unfaithfulness of a married person to the marriage bed; sexual intercourse by a married man with another than his wife, or voluntary sexual intercourse by a married woman with another than her husband. (Webster's) I. Adultery vs. fornication. A) For a sexual act to be considered adultery, one or both of the parties involved must be married to a third party. (Lev. 20:10, Jer. 29:23, Ezek. 16:32) B) Fornication is any sexual sin outside of the marriage bed. (I Cor. 7:2, I Cor. 10:7+8 with Ex. 32:1-6) C) All adultery is considered fornication, but all fornication is not considered adultery. D) Fornication is just as much a sin as adultery as seen in Ro. 1:24-32 and Gal. 5:19-21. E) It is my opinion that the command was specifically written against adultery, rather than fornication, because of its spiritual implications. II. Adultery from God's perspective. A) Col. 2:16+17. There are several God-given ordinances referenced here, though marriage is not among them. What is the purpose behind divine
D) The marriage relationship pictures (or symbolizes) the relationships between the Father and Israel, and Jesus and the Church. To stain this earthly relationship is to thumb one's nose at something that was designed to point us to the LORD. III. Adultery from the spouse's perspective. A) Gen. 2:21-24. What makes the marriage bond different from any other human relationship? ____________________________________________ B) I Cor. 7:1-5. In verse 3, the sexual relationship is described as "due benevolence". ✗ 'benevolence' - eunoia [yoo'-noy-ah] kindness; euphemistically, conjugal duty; benevolence, good will. ✗
vs. 4 - To whom does power over the body belong? _____________
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vs. 5 - What word is used to describe withholding from the sexual
relationship? __________________________________________________ C) The sexual relationship, when practiced according to God's plan, is a means of "kindness" and "good will" between a married couple. It strengthens the bond and deepens the intimacy between husband and wife. D) From the perspective of the spouse, adultery is akin to betrayal. The offender has taken something that belongs to the spouse, and given it to someone else. In doing so, the offender is also showing contempt for that which the spouse has willingly given him. IV. Adultery from the offender's perspective. A) Prov. 5:15-21 gives us some interesting insights on marriage. ✗ vs. 15 - The sexual relationship is compared to drinking water.
ordinance? ____________________________________________________ B) Hosea 2:1-3. How does God refer to Israel in terms of her relationship with Him? ____________________________________________________ C) II Cor. 11:1+2. How does Paul describe the Church in relation to Jesus?
Using this example, what is adultery compared to? ______________ ______________________________________________________________ ✗
vs. 18 reminds us that the "wife of your youth" is still your wife, even though you are both old. This is also encouragement to retain the passion of the early days of marriage.
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Lesson 9 - You Shall Not Steal
vs. 19 implies that we should gain a measure of satisfaction in the sexual relationship. Also, the word "ravished" means to "be enraptured", implying that the sexual relationship should be exciting and blissful. ✗ from the perspective of the offender, if he/she put as much effort into the marriage as into the adultery, the sexual relationship with the spouse would make adultery seem pale by comparison. B) I Cor. 6:15-20 ✗ What is the result of any sexual union between a man and woman?
Read Ex. 20:1-17. The command against stealing is a pretty simple one, and easy to understand. The trouble comes in the application of the commandment. For some, stealing can be justified by circumstances, which then leads men to decide for themselves what the definition of stealing is.
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'steal' - ganab [gaw-nab'] to thieve; by implication, to deceive; carry away, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth. (Strong's Hebrew)
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When one commits sexual sin, against whom is he committing it?
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The spouse retains power over the body in terms of the sexual relationship. But who owns the body? _________________________
C) One of the other reasons why sexual sin is so offensive, is because it shows a complete disregard for God, your spouse, and yourself. When a man is willing to stoop to such lows, no sin is beyond him. V. There are three ways to commit the sin of adultery. The actual physical act of sexual relations with or by a person who is married to someone else. (Jer. 29:23) Marriage and subsequent sexual relations with a divorced person. (Matt. 5:32) Looking upon another person with lustful thoughts and/or intents. (Matt. 5:28) NOTES:
I. The basic definition of stealing.
'steal'- To take and carry away, feloniously; to take without right or leave, and with intent to keep wrongfully; as, to steal the personal goods of another. (Webster's) A) At the very core of stealing is deception and dishonesty. In order to be successful, one must engage in a purposeful pattern of lies and deceit. B) Gen. 31:34+35. In order to cover her theft, Rachel deceives in two ways. What are they? ___________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) In Deut. 32:4+5 God is referred to as a "God of truth". The people that are spoken of here are called what kind of generation? _______________ ______________________________________________________________ D) Hosea 4:2. Notice the other sins that stealing is lumped together with. At the top of the list are swearing and lying. II. Punishment for stealing. A) Prov. 6:30+31 - The man who steals to satisfy hunger. ______________ ______________________________________________________________ B) Ex. 22:7 - The general thief. ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
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Lesson 10 - You Shall Not Bear False Witness
C) Ex. 22:8-12 - The man who fails to protect what he has been entrusted with. _________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ D) Lev. 6:1-5 - the man who violently and/or deceitfully steals from his (literal) neighbor. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ III. Methods of stealing. A) The simple act of physically taking a possession belonging to someone else. (Gen 31. 31-35) B) Fraud/dishonest gain (Lev. 19:35+36, Deut. 25:13-16, Ez. 22:13,27) C) Usury/excessive interest on loans (generally Prov. 28:8, against fellow believers Deut. 23:19+20) D) Giving employer less than 100% effort (Matt. 20:10-13, Titus 2:9+10) E) Failing to pay taxes (Matt. 22:17-21) F) Failing to give to God (Mal 3:8-10) IV. List any other methods of stealing you can think of. ______________________
Read Ex. 20:1-17. Bearing false witness against one's neighbor is the ninth of the Ten Commandments. It is one pertaining to legal matters, but the ramifications go well beyond the courtroom. What we say about others is never ignored, and it can be especially damaging when our words are untrue. I. False witness in the legal sense. A) To "bear false witness" in a legal sense means to offer untrue testimony. It means to lie in the courtroom while on the witness stand. B) Bearing false witness against your neighbor then, is lying about his or her actions in a court of law. C) Read Deut. 19:15. ✗ How is legal testimony to be established? ______________________ ______________________________________________________________ ✗
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Simply put, stealing is the dishonest gain of anything that does not belong to you. It can be overt, or it can be hidden. But if it is dishonest gain, it is stealing. NOTES:
What are the consequences for the man who is found to be a false witness? __________________________________________________
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Is the testimony of a single witness to be allowed? ______________
______________________________________________________________ D) God then seems to place a great deal of importance on our words. Long before legal documents were the norm, a man's word was considered as good as gold. This is why being a false witness is such a serious matter. II. False witness is a direct insult to the character of God. A) Just as the marriage relationship is a reflection of God's relationship with His people, the establishing of testimony is a reflection of God's character. B) In I Jn. 5:1-9, we read some witness testimony.
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Who is the subject of the testimony? __________________________
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What is he "accused" of? _____________________________________ 28
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Name the three witnesses in heaven __________________________
B) Deut 18:20-22 ________________________________________________
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List the three witnesses on the earth __________________________
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C) Gal. 1:6-9 _____________________________________________________
God has established the truth of the gospel message through the use of 6 witnesses. Part of His nature to is firmly establish truth, so no room is left for uncertainty or doubt. C) Rev. 11:1-7. God gives mankind one last opportunity to repent, by sending two witnesses who will testify of God. He will not allow any hurt to be done against these men, until their testimony is complete.
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______________________________________________________________ D) Prov. 26:20-25 ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
III. False witness was used against Jesus. Read Matt. 26:59-66. A) Who orchestrated the use of false witnesses? _______________________ B) Why do you suppose that they could not initially find the witnesses they needed, even though many offered their services? (hint: Mk. 14:56) ______________________________________________________________ C) Who was the third witness that sealed Jesus' fate? __________________ D) According to Deut. 19, what should have happened to the false witnesses? ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ We bear false witness in so many ways, from outright lies, to gossip, to sarcastic insinuations. This is the very reason why James warns us about the wickedness of the tongue. "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not so to be." [James 3:8-10] NOTES:
______________________________________________________________ E) It is ironic that the very one who established the system of witnesses, fell prey to those who would disobey. IV. False witness outside of the courtroom. Explain each reference. A) Gen. 39:11-19 _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 29
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Lesson 11 - You Shall Not Covet Read Ex. 20:1-17. Covetousness is an interesting thing, as we discussed in lesson #3. Col. 3:5 states that covetousness is idolatry, so in a sense, this tenth commandment is similar to the third. What sets it apart from the third commandment is its specific details. As a form of idolatry, it is regularly practiced by Christian believers, often without them even realizing it. And it is a subtle yet destructive sin. 'covet' - chamad [khaw-mad'] to delight in; greatly beloved, delectable thing; to greatly desire, to lust after. Covetousness is to be dissatisfied with with your current situation (temporally), and lust after things or persons in order to satisfy your fleshly desires. I. We are not to covet anything belonging to our neighbor. A) House - that would include the structure, the land, the view, social status, etc. B) Wife - this is obvious; it is borderline adultery if the imagination is allowed to kick in C) Servants - Wealth and affluence D) Ox & Ass - His employment or business E) What is the common thread of all these things, as found in Ecc. 2:1-15? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ II. Why covetousness is considered idolatry. "Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" [Col. 3:5] A) I Tim 6:3-8 instructs us, among other things, that men believe financial gain is a mark of godliness, or means of attaining godliness. ✗
vs. 6, what is God's position? ________________________________
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what are we to be content with? ______________________________
______________________________________________________________ B) Heb. 13:5. What does this verse suggest about the relationship between covetousness and contentment? __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ C) Phil. 4:11-13. Paul writes this letter from the Roman prison. ✗
Is he content in his circumstances? ___________________________
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Why or why not? ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ D) When we are covetous, we are not content with our current situation in life. That heart attitude says to God that we are not content with what He has given, and by default we are not content with him. E) If idolatry is to place something or someone on equal footing with God, then covetousness is idolatry because we are lusting after something that should bring us contentment. All the while we are supposed to be content with God, and what He has already provided. III. Examples of covetousness, and what they demonstrate. A) Ex. 16:1-5 - Covetousness distorts our memory, and our grasp of reality. B) Hab. 2:1-9 - Covetousness will come back to bite us. Those whom we have used for gain, will be used against us on judgment. In other words, what goes around comes around. C) Hag. 1:1-7 - Those things that are obtained in covetousness never satisfy. The more one obtains, the more he wants. D) II Sam. 11 - Covetousness leads to other sins. In this case it was adultery, and murder. IV. Covetousness can be a good thing. Read Phil. 3:8-14. A) We have already seen from Phil. 4:11-13, that Paul was content in his physical circumstances. But from this text in Phil. 3, does it appear that he is content with his spiritual condition? __________________________
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B) What more does Paul desire? ____________________________________
NOTES:
______________________________________________________________ C) Can this ever be fully achieved in this life? _________________________ D) So what is Paul's plan? __________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ V. What should we covet, if anything? Read I Cor. 12. A) What is the context of the chapter? _______________________________ B) Does God give spiritual gifts to every believer? _____________________ C) Are everyone's gifts the same? ___________________________________ D) Is each gift equally important to the body? _________________________ Explain _______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E) vs. 31 tells us to covet the best gifts. What do you think that means, in light of the whole chapter? ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ At the end of the day, we are to be content wit the circumstances we find ourselves in. To be discontent is to be covetous, and to be covetous is to be idolatrous. If there is any discontent at all, it should be with our spiritual condition. There is always room for improvement, and we should always strive after those spiritual gifts that will enable us to be all that God intended.
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A note to teachers and study group leaders:
A final word to students:
This study guide is a great resource to aid learning spiritual truth if used correctly. It is intended for small groups of 2-10 people, but can be adapted to larger ones.
The law of God is a useful tool in pointing us to the LORD Jesus, and obedience to God's commandments is always for our own good. We trust that you have gained that understanding from this study guide, and that you have an increased knowledge of how God would have us conduct ourselves.
The methodology employed in this study is to provoke thought and discussion within the framework of Scripture, thereby teaching the student how to learn and find the answer himself. We believe this is a far better approach to study groups than simply "spoonfeeding" Scripture. Therefore, questions and discussion are both encouraged. Don't feel like you must complete one lesson per week to stay with the program. Take as long as needed to complete each lesson with understanding, because the next lesson will build on the previous one. Finally, feel free to copy and distribute all of our study guides free of charge. The only restrictions we place on copying are the following: • • •
You may not copyright this work either in whole or in part You may not charge a fee for this work except to cover any costs of reproducing it You may not change the doctrinal positions we hold in these studies. If you disagree with our doctrine, we request you use a different study guide. May God bless you in your studies!
We hope and pray that you remain steadfast in your study and practice of God's Word, knowing that if you do, great will be your reward! God bless you in your walk with our Lord!
