Rules Of the Road

 “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:13-15

Of the 10 Commandments, these three are the most recognizable or quotable.  Why, you might ask?  Simple – there are immediate consequences, established by the law of the governing body overseeing your community.  If you murder, you go to jail; If you commit adultery, you end up in divorce court; if you steal, you go to jail.  So, because mankind has placed punishment and consequence behind these commandments, but not the others, are they more important?

We look at the other 7 commandments and cannot trace them to an immediate consequence or legal limitation on our lives.  Yet, I propose that they hold equally as much importance as these three because all 10 impact your eternal life.  What is it in mankind, then, that would incorporate these 3 into our legal system and not the others?  Did early governing bodies believe that they came up with the laws against murder, adultery, and stealing on their own?  Is there somehow a belief that these laws did not stem from the recorded scriptures in Exodus?

Imagine a society where these were not the law.  What value does a life have?  What value do love, marriage, or a family have?  What stops me from taking whatever I want from whomever I want?  You can see how these specifically address how we must interact with others around us and establish the universality of righteousness.  If one were to abandon these 3 commandments as if they never existed, one would have the self-centered freedom to take the life of another whenever one felt the need.  Life would be centered around the individual and whatever makes them happy, rather than the goodness of the body of mankind.  Can you imagine a society of selfish, arrogant, and lawless existence? 

In that society, by what power and authority does one governing body have over another to say that it is unlawful to kill someone, or to steal, or to rape, or to commit adultery?  If there is no absolute truth and righteousness, no single authority over all things, then we are free to each determine what is right or wrong based on our own choices.  Who assigns authority of one over another?  I walk down the street in this fictitious world and choose of my own volition that I don’t like someone, so I take their life, without remorse, consequence, or guilt.  It’s simply my choice to reign in authority over them at any given moment.  But, in that society, the opposite is also true, and someone could take my life just as easily.  Without a single ultimate authority, chaos ensues.

The hierarchy of authority must have a single highest endpoint.  That end point is God Almighty, and the laws He established have lasted throughout all time, as the backbone of our moral character, our hope, and our guiding principles for right and wrong.  Governments are put in place to uphold what has been deemed as righteous, but they were not the originators of the code.  If you can accept these 3 as morally and ethically just and righteous, why do we struggle with the other 7?  The 10 Commandments are all of equal importance and significance. When you accept that they are directly spoken from God, the Creator and ultimate Truth in life.  Just because you see the immediate consequence of these 3 and not the others, does not minimize the importance of following God’s word.

11.      Have no other God

22.      Do not make or worship idols

33.      Do not take the Lord’s name in vain

44.      Keep the Sabbath holy

55.      Honor your Father and Mother

66.      Do not murder

77.      Do not commit adultery

88.      Do not steal

99.      Do not lie or give false testimony

11.      Do not covet your neighbor's possessions or wife

Keep them all, and live by His word, for He is our ultimate authority and knows what righteousness is.  Mankind does not.

Fighting for Freedom

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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  – Galatians 5:1

What than are you doing with this freedom?  We look around ourselves and claim that we are free from slavery and the bondage of being controlled by another, but are you really convinced that this is true?  There is no doubt that we enjoy freedom’s in this life that were not available to our ancestors, but the opposite is also true.  We are led to believe that we are free to do what we want, say what we want, act the way we want and live the way we want as long as we do not hurt others in doing so.  If

you ask most people on the street, they would say they are completely free to choose their path in life.  I would agree with them, by this world’s terminology we experience freedom in the eyes of those around us, based on our actions and words.  But, having said this, you must also then agree that in this societal freedom we have allowed ourselves to become enslaved by the world’s desires and thereby relinquished the freedom that was given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Before the internet era, the digital era, or the communication era we were a society built on trust, integrity and the good of all mankind.  We have become a society focused on self interests, open tolerance and blurred priorities as we claim more freedom.  We have lowered our standards to the least common denominator and accept it as freedom of choice.  The boundaries of truth and justice have become so weak that freedom has no real meaning any longer.  What are you free from?  Yes, we are free from the control of other individuals on your choices in life, but where is that in line with the freedom that God promises in His word.

Let’s reflect for a moment on the quality of a person’s spiritual life in today’s society verse the quality of spiritual life in say 1959.  Sixty years have passed by, and based on man’s freedom of choice and tolerance: homosexuality is at an all-time high, pornography is rampant throughout all forms of media, abortions are commonplace, divorce is no longer the last resort, but has become one of the first options when strife enters a marriage, violent crimes and hate crimes are on the rise, respect for one's elders has become a thing of the past and the most harmful of all – those that claim Jesus Christ as the One and only way to eternal life have decreased  dramatically.  As we claim our freedom from the control of others we have also separated ourselves from the control of the Father.

Christ’s death on the cross was to provide you spiritual freedom from this world.  To give you the strength, a purpose and meaning beyond the evil that exists in life.  The freedom of knowing that there is One greater than this world, greater than the evil that tempts us daily to succumb to the freedom of self-centeredness.  The addictions we suffer when we are bound by societies open tolerance are actually enslaving us from experiencing the love, grace, and freedom promised by God alone.  You cannot have both the truth of God and the tolerance lauded by this world.  There is a benchmark that we are to be held accountable too, and it is not the least common denominator of tolerating everything and everyone’s choices in life.  The benchmark is the life of Jesus Christ, and the righteousness that is granted through His death.  Strive for truth, resist the tolerance that society has claimed as freedom of choice, for it is not free at all in the end when justice will reign from above.  Every choice, every decision has an impact on the eternal soul of each of us.  You should seek the freedom from this world’s control and fully embrace the freedom found in allowing God to control your choices.

The Thirsting Soul

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?” – Psalm 42:1-2

One of the great things about living in the Woodlands, Texas is that in a city of nearly 100,000 people we have a tremendous amount of nature settings, woods, streams and lakes.  This natural setting of God’s great earth brings man and animal together in many different ways.  Deer frequently are seen along the sides of the road or along the riverbanks and amidst the trees as one might drive through our beautiful city.  I recall one morning I was driving to work and came to a bridge over one of the many streams through the Woodlands and standing alongside the embankment were no less than 20 deer of various age. From larger males with a full rack of antlers to spotted fawns staying very close to their mothers, they were unphased by the passing cars as they ate from the morning grass covered in dew. 

These animals seem so unbelievably docile and tender, a truly beautiful creation from our Lord.  As I drove closer the herd began to cross over the roadway in front of me.  I literally had to slam on the brakes as a few stood directly in the road and looked straight at me from in front of my car.  As I watched them, one by one, cross over I noticed they were going down to the river’s edge for a drink of water.  Putting their very life at risk by crossing in front of on-coming cars they were drawn to the fresh water, and as a group made their way to it.

I watch the news, I listen to the pundits and hear of the devastation, anger and conflict around the world and my heart longs for resolution.  It aches for God’s divine interaction and peace.  How long will God tolerate our obstinate and rebellious nature?  There is fresh water through His word, mercy and love and yet many will choose to drink from the fountain of filth and disdain.  As a people, we have become arrogant, prideful and self-centered.  A small percentage of the world today would tell you they are reliant on God or fear God’s wrath.  We choose to only see the side of God that is in line with our desires and wishes for life.   Drawing upon the mercy and love of God without considering His purpose and what it means in our life. 

Within each of us lies the Holy Spirit, with a purpose for your life.  A purpose that is to serve God Almighty with everything you have.  We eat from the garden of life and enjoy in the fruits, but are hesitant to actually step to the river and drink from His fullness.  In doing so, we are filled with the life changing presence of God that consumes one’s soul.  When we drink from His river our thirsts are forever quenched and our desire to serve and live for Him becomes overpowering.  This is what David describes in Psalm 42.  The longing for intimacy, for a deeper relationship with his Creator overwhelmed his soul. 

Do you not feel that same longing in your soul?  Has the message of God Almighty, through His word, become so watered down in your life that your passion has been calmed?  I propose that if we fully embrace the word of God, we could not help but run to His side and be filled with His Holy Spirit.  My soul longs for God to use me in a bigger way, yet am I truly willing to allow Him too?  That is the question that I, and many like me, struggle with daily.  The desire is there, but the willingness to submit control is lacking.  I lift my prayers to my Creator that He might soften my pride, my selfishness and create in me a heart that is more open to serving as He requires.  Won't you join me?

 

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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