Honoring Parents “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which theLORD thy God giveth thee” (Exodus 20:12). By Todd Alexander God’s fifth commandment, to honor our father and mother, is the only commandment that is confirmed with the blessing of long life. Obedience is the proper response to God’s gift of life, and will be the strength of our families and our Ecclesias. God’s justice requires that we honor our earthly parents who have […]
Respecting Life “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). By John Bivol As we meditate on this commandment, our thoughts turn in sympathy toward millions of people that have been intentionally killed over the centuries. In the 20th century more than 110 million people have been killed in wars alone. Despite attempts to enforce policies against evil, we have recently witnessed unspeakable atrocities in Ukraine, the killing of innocent adults and children. The world has achieved a level of economic and technical development […]
“Thou shalt not Commit Adultery” (Exodus 20:14). By Matt Kerry In Deuteronomy 6:7, God instructed Israel concerning the statutes and commandments of the Law. “Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (ASV). If commandment number seven was solely to avoid committing the act of adultery, it would be a short conversation. But Israel […]
Honorable Conduct and Thought “Thou shalt not steal … bear false witness … [or] covet” (Exodus 20:15-17). By Dan Wesol Commandment 8 “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). The underlying principle of Commandment 8 is that people have a right to their possessions and their good name. No one has the right to take what does not belong to them. They should honor what belongs to others. To help the Israelites understand how important it was to respect the property of others, […]
Who Were the Corinthians? “To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling” (1 Corinthians 1:2 NASB). By Tim Krupa The Apostle Paul had an excellent relationship with most of the ecclesiae he dealt with, but Corinth was an exception. They were a problem. Paul first came to Corinth while he traveled a pilgrim route we usually call “Paul’s Second Missionary Journey.” After going through Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and stopping briefly in Troas, Paul headed for Macedonia (northern […]