Chapter 25: The Ten Commandments
Q1 - Will every person who honors their parents necessarily live long on the earth? What is the deeper meaning of God’s statement in the fifth commandment?
A1 - The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:1–3 (NKJV) essentially repeated the fifth commandment: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
Unfortunate accidents or illnesses can occur through no fault of the individual which can result in his or her untimely death. However, those who honor their parents will hopefully listen to their teachings and learn from their wisdom (and hopefully the parents will have good teachings and wisdom to share!). It follows, then, that such people will be less inclined to make foolish mistakes or use poor judgement which could lead to their early demise. When people make good decisions, they are also more likely to enjoy a better quality of life as well as live a longer life.
Q2 - God hates a liar. Which command(s) deal with intentionally making false statements? What other scriptures come to mind about the gravity of telling a lie?
A2 - Actually two of the commandments speak against intentionally making false statements. The ninth command clearly states that people should not bear false witness against their neighbor. Additionally, the third command can be seen as encompassing false statements against God. When God’s name is taken in vain, an untruth has been declared. God is holy, and any statement to the contrary is false. When people swear an oath in God’s name and then break their oath or lie under oath, they have lied against God.
Proverbs 12:22 (NKJV) states: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”
Proverbs 6:16–19 (ESV) actually addresses falsehoods more than once in this list of what God hates: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”
Revelation 21:8 (ESV) states what will happen to those who lie: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Q3 - Are Christians commanded to keep the Sabbath today?
A3 - When God had finished His work of creating the world, he rested on the seventh day. Genesis 2:3 (ESV) states: “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
Whether the patriarchs recognized or kept the seventh day as a day of rest or not is not recorded in the scriptures. Later, when God gave the Law to Moses at Mount Sinai, He formally created the seventh day of the week as a Sabbath for the Israelites. In His fourth commandment, He stated they should keep the day holy and do no work on that day (Exodus 20:8–11).
Jesus lived under the Law and kept the Sabbath. However, by living a life without sin and sacrificing Himself on the cross for the sins of the world, He fulfilled the Law. The Apostle Paul explains in Colossians 2:6–15 the freedom we have through our life with Christ. In speaking of the Law, he states in verse 14 that Christ cancelled the written code with its regulations. He took it away, nailing it to the cross.
The Law served a vital role. It served as a schoolmaster or tutor to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Then, when Christ came, with His death, burial, and resurrection He ushered in a New Covenant. He told His apostles this at the last supper before His death on the cross. He said in Luke 22:20 (NIV), “‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” The cup represented His blood which would soon pour out of the side of His body when the soldier pierced His side as He hung upon the cross. With the shedding of His blood and His ensuing death, burial, and resurrection, He established a New Covenant.
The early Christians at first met together every day (Acts 2:46–47). Then, because Christ rose on the first day of the week, Christians started meeting on Sundays (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2).
While there is nothing wrong with meeting together on Saturday, Paul states we are not to be judged by whether we do or do not keep certain days. He says in Colossians 2:16–17 (NLT): “So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.”
These articles discuss the topic further: