The Big Difficult: Louisiana & The Ten Commandments
Here we go again with the Ten Commandments. Recent Louisiana state law requires that these commandments be posted in all state supported educational institutions. Perhaps a few comments will help in forming a constructive response to this situation.
First, and most important: the foundational element of the ten commandments is almost always missing from public discourse and display. This most important element is the preface: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery”. The ten commandments were not given as a means to self-righteous achievement, reward and pride that often seems to be the goal of public displays. Rather, they were given as a consequence of the humbling gift of deliverance from slavery to sin in order to teach God’s people how to live in freedom. The Ten Commandments were given as a manual for freedom for those who were set free by the grace of God.
Many have tried to keep the ten commandments in their own strength and for their own glory, and every one of them has failed miserably. “Don’t try this at home!” should be attached to every display. You will either resort to pretentious hypocrisy or give up in despair. Read about Martin Luther’s prodigious efforts to keep the commandments, his utter failure, his hellish despair and his rescue in Christ. Note that the Beatitudes of Christ extend these blessings with an even deeper freedom.
Jesus Christ is the only one who could and did keep these commandments perfectly. As such, He alone can rescue us from slavery to our sin and for freedom in His righteousness. In His death, He paid off the penalty of the violations of the commandments for all who trust Him. His resurrection proves that He also paid up the dues of obedience to the commandments for all who give themselves wholeheartedly to Him. He is the true Passover Lamb who was perfect and without blemish and who was sacrificed so that the people of God would be freed from slavery to sin in Egypt and freed for obedience to righteousness in the Promised Land as outlined in the ten commandments. He gives believers His Holy Spirit to empower us through His means of grace (word & sacrament with praise & prayer, all in the fellowship of the visible church) to enjoy this freedom in obedience.
Second, our national founders assumed the ten commandments as the standard for self-government by every citizen. John Adams knew that our republic could not endure without adherence to the faith and life outlined in these commandments. Thomas Jefferson knew that our nation would be judged according to this standard. These convictions are evident in the prominence of Moses and the ten commandments in our national architecture and symbols such as in the Supreme Court building. If we reject all this, we need to break out the jackhammers and chisels to remove these things, not simply prevent more displays.
Third, these commandments are not original with Moses and his tablets of stone. They are rightly called “creation ordinances” in that each one is evident in the history of creation. For example, in creation, (1) there was only one God; (2) He did not appear in material form; (3) His Name was not vain but powerful to create out of nothing; (4) He established a weekly day of rest; (5) He was honored by his creatures; 6) life was sustained; (7) human, heterosexual, monogamous, covenanted marriage was established; (8) property rights were evident; (9) truth was native (lies were foreign); (10) contentment prevailed (until lies invaded). These laws were also engraved on the heart of man (male and female) as God’s image-bearer and persist in the conscience though broken by sin. Man must utterly destroy his conscience in relentless rebellion in order to be free from the spiritual and emotional pain of violating this law. Such destruction is the cruel freedom of moral suicide.
Last, the ten commandments are headings for whole groups of blessings, each group including a multitude of liberations from sin and freedoms for righteousness in Christ. These blessings are classically detailed in many historic documents. The Westminster Larger Catechism is one amazing example as is its Shorter Catechism companion. Both of these are easily accessed online but let me give an example for the seventh commandment, “You shall not commit adultery”.
The blessings of freedom in Christ’s righteousness are detailed in the duties required. The duties are not a call to achieve these things in our own strength and for our own glory, but to enjoy these things as gifts in Christ. We have a duty to enjoy the righteousness He accomplished for us in His life and applies to us by His Spirit through His means of grace. Rejoice in your inheritance in Christ!
Question 138: What are the duties required in the seventh commandment?
The duties required in the seventh commandment are, chastity in body, mind, affections, (1 Thess. 4:4, Job 31:1, 1 Cor. 7:34) words, (Col. 4:6) and behavior; (1 Pet. 3:2) and the preservation of it in ourselves and others; (1 Cor. 7:2,35–36) watchfulness over the eyes and all the senses; (Job 31:1) temperance, (Acts 24:24–25) keeping of chaste company, (Prov. 2:16–20) modesty in apparel; (1 Tim. 2:9) marriage by those that have not the gift of continency, (1 Cor. 7:2,9) conjugal love, (Prov. 5:19–20) and cohabitation; (1 Pet. 3:7) diligent labor in our callings; (Prov. 31:11,27–28) shunning all occasions of uncleanliness, and resisting temptations thereunto. (Prov. 5:8, Gen. 39:8–10)
The blessings of freedom from sin in Christ are detailed in the sins forbidden. The duty is not to accomplish these things in our own strength and for our own glory, but to enjoy these things as gifts in Christ. We have a duty to enjoy freedom from these sins which He accomplished for us in His death and applies to us by His Spirit through His means of grace. Rejoice in your inheritance in Christ.
Question 139: What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment?
The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, (Prov. 5:7) are, adultery, fornication, (Heb. 13:4, Gal. 5:19) rape, incest, (2 Sam. 13:14, 1 Cor. 5:1) sodomy, and all unnatural lusts; (Rom. 1:24,26–27, Lev. 20:15–16) all unclean imaginations, thoughts, purposes, and affections; (Matt. 5:28, Matt. 15:19, Col. 3:5) all corrupt or filthy communications, or listening thereunto; (Eph. 5:3–4, Prov. 7:5,21–22) wanton looks, (Isa. 3:16, 2 Pet. 2:14) impudent or light behavior, immodest apparel; (Prov. 7:10,13) prohibiting of lawful, (1 Tim. 4:3) and dispensing with unlawful marriages; (Lev. 18:1–21, Mark 6:18, Mal. 2:11–12) allowing, tolerating, keeping of stews [note: brothels], and resorting to them; (1 Kings 15:12, 2 Kings 23:7, Deut. 23:17–18, Lev. 19:29, Jer. 5:7, Prov. 7:24–27) entangling vows of single life, (Matt. 19:10–11) undue delay of marriage, (1 Cor. 7:7–9, Gen. 38:26) having more wives or husbands than one at the same time; (Mal. 2:14–15, Matt. 19:5) unjust divorce, (Mal. 2:16, Matt. 5:32) or desertion; (1 Cor. 7:12–13) idleness, gluttony, drunkenness, (Ezek. 16:49, Prov. 23:30–33) unchaste company; (Gen. 39:19, Prov. 5:8) lascivious songs, books, pictures, dancing, stage plays; (Eph. 5:4, Ezek. 23:14–16, Isa. 23:15–17, Isa. 3:16, Mark 6:22, Rom. 13:13, 1 Pet. 4:3) and all other provocations to, or acts of uncleanness, either in ourselves or others. (2 Kings 9:30, Jer. 4:30, Ezek. 23:40)
The Ten Commandments are a blessing and not a curse because they reveal God to us and therefore also reveal our nature and calling as those who bear the moral image of God. Most of all, the ten commandments speak Christ to us: the Savior from slavery to our deadly violations and the Benefactor for our enjoyment of His obedience. Ask God to give Christ to you, to set you free from your bondage to your sin and to set you free for freedom in His righteousness. Ask Him to engrave His law deeply on your heart so that you may live joyfully as a true human being, created, re-created and being renewed in His moral image in Christ.
Display the ten commandments in your daily walk, not necessarily on your school wall.
Kit Swartz Oswego, NY * Highly recommended reading: Principles of Conduct by John Murray, especially chapter 9, “The Dynamic of the Biblical Ethic”.
