Jesus Christ said; “If you love me, you’ll obey my commandments John 14:15 – 23. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh Colossians 1:15, 16. St. Paul writes under the influence of the Holy Spirit (God The Father , and Jesus Christ complete the Trinity which includes the Holy Spirit) As such, we must obey His Old Testament moral commands which Christ wrote, and which include Mark 12:30 -31 to love our neighbor as ourself. Romans 13:10 which says “Love does no harm (or evil) to a neighbor (Note: “a” is in general, and not necessarily specific, and therefore may be on the other side of the planet) and is the fulfillment of the law.” James 4:17 says

Now, we have an idea of what it means to “…love your neighbor as yourself.” It is obvious that “our” neighbor is not restricted to the guy next door, but to any fellow human on the planet. It is clear, that “love” in this case includes doing no harm or evil to our neighbor. Satan tempts Eve, and subsequently Adam in the Garden of Eden Genesis 3:1 – 5. Satan promises that, not only will they not die, but that they will know good and evil. By that, Satan is indicating that they will be able to define in their own mind’s eye what is good and evil.

The rub comes in the fact that it is God, and God alone who defines what is good and evil. In the final analysis, then, if love does no harm or evil, then that must be evaluated upon God’s definition of the term, and not man’s! Scripture is replete with God’s perspective on the issue. Whether implicitly, or explicitly, it is clear that certain things are recognized as evil.

Under the Ten Commandments, we know from the second table of the law, Commandments five through ten, what God’s general summary of the law entails. It is understood that in all things, God is to be loved, honored and obeyed. The second table are the commands that are included in “is like unto it” The whole (Old & New Testaments alike) of Scripture explains and elaborates on the second table of the law which is how to love your neighbor. Foreign Aid – Yes? No?

So, working from the second table, let’s look more closely, because this will show us how, in obedience to God, we can, should and will “…love our neighbor as ourself.”

The 5th Commandment requires an honoring of parents. In the Westminster Confession and Shorter Catechism, we have an explanation of this in which says;

WCFSC – Q. 63. Which is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
WCFSC – Q. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors or equals.

WCFSC – Q. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.

We see from these that those in authority fall under this commandment. In other words, Kings, princes, presidents, governors, mayors, parents, and yes, even dictators must be honored. That of course does not necessarily mean that we find the person holding the office honorable, and certainly, if the person in office tells, or mandates, us to do something contrary to God’s words and commands in Scripture, that we obey them – we do not, and it may be at the expense of our lives, freedom and/or property! So, obedience, and therefore the loving and obeying of “parents”, is qualified by the word of God, and therefore cannot be in contravention or contradiction of said word of God! As an aside, David laments in Psalm 11:3.

WCFSC – Q. # 66 (upplementary information regarding this command):  What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.

In today’s society, government through education in schools (referred to as public) provides statist indoctrination, and is discouraging honoring your mother and father. They are teaching that your parents have no authority over you as a child. They are also teaching that which is contradictory to God’s word and commandments. They are promoting, and encouraging sexual immorality and keeping it secret (by law) from the parents. Additionally, they are teaching that the state is God, and that the children should look to the state for their salvation and daily bread. Additionally, America, instead of being salt and light, has spread this perversion and rebellion throughout the world.

It can be easily demonstrated from Romans 3:10 – 18 (no exceptions listed) as well as from the above that Christian’s negligence, apathy and ignorance have led to our tax dollars being used to dishonor our parents! In other words, we have failed to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The next, 6th, Command is that you shall not murder.

WCFSC – Q. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

WCFSC – Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

Moses defines “murder” as, the premeditated (unlawful by implication) taking of a human life. I say “unlawful”, because in Romans 13, Paul confirms that capital punishment, Romans 13:4 is an appropriate and lawful taking of a human life. In Genesis 9:6, God/Christ, establishes the principle. For all intents and purposes, capital punishment has been abolished in America; it takes millions of taxpayer dollars to sentence someone to death no matter how vile the criminal action nor how many people were adversely affected. On top of that, it costs well over $30,000 a year to house feed, supervise and care for the incarcerated individual who may go on to commit capital crimes in prison.

In today’s society, a baby in the womb has a precarious life. The baby in the womb is human. No sane person will deny that. In Jeremiah, he says that God knew him before he was conceived, and he was sanctified before he was born. This would be a good Biblically based argument for why a baby in the womb is a human being. As such, although the baby is “housed” by the mother, the baby is a separate human life at the moment of conception! Therefore, the premeditated taking of that human life is murder, although we give it a more genteel term – abortion! The net result is the same. Our government sanctions abortion and finances it with Christian tax dollars. These aborted children are sacrifices on the Satanic altar of convenience. This kind of sacrifice is not new as we look back on ancient Israel in II Chronicles 28:1-3 Abortion is just a little more sophisticated and private than that, and not to mention a lot more financially profitable.

Government (elected, appointed and hired officials) failure to enforce various laws protecting people’s lives and property has led to a myriad of problems as well resulting in murder, manslaughter, suicide etc!

So, by allowing our tax dollars to be used to abort babies, are we loving our neighbor as ourselves? This writer says an emphatic “No!”

The 7th Commandment says we shall not commit adultery! Adultery is commonly understood as sex with someone other than your wife. Scripture has God complaining that Israel has committed adultery against Him as well.

WCFSC – Q. 71. What is required in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech and behavior.

WCFSC – Q. 72. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words and actions.

Today, America is replete with all sorts of violations of this commandment. Pornography being among the most serious, and many Christians (at least professing Christians) are burdened by and participating in pornography. Not only is pornography insualted from any real scrutiny, but the American government facilitates it, finances it, and protects it with Christians’ tax dollars! As a result, this has led to an increase in child molsestation, child sex trafficking, pedophilia, spousal abuse and more. At one time in America, divorce would only be granted on the basis of one spouse tesifying publicly in a court of law with evidence provided to confirm the fact that the other spouse had been sexually unfaithful. Today, divorce is as easy as flippping a light switch. So, are we loving our neighbor as ourselves by financing approving and/or tolerating this activity? What do you think?

The 8th Commandment says you shall not steal!

WCFSC – Q. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Q. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward estate.

In today’s society, stealing has become very sophisticated, and for the uninformed, the apathetic, the ignorant, the negligent, be it all willful or not, is very well veiled and concealed by a corrupt government that promotes stealing at every opportunity. This is not just government agents stealing from us, but it is government agents facilitating and encouraging our stealing from each other. Nehemiah 5:1 -5 deals with a form of stealing that pervades America today. It is the stealing through debt. America is in debt (each and every citizen, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars per individual man, woman and child). Amos 8:5 demonstrates money manipulation through inflation and unjust weights and measures. Proverbs 1:14 is an example of legalized thievery which today is called by the name Socialism! By facilitating our governent’s ability to do this, and allowing them to do it, are we loving our neighbor? Hmm – don’t think so!

The 9th Commandment which may be more generally stated as don’t lie! Wow, there’s none of that today in America is there?

WCFSC – Q. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness-bearing.

WCFSC – Q. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name.

Titus 1:2 teaches us that God cannot lie! Have you ever thought about why people lie? It can only be for two reasons; one to save face (avoid embarassment), and two is to gain an advantage over others matterially, politically or ideologically. Obviously, God owns everything and is sovereign over His creation, so neither those apply to Him – in other words, there is absolutely no incentive for Him to lie, and so whatever He says is absolute truth! Today, you will hear people say; “That’s your truth, but not my truth.” How inane is that? If nothing were absolutely true, then nothing would be absolutely false either. What a conundrum for the enemies of God and man.

Lying creates all sorts of problems. People are cheated out of money and property through lies verbal or in writing. Business men lie, so do family members, neighbors and most particularly, politicians. Because of their lies, people’s lives are adversely affected with high taxes, high debt, high inflation, unpunished crime on the streets, unenforced violations of trust in commerce etc. etc. It amounts to trillions of dollars a year and therefore impovereshes millions of people – our neighbors. Are we loving our neighbors by letting the government get away with this – you can have three guesses, and the first two don’t count!

The 10th Commandment, and the last one says that you shall not covet. Covet is a heart issue that works its way out into adultery, lying, stealing and even murder. All of the commandments deal with the heart, but coveting is something that may, or may not manifest itself in a way that is known to others where Commandments 5 – 9 do manifest themselves in a highly tangible and visible way. Coveting may be kept secret and harboured in the heart for one’s entire life. So, the 10th Commandment is the first line of defense against the previous five. Coveting may be best characterized by the word lust which is a desire unfulfilled. Matthew 5:28 is an excellent example of coveting under that definition!

Besides the violation of Commandments 5 – 9 being the fruit of coveting, there are other things that coveting can do. It can create resentment and anger toward someone who has something you don’t. You could even covet something as intangible as joy, integrity, uprightness, righteousness, love, peace, contentment and so on. Coveting is like a cancer that eats away at your own personal joy. If you live with or around others, it can affect your relationship with them adversely. It may cause you strike out at them in anger for no explicable reason that the recipient of the anger can comprehend. It can cause you to be depressed and withdrawn. It may keep you from social life, and will absolutely keep you from a good spiritual life. It will definitely make it impossible, to love your neighbor as yourself, because if you are coveting, you cannot properly (Biblically) love yourself, and will never pursue good government as well. Are we loving our neighbor if we (thgrough Socialist government and media) encourage him to covet?

The point of this exercise for the writer is to stimulate people in the Christian community to seriously consider their responsibilities to fulfill the second part of the Great Commandment. Because of some of the subtleties of violating the above listed commandments – stealing being the broadest and the second most difficult to perceive, it is the hope that leaders will teach with greater clarity what stealing is and also how to “…Love your neighbor as yourself.”! Below is a more exhaustive analysis of the 8th Commandment from the Westminter Larger Catechism:

WCFLC – Q. 141. What are the duties required in the eighth commandment?
A. The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man and man; rendering to every one his due; restitution of goods unlawfully detained from the right owners thereof; giving and lending freely, according to our abilities, and the necessities of others; moderation of our judgments, wills, and affections concerning worldly goods; a provident care and study to get, keep, use, and dispose these things which are necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and suitable to our condition; a lawful calling, and diligence in it; frugality; avoiding unnecessary lawsuits, and suretiship, or other like engagements; and an endeavor, by all just and lawful means, to procure, preserve, and further the wealth and outward estate of others, as well as our own.

WCFLC – Q. 142. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing landmarks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depredation; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given us.

Pensiamento Peligroso