Westminster Shorter Catechism Series

God’s Law Never Fails - We Do

Our capacity for hair-splitting seems endless

Sundown, you better take care If I find you been creeping ‘round my back stairs — Gordon Lightfoot

That bit of lyric comes from a folk song popular many years ago. The warning to a rival lover is clear. Do not try to steal my woman.

Today, as it was then, adultery and unfaithfulness run rampant, and the sin is often lauded. Many rules and traditions surround the institution of marriage. It can seem they are more observed by the breaching.

“You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18, NKJV)

The seventh commandment prohibits the commission of adultery. Why? Because adultery is viewed as a sin between an individual and God. Further, it is an injustice that reverberates through society.

The disobedience brings harm to its fundamental unit, the family. Adultery is an injustice. He who commits adultery fails in his commitment.

The essential requirement of commandment number seven is to preserve chastity. To preserve chastity in heart, speech, and behavior. Chastity is such a loaded term today, bringing to mind all sorts of outdated images.

Our God is never so narrow as we make Him out to be

Chastity is the quality of being chaste. That can describe someone who refrains from sexual activity considered immoral. Or any sexual activity. Chaste is also used in a more general way to mean morally pure. The broader definition fits the commandment’s intention.

For a long time, the primary interpretation has been of abstaining from the act of copulation. Our God is never so narrow as we make Him out to be.

Quite the opposite, as we learn from Jesus’ ministry. Several recorded incidents involve religious leaders trying to trap Jesus. They quibble over some technicality of the Law.

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28, NKJV)

“You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You’re nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won’t go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in.“ (Matthew 23: 13,14, CEV)

Most of the twenty-third chapter of Matthew is devoted to the takedown of the Pharisees. He upbraids them for their phoniness, their pride, their failure to lead by example. (See Matthew 23)

These so-called leaders had completely bungled their assignment to be scholars AND leaders. Now, along comes Jesus, and they become consumed with jealousy and fear. They are jealous of the crowds that follow Him everywhere.

They fear losing their cushy positions in society. They fear the Romans will take them from leadership. The Pharisees are unable to quell the excitement of the people.

To the Pharisees, this emotional surging could lead to rebellion. Rebelling against the mightiest empire known to them. Rome was unhappy with the management of Palestine as it was. Revolution would cost these men everything. They were in danger of losing their comfy lives, social standing, and their country.

This fear was healthy. Healthy because they understood that Rome exported many things. Among those exports, we may include cruelty along with civil engineering upgrades and security.

What is the eighth commandment? “You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15, NKJV)

The eighth seems simple enough, like all God’s Law. The infinite-seeming capacity of humans for confusion and shading makes it otherwise. We humans instead laud clarity and the black-and-white nature of simplicity.

At the same time, we constantly pick at any law looking for the exception, the loophole. So, we have muddied the crystal water of the Law seeking to disobey. We like to color disobedience as an exceptional circumstance. It rarely passes the smell test.

We label minor breaches as OK. Taking home office supplies? Everybody does that! Small potatoes, we justify. Is it really? Does any reading of this commandment account for “small potatoes” being acceptable?

How about in public service? We read so much about elected officials’ venality. We read about their devious behavior at all levels of government and law enforcement. Many of these same are vocal about being a Christian and loving God. What are we to think? Maybe we justify their actions as the rough and tumble of politics and policing.

What does the eighth commandment demand? Commentary from the WSC says that the eighth commandment requires two things. The lawful procuring, furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. Lawful. Betterment of the community. We have good politicians and good law enforcement that do those things. Let’s lift them up in prayer.

If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. (Leviticus 25:35–37, NKJV)

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4, NKJV)

What is prohibited in the observance of this commandment? Anything that takes away from our well-being or that of our neighbor is disobedience. Again, that inclusion of community and the consideration of who is our neighbor.

Look at the pattern in these commandments. They deal with our relationships with others. They all concern an outward expression of God’s love. As Jesus taught, the love God has shown us as believers gets refracted to the world. It is not intended for selfish hoarding. (See Matthew 5, Mark 4, Luke 11)

Shining the light Our Father graciously afforded us. That is the best response that we are capable of showing.

And these things command that they may be blameless. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (Timothy 5:7–8, NKJV)