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His Commandments Are Not Grievous
September 08, 2013
In Jesus Christ the grace -- or favor -- of God is manifested. He teaches us to follow the commandments of God. The Apostle Paul tells us that those commandments are not grievous. Both Paul and John write that what God expects of us is love -- to love God with all that is within us, and to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. In that way, we will eschew evil and do no deliberate harm to others. Indeed, this is not grievous, that is, burdensome.
Bernie Parsons
His Commandments Are Not Grievous
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Load church of Christ on 09-08-2013
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 09-15-2013
Our last study touched on the fact that God placed Adam and Eve in the
garden to dress it and keep it. I also mentioned that when Christ came, we
are expected to do spiritual work.
Revelation 22:14 "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city."
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and
his commandments are not grievous."
As we saw last time, the grace of God supplied the gift of Jesus Christ as
our Savior. Righteousness comes by Jesus Christ, but we are expected to do
the work that God has assigned. What is that work, and how do we perform it?
Found in Deuteronomy 5:6-21, the original “ten commandments” were negative
instructions, with the exception of two. (1) Serve God alone, and have no
other gods (2) Do not make or worship any graven images (3) Do not take the
name of the Lord your God in vain (4) Keep the Sabbath Day Holy (5) Honor
your father and mother (6) Do not kill (7) Do not commit adultery (8) Do not
steal (9) Do not bear false witness, and (10) Do not covet.
In the New Testament writings, Jesus and His apostles reinforce nine of the
original ten commandments. The exception is the one to keep the Sabbath Day
holy.
Mark 12:29 "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment."
1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from
idols. Amen.”
Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity."
Matthew 19:16 "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what
good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but
one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt
not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false
witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself."
Romans 13:8 "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that
loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt
not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if
there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of
the law."
Indeed, Jesus Himself taught that all of the law and the prophets hang
suspended from the two greatest commandments.
Matthew 22:34 "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the
Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him,
and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
What do these two greatest commandments have in common? Love – the love of
God for us, our love for God, and our love for our fellow man, beginning in
the household of God, the ekklesia.
1 John 4:9 "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."
1 John 4:21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God
love his brother also."
How can we keep the commandments of God?
Provide for our own families:
1 Timothy 5:8 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those
of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."
Provide for others in need:
1 Thessalonians 4:9 "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write
unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia:
but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work
with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may
have lack of nothing."
Especially help those in the church, the
ekklesia:
Galatians 6:8 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if
we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially
unto them who are of the household of faith."
Provide for those who teach and preach:
Galatians 6:6 "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that
teacheth in all good things."
1 Timothy 5:17 "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double
honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out
the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."
Preach the gospel:
Acts 8:4 “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went
every where preaching the word.”
Live the gospel:
1 John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk,
even as he walked."
Give an answer of the hope that lies within us:
1 Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always
to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is
in you with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of
evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in
Christ."
