FEBRUARY 8TH, 2004
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONTINUED
I. The Seventh Commandment: “Neither shalt thou commit adultery. (18)
A. What is marriage?
1. It is a set of Three vows:
- to each other (til death)
- to the state (to recognize you as a family unit)
- to God (who brought you together and created the original family)
2. Marriage is the creation of a new family, modeled after the first family.
- We celebrate the birth of children (birthdays).
- We celebrate the birth of families (anniversaries).
B. What is Adultery?
1. Adultery is the breaking of the before mentioned vows at the same time.
2. Adultery is the breaking of an explicit commandment of God, which equals sin.
3. Adultery is the undermining of God’s intentions, society’s greatest strength, and your own self-worth.
4. Humanly speaking, Adultery is devastating to children and they pay the biggest price in insecurity, bitterness and instability.
II. The Eighth Commandment: “Neither shalt thou steal.” (19)
A. Notice that property protection comes AFTER personal protection.
1. Currently, there are more laws protecting property than there are that protect life.
- Pro-life preachers are considered extremists.
- Police are called to protect property.
- God places life above property; we have placed property above life.
- We must keep the commandments according to the priority that they were given.
2. Materialism is the god of America.
B. This commandment implies that the ownership of property is Biblical and right.
1. If it’s wrong for someone to steal your property then it must be right for you to own it.
2. True freedom (politically speaking) comes from the ownership of property.
3. Communism and Socialism promote the PUBLIC OWNERSHIP of property, while the American system of Free Enterprise promotes PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.
C. The most overlooked form of stealing is borrowing without returning.
D. Gambling is stealing.
1. It undermines the work ethic and impoverishes the loser.
2. It has always been associated with crime and corruption.
E. Stealing is a total disregard for the person and property of others.
1. We must teach children that selfishness is wrong.
2. We must teach children to respect other people’s property.
3. We must teach them to respect their own property.
- Ephesians 4:28