This lesson will include the questions, answers, and commentary for forty-eight through fifty-eight of this Discipleship. This sixth lesson answers questions concerning the Ten Commandments, as per the Holy Bible, emphasizing the first and second commandments.
Christian Discipleship Lesson Six
QUESTION 48: WHAT IS THE SUM OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?
Answer: The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind. And to love our neighbor as ourselves. Scripture: Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-33.
In other words, you need to love God with every part of you, physically, mentally, and spiritually while placing nothing in your life ahead of God. And love, nurture, and care for everyone you come in contact with in a manner equivalent to how you care for yourself, to the best of your ability.
QUESTION 49: WHAT IS THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments is, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Scripture: Exodus 20:2.
At this moment, God spoke directly to the people of Israel, but God is also the Lord of all born-again believers.
QUESTION 50: WHAT DOES THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS TEACH US?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments teaches us that because God is the Lord and our gracious Redeemer, his commandments are for our good, and he does not desire us to depend on ourselves in keeping them but to trust his grace and power. Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:13, 16; 30:6.
When we are born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are to willingly and joyfully submit to the Lord, according to His will, as revealed in the Holy Bible.
QUESTION 51: WHAT IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The first commandment is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Scripture: Exodus 20:3.
A god can be literally anything that we put ahead of God. It’s not just about not worshiping other deities; it’s about not elevating anything above God. This god could include money, your spouse, your job, yourself, and innumerable other things.
QUESTION 52: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The first commandment requires us to know and acknowledge God as the only true God and our God and to worship and glorify him accordingly. Scripture: Joshua 24:15; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Deuteronomy 26:17; Psalm 29:2; Matthew 4:10.
The God of the Bible is the only God. All other deities that claim to be gods are just figments of human imagination. We are to exclusively worship the God proclaimed within the pages of Biblical scripture.
QUESTION 53: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The first commandment forbids us to deny or fail to worship and glorify the true God as God and our God; and to give that worship and glory to any other, which is reserved for God alone. Scripture: Joshua 24:27; Romans 1:20-21, 25; Psalm 14:1.
We are prohibited from worshiping any other gods of any kind. God is to receive all the glory for everything that ever was or will be.
QUESTION 54: WHAT ARE WE ESPECIALLY TAUGHT BY THESE WORDS, “BEFORE ME,” IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT?
Answer: These words, “before me,” in the first commandment teach us that God, who sees all things, takes notice of and is greatly displeased with the sin of us having any other God. Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:17, 18; Psalm 44:20-21; 90:8.
Again, God forbids us from putting anything before Him because He is the only God.
QUESTION 55: WHAT IS THE SECOND COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The second commandment is, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.” Scripture: Exodus 20:4-6.
The second commandment puts a moratorium on creating graven images of anything that could be worshipped as a god. God is a jealous God in the sense that God will not give his glory to another because He is the only “god” worthy of praise. He is the one true God. Those that worship other gods, by default, hate God. Therefore, if you hate God, your sins are sure to be repeated by several generations of your offspring by your example and false teachings.
QUESTION 56: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE SECOND COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and complete all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in his word. Scripture: Deuteronomy 12:32; 32:46; Matthew 28:20.
We are to worship the God the Bible proclaims and also keep all His moral precepts.
QUESTION 57: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE SECOND COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images. Or any other way that draws the heart away from his glory instead of toward his glory. Scripture: Romans 1:22, 23; Deuteronomy 4:15, 16; Colossians 2:18; 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31.
The worship of any image is forbidden, which includes images or statues of animals, plants, bugs, spiders, other gods, and even paintings of God or God the Son. These other gods might consist of Hindu gods, Native American gods, Buddha, Satan, etc., and images and statues of dead Saints and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
QUESTION 58: WHAT ARE THE REASONS ADDED TO THE SECOND COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The reasons added to the second commandment are God’s holy jealousy for his name and the desire he has for his worship. Scripture: Exodus 20:4-6; Exodus 34:14; 1 Corinthians 10:22.
Our God is the only true God and is therefore worthy of all worship as the one and only God of everyone that has lived or will ever live. He alone is worthy!
Christian Discipleship
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