Exodus 20:1-17
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
(EPHESIANS 4:28)
When a prison sentence actually reforms a person, he sees that he not only must give up the life of crime he once knew, but also must pursue a new life of usefulness. What a perfect picture of the sinful man who has been redeemed and reformed by the blood of Christ! He gives up the old life and seeks to live for Jesus. This Ephesians passage is a beautiful expression of new life in Christ and of practical theology for us sinners.
Paul first tells us that the thief is to stop stealing and then that the thief must work. The same hand that once was used for stealing must now be used for work. It has been redeemed. Whatever the sin is in our lives, we must put it off and replace it with good.
Notice that Paul doesn't tell us to work for ourselves, so that we might earn much. Rather, he tells us to work so that we might share with those in need. Our sin puts the focus on ourselves; the opposite of sin puts the focus on others. Christ lived His entire life and died to reform and redeem others - namely, you and me.
INSIGHT
AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS, LET'S FOCUS ON THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS AND NOT JUST ON OURSELVES.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Leviticus 14
Psalm 53
Luke 17
Exodus 20:1-17
New International Version (NIV)
The Ten Commandments
20 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Footnotes:
a. Exodus 20:3 Or besides
CHRISTIANS YOU SHOULD KNOW [PART 5]
with Andy Sprenger
He was a missionary in Lebanon with his wife before having to flee the country. Needing a way to provide for his family, he found coffee. Now he is the 2nd best coffee roaster in the world.
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