THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST. (3.)
COMMANDS AGAINST LYING, STEALING, PROFANITY
The negative has the force of stop!
- “Neither YIELD YE your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instrument of righteousness unto God”: Rom.6,13.
“Yield” means” to place beside or near, to present, dedicate”. See Commands 1 and 2.
There is a negative aspect of dedication but it must be balanced with the positive side of dedication. We are not to yield the members of our bodies to sin. We are not to give into the temptations of the flesh. The Devil tries to get believers out of the will of God by getting them messed up with the lusts of the flesh. The flesh is probably our greatest weakness, and we need to recognize the fact that our old nature we were born with has been crucified with Christ: Rom.6,6.
- “ Let not sin REIGN in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof”: Rom.6,12.
“Reign” means “royal power, dominion, rule, to have authority.” We are commanded to stop allowing sin to be King over us. Don’t let sin be your master. Believers need to utilize the resources – the new nature and the Holy Spirit – to help them overcome the power of sin in their lives. See Rom.6,14.
- “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and MAKE not provision (forethought) for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof”: Rom.13,14.
The word “make” means “to carry out, execute, do” “Provision” means “forethought”; the idea f planning ahead of time to commit sin. We are not to have forethoughts about the flesh and its lusts. Thinking ahead about sin can cause one commit sin. We are not to make any premeditated plans with sin. W have died to sin. Wee are to exercise our minds to godliness. See command 28.
- “MORTIFY therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (passion), evil concupiscence (desire), and covetousness, which is idolatry”: Col.3,5.
“MORTIFY” means “to put to death, kill, slay, to destroy the strength of.” Believers are commanded figuratively, to put to, to put to death those parts of our bodies which are employed in the service of sin, if this be the case. See also Rom.8,13 and Galo.5,24.
- “But now ye also PUT OFF all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy filthy communication (foul language) out of your mouth”: Col.3,8.)
The verb is in the middle voice and means “to put off from one’s self.” The believer is to strip himself of all these vices of the old nature. I have heard believer use foul language, and it sounded worse than if it had come fomk an believers. How do you think Language sounds to God? Paul has much to say about how e are to talk and what w are to talk about. Col.3,5, has to do with physical sins, and Col.3,8 Hs to do with immaterial sins; that is, with proceeds out of the mouth. Parallel passage are Rom.13,12 and Eph.4,22-25 (these are not in the mood of command). See also Hebr.12,1 and James 3,5-10.
- “LIE not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with hid deed”: Col.3,9.
The word “lie” means “to speak deliberate falsehoods, to deceive by a lie.” Believers are commanded to stop lying! This is hard to do because lying comes so naturally, and because the truth sometimes hurts, and we do not like to hurt people’s feelings. A lie is a cover up for the truth. We should thank God that the blood of Christ washes away ALL of our sins, including the sin of lying because Revelation 21,8 tells us that even liars will be in the lake of fire forever. A parallel verse is Eph.4,25.
- “Let all the bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking BE PUT AWAY from you, with malice”: Eph.4,31.
“Be put away” means “to remove.” This is command tell the Christian that all manner harshness and violent outbreaks of anger, wrath, brawling, and slanderous speech be removed from him.
- “Nevertheless the foundation of God stand eth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that named the name of Christ DEPART from iniquity”: 2.Tim.2,19.
“Depart” means “to shun, flee from,” and the iniquity spoken of here in unrighteousness of heart and life. So those of us who call ourselves Christians are commanded to flee from unrighteousness.
- “ABSTAIN from all appearance of evil”: 1.Thes.5,22.
This word is in the middle voice, and means “to hold one’s self off, abstain.” IT also carries the ides of being distant, to be far away from all kinds of evil (used in 1.Thes.4,3.) The Bible gives us munch encouragement in our battle with evil. God knows that it is a very difficult job to live separate from sin. We are in the world but to be of the world. It takes a lot of spiritual willpower to lie pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ.
- “SEE that none render evil for unto anyone, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men”: 1.Thes.5,15.
“See” means basically “to see with the eyes,” but is used here in the sense of “see to it, take heed:” Christians are commanded not to fight with fire. This idea is contained in another verse – “recompense to no man evil for evil”: Rom.12,17. Many religious people think it is good to do evil that good may be a result. See Romans 3,8 on this. We are to be kind and courteous to everyone, saved and unsaved.
- “Be not OVERCOME of evil but OVERCOME evil with good”: Rom.12,21.
There are two commands in this verse. “Overcome” means “to conquer, to come off victorious.” We are ommanded not to let evil be victorious over us, and we are commanded to be victorius ove evil by the good works that we do. Good works will put over the fire of evil. Evil can be downed out of our lives. It is a shame that so many believers are backsliders, finding all their enjoyment in evil desires and things. Christ was victorious over Satan at the cross and by His resurrection. His victory is our victory. We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us: Rom.8,37. Praise the Lord !
- “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean ting; and I will receive you”: 2.Cor.6,17.
Touch” means “to fasten to, cling to, adhere to.” Paul quotes from Isaiah 52,11. Separation is a doctrine that is taught all tough the Bible. In the Old Testament Israel was to have no fellowship with the Gentiles with their heathenish practices. So believers today are commanded to have nothing to do with unclean things. The world system promotes many dirty practise that we are leave alone. See Commands 5 and 6.
68,69,70. “BE YE ANGRY and SIN not. Let not the sun GO DOWN upon your wrath: Eph.4,26
There are two commands in this verse. “Awake” means “to be angry and not sin is a righteous anger caused by sin. Sin should make us angry at ourselves for having make us angry at ourselves for having committed it, but in no way is our anger to be sin itself. Only one who is filled with the Holy Spirit can be righteously angered without committing sin. Anger is to be guided by the Spirit of God. We are be angry at sin but don’t let anger become sin. The Lord Jesus is the example of righteous anger apart from sin: Mark.3,5. When we do get , our angriness is to stop before the sun goes down. This provision enables one to have a good night’s sleep. It looks like there were too many Christians at Ephesus exhibiting sinful anger, and Paul command them to stop this old habit. Have you?
71,72. “AWAKE to righteousness and SIN not. For some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame”: 1.Cor.15,34.
There are two commands in the verse. “Awake” means “to return to soberness of mind, to shake off mental bewilderment, to wake up from delusion and folly” (used only once in the New Testament). Many church members fall into the category of “sleeping” Christians, that is, sleeping mentally. They go to church and the Word of God does not penetrate their minds. They are commanded to wake up to righteousness. It is A SIN TO HAVE A CLOSED MIND TO THE TRUTH. Believers can not learn when they have closed mind to the truth. Consequently, they become ignorant in things of God. (See Command 35.) The resurrection is used as an example. It was an astounding event, a miracle, Christ being raised from the dead, and it takes to believe it. However, certain individuals and religious groups did not believe in the resurrection, and Paul had to fight against them quite often his ministry.
The nest commands contain the same Greek word for “flee” often the command.
- “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, FLEE from idolatry”: 1.Cor.10,14.
“Flee” means “to seek safety by flight,” and is used here in the sense of “to shun, avoid”. Idolatry is the worship of false gods. Israel had this problem all through the Old Testament. The Greek had many gods, and Corinth was a centre for idol worship. Great temples were built to honour their gods. An believers were commanded to flee from idolatry. See 1.Cor.8; and also captor 10,19-28. Idolatry is of the flesh : Gal.5,20. Idolatry is anything that takes the palce of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.
- “FLEE fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body. But he that committed fornication sonnet against his own body”: 1.Cor.6,18.
Fornication was widely practised in Corinth because it was a part of the Greek religion. Thousands of prostitutes live within the Greek temples built to their gods. Today, fornication is practised as if were a religion. Fornication can kill the body by the diseases that are a result of it. Please read this section – 1.Cor.6,9-20 – very carefully. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord, and believers belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bought with a price. This command is a principle that has not change through the ages.
- “FLEE also youthful lusts. But follow righteousness, faith, charity (love), peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”: 2.Tim.2,22.
Christians are commanded to flee youthful lusts. “Youthful” means “peculiar to the age of youth, juvenile” (used once in the New Testament). Timothy was a young man at this time, and pastors are subjected to youthful lusts. The youth of today are being corrupted by the lusts of the flesh. One on the doctrines of socialistic communism is the breakdown of morality of the young people in our society. In the Old Testament, Lot is a good example of a believer being overcome by youthful lusts. He dwelled in Sodom, and God sent two angels to tell him that He was going to destroy that dirty, sex-ridden town. Lot was to take his family and flee to the mountains. Reluctantly he obeyed, and the wrath of God destroyed Soma and Gomorrah: Genesis 19,1-26. My friend, have you obeyed these commandments from Christ.
- “But thou, O man of God, FLEE these things. And follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness”: 1.Tim.6,11.
“These tings” refer to verses 9 and 10, which are about riches ad money Timothy was commanded to the flee from the thought of loving money; of becoming rich through gospel which could to his downfall. Those that love money and become rich fall into temptations and lusts. Timothy was to avoid this. Money in itself is not bad. Money is a necessity of life. It is the love of money that is bad and becomes the root of all evil. Money can lead a believer into idolatry. Money has kept may good preachers from taking a stand for the truth of God because they afraid losing their financial support. Paul told the Corinthians that was proper for a preacher to receive remuneration from the gospel:1.Cor.9,14 even though he (Paul) was not going to take money if he didn’t need it. He did not want to be a financial burden to any church. But it is wrong for preachers to put money ahead of the truth of the Word of God.
- Neither BE YE idolaters, as were of them. As it is ritten. The people sat down to eat and drink and rose op to play”: 1.Cor.10,7.
“Be” means “to become, begin to be.” Believers are commanded not be idolaters. We are not worship any other kind of gods. Nothing is to take the place of Christ Jesus. This verse is quoted from Ezodus 32,6, where Aaron made a molten calf for the people to worship while Moses was in the mountain with God. Compare this command with Ezodus 20,3, the first of Ten Commandments.
- “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither E PARTAKER of other men’s sins. Keep thyself pure”: 1.Tm.5,22.
“Be partaker” means “be made a partner, to become a sharer, join one’s self as an associate to enter into fellowship.” Believers are commanded not to be partner in the sins of others, whether saved or unsaved. Just because you think you can get away with it doesn’t mean it’s right This command covers a lot of ground. Gambling, drinking, and the business world in general would be included here. This another verse on separation. See 2.Cor.6,11-18.
- “Let on corrupt communication (word) PROCEED out of your mouth, but that which is good the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” : Ef.4,29.
“Proceed means to come forth, to issue”. Believers are commanded not use foul language at any time. We are to speak words that build (edify) one another, words that are gracious and kind. Our words are to be always in grace: Col.4,6- this is not a command but a fact). If you don’t have anything good to say about somebody, then don’t say anything at all. We are to learn to emphasize the positive and to eliminate the negative.
- “Bless them which persecute Bless and CURSE not”: Rom.12,14.
“Curse” means “to doom, invoke evil on, wish evil to.” Here is a very difficult command to obey. This is because we usually like to get eve with people if they o something bad to us. We are not to tell people to go to hell; w should tell them go to Jesus, and He will forgive them of their sins. We are to show Christ like grace at all times Compare Matt.5,44, and see also James 3,9.
- “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness i not once BE NAMED among you as becomes saints. Eph.5,3.
Believers are commanded not to mention or bring up as gossip in conversations the subject of fornication and uncleanness. Unsaved people talk about these things tings all the time. It is the foundation for most of their jokes and stories. Believers are called “saints”, and language should be proper and suitable to our heavenly calling.
The fourth verse is also to be included here, and, in a way, it is a unique verse because the Greek words in this are used only in the New Testament:
- Filthiness-means “dishonor, obscenity”;
- Foolish talking – means moronic talk;
- Jesting – meaning facetiousness, ribaldry, coarse jesting, all in a bad sense.
- “Let him that stole STEAL no more. But rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needed”: Eph.4,28.
“Steal” means “to commit a theft.” Believers are command not to steal. Stealing was accepted by the heathen and was one of customs. Paul did not want believers ti fall into that vice. Israel in the Old Testament was guilty of this sin they robbed God of what they were supposed to give to Him: Mal.3,8. The old nature we are born with is no better than a thief. Stealing is a major crime in the world today.
- “And be not CONFORMED to this world (age), but be ye transformed by ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”: Rom.12,2.
This command is found only in Berry’s text of the Greek New Testament. (Nestle’s text has this word as an infinitive) “Conformed” means “to conform” one’s self to another*s pattern, to fashion accordance with” used twice in the New testament: Rom.12,2. 1.Pet 1,14. Believers are commanded not to let their minds their character be like the world system we live in. We are not put up a false front; we are not masquerade in the dress of the world. We are not to let the world mild us into its way of thinking habits, styles, and speech expressions. The word “world” means “age,” and this age we live in is an evil age: Gal.1,4. It is ruled over by Devil and his demons: 2.Cor.4,4. We walked according to this evil age before we were saved: Eph.2,2. See Command 4.
- “DESPISE not prophesying: 1-Thes.5,20.
“Despise” means “to utterly despise, to make of no account, to treat with contempt.It is used of our Lord in Luke 23,11 and in Act 4,11. Believers were commanded not to treat the Word of God whit contempt. “Prophet signings” refer to the Words of God the written word of God. The oral words of God are those that were proclaimed before they were written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. At this time there was a special gift of prophecy in operation: 1.Cor.1,10, and this gift was nor to be despised, cither, for it served a definite purpose in the early church until it passed away: 1.Cor.14,1-5; 13,8.
It is a shame that a commandment like this has to be addressed to believers. But things haven’t changed. The Mystery revealed to Paul has always been ridiculed and looked down upon with contempt by believers. Thousands of believers have failed to obey this command.
- “BE YE not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hart light with darkness?”; 2.Cor.6,14.
Believers are commanded not to be joined unsaved people. This would include marriage, business associations, and religious affiliations.The unequal yoke is anything that unites a believer and a unbeliever in a common purpose. See also: 2.tim.2,21.
- “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hart made us free, and be not ENTANGLED again with the yoke of bondage”: Gal.5,1.
“Entangled” means “ to be held, be entangled, be held en snared.” The yoke of bondage is another term for the Law of Moses: Act.15,10. Many of the Galatian believers were Jews who had lived under the Law of Moses was still being preached at that time by the Eleven Apostles (one was killed in Acts 12,2,), and those who were saved by Paul’s gospel of grace were delivered from the Law. Paul commanded ALL believers, Jews and Gentiles, not to go back under the Law. If they did, they would fall from grace: Gal.5,4, and Christ would be of no use to them.This holds true for today also Christ’s teachings of grace have taken the place of the Law, and the Holy Spirit leads only according to the grace of God as revealed to the Apostle Paul: Gal.5,18. The Law of Moses vill not make a believer spiritual. See Command 7.
87, 88. “Wherefore BE YE not unwise but UNDERSTANDING What the will of the Lord is: Eph.5,17.
There are two commands in this verse. First, we are commanded not be unwise. “Unwise means senseless, foolish, stupid, without intelligence, without reason.” These meanings describe a fool, ad are not to be fools when it comes to the matter of God’s will.
Secondly, “understanding” means “to be spiritually intelligent, to comprehend.” This word is just the opposite of “unwise.” (This command is found only in Nestle’s text.) The Holy Spirit works on our minds so we can understand the things of God 1.Cor.2,10-16. The will of the Lord Jesus Christ is found in all of the commands to the Body of Christ.
- “And have no FELLOWSHIP with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”: Eph.5,11.
“Fellowship” means “to become a partaker together with others.” We are commanded to have nothing to do with others.” We are commanded to have nothing to do with unfruitful works that belong to the night, when the lusts of the flesh are the most powerful. We are od the day and of the light: 1.Thes.5,5; Eph.5,8.
Accuat:
PÅ GENSYN !