The seventh commandment is stated in four words: “You shall not steal.” The meaning of this commandment does not require much exposition or explanation. It means what it says. You shall not steal. We all know what stealing is. To steal is to take or keep that which does not belong to you. The meaning of this commandment is obvious. Unfortunately, the magnitude of this commandment is overlooked.  The Eighth Word is viewed as the simplest to understand and the easiest to obey. But the former does not assume the latter. The truth is that stealing is a hereditary sin that renders every person guilty of theft. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were free to eat of the...

In 1631, the royal printers of London reprinted copies of the King James Version of the Bible. Little did they know the typesetters had made an unintentional but massive omission. Soon after its publication, readers discovered the mistake. The error was made in Exodus 20:14. The omitted word was “not.” The Seventh Commandment read: “You shall commit adultery.” The printers were heavily fined and stripped of their licenses. Copies were destroyed. The version was dubbed “The Wicked Bible.” Fourteen copies remain in museums around the world. With the moral perversion, situational ethics, and spiritual indifference of our culture, you would think many people are reading from...

Black Lives Matter. This simple statement is undeniably true. Yet this three-word sentence is controversial. For some, it is a lament and call for justice. For others, it is the rallying cry of a cultural revolution. Still, others hear it as reverse racism and feel compelled to reply by declaring, “All Lives Matter.” Police and their supporters retort, “Blue Lives Matter.” The Sixth Word of the Decalogue defiantly responds to these competing slogans by insisting that no life matters unless God matters. Human life is a gift from God. Acts 17:25 says that God “gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:28 says, “In him we live and move and have our being.” God is the divine source, sovereign...

The first Four Words of the Ten Commandments are calls to worship.  The First Word commands the proper object of worship: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The Second Word commands the proper manner of worship: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” The Third Word commands the proper attitude of worship: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” The Fourth Word commands the proper time of worship: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”  We must worship God exclusively, correctly, reverently, and regularly. If you are not careful, life will crowd God out. But redeemed people must never forget to make proper time for the God who created us, sustains us, and redeemed us. Ray Pritchard said: We give 1 day in 7 to...

What’s in a name? Proverbs 22:1a answers: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” Every person has three names: The name you inherit from your ancestors. The name you are given by your parents. The name you earn for yourself. Names are important. This was especially true in the Bible, where names were more than a label, title of address, or means of identification. A person’s name represents his or her nature, character, reputation, personality, influence, authority, and lifestyle. What a person was called reflected who that person was.  We still think that way. Take something as simple as a telephone call. You dial a number. Someone answers. You...

Exodus 20:3 records the First Word of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The Lord demands his people to worship him and alone. Exodus 20:4 says, “You shall not make for yourselves a carved 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.” The Lord who demands his people worship to him exclusively also demands his people to worship him correctly. This is the message of the Second Commandment: We must worship God in a manner that is acceptable to him.  Earth’s first brothers, Cain and Able,...

According to Exodus 19:1, three months had passed since the Lord delivered the children of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh and the bondage of Egypt. They entered the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp at the foot of the mountain. The Lord instructed Moses to sanctify the people, for in three days the Lord would meet with Israel. On the third day, the Lord’s presence was marked by lightning and thunder, thick clouds, loud trumpet blasts, smoke and fire, shaking and trembling. It was glorious, awesome, and terrible. In Exodus 20:19, the Israelites told Moses, “You speak to us; and we will listen; but do not let...