Jul 13
1

This Week’s Catechism – 6/30

Doctrinal Standard #63-75

WSC # 63
Q. What is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is: Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

WSC # 64
Q. What does the fifth commandment require?
A. The fifth commandment requires us to respect and treat others, whether above, below, or equal to us, as their position or our relationship to them demands.

WSC # 65
Q. What does the fifth commandment forbid?
A. The fifth commandment forbids being disrespectful to or not treating others as their position or relationship to us demands.

WSC # 66
Q. What is the reason for the fifth commandment?
A. The reason for the fifth commandment is the promise of long life and prosperity, if these glorify God and are for the good of those who obey this commandment.

WSC # 67
Q. What is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is: You shall not murder.

WSC # 68
Q. What does the sixth commandment require?
A. The sixth commandment requires making every lawful effort to preserve one’s own life and the lives of others.

WSC # 69
Q. What does the sixth commandment forbid?
A. The sixth commandment forbids taking one’s own life or the lives of others unjustly or doing anything that leads to suicide or murder.

WSC # 70
Q. What is the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment is: You shall not commit adultery.

WSC # 71
Q. What does the seventh commandment require?
A. The seventh commandment requires us and everyone else to keep sexually pure in heart, speech, and action.

WSC # 72
Q. What does the seventh commandment forbid?
A. The seventh commandment forbids thinking, saying, or doing anything sexually impure.

WSC # 73
Q. What is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is: You shall not steal.

WSC # 74
Q. What is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is: You shall not steal.

WSC # 75
Q. What does the eighth commandment forbid?
A. The eighth commandment forbids anything that either does or may unjustly take away money or possessions from us or anyone else.


Memory Verses

  • “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 3, Romans 5

Thoughts

  • This should be a time of reflection, assessment, and re-teaching.
  • There are a couple of different ways to approach this review lesson. First, the review questions and answers could be made into a game that forces the students to remember what they have learned while assessing their understanding. Another idea is to quiz each student on each of the questions making sure to encourage and celebrate their accomplishments. Last, it would be beneficial to review each of the question and answers drawing out their central truths and mentioning how they are connected.
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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, Ten Commandments, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, 1 Corinthians 15, Romans 3, Romans 5, Posted by Phil. No Comments

Jun 13
24

This Week’s Catechism – 6/23

Doctrinal Standard #73 & 75

  • Q. What is the eighth commandment?
  • A. The eighth commandment is: You shall not steal.
  • Q. What does the eighth commandment forbid?
  • A. The eighth commandment forbids anything that either does or may unjustly take away money or possessions from us or anyone else.

Memory Verses

  • “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”  (Luke 16:13, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Luke 16:1-14
  • Support Passages: Proverbs 11:1, 20:10, 18:9, 21:17, 23:10,20-21, 28:19; Isaiah 5:8; Ezekiel 22:29; Leviticus 25:13-17; Deuteronomy 19:14, Malachi 3:8; Amos 8:5; Psalm 37:21; James 2:15; I Timothy 1:8-11, 6:10
  • Bible Story: Joshua 7:1-26

Thoughts

  • Below is taken from Training Hearts, Teaching Minds catechism question 75.
  • Read Exodus 22:1-6. The eighth commandment specifically forbids stealing. Stealing is more than robbing a bank with a gun or breaking into a locked house to take a (DVD). Any time we keep someone from having what rightfully belongs to her or him, we break this commandment. Exodus 22:1-6 tells about stealing and how to punish a thief. Verses 5 and 6 talk about people who did not steal on purpose but whose carelessness is a form of stealing. These verses command such careless people to restore to others what they caused them to lose.”
  • When we cheat, we unjustly take away money or possessions from someone else. Someone may give us back too much change when we buy something. If we realize what has happened and do not say anything, we cheat the person (or the store) out of money. This is stealing. If we find something someone else has lost and do not return it, we cheat him out of what is rightfully his and we steal. We cheat someone out of what is his when we borrow something and then fail to return it. We have not borrowed that thing; we have stolen it. When we damage property, we steal. People steal when they paint or write on or break another person’s property. Read Proverbs 20:17. Fraud is cheating. Fraud is tricking someone so that you get his money. Imagine putting something deliciously sweet into your mouth and, as you chewed it, having it turn into pieces of rock! The verse says that is what it is like to get things by cheating. At first you enjoy what you get. Because this displeases God, though, you can be sure that sooner or later you will suffer for it.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the eighth commandment?
  • What does the eighth commandment forbid?
  • In addition to taking something that is not yours what are other ways people break the eighth commandment? (Refer to thoughts section).
  • What actions should an individual take in repenting from their sin of stealing?
  • If someone struggles with stealing what does that reveal about their heart?

[1] Meade, Starr (2000). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, Eighth Commandment, Moral Law, Starr Meade, Ten Commandments, Training Hearts Teaching Minds, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, Phil Anady, Joshua 7, Luke 16, Posted by Phil. No Comments

Jun 13
16

This Week’s Catechism – 6/16

Doctrinal Standard #73 & 74

  • Q. What is the eighth commandment?
  • A. The eighth commandment is: You shall not steal.
  • Q. What does the eighth commandment require?
  • A. The eighth commandment requires that we lawfully acquire and increase our own and others’ money and possessions.

Memory Verses

  • “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Ephesians 4:17-32
  • Support Passages: Genesis 3:17-19; Leviticus 6:1-7; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; I Timothy 5:8; I John 3:16-18
  • Bible Story: Genesis 2:10-20

Thoughts

  • “God commands us to love others. He tells us that, when we show love to others, we keep the law. Sometimes we may wonder how to love someone. We can ask ourselves: what would I want someone to do for me if I were in that person’s place? Jesus said that doing for other people what we would want done to us sums up all God’s teaching on how to treat others. Read Matthew 7:12. We would not want someone to take something of ours or to barrow something of ours and never give it back. We would not like it if we paid someone to do a job for us and they did sloppy work that needed to be done over again. So we should not do any of these things to anyone else. But we would like it if someone shared their food with us if we had none. If we lost something valuable and someone else found it and returned it to us, it would make us happy. These are the kinds of things we should do for other people. When we do for others what we would like done for us, we keep the commandment to not steal.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the eighth commandment?
  • What does the eighth commandment require?
  • In addition to God telling us not to steal why is stealing wrong? (refer to thoughts section)
  • How does stealing affect both the thief and the victim?
  • Why do people steal? What does it revel about their heart?

 

 


[1] Meade, Starr (2000). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, Eighth Commandment, Moral Law, Ten Commandments, Training Hearts Teaching Minds, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, Phil Anady, Ephesians 4, Genesis 2, Posted by Phil. No Comments

Jun 13
11

This Week’s Catechism – 6/9

Doctrinal Standard #70 & 72

  • Q. What is the seventh commandment?
  • A. The seventh commandment is: You shall not commit adultery.
  • Q. What does the seventh commandment forbid?
  • A. The seventh commandment forbids thinking, saying, or doing anything sexually impure.

Memory Verses

  • “For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy” (1 Corinthians 7:14, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Matthew 19:3-12
  • Support Passages: Matthew 5:31-32; Mark 10:2-12; Deuteronomy 24:1-4; I Corinthians 7:8-16;
  • Bible Story: John 8:1-11

Thoughts

  • Below is take from Training Hearts, Teaching Minds catechism question 72
  • “When people break this commandment and commit adultery, they never do it suddenly, with no warning. People break this commandment because they have been thinking about what it would be like to break it. What we do always comes after what we have been thinking. God requires us to be pure in our thinking. That means that the things we put into our minds need to be pure things. Read Philippians 4:8. This verse describes the kinds of things with which we should fill our minds. We should choose the music we listen to, the books we read, and the television shows we watch based on how well this verse describes them. When we first see or hear something that we know is not pure, we do not like it and we think that it is wrong. The more we watch or listen, though, the less it bothers us. Little by little, we change our idea of what is pure and what is not. Instead of using God’s Word to decide these things, we let the shows we watch and the music we hear tell us what is right and what is wrong.”
  • “We help each other think pure thoughts when we are careful about how we look. God made husbands and wives so they are attracted to each other when they look at each other. That is right and good. But we need to be careful that we do not invite people to whom we are not married to look at us and think about our bodies. Some clothing draws attention to our bodies. Tight clothing or clothing that does not cover enough of our bodies may cause other people to look at us and think thoughts they should not think. We should always be sure that our clothing is modest and does not draw attention to our bodies. Read 1Timothy 2:9-10. This verse is speaking to women, but men (and boys) also fail to dress modestly sometimes. They should also take care how they dress, not trying to draw attention to their bodies.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the seventh commandment?
  • What does the seventh commandment forbid?
  • What type of things might happen before some breaks the seventh commandment?
  • How does music, movies, and television shows influence our behavior, thoughts, and decisions?
  • How is the way we dress related to being sexually pure?

[1] Meade, Starr (2000). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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Jun 13
3

This Week’s Catechism – 6/2

Doctrinal Standard #70 & 72

  • Q. What is the seventh commandment?
  • A. The seventh commandment is: You shall not commit adultery.
  • Q. What does the seventh commandment forbid?
  • A. The seventh commandment forbids thinking, saying, or doing anything sexually impure.

Memory Verses

  • “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Hebrews 13:4, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: 1 Corinthians 5
  • Support Passages: Genesis 2:23-24, 20:2-18, 34:5-7, 39:9; Leviticus 18, 20:10-26; Deuteronomy 22:22-27, 27:20-23; Proverbs 7:6-27; Romans 1:24-27
  • Bible Story: 2 Samuel 11,12

Thoughts

  • In the previous lesson, I quoted from C.I. Williamson’s book “The Westminster Shorter Catechism” that God has provided marriage as an appropriate means of controlling sexual desire. If this is true, than it is important for us to discuss whether or not the trend of delaying marriage has an effect on the sexual purity of our people. As our culture continues to promote and “normalize” sexual immorality and at the same time encourages us delay marriage until after earning a degree or starting a career it becomes very difficult for our youth to live a sexually pure heart, speech, and action. It is important to note that I’m not concluding that delaying marriage is the lone reason for our rampant sexual immorality nor am I saying that every Christian should be married before the age of twenty. But if we ignore this obvious correlation, don’t teach our children the biblical reasons for marriage, and fail to prepare them for marriage at a young age, we are setting them up for difficulties in their young adult life.
  • It is very important that when we teach our children about sexual immorality and adultery that we don’t teach them simply in a moralistic way. We must not simply teach them what to do and what not to do we must also teach them why. We must teach them the doctrines behind the do’s and the don’ts so they have knowledge and conviction to make their decisions. Adultery is sinful because of the significance of marriage. God has established marriage as a symbol to illustrate he’s relationship with His people. So many times the people of God in the Old Testament were adulterous towards God. The people of God broke their relationship and walked away yet God remained faithful to His bride and restored the relationship. Much the same way our marriages here on earth are to mirror the relationship God has with his people. They are to remain faithful to one another. When the relationship has a rift they are to remain steadfast and repair the covenant as God did. In our Christian marriage we are called to mirror and proclaim the type of love that Christ has for his bride.

Discussion Questions

  • What is the seventh commandment?
  • What does the seventh commandment forbid?
  • What are examples of being sexually impure?
  • What are ways to avoid sinning in these ways?
  • Why is marriage important? What does it represent?
  • With the previous questions answered, why does God hate adultery?
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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, Moral Law, Seventh Commandment, Ten Commandments, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, Phil Anady, 1 Corinthians 5, 12, 2 Samuel 11, Hebrews 1:1-2:4, Posted by Phil. No Comments

May 13
27

This Week’s Catechism – 5/26

Doctrinal Standard #70 & 71

  • Q. What is the seventh commandment?
  • A. The seventh commandment is: You shall not commit adultery.
  • Q. What does the seventh commandment require?
  • A. The seventh commandment requires us and everyone else to keep sexually pure in heart, speech, and action.


Memory Verses

  • “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: 1 Corinthians 7
  • Support Passages: Genesis 1:26-28, 2:23-24, 39:1-18; Matthew 5:27-32, 19:3-12; Hebrews 13:4; Ephesians 5:22-33
  • Bible Story: Matthew 5:20-30

Thoughts

  • Parents, I encourage you to begin this healthy discussion with your sons and daughters earlier than later. It is important that we instill a strong biblical worldview about sex early on as our children will be pressured in so many ways to adopt a secular worldview.
  • “Emphasizing the fact that sexual desire, and the proper satisfaction of it, is not wrong. This is evident from the account of creation. When Adam was first created, ‘there was not found a help meet for him [that is, a mate fit for him]’ (Gen. 2:20). And it was God who said, ‘it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help for him’ (v. 18). Then, when God had created Eve and brought her to Adam, he prophesied, saying, ‘Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh’ (v. 24). Thus we see that even in a sinless state there was sexual urge. It was divinely created. And there was nothing evil in it then, for we read that ‘they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed’ (v. 25). From this we learn that sex desire is not wrong in itself. Neither is it wrong to satisfy or fulfill this sex desire if this is done in the way that God has ordained. The Bible frankly recognizes the fact that it is this need which draws people together in marriage.”
  • We do well, then, to realize the depths of sinful corruption to which men go. God recognized this, and therefore spoke out plainly about these sins in His Old Testament law. What we need to realize is that we ourselves are – by nature – inclined to these same sins (all sexual sin). We need to realize that it is only by the grace of God that we ourselves can escape the corruption that is in the world (2 Peter 1:4). Let us consider, then, the way in which the Lord enables men to rule the impulse of sex to His glory, and then own good. (1) The Bible says that God gives to some the gift of continency. By this we mean that God enables some to live without having sexual relations, by giving them the strength to resist temptation to adultery. Jesus said, ‘there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there are eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it let him receive it’ (Matt. 19:12)… (2)For others, however – and this includes most people – this is not possible. ‘Every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn’ (1 Cor. 7:7-9). Thus, for most, marriage is the God-given means of controlling sexual desire. Even then, however, marriage must be ‘only in the Lord’ (1 Cor. 7:39), that is, between two believers.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the seventh commandment?
  • What does the seventh commandment require?
  • What are practical ways to keep sexually pure?
  • What are the two ways the Lord enables us to rule the impulse of sex?(refer to thoughts section)
  • Read Matthew 5:28 and discuss Jesus’ teaching about this commandment.
  • Explain why Jesus is not only concerned with our actions but with our heart?

[1] Williamson, C.I. (2003). The Westminster Shorter Catechism – 2nd Edition. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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May 13
20

This Week’s Catechism – 5/19

Doctrinal Standard #66-69

  • Q. What is the reason for the fifth commandment?
  • A. The reason for the fifth commandment is the promise of long life and prosperity, if these glorify God and are for the good of those who obey this commandment.
  • Q. What is the sixth commandment?
  • A. The sixth commandment is: You shall not murder.
  • Q. What does the sixth commandment require?
  • A. The sixth commandment requires making every lawful effort to preserve one’s own life and the lives of others.
  • Q. What does the sixth commandment forbid?
  • The sixth commandment forbids taking one’s own life or the lives of others unjustly or doing anything that leads to suicide or murder.

Memory Verses

  • “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Matthew 5:21-26
  • Support Passages: James 2:1-13, 4; Exodus 21:12-14; Joshua 20:1-6; Numbers 35:29-34; John 2:13-22; Psalm 144; Matthew 5:38-48
  • Bible Story: Genesis 14:1-16

Thoughts

  • If we are not careful, we can read the Ten Commandments and easily dismiss some of them as commandments that we have never nor will we ever break. We must remind ourselves that all of these commands deal not only with our actions but also with our heart. Matthew chapter five records Jesus talking about this very thing.  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:21–28). God is not only concerned with our actions but also with our heart. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander”(Matthew 15:19). Therefore, when we read the Ten Commandments we must be careful to not dismiss some them too quickly as if we have never or will never transgress them.
  • Catechism question sixty-six (What is the reason for the fifth commandment? The reason for the fifth commandment is the promise of long life and prosperity, if these glorify God and are for the good of those who obey this commandment) is combined in this lesson because it reminds of the benefits in honoring our father and mother. The teachings of our fathers and mothers are usually those that are concerned with love for one another and the love of God. Fathers and mothers teach their children character traits and skills that will make them successful and content in this life. If more children honored their father and mother we would see a drastic change in the types of crimes committed each and every day.

Discussion Questions

  • What is the sixth commandment?
  • Have you every sinned against this command?
  • What is Jesus perspective on this command?
  • Where does murder and every other sin come from?
  • If Jesus is concerned not only with our actions but with our heart, how do we deal with our heart?
  • What connection is their between honoring your parents and breaking the sixth commandment?
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May 13
12

This Week’s Catechism – 5/12

Doctrinal Standard #69

  • Q. What does the sixth commandment forbid?
  • The sixth commandment forbids taking one’s own life or the lives of others unjustly or doing anything that leads to suicide or murder.

Memory Verses

  • “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’ (Romans 12:19,ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 12:9-21
  • Support Passages: Deuteronomy 32:35; Matthew 5:38-48; James 2:1-13; Genesis 9:1-7; Romans 5:20-21; Acts 25:11; Luke 23:39-43
  • Bible Story: Acts 21:1-14

Thoughts

  • Below is taken from Training Hearts, Teaching Minds page 229-231.
  • “Murder is an act that God forbids. Hatred and holding grudges are attitudes that God forbids. Hatred for someone usually begins with anger over something the person has done that we did not like. This kind of anger is self-centered and therefore sinful. Today, people teach that we must be sure to feel enough anger when someone wrongs us and we should express it freely. If we do not, these people tell us, we will not be healthy. People who have been hurt are encouraged to keep thinking and talking about what it was that hurt them and to keep feeling the anger again.
    The Bible teaches exactly the opposite. When people hurt us (and they will), we must forgive them and go on with our lives. The 37th psalm speaks of wicked people who hurt others. Even with people like these, this psalm tells us, we should trust God to take care of us and to do what is right in judging them. The psalm tells us several times not to ‘fret’ over what people do that is wrong. To fret over something is to continue to think about it and to continue to let it bother you. When we fret over what someone has done to hurt us, we nurture our anger and cause it to grow. It will quickly turn into hatred. God condemns both anger and hatred, not just murder. Read Psalm 37:7-9.”
  • Not only does this commandment forbid the attitudes of hatred and anger because they are the beginnings of murder, it also forbids the attitude of indifference. To be indifference is to be unconcerned, to not care. There are many people who need food or shelter and who have no money to buy what they need. Their needs are so great that they will die if someone does not help them. When we are aware of people like this and when we have enough money that we could help them, this commandment forbids us to be indifferent. It forbids us being unconcerned and ignoring such people. Job said that whenever he knew of someone in need, he helped him because he knew if he did not help him, he would be sinning against God. Read Job 31:16-23.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What does the sixth commandment forbid?
  • Before a person commits murder what is in their heart?
  • Is God only concerned with the act of murder itself? Explain.
  • How are we to guard ourselves from being murderous people in our heart?
  • How are we to help preserve life? Provide practical examples.

 

 


[1] Meade, Starr (2000). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, Moral Law, Sixth Commandment, Ten Commandments, Training Hearts Teaching Minds, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, Phil Anady, Acts 21, Romans 12, Posted by Phil. No Comments

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