May 13
6

This Week’s Catechism – 5/5

Doctrinal Standard #67-68

  • 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.

Memory Verses

  •  “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Numbers 35:9-28
  • Support Passages: I John 3:15; Matthew 5:21-26; John 8:44; Exodus 21:22-32; Deuteronomy 22:8; Joshua 20,21
  • Bible Story: 1 Kings 21

Thoughts

  • Below is taken from Training Hearts, Teaching Minds page 227.
  • “We might feel pleased with ourselves for obeying the commandment not to murder because we have never killed anyone. This commandment goes beyond that, though. It required us to make every lawful effort to preserve life. If we could provide things that would keep people from dying, we must love them enough to give them those things. If we do not, we are at least partly responsible if they die because they did not have what they needed. God is not satisfied if we simply do not kill people. God requires us to show love and compassion by sharing with those who are in need.” [1]
  •  Below is taken from C.I. Williamson book The Westminster Shorter Catechism page 248.
  • “It is equally important to stress the fact that it is not always an act of murder when a human life is taken by another person. This can be clearly seen from the fact that when God gave Moses these Ten Commandments, He also gave him an inspired interpretation of these Ten Commandments in the books of the law (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). In this divinely inspired interpretation we clearly see that there are times when it may be necessary to kill a human being in order to keep this commandment… ‘If  a thief be found breaking in,’ says Exodus 22:2, ‘and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.’ This means that when a prowler tries to break into my house, I have the duty to try and to protect my family from the harm that this person might do to them. And if, in this just defense of life, the life of the prowler be taken, it is not a case of murder. It is, in other words, the thief alone who is at fault and he alone who caused the violence resulting in his own death.” [2]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the sixth commandment?
  • What does the sixth commandment require?
  • Provide examples on how we are required to preserve life.
  • Why is murder wrong?
  • Is there a difference between murder and killing?
  • How can we guard our heart from breaking this commandment?

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

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

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Apr 13
29

This Week’s Catechism – 4/28

Doctrinal Standard #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.

Memory Verses

  • “For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us”  (Isaiah 33:22, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 13:1-7
  • Support Passages: I Peter 2:13-18; Matthew 22:15-22; Genesis 9:5-7; Numbers 35:29-34; Luke 3:7-14; Acts 4:19-21, 5:27-32
  • Bible Story: Acts 17:1-9

Thoughts

  • Below is taken from “Training Hearts, Teaching Minds” Page 220-221.
  • “God first gave the fifth commandment to the Israelites. He promised they would live long in the Promised Land if they kept it. God’s people no longer live in one special country. Does that mean this promise is no longer good? No, the apostle Paul repeated the promise in the New Testament, when God’s people lived in many different countries. Read it in Ephesians 6:1-3. This promise does not mean that the only people who die young are those who failed to honor their parents. Usually, those who honor parents and follow their advice will stay healthier and live longer than those who ignore what their parents tell them.
  • “God tells us to keep this commandment so that it will go well with us and we will enjoy life on the earth. The book of Proverbs shows us some ways this happens. Read Proverbs 1:8-9. A garland on your head or chain or necklace on your neck makes you more attractive. Does this mean you will be better-looking if you honor your parents? No, but you will be more attractive. When we honor our parents by paying attention to their instruction, we will have character qualities that make us more attractive to others and that please God. When our character is Christ like and we live to please God, things will go well with us and we will enjoy life.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the promise associated with honoring your parents?
  • Is this promise a guarantee or a principal? Explain.
  • Why do you think this promise works?
  • Can you think of real life examples of this promise coming true?
  • What ways can you better honor your parents?

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

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Apr 13
22

This Week’s Catechism – 4/21

Doctrinal Standard #64 & 65

  • 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.
  • 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.

 

Memory Verses

  • “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Psalm 78
  • Support Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 119:97-104; Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 7:6 12; Ephesians 6:1-4; II Timothy 3:12-17
  • Bible Story: 1 Samuel 2:12-17,22-36, 3:12-13

Thoughts

  • Below is commentary from “Training Hearts, Teaching Minds” by Starr Meade.
  • “The duties that children have toward their parents are: listening to their teaching, obeying them, accepting and learning from their discipline, and honoring them when they are older. Children will do all these things when they have a right attitude toward their parents. The right attitude to have toward parents is an attitude of respect. Children who respect their parents are afraid to displease them. This is nor a fear of getting caught and of punishment. It is a sincere desire to do what would please the parent and to keep from doing what would make the parent unhappy. Of course, both parents and children are sinners. Sometimes parents sin and do things that make it hard for children to respect them. Sometimes children sin and do not feel like showing respect for their parents. This commandment calls us to always respect our parents, no matter how we feel.
  • In some countries, older people receive a great deal of respect. In those places, the older a person is, the more he or she is respected for his or her wisdom. In our country, older people do not receive much respect. Younger people receive more respect because they are stronger or prettier. In our country, people value physical attractiveness and strength more than wisdom! These values are not God’s values. God commands us to show respect to people who are older than we are.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • Who is valued more importantly in our country, younger or older people? Explain.
  • Who has more wisdom, younger or older people?
  • What does scripture tells us about wisdom?
  • “Do you show respect to adults, even adults you don’t know?” (questions from Pg. 216)
  • “Do you greet them, let them go ahead of you, hold doors open for them, and other things that would show them respect?” (questions from Pg. 216)
  • “If an adult, who is not your parent, tells you to do something (or stop doing something), do you respond with respect?” (questions from Pg. 216)

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

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Apr 13
15

This Week’s Catechism – 4/14

Doctrinal Standard #64 & 65

  • 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.
  • 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.

 

Memory Verses

  • Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Ephesians 5:22-6:9
  • Support Passages: Genesis 4:20-22, 45:8; Numbers 12; II Kings 13:14; I Corinthians 4:14 21; I Peter 2:13-17, 3:6; Romans 13:1-7; Colossians 3:18-25
  • Bible Story: 2 Kings 2:12-25

Thoughts

  • “The Bible teaches children how to treat their parents. It tells them what they should not do as well as what they should do. As children are commanded to honor their parents, so they are forbidden to dishonor them. They must not show disrespect in any way. Unfortunately, we see all around us children of all ages who demonstrate disrespect for their parents. Such attitudes have become so ordinary that we hardly notice them when we see them. God considers disrespect toward parents as something very serious. God gave the Israelites twelve curses to pronounce as soon as they entered the Promised Land. These were curses for people who would do any of twelve very wrong things. The curses were for things like killing innocent people or worshiping idols. One of the curses was for anyone who treated his parents with disrespect.
  • Children are forbidden to dishonor their parents by attaching them physically, by cursing them, by refusing to obey them, or by mocking or making fun of them. Children also dishonor their parents when they refuse to learn from their teaching. Almost all parents want the best for their children. They teach them what they believe they should know. Children do not always see why their parent’s teaching is so important, yet they should believe that their parents are wiser than they are. They need to be diligent to learn what their parents teach them. Especially when children have Christian parents who will teach them the truth of God’s Word, they should work hard at learning what their parents want them to know.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • How should parents be treated? Be specific.
  • What expectations does God have for parents?
  • What expectations does God have for children?
  • Why is it that if we disobey our parents we are disobeying God?
  • In what way(s) have you dishonored your parents?
  • What does this reveal about our heart?
  • How does scripture teach us to deal with this?
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Apr 13
8

This Week’s Catechism – 4/7

Doctrinal Standard #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.

Memory Verses

  • Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old (Proverbs 23:22, ESV)

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Mark 7:1-23
  • Support Passages: Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians, 6:1-4; Matthew 15:1-20; Proverbs 23:22-25; I Timothy 5:1-2; Romans 13:8-10
  • Bible Story: John 19:26-27

Thoughts

  • “The first authority we have over us is our parents’ authority. As we grow, we find other kinds of authority we must honor as well. All human beings are required, first of all, to fear God. He is the Creator and the King of all things and we owe Him complete respect and obedience. In all areas of life, God has established authorities we must honor. God gives certain people the task of providing for and protecting others. Parents provide for and protect their children. Husbands provide for and protect their citizens and pastors and elders provide for and protect their churches.
  • These people cannot do the tasks God has given them to do if they must constantly argue with those who are under their care about what is best. So God has given them authority. The people under them are to respect them and obey them. People in authority are always right. But, unless they command us to disobey God, we must respect and obey them. When we fail to show respect for authority, we show disrespect for God, who put certain people in positions of authority.” [1]
  • “In concluding our discussion of the fifth commandment, we note that it contains ‘a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory, and their own good,) to all such as keep this commandment.’ We have seen that this commandment is not primarily concerned with individuals. We are not to think, then, that every individual who strives to keep this commandment will enjoy a long life. We are rather to understand this commandment to mean that preservation of God’s covenant people as a continuing community will depend upon their fidelity to this command. In other words, when we (as God’s covenant people) live under a strong sense of God-given authority (in family, Church, and nation) we will be preserved by the Lord. But when we become careless and indifferent about this principle of God-given authority, the result will be the loss of those blessings which can be ours only when these institutions are strong. When parents no longer teach their children to obey them, for example, it is no surprise that they grow up to have little or no respect for those who hold office in Church or state. When family fails, the Church is weakened, and the nation struggles to control the violence of its citizens.” [2]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the fifth commandment?
  • The command is to honor your father and mother. What does it mean to honor someone?
  • In addition to honoring your father and mother, who else are we called to honor?
  • Why does honoring your parents prepare you to honor others in authority?
  • If you struggle to honor your parents, what does this revel about your heart towards God? Explain. What needs to be done?
  • The fifth commandment has a promise attached to it. What is the promise? Is this promise for individuals or for the greater community of faith? (See third point in “Discussion” section).

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

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

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Mar 13
25

This Week’s Catechism – WSC #62

Doctrinal Standard #62

  • Q. What are the reasons for the fourth commandment?
  • A. The reasons for the fourth commandment are these: God allows us six days of the week to take care of our own affairs; He claims the seventh day as His own; He set the example; and He blesses the Sabbath.

Memory Verses

  • “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9,ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Exodus 20:8-11
  • Support Passages: Deuteronomy -15, Genesis 2:2-3; John 20-21; Hebrews 4
  • Bible Story: John 20:11-18

Thoughts

  • Prior to the giving of the Law, we find the first Sabbath established by God. In six days God created and on the seventh day he rested. God had provided an example and established a pattern of life that mankind should follow.
  • Not only did God model the Sabbath principal for mankind to live out each week, he also uses the Sabbath as tactile lesson that teaches us about Christ, eternity, and the great love he has for us. For six days we are to toil, sweat, and battle with the temporal, mundane, sinful thing of this world.  God has given us one day to free and release us of these obligations. In other words, the Sabbath is to give us a “taste” of eternity in paradise. It’s that sense of joy and freedom at the end of the work week that Sabbath serves as a reminder of what eternity awaits but much more magnificent. If we are not intentional we can easily miss this great blessing and miss the opportunity to teach our children through the very day that the Lord provided.
  • Another unique aspect about the Sabbath is that the Lord has only partially fulfilled this feast of the Lord. The atonement of Jesus Christ fulfilled the Sabbath in that we have rest from our work to gain righteousness before God but we have not fully entered into his eternal rest. While we are righteous and forgiven of our sins we still have a sin nature. We are still called to put away the sin in our lives. We still have work to be done in our sanctification. Therefore, we have not fully entered into the Sabbath rest which Jesus has paid in full. Once the new kingdom of our Lord is consummated, we will then enter into the full Sabbath rest that Jesus has provided.
  • Hebrews chapter 4 is a good chapter on this topic.

Discussion Questions

  • How many days did God give us to do work? How many days to rest and worship?
  • When was the first Sabbath practiced?
  • What does the Sabbath give us a glimpse of?
  • How has Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath?
  • How has the Sabbath not been fulfilled?  When will it all be fulfilled?
  • Read Hebrews 4 and discuss what you observe.
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Mar 13
18

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #60 & 61

Doctrinal Standard #60-61

  • Q. How do we keep the Sabbath holy?
  • A. We keep the Sabbath holy by resting the whole day from worldly affairs or recreations, even ones that are lawful on other days. Except for necessary works or acts of mercy we should spend all our time publicly and privately worshipping God.
  • Q. What does the fourth commandment forbid?
  • A. The fourth commandment forbids failing to do or carelessly doing what we are supposed to do. It also forbids treating the day as unholy by loafing, by doing anything in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thinking, talking about, or working on our worldly affairs or recreations.

Memory Verses

  • “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night” (Psalm 92:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Acts 20:6-12
  • Support Passages: Exodus 16:22-30; Psalm 92; Isaiah 66:23; Luke 4:16; Leviticus 23:3; Ezekiel 23:36-39; Colossians 3:16-17
  • Bible Story: Nehemiah 13:15-22

Thoughts

  • “8. The Sabbath is kept holy to the Lord by those who, after the necessary preparation of their hearts and prior arranging of their common [ordinary or domestic] affairs, observe all day a holy rest from their own works, words and thoughts about their worldly employment and ­recreations,30 and give themselves over to the public and private acts of worship for the whole time, and to carrying out duties of necessity and mercy.”[1]  Isa 58.13; Neh 13.15-22. Matt 12.1-13.
  • “When the catechism speaks of ‘worldly employments and recreations,’ it simply means those things that God calls us to do on the six days of the week appointed for this purpose. These things are the things that we do to fulfil our task in the world – the task that we will one day lay down never to resume, because it is appointed to us to die and then be judged.” [2]

Discussion Questions

  • What type of things should we avoid on the Sabbath?
  • What things should we do on the Sabbath?
  • Why do you think God gave mankind a Sabbath?
  • Do you think the Sabbath is a curse or a gift for man? Explain
  • God tells us in six days we shall do our work. What does this teach us about procrastination?

 


[1] Masters, Peter (1982). The Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 – Notes by Peter Masters. Ashland, Ohio, USA; BookMasters, Inc.

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

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts, C.I. Williamson, Fourth Commandment, London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, Lord's Day, Sabbath, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Family Devotional Guidelines, Phil Anady, Acts 20, Nehemiah 13, Psalm 92, Posted by Phil. No Comments

Mar 13
10

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #58 & 59

Doctrinal Standard #58-59

  • Q. What does the fourth commandment require?
  • A. The fourth commandment requires us to set apart to God the times He has established in His word – specifically one whole day out of every seven as a holy Sabbath to Him.
  • Q. Which day of the week has God designated as the Sabbath?
  • A. From the beginning of the world until the resurrection of Christ God established the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. From that time until the end of the world the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath.

Memory Verses

  • “For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7–8,ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 14:1-12
  • Support Passages: Deuteronomy 5:12-14; Genesis 2:2-3; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10
  • Bible Story: Numbers 15:32-36

Thoughts

  • The London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 provides some insight to this command to keep the Sabbath. The excerpt below is from chapter 20 section 7 and 8 of the LBC with brief comments from Peter Masters.
  • “7. As it is the law of nature that in general a proportion of time, by God’s appointment, should be set apart for the worship of God, so He has given in His Word a positive, moral and perpetual commandment, binding upon all men, in all ages to this effect. He has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy for Him.28 From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ this was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ it was changed to the first day of the week and called the Lord’s Day.29 This is to be continued until the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week having been abolished. 28 Exod 20.8. 29 1 Cor 16.1-2; Acts 20.7; Rev 1.10.8. The Sabbath is kept holy to the Lord by those who, after the necessary preparation of their hearts and prior arranging of their common [ordinary or domestic] affairs, observe all day a holy rest from their own works, words and thoughts about their worldly employment and ­recreations, 30 and give themselves over to the public and private acts of worship for the whole time, and to carrying out duties of necessity and mercy.”30 Isa 58.13; Neh 13.15-22. 31 Matt 12.1-13. [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What does the 4th commandment require?
  • What should our Sabbath day consist of?
  • What day does the catechism say the Sabbath should be observed?
  • What was significant about the first day of the week that would make the day change?
  • How is this command related to the first three commands of the Ten Commandments?

[1] Masters, Peter (1982). The Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 – Notes by Peter Masters. Ashland, Ohio, USA; BookMasters, Inc.

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