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Jul 13
22

This Week’s Catechism – 7/21

Doctrinal Standard WSC #79 & 80

  • Q. What is the tenth commandment?
  • A. The tenth commandment is: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
  • A. What does the tenth commandment require?
  • Q. The tenth commandment requires us to be completely satisfied with our own status in life and to have a proper, loving attitude toward others and their possessions.

Memory Verse(s)

  • Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 8:26-30
  • Support Passages: Exodus 20:17; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:6; Job 31:29; Romans 12:15; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  • Bible Story: Job 1:13-22

Thoughts

  • “It would not be inaccurate to say that coveting is the root of all other sin. James says, ‘every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts [or covetous desire] and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death’ (James 1:14-15). So, as Paul says, a ‘covetous man… is an idolater’ (Eph. 5:5). Or in other words, if the sinful desire is there, then there is already a violation of all the other commandments at least in principle. Thus some have held that the first beginning of sin in Adam and Eve was covetousness (the sinful desire to eat the forbidden fruit). Then, when this desire was expressed outwardly, there was a simultaneous violation of all other nine commandments.
  • But why does this commandment speak of such common possessions (house, wife, manservant, maidservant, ox, or ass) if it has such far-reaching implications? The answer is this: covetousness begins with a dissatisfied heart. It begins when we compare our own situation with that of another who has (or appears to have) more than we do! ‘Take heed,’ said Jesus, ‘… for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth’ (Luke 12:15). Let a man once become dissatisfied with the portion God has given him, and he will then be tempted with a thousand other sins. And it can hardly be denied that this a besetting sin today. We are constantly stimulated, by television, by advertisement, by easy credit plans, and so forth, to feel that we must have something newer, and bigger, and better! The ‘good life’ is pictured as belonging to those wgi have everything. How different the thought expressed by the Apostle Paul. ‘ I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need’ (Phil. 4:11-12). This, then is the biblical requirement: full contentment with what God has given us.
  • This does not mean that we should make no effort to improve our wealth and outward estate. The Bible says, ‘he becometh poor that dealth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich’ (Prov. 10:4). Scripture teaches us that God has given us abilities that we ought to use diligently. God also gives us the opportunities that come to us to use our abilities. It is therefore our duty to us both our abilities and opportunities fruitfully. But we must at the same time be content with the limits of both our ability and opportunity. And we are not to grieve when someone else is enabled to advance beyond what we are able (Gal. 5:26; James 3:14, 16). There is a sense, in other words, in which men are not created equal. God himself gives more to one than to another. And it is our duty to accept our place as God ordains with humble and thankful hearts.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the Tenth Commandment?
  • What does the Tenth Commandment require?
  • What does it mean to be content? How does this relate to the Tenth Commandment?
  • Explain the difference for wanting (working for) something better and covetousness.
  • Read Phil. 4:11-12 regarding contentment in Paul’s life. Discuss if you are content with your life.
  • What does covetousness and contentment reveal about our heart and appreciation towards God?
  • Discuss the statement, “coveting is the root of all other sin.”

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

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Jul 13
15

This Week’s Catechism – 7/14

Doctrinal Standard WSC # 76 & 78

  • Q. What is the ninth commandment?
  • A. The ninth commandment is: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
  • Q. What does the ninth commandment forbid?
  • A. The ninth commandment forbids anything that gets in the way of the truth or injures anyone’s reputation.

Memory Verse(s)

  • “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape” (Proverbs 19:5, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Leviticus 19:9-18
  • Support Passages: Exodus 20:16; 1 Samuel 17:28; Leviticus 19:16; Psalm 15:3
  • Bible Story: Jeremiah 23:23-40

Thoughts

  • “The Catechism mentions (false testimony) as a special concern of the ninth commandment. This means there are certain times and circumstances when the sin of lying (which is evil at all times) is even more heinous that at other times. If we are called as witnesses in a court of law, for example, we are charged by duly appointed authority to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The very fact that the oath is necessary in such instances is a reminder of the fact that we are too carless, ordinarily, as respects the truth. Yes, as Jesus taught us, we ought to learn to speak in our daily conversations, in such a way that truth has the same priority with us at all times, as it would for unbelievers in a solemn trial in court-room (Matt. 5:33-37). Let us conclude our study of the ninth commandment then, with a brief consideration of some ways in which we can study greater obedience. (1) one of the things that we can do is to think before we speak. ‘ In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.’ (Prov. 10:19). We need to learn what an unruly member the tongue is, and we need to know what a great fire it can ignite (James 3:5). At the same time we need to remember that (2) silence can be as wrong as an evil speaking. If we know that a wrong has been done and do not speak up, we are guilty when our very silence will seem to express our consent (Lev. 5:1). (3) Perhaps the chief need is to consider God, rather than man, as the one that we must please. So much of what we say is really calculated to please people. We want to win their approval, or gain some advantage from them. But when a man realizes that nothing really matters except to please God, then his speech will change radically. This reminds us that there is only one way that we can ever learn to speak the truth. It is by a saving relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And no man can obtain the truth except in Him.” [1]

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

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Jul 13
8

This Week’s Catechism – 7/7

Doctrinal Standard WSC #76 & 77

  • Q. What is the ninth commandment?
  • A. The ninth commandment is: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
  • Q. What does the ninth commandment require?
  • A. The ninth commandment requires us to tell the truth and to maintain and promote it and our own and others’ reputations, especially when testifying.

Memory Verse(s)

  • I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth (I John 2:21, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: John 14:1-17
  • Support Passages: Genesis 20; Genesis 27:1-27; Proverbs 11:13; Joshua 8:3-29; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25; I Samuel 16:1-13
  • Bible Story: Joshua 2

Thoughts

  • “ But what is truth? This is the question Pontus Pilate asked, and it has been asked again and again since man fell in Adam’s transgression. God created man to think his true thoughts after Him. So long as man accepted God’s word and obeyed His commands, he knew and spoke only the truth. But when the Devil deceived man he began to try to find the standard of judgment, or truth, in his own reason. He was thus the victim of the lie of Satan, and could not speak the truth. As Jesus once said to the unbelieving Jews: ‘Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murder from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it’ (John 8:44). Truth, then, is that which is in accord with the mind of God. And it is only the regenerated person – the person who repents and believes – who can again learn to speak the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It is only when we are in union with him that we can really know the truth. This does not mean the converted person will, as soon as he is converted arrive at perfection in his knowledge of, and obedience to, the truth. No believer, in this life, perfectly attains unto truth. But he does come to know truth, and he does attain to a more and more perfect conformity to the truth.
  • In order to speak the truth, then, two things are essential. (1) First, it is necessary that we speak what we sincerely believe to be the truth. We cannot say that a person is truthful if he himself does not believe what he is saying. (2) But it is also necessary that we speak what actually is. We cannot say that a person is telling the truth unless he speaks what is in accord with existing reality. It is not enough, in other words, that we simply repeat something as true, which we have heard from others. For this reason the Bible condemns gossip. ‘Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people’ (Lev 19:16). The godly man does not take up ‘ a reproach against his neighbor’ (Ps 15:3). He doesn’t believe everything he hears, especially when it is an evil reports. Before he tells anyone else he wants to know whether or not it really is true.”[1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is the ninth commandment?
  • What does the ninth commandment require?
  • What is truth?
  • Provide a definition or explain what it means to lie?
  • How were lies a major part of Adam and Eve’s first sin?
  • How can lies destroy relationships?

 

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

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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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Jun 13
26

Resources For Family Devotions

As you all know, each week I post the catechism question and answer, memory verse, thoughts, and discussion questions. I thought it would be beneficial to share with you some of the resources I have been using as they may be beneficial for you and your family.

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade is written in a form intended to be used for family devotions. It focuses on one catechism each week, Monday through Saturday.  For each day of the week the author provides short commentary about the catechism question and answer along with scripture readings. The book can be found here: Training Hearts, Teaching Minds

Another resource that has been useful in my study of the catechism is The Westminster Shorter Catechism: for Study Classes by G.I Williamson. This text differs than that of Training Hearts, Teaching Minds in that this book is set up for more a study rather than a quick daily devotion. While it provides more teaching on the catechism it is not too weighty. His writing is very concise and provides about three to four pages of writing for two to three catechism questions. This book would be great for adults to increase their understanding of the catechism and various doctrines. It would also be a great tool for parents and older children to work through together as each section provides discussion questions. Westminster Shorter Catechism: For Study Classes

A couple important things to note: these two resources contain an abundance of correct biblical theology but since they are written by man they are subject to error. While, I recommended these two resources we must always read these types of texts with discernment to ensure that they are in-line with the truths of scripture.

It is also important to note that the leadership of Emmaus Christian Fellowship holds to the view of believer’s baptism as opposed to infant baptism as found in the Westminster Shorter Catechism and in these two texts.

May the Lord bless your time in family worship as you seek to train up your children in the Lord!

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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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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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warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

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