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  Question 140. What is the Eighth Commandment? Answer. The Eighth Commandment is, “ Thou shalt not steal. ” Luke 12:33-34, “ Sell what you have and give to charity. Provide yourselves with purses that do not wear out, a treasure in heaven that never fails, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ” In the Old Testament, the phrase “ do not steal ” meant “ do not steal what should be offered to God. ” With this title, you can hear pastors in some churches say that it is good to give a lot of offerings. However, this word has a different meaning from “ give a lot of offerings. ” In the Old Testament, "offering something to God" means "being destroyed before God." It refers to animals being burned to death. In the Old Testament, everything offered to God that was not burned was stored in a warehouse called "offerings" to distinguish it. What is offered to God is something that is bu...

Question 139. What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment? Answer. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment are, besides the neglect of the duties required, adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, all unnatural lusts, all filthy imaginations, thoughts, and affections; all corrupt or filthy correspondence, or listening thereto; lewd looks, impudent and frivolous actions, and vulgar and indecent apparel; also the prohibition of lawful marriage, and the entering into of unlawful marriage, and the allowing, tolerating, managing, and adultery of the heart; also entering into vows of celibacy, and unjustly delaying marriage, and unjustly divorce or desertion; also idleness, gluttony, drunkenness, and associating with filthy companions; enjoying filthy songs, books, dances, and plays; and all provoking to filthiness, or doing filthy acts, either to ourselves or to others. In Mark 10:1-5, “ Jesus left there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. The cro...

  Question 138. What are the duties required in the seventh commandment? Answer. The duties required in the seventh commandment are chastity in body, mind, affections, speech, and actions, and the preservation of chastity in ourselves and others; vigilant and careful attention to the eyes and all other senses; temperate and chaste companions; decent attire; marriage for those who do not have the gift of celibacy; and living together in love; earnest endeavor for the discharge of our calling; avoiding uncleanness in all cases, and resisting all temptations to it. In 1 John 2:15-16, it says not to love the world. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not from the Father, but is from the world." Egypt symbolizes the world, and the people who left Egypt longed for Egypt again and tried to return ...

  Question 137. What is the seventh commandment? Answer. The seventh commandment is, “ You shall not commit adultery. ” John 8:7-9 『 And as they continued to ask him, he lifted up his face and said to them, “ He who is without sin among you, let him first throw a stone at her. ” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. When they heard this, convicted by their own consciences, they went out one by one, beginning with the oldest, even to the last; and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing in the midst. 』 This is a debate about the punishment of an adulteress. The scribes and Pharisees did not really want to find an answer to the question of the woman ’ s adultery, but rather asked a question with the intention of finding fault with Jesus ’ answer. If Jesus had taken pity on the woman who had been captured and told her to let her go, they would have criticized Jesus for saying that he was the Son of God and did not follow the law. On the other han...

  Question 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment? Answer. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are all actions which take away the life of ourselves or others, except in the case of public judgment, lawful war, or in self-defense; the neglecting or abstaining from the lawful and necessary means of preserving life; sinful anger; hatred, jealousy, and desire of revenge; all inordinate wrath, distracting cares, and intemperate use of meats and wines, labor, and recreations; provoking words and pressures, quarrels, blows, injuries, and whatsoever tends to destroy the life of man. Matthew 5:21-22 “ You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘ You shall not kill, and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. ’ But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘ Raca, ’ will be liable to the Sanhedrin. Whoever says, ‘ You fool, ’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ” "Do not kill...

  Question 135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment? Answer. The duties required in the sixth commandment are, that we spare no careful study and lawful endeavor for the preservation of our own life, and of others; that we resist all thoughts and purposes, restrain all passions, and avoid all occasions, temptations, and habits, which tend to take away the life of any man unlawfully; that we practice self-defense against violence; that we endure the chastenings of God in quietness and cheerfulness; that we exercise moderation in wine, medicine, sleep, labor, and recreation; that we have merciful thoughts, love, kindness, gentleness, grace, kindness, peace, gentleness, courtesy, forbearance, readiness to reconcile, forbearance and forgiveness of injuries; that we return good for evil, comfort and succor the afflicted, protect and defend the innocent. The words “ do not kill ” spiritually mean “ do not go against the word of God. ” The Israelites did not obey t...

  Question 134. What is the sixth commandment? Answer. The sixth commandment is, “ You shall not kill. ” John 7:19-20 “ Did not Moses give you the law? None of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me? ” The crowd answered him, “ You have a demon. Who seeks to kill you? ” The Jews judged Jesus based on the law and accused him of blasphemy. Matthew 26:64-65 Jesus said to him, “ You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. ” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “ He has spoken blasphemy. Why then do we need any further witnesses? Look, you have now heard the blasphemy. ” The Jews put Jesus to death for blasphemy, but God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross as a substitute for all mankind who oppose Him. Therefore, from the Jewish perspective, murder means breaking the law's provision to preserve life, so the priest puts to death the one who breaks th...

  Question 133. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee? Answer. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment, which is expressed in the words, That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, is the express promise of long life and prosperity to all who keep this commandment, that they may be able to do for God's glory and their own good. The fifth commandment is that God tells the Israelites to obey Him as they would their parents. At the time of the Exodus, they longed for Egypt and wanted to return. And when the commandments were written on two stone tablets, the people made a golden calf and worshiped it as an idol. God tells the people, “ You know how to serve your parents, but why don ’ t you call me Father and obey me? ” Obedience does not mean strictly keeping the law given by God, but it contains the meaning of discovering sin and discovering Christ who ...

  Question 132. What are the sins of equals? Answer. The sins of equals are, besides neglecting the duties commanded, underestimating each other's worth, being jealous of each other's gifts, not rejoicing in each other's elevation and prosperity, and being tyrannical in trying to be higher than others. Matthew 18:1-4 『 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus called a child to him and set him in the midst of them. "Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 』 Jesus told the parable of the little children when his disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The word “ little ” means “ not great. ” It means that they do not fight to be taller or bigger than each other like adults. In this way, the ...