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The Daily Word of Righteousness
What Sin Is, #9
No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money. (Luke 16:13—NIV)
Money is a god, an idol. No person can serve both God and money.
There are other idols among us, such as a relationship, an accomplishment of some sort, our possessions, an artistic talent, fame. Often our drive for achievement is based in our desire to create an idol we can worship.
To create an idol is sin under all covenants.
Third: Does the New Testament command us to revere God's name, not to use it lightly?
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; Or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37—NIV)
Swearing is of Satan! It comes from the evil one!
Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned. (James 5:12—NIV)
James tells us the tongue is difficult to control. We always should be considering what we are saying, and all we say should have meaning. Jesting and foolishness have no place in the Kingdom of God.
Whenever we speak out in a passionate outburst we may use God's name to reinforce what we are stating, not because we truly want the Lord's Presence and advice. This is unacceptable in the Kingdom of God. It is sin.
Control of the tongue is a mark of maturity. We must do what we can, with the help of the Spirit of God, until our carnal nature has been weakened and Christ has grown in us to some extent.
To use God's name lightly is sin.
Fourth: Does the New Testament command us to cease from our own works and to strive to do only that which Christ desires?
Let us think for a moment about the meaning behind the Sabbath commandment.
If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, Then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13,14—NIV)
We understand from the above that the heart of the fourth commandment is not that of not working on Saturday. The heart of it is as follows:
Not doing as you please.
Delighting in God's way.
Not going your own way.
Not doing as you please or speaking idle words.
To be continued.