There Ought To Be A Law - Ex. 20:1-2

INTRO:

INTRO: Have you ever seen something going on in your neighborhood or business area that you perhaps did not like and wondered if there is a law against what is happening or if there isn’t there ought to be?..... How about when you are speeding along the interstate, and someone passes you and you wonder where a cop is when you need one (even though you are already breaking the speed limit yourself)?....... Boy there ought to be a law...hmmm.....Do you know how many laws there are on the books here in GA alone????....... Even in a given community such as here in Rome or in Calhoun, Cedartown, Kennesaw or where ever?..... How about all the HOAs (Home Owner Associations) and their many useless laws?...... There are more laws being added everyday by our great Congressmen….. The rabbinic version of the Torah has 613 laws listed and according to Rushdoony……. The number is somewhat less for the Christian since the “ancient rabbinic count sometimes divides a single statement into more than one law”……. There are probably more than 613 large law books about the laws in our nation or state alone……. Why would one need another law added?..... This is what happens when men leave God’s Law for man’s law……. There is a need for this nation to get back to God’s Law.....even though that doesn’t seem to be the desire……. There is a need for the Church to once again to return to God’s Law (the summary of which is found in the Decalogue)….. and see the significance of it for everyday living for the Christian AND for the sake of the nation that we live in……. Thus, I will be endeavoring to teach the Law , specifically as the summary is found in the Ten Commandments - I will not be offering anything new, I am sure, to most of you - so take it as a “refresher course” -…….. but our covenant children and youth may learn something and be prepared to take a stand for the King and His Law/Word……. in the vocations they are called to, in the society they live in and in their covenant families they will have by God’s grace……. I will be relying heavily on the great groundwork laid by the late Rushdoony and of course Dr. Bahnsen as well as others including Dr. Peter Leithart ....and more importantly…. what the Word says itself about itself: The first thing we must ask is, and I have already answered it partially:

I. Background to the Law: Why A Study On the Law? Why Preach On It? Well, obviously, the answer is simple ……… it has God as its Author…..Ten Words (the Decalogue) ….. but, before I get into that let’s look at it systematically: Because:

A. It is Covenantal - “God spoke all these words saying….’I am...” Ex. 20:1-2 - The Covenant God entered into a covenant relationship with Israel.

…….It is a marriage contract the Husband enters into with His Bride (Leithart) (also as he says in his newest commentary that it is the Father speaking to His Son)…..a. God married Israel - cf. Ezek. 16:1-14 - Christ has taken His Bride – with blessings and curses (thru faithful obedience or disobedience)

Leithart reminds us that this wedding ceremony went on from Ex.19-24….(a) Bahnsen reminds us that this is the only time in redemptive history that God spoke to the people as a whole - people heard His voice (Ex. 19:9) directly (thru God’s servant Moses) ……… Moses is the minister officiating……..the Husband reminds the Bride what He has done - deliverance (salvation) and then what He expects from the Bride/Wife = holiness = “I do...”b. Israel is prepared a feast (Ex. 24:9-11)

(1) All of Israel is invited to partake - to feast with their Husband - Lord’s Table - a time of rejoicing and living in thanksgiving before the Lord……. c. The Husband then has a place to live with His Bride = the Tabernacle is built for Him with His instructions (Ex. 25-40)

We can see the background here to the context of the Law given at Sinai - a wedding ceremony, a reception, a place to abide in - see the picture here?...... Christ and His Bride?..... Yet, there is something else here so I don’t go off on a bunny trail: 2. They are stipulations made during this ceremony of the covenant - rules to live by- “How should we then live”??? - ……..God has given His Bride rules to live by….. a. NOTE that God did not first ask His Bride: “How do you want to live? Would you be so kind as to pick and choose some rules that you might want to live under in this new relationship?”……… NO!........ He spoke...He said “do this….. and live”

(1) Too many Christians, for some reason or another think that the Husband’s (a.k.a. Christ’s) Words are too harsh at times and would like to ignore those…..those they “feel” are. (More on this later)………. b. NOTE as well, that this is how to keep the “union and communion” aspect of the covenant: (1) a mutually binding relationship between the Lord and His servants……… (2) it is sovereignly administered - God enters into it and is not our equal, Thus has the right to determine what is right or wrong………(3) He is the One who sets up the stipulations or conditions for it to work out……..(4) the consequence is the promise of union and communion - here keep

these rules (laws) - it has not changed today for us as His servants – His Bride is to abide by the same rules……… IT HAS TO BE PREACHED UPON

B. It is Consecration-al (if I may be allowed to use that word) or It is Ethical - Now this flows from what has just been said - since God has given rules (laws)…… then it will be helpfuland “healthful” for His people of every age to listen to the voice of their God (their Husband)- “I brought you...out of the house of bondage” ……. This is the way His people know their God - it reveals His holy character to them and what He is like -…..they then know what He wants from them for their own good …… God’s finger wrote the words - the first written covenantal document – seed of the canon - it was written over and over again - it was/is important for the Church to know how they were/are to live - ethically, morally and covenantal-ly

(1) The late, Dr Greg Bahnsen, again, reminds the Church - you and I - that it is therefore apropos for today as well - it is normative, it is existential, it is moral (more

on all this, later, as well).

Rushdoony says: “God’s purpose is that all of society, and all men and nations, be governed by His law.” (Vol. 3 of Inst. p. 1)……and elsewhere he says “God’s law covers every area of life: the family, the church, the state, our vocations, our relationships one to another, the use of the earth, sanitation, sexuality, warfare, boundaries, weights and measures, and all things else...His government is total: we can never, for a moment step outside of God’s law and government.” (Roots of Reconstruction, p. 11).

Was/is he right?....... It brought many “savage hostilities” against him AND not only from the world - but also the church……. Go figure! …….He must be right - God’s Law is healthful for your very souls and helpful for your very lives as we, the Church and His covenant people strive to bring ‘every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” ……….and in other areas of dominion (mandate). ……(2) It means that this is the only way, the only norm for the Church of Christ…….and the only hope for a nation - what do we teach the nations, then???? (Matt 28)

ABOVE all else I want to re-look at the Law through this series of sermons so that our own covenant children (those who still have them at home at least) can and will say : ”Oh how I love thy law...”……They must once again be reminded the place the Law /Word of God has for them in their own lives, in their homes, in their vocations....so, with God’s good pleasure I may be able to aid in that task……. THAT IS THE REASON WHY ...LET US LOOK MORE ABOUT THE LAW AND WHAT It IS ALL ABOUT:

II. The Basis of the Law: What Law Are You Talking About? - Now as our Lord gave the summary on Mt. Sinai and revealed His will to His people…… there are several things you must take in consideration about this Law…… Is it just 10 things or mere suggestions we are going to be responsible for or to live by????..... just what is it? Are there other things as well?

A. The context of the Decalogue - In Ex. 20:3-11 we see that Moses is given a set of

laws or precepts for Israel - is that all there is? …….NOTE that this is a SUMMARY - because in Ex. 21-24 more of the law is spelt out (that would be the content - my next discussion) for the people of God.

Must note that the Ten Commandments are the summary NOT the whole of the Law that God gave - some feel that this is all we have to obey….. just these 10 in their simple form. OR JUST 10 SUGGESTIONS.

(1) Again the late Greg Bahnsen would have you note that the Decalogue is NOT the ONLY Summary as well - In Isaiah there is also a summary of the precepts given …..2) It is a very important summary but must remember a summary of a whole….. NOTE as well: What did our Lord tell the lawyer when he asked Jesus what shall I do to inherit eternal life? In Luke 10:27 He gave the answer….the summary of the Decalogue : Jesus sums up the entire law in a pair of commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27; see also Gal 5:14). As Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Augustine, and many others have said, Jesus’ two commandments summarize the two tables of the Decalogue[1] (Leithart)…and then the first five teach our love for God and the second five our love for our neighbor…(By the way many say the first four commandments tell our love for our covenant God and the last six for our neighbor…(see Leithart) , in his newest commentary on the Commandments says he believes the first five includes honor your mother and father since God is showing His love as Father to His Son, Israel (Christ being the New Israel) = Yahweh will have a son who conforms to the Ten Words. ……The Father does have such a Son, the eternal Son who became Israel to be and do what Israel failed to be and do[2] (ibid. p. 5)

Given to Israel (and now the New Israel) so they would be prepared to be a witness (Deut. 26:10ff)……The WLC reminds us what this summary is:

Q. 98. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone; and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus…... The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man. COMMENT - ALL INVOLVE GOD

B. The content of the Decalogue - this leads us to the questions about the three basic parts of the Law - judicial, ceremonial, moral - we always seem to think only the moral is valid today (if any at all - next point) - but what do we mean by moral? ….Also, includes judicial (ought to anyway) with ceremonial mostly abrogated by our High Priest = Jesus Christ.

NOTE again…….. the expansion of the 10 in the following chapter. 2. NOTE as well that there are many negatives - Bahnsen says obedience always involves saying “no” (to Satan, sin, etc.) - When we preach on “negatives” this tends to turn some Christians off (had a man at the former church that it did)

Dr. B. was right you can’t preach biblically withoutpreaching negatively - this ain’t no love fest but if we love you we will have to preach negatively at times……. in order to be faithful - positives come out of it = preaching on just the positive IS NOT PRACTICAL XIANITY…….. So much for the “positive gospel” theology - I am positive about my Lord and eschatology.

………commandments are exceedingly specific and broad - breaking of one is the breaking of them all, broadly speaking - per James.

WE HAVE SEEN THE BACKGROUND AND THE BASIS BUT LET US GO ON...ALL THIS IS FINE BUT IS THAT SUMMARY AND WHAT WE GET OUT OF IT FOR TODAY HOW ABOUT IT? HOW OUGHT CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO IT?

III. Back to Basics of the Law: How Can the Law Be Valid If We Are Under Grace?- Deut. 26:10ff cf. Matt. 5:17-20 - The Law is to be respected and obeyed BECAUSE God’s people are under grace - since the Fall - yet many Christians are confused in this area - they seem to think that since they are saved by grace and the Law pointed them to sin and then Christ ……..thus, they are no longer under the Law - after all didn’t Paul say this in Galatians????.... NOPE !!!!! If you were awake when we went through Galatians you would know and I would not have to say what I just did….lol

Antinomianism = “against law” - mistakenly believe that “Your eternal destiny has nothing to do with how you live your life, because you are not saved by works......... If you preach repentance and press for the necessity of obedience, you are preaching legalism...freedom from ...the curse of the law, but also from its demands” (Norman Shepherd lamented this view of the law)…… This is a mistake but too many hold to this view today - not the world but Christians ( That is why many of them hated or rejected Rushdoony’s books on the law…… This series of sermons is a loud call or not so loud call….for the covenant people of God, the church, our families, individuals, our society to get back to the basics of God’s Law(s).

A. There is not a great divorce between Law and Grace as many would have it - cf. Matt. 5:17-20 - what did our Lord mean?.... Certainly not what many, even in the Reformed camp, say He meant - confirm it - this is the way of life…..

Let no man put asunder what God has joined together - neither His Bride nor His rules for the Bride - a. Grace proceeds the Law - the Law is not without grace nor is grace lawless - yet thousands of well-meaning Xians think the opposite (thank the Lord they are inconsistent with that belief and live in antithesis to that belief system

As Steve Schlissel says: “We don’t have to reconcile friends - there is no need” (1) God has never separated them either at birth or in their union together …..So neither must we....neither must you...you must see the graciousness of God to you in giving it to you and the rest of His covenant people. Do you???

What law would you rather be under? Man’s law ( thousands upon thousands of them) or God’s (less than 613 of them)?......ILL Somebody once figured out that we have thirty-five million laws trying to enforce ten commandments[3] (Green)

Yet untold thousands of Xians have more fear of what man can do to them - his laws - rather than what God says will happen if we are disobedient to His……. How many are more fearful of that the IRS can/will do to them if they break a tax law rather than fearful of breaking their Husband’s Law……..Their Father’s Law????

Listen to RJ Rushdoony again: “We fail to understand God’s law unless we realize how carefully it limits man…….. God’s law prevents man from placing too much trust in law, and from becoming a tyrant, by limiting man’s powers of enforcement” ……Man’s laws try to manipulate other men through coercion. (and yes the tax laws are coercion….just try not paying them).. I am not condoning breaking tax laws….

The Law is good - Paul says that it is good and holy (Rom. 7:12) - there is nothing wrong or harsh about the Law - usually those who think so want to be able to freely sin or do that which the Law says “no” to (not be limited by it) How about you??? How do you view it? WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO BASICS ----THUS THE NEED FOR THIS SERIES OF SERMONS>\

See 1 Tim. 1:8 - Law is good when used properly.

How about it??? Are you ready and will you be ready and willing to say the next several weeks “Oh how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day”? Ps. 119:97. Again, I quote Peter Leithart , and I think this apropos,..since I read in the intro about it : According to Scripture, Torah is the “perfect law of liberty” (Jas 1:25; 2:12)…. A community dominated by disrespect for parents, workaholism, violence, envy, theft, and lies isn’t free……. Besides, absolute freedom is impossible……. In the world God made, the world that actually exists, things aren’t free to do or be anything they please. They’re free when they become what they are. An acorn is free to become an oak, not an elephant…. The Ten Words guide Israel to grow up to be what he is, the son who rules in his Father’s house (see Gal 4:1–7).[4](Leithart)….Are you? Will you? Is it your love?,….. Remember the wedding analogy and our Husband’s rules how the marriage - “the union and communion”….. can work out……

Conclusion: Is this too theonomic or controversial? …..Reconstructionist?..... I conclude (and agree with what Brian Abshire says when he claims he does not use those words):

My point here is that I do not think we need to fight over “names.” I would far prefer to be known as “Reformed” than “Reconstructionist.” The word “Reformed” communicates everything I believe and teach, without leading us into other areas that are just not relevant…….. To be “Reformed” means to believe those doctrines hammered out during the high-water mark of Christian scholarship in the century following the Reformation……. To be “Reformed” means to take the Bible seriously, and see God’s rule over every area of life……. To be “Reformed” simply means to be committed to Biblical authority as the final and ultimate authority….. And isn’t that enough?

So What? (Reading from Thomas Watson)

1. If God be our God, let us improve our interest in him, let us cast all our burdens upon him: the burden of our fears, our wants and our sins. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord.’ Psalm 55:22…… Casting all your care upon him.’ 1 Peter 5:7. Why are Christians so disquieted in their minds? They are taking care when they should be casting care[5][6]

2. If we can clear up this covenant-union, that God is our God, let it cheer and revive us in all conditions….. A child is glad when he is going home to his father. It was Christ’s comfort when he was leaving the world, ‘I ascend to my Father.’ John 20:17. And this is a believer’s deathbed cordial, ‘I am going to my God; I shall change my place, but not my kindred; I go to my God and my Father.’[7]

3. Read the “Ten Commandments at your Fingertips” :

[1]Peter J. Leithart, The Ten Commandments: A Guide to the Perfect Law of Liberty, Christian Essentials (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), 16–17. [2]Peter J. Leithart, The Ten Commandments: A Guide to the Perfect Law of Liberty, Christian Essentials (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), 5. [3]Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 373. [4]Peter J. Leithart, The Ten Commandments: A Guide to the Perfect Law of Liberty, Christian Essentials (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), 5. [5]Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (WORDsearch, 2008), 21. [6]Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (WORDsearch, 2008), 21. [7]Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (WORDsearch, 2008), 23.