Catechism Lesson #82-84
Catechism Doctrine • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Q82: Which is the ninth commandment?
A: The ninth commandment is, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
Q83: What is required in the ninth commandment?
A: The ninth commandment requires the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.
Q84: What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A: The ninth commandment forbids whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s good name.
Main Proposition:
Statement of Doctrine or Application:
We are to Speak the Truth
Intro:
Statement of proposition:
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
20 “ ‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Who in here has ever told a lie or said something about someone that was not true, or said something in a way that would cause division between someone?
What was the reason behind that? Pride, ego, wanting to feel better about an insecurity, envy, malicious, embarrassment about something in your life (All of these are sin issues)
Everybody in here at one time has fallen into this sinful trap.
What We read here in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy is a sin that was important to call out then as it is now.
I think it’s important because I get it you all know the ten commandments, this is elementary type teaching….
But if we do not recognize the gravity and importance of this sin which must be important because it is mentioned throughout the OT and NT we need to talk about it as a church in 2024.
What I want to focus on today is application. How can we apply this passage in scripture to our lives today.
I want to talk about the importance of this commandment as we apply it to our lives today
And I want to hear from you as we are going through application of this commandment today.
It is like what we have been teaching over the last few months is that it all comes down to the heart of the individual
As Paul would say are you “In Christ”?
Does the Sprit indwell in your soul? Are you eager to obey God and to to grow closer to him?
It is not just the letter of the law, but the intent and spirit behind it.
Why does this matter?
Why do you think this is important to talk about today?
In todays world we don’t have to just look at it from a face to face aspect, it can be down on any of the social media apps, behind closed doors, under anonymous names.
But as Christians we are to stand taller then the secular world because we have a regenerated heart that is only given to us because of the work that Christ did for us.
It’s not because that we are “in Christ” it is because Of Christ.
Main Point #1: We are Members of the Christian Family
Main Point #1: We are Members of the Christian Family
Statement
What do the actions and words say about us as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ?
Prove
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 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. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
Prove
Verse 25 is a fundamental part of Paul’s thinking. We are members of Christ’s body, and he is our head.
As members of “the bride of Christ” we re members of one another. We are members of the same family
“Kingdom Siblings”
In the last part of this passage we see Paul go back directly
Flowers in texts
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
A person’s words reflect his character
The perfection that James is talking about here is in regards to the perfection that we will only experience in Heaven, but believer’s should still seek to grow in holiness.
In chapter 3: through 4 of the Book of James we are talking about the problems that people cause with their speech and the solution to these problems “wisdom from above”
James is worried about division, slander, this may have started with the leaders and teachers of the church, but it has spread throughout the body
What happens when one person goes and talks about someone else behind their back in a negative way or speaks out against the church the leaders of the church in a way that is not fruitful or edifying?
Starts a division between a group of people. All of a sudden there is a group of people that have a negative feeling or connotation about somebody, that person was spoken in a negative light and now there is a group of people that are pitted against someone.
Why is this important to not do?
Because we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to love one another as such.
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
Whatever is in your heart will eventually be spoken into the world
Your heart tells your tongue what to say and if there is a sin issue that you are not repenting of and is manifesting in this nature that is something you need to talk to the Lord about and pray for forgiveness about
If a brother falls into sin, we can approach him with remembrance of the grace that is found in Christ, that no matter how great the sin seems, the grace of God is sufficient to meet the need.
Illustrations:
Quick Sand Illustration
Apply or Confront
Main Point #2: We must ALWAYS tell the truth
Main Point #2: We must ALWAYS tell the truth
Statement
What is a lie?
A Word or act that intentionally deceives a neighbor in order to hurt him. It is a false witness against a neighbor
Prove
Is a mistake a lie? Is a parable a lie? A fictional story? A Hyperbolic statement like “That took me forever to get here”?
What about in sports, if a team runs a trick play and fools the opposing team. Are they considered liar?
A word that I want to give attention to here in the word “neighbor”
What do you think is meant here by the word “Neighbor?
One of the most popular questions is about Rahab and the false impression in the minds of Jericho officials.
Flowers in texts
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
What was the historical reason that Jesus told this parable?
To expand the Jewish concept of a neighbor
The Jews wanted it to be narrow and to exclude the Gentiles, so that it will limit their responsibility
The chief question that Jesus asked “Who is your neighbor?”
Is answered by saying that we should be neighbors to anyone that we find to be in need.
There are many Bible passages in which someone misleads an enemy without incurring any condemnation:
Exodus 1:15-21- The Israelite midwives in Egypt
2 Samuel 5:22-25 - Military deceit
1 Kings 22:19-33 - God sends a lying spirit against Ahab
2 Kings 6:14-20 - Elisha misleads the Syrian troops
In these passages, there is deceit, and that deceit brings harm, but the harm comes to an enemy, not to a neighbor
Illustrations
Apply or Confront
Main Point #3: Protecting others Reputations
Main Point #3: Protecting others Reputations
Statement
A man’s name and reputation can be ruined by one false statement
Prove
What does reputation mean?
There are positive and negatives with someone’s reputation.
Like, American law up until recent years when someone is accused of wrongdoing, the burden of proof is on the accuser.
In the OT, this principle is expressed by the requirement of “two or three witnesses.”
We have to follow what the Bible says about these events, but even if we do go by the rules of Scripture it can be hard to repair one’s reputation.
Even if it is totally untrue what was said people could still never have the same level of respect, their reputation may never fully heal.
15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
What does Jesus say about this manner?
Any guesses?
Jesus incorporates this teaching into his plan for discipline within the church:
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
We cannot just say something, accuse someone about something because we feel insecure, embarrassed, jealous or whatever the reason.
We live in a world where all it takes is one person to say something and it might as well be law.
People’s lives are getting ruined because of the sinful natures that we mentioned above.
This is where living above reproach comes into play:
Billy Graham
Here at CCC
A further line of protection in in Galatians 6:1
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
A couple of qualifications need to be made:
1. Do not gossip, If you think someone can help give you advice about a neighbor that has committed a serious sin.
A third party should only be brought in if they can genuinely help the situation.
If this is kept confidential then it is not gossip, but if it is spoken about outside the walls then it is.
One of the issues with a lot churches today is that there is not church discipline to handle issues like this and unfortunately gossip determines the outcome of the dispute.
People start whispering, a negative consensus develops and the target of the criticism leaves the church.
As young people the gossip is small, but as you get older that gossip goes from so and so said this mean thing about me to I think that person is committing adultery.
Illustrations
Application Points:
Think: Are your words and actions bringing you closer to Christ or pulling you away from Christ?
At the end of the day you are either glorifying yourself and your sin or God’s glory.
Build up our Christian brothers and sisters
Stay above reproach