Ang Ikasampung Utos: Lord's Day 44 (Questions 113-115)

113. Q. What does the tenth commandment require of us?

Exodus 20:17 ESV

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Romans 13:9 ESV

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 12:15 ESV

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

113. Q. What does the tenth commandment require of us?

That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any of God’s commandments should ever arise in our heart. Rather, with all our heart we should always hate all sin and delight in all righteousness.

Tanong 113. Ano ang hinihingi ng ika-sampung utos sa atin?

Na ang kaliit-liitan mang kaisipan o pagnanasa na salungat sa anumang kautusan ng Diyos ay hindi dapat umusbong sa ating puso. Sa halip, dapat lagi nating kamuhian ang lahat ng kasalanan ng buong puso, at malugod tayo sa lahat ng katuwiran.

Proverbs 4:23 ESV

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Colossians 3:5 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Ephesians 5:3–5 (ESV)

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints...For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

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.”

Question 114. But can those converted to God keep these commandments perfectly?

No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with earnest purpose they do begin to live not only according to some but to all the commandments of God.

Tanong 114. Ngunit kaya ba ng mga nagbalik-loob sa Diyos na isakatuparan nang ganap ang mga utos na ito?

Hindi. Sa buhay na ito, maging ang pinakabanal ay mayroon lamang bahagyang panimula ng pagsunod na ito. Gayunpaman, may taimtim na layuning sinisimulan nilang mamuhay hindi lamang ayon sa ilan kundi ayon sa lahat ng utos ng Diyos.

Romans 7:15 ESV

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Romans 7:22–23 ESV

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Psalm 1:1–2 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Question 115. If in this life no one can keep the ten commandments perfectly, why does God have them preached so strictly?

First, so that throughout our life we may more and more become aware of our sinful nature, and therefore seek more eagerly the forgiveness of sins and righteousness in Christ. Second, so that, while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we may never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God’s image, until after this life we reach the goal of perfection.

Tanong 115. Kung sa buhay na ito ay walang sinumang ganap na makatutupad sa sampung utos, bakit ninanais pa ng Diyos na ipangaral ito nang napakahigpit?

Una, upang buong buhay natin ay lubos-lubusan nating mamalayan ang ating makasalanang kalikasan, at dahil dito ay mas may panananabik tayong hanapin ang kapatawaran ng kasalanan at katuwiran kay Cristo. Pangalawa, upang tayo ay mas maging masigasig sa mabubuting gawa at patuloy na manalangin para sa biyaya ng Banal na Espiritu, na tuloy-tuloy Niya tayong baguhin sang-ayon sa wangis ng Diyos hanggang sa katapusan ng buhay na ito ay matamo natin ang nilalayong kaganapan.

Psalm 32:5 ESV

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:24–25 ESV

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Philippians 3:12–14 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

1 John 3:1–3 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

How to Preach the Law Sharply

Preach it as a divine law.

Preach its all-encompassing and all-inclusive content.

Preach it in a spiritual manner.

Preach it in conjunction with the infinite holiness and justice of God.

Preach it as having been sanctified and vindicated in the new covenant of grace by the death and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ.