Before we can even talk about our responsibility towards God, we must understand what makes it possible for us to do fulfill our responsibility at all. We are not born with a natural desire to fulfill our responsibility towards God. Our last lesson showed us that with great clarity. So, how do we get that desire to please God? To put it in a nutshell, it comes from a heart that knows and believes what God has done for us. So, first and foremost, let’s take a look at the motivation for fulfilling our responsibility towards God.
1. Does God forgive sins?
a) Psalm 130:4 But with you there is forgiveness.
b) Psalm 103:2-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, ... who forgives all your sins
The Bible teaches us that: God forgives us all our sins.
2. How does God do this, since even one sin deserves punishment in hell?
a) Romans 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
b) Romans 4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
c) James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
The Bible teaches us that: God no longer charges our sins to us, but declares us righteous, or just (Objective Justification).
3. How can He do this, since every sin must be punished?
a) 1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
b) 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
c) 2 Corinthians 5:19 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
The Bible teaches us that: God placed all sin upon Christ on the cross. When he died, he paid for all sins and God declares the whole world to be righteous because of what Christ has done (objective justification).
4. If this is so, then how does this “Objective Justification” become mine?
a) Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
b) Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
c) John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The Bible teaches us that: We are saved through faith. When the Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts through the Gospel message, we believe that Jesus paid for our sins. That payment becomes ours by believing. We are justified (declared righteous in God’s eyes) by our faith.
What then, is our response to God’s gift of eternal life? As saved Christians, we look to God’s Word for not only wisdom about spiritual things such as sin and salvation, but also guidance in our daily living. This is called the third use of the Law. We now look at God’s guidelines for life, and see how we can respond with our lives to give Him praise and thanks.
A short list of God’s guidelines is called the Ten Commandments. These Commandments have been traditionally been divided into two parts, or tables. The First Table (Commandments 1-3) deals with our relationship with God, and the Second Table deals with our relationship with other human beings (Commandments 4-10). What does the Bible say about our responsibility towards God? A summary of the Law is: Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The Commandments show us how this is done.
5. The First Commandment is “You shall have no other gods.” What is the meaning of this commandment?
a) Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
b) John 5:23 That all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
c) Ephesians 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater— has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
d) Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
e) Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways.
f) Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
The Bible teaches us that: a) We should not worship any creature or thing as God. b) There is no God but the Triune God.
c) We are not to give first place in our hearts to any person, thing, idea or pleasure. That spot is reserved for God. Putting something or someone first in our hearts is the sin of idolatry.
d) We are to fear God above all things; that is, we are to revere Him with all our heart, honor Him with our lives, and avoid what displeases Him.
e) We are to love God above all things; that is, we are to cling to Him with all our heart and gladly devote our lives to His service.
f) We are to trust in God above all things; that is, we are with our whole heart to commit our lives to His keeping and rely upon Him for help in every need.
6. The Second Commandment is “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord, your God.”
What does this commandment mean?
a) Exodus 20:7 You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (God’s name is not only every name by which He has made Himself known – God, Lord, Jesus Christ, etc. – but also every statement in which He tells us about Himself.)
b) Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
c) Leviticus 19:12 Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
d) Leviticus 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
e) Jeremiah 23:31 Yes, declares the LORD, I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, The LORD declares.
f) Matthew 15:9 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
g) Matthew 10:32 Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.
h) I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray continually.
i) Psalm 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
The Bible teaches us that: We should NOT
a) Misuse God’s name, carelessly or uselessly, nor use any statement of the Bible as a joke.
b) Curse by God’s name; (Cursing – speaking evil of God or mocking Him; calling down God’s anger and punishment upon any person or thing.)
c) Swear sinful oaths by God’s name; (Swearing – calling upon God to witness the truth of what we say or promise and to punish us if we lie or break our promise. Swearing is permitted, and even required, when it is necessary for the glory of God or the welfare of our fellow man. Example: in court. But all swearing which is done falsely, thoughtlessly, or in sinful, uncertain and unimportant matters, is forbidden).
d) Use witchcraft by God’s name; (Using witchcraft – performing supernatural things with the help of the devil, or seeking the aid of people who practice such satanic arts. Examples: fortune telling, spiritualism, using God’s name or Word without His command or promise to heal sickness.)
e) Lie by God’s name; (teaching false doctrine and saying it’s the truth)
f) Deceive by God’s name (Covering up an unbelieving heart or a sinful life with a show of piety – hypocrites)
The Bible teaches us that: We should use the name of God by
a) Boldly confessing it, b) Praying to God. c) Praising Him.
7. The Third Commandment is “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.”
What does the Bible teach us about the Sabbath and other holy days?
a) Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat of drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
b) Galatians 4:10-11 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
c) Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The Bible teaches us that:
a) The Sabbath and other holy days commanded to Israel were abolished in the New Testament by God Himself.
b) God did not command us Christians to keep a certain day.
c) We observe Sunday and other church festivals in order to have time and opportunity for public worship. (The early Christians observed the first day of the week because Christ arose from the dead on a Sunday.)
8. What is the meaning of the Third Commandment?
a) Luke 10:16 He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.
b) Isaiah 66:2 This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
c) Psalm 26:8 I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.
d) Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
e) Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
The Bible teaches us that: We should NOT Neglect the use of the preached and written Word of God and the Sacraments.
We should a) Hold preaching and the Word of God sacred. b) Gladly hear, learn, and meditate upon it.
c) Honor and support the ministers of the Word. d) Spread the Word of God by doing and supporting mission work.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Name some of the false gods of this culture in which we live. Are we immune to their allure?
2. Can you sin against any of the other commandments and not sin against the first at the same time?
3. How easy is it to sin against the Second Commandment?
4. Name the benefits of church attendance. What great danger is there for us here in God’s vacationland?