|
OUR "TEN COMMANDMENTS" by Jon Quinn
How many of you know the Ten Commandments? I'm not
talking about the ones given to Israel by God through Moses.
Instead, I am referring to the "ten commandments" given to us
by God through Peter. They go like this:
I. "Thou shalt be of sound judgment"
II. "Thou shalt be of sober spirit for the purpose of prayer"
III. "Thou shalt keep fervent in your love toward one another"
IV. "Thou shalt be hospitable"
V. Thou shalt be good stewards of God's gifts"
VI. "Thou shalt speak as the oracles of God"
VII. "Thou shalt not be surprised at fiery ordeals"
VIII. "Thou shalt not be ashamed to suffer as a Christian"
IX. "Thou shalt glorify God in the name 'Christian'"
X. "Thou shalt entrust thy soul unto God" (I
PETER 4:7-19)
Now the interesting thing about these particular ten
commandments is that they all relate to the fact that Jesus could
come again at any time. Peter realized that he was living in the
last days. He had announced that the "last days" had begun just
ten days after Jesus had ascended into heaven (ACTS 2:16,17;
c.f. HEBREWS 1:1,2). He knew that Jesus' coming will mark the
end of this world as we know it (II PETER 3:8-13). For that
reason, we are to view His coming as an ever present reality. As
far as we are concerned, it is at (II PETER 3:14,15a).
So we shall consider each of the ten commandments as
given by God through Peter that are pertinent to the ever
present possibility of the end of time. In fact, the "ten
commandments" begin with the statement "The end of all things
is at hand; therefore..."
I. BE OF SOUND JUDGMENT
"The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound
judgment..." (I PETER 4:7).
A. Good decisions are not often made abruptly, in anger or
surprise. They are not based on impulse, desire or passion.
Those are the things from which stupid decisions are made. The
Christian knows that there are more important considerations to
life than how much he possesses. Jesus said, "Beware, and be
on you guard against every form of greed; for not even when
one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
(LUKE 12:15).
B. A decision that makes you richer but takes you farther away
from God is not one that comes from sound judgment.
II. BE OF SOBER SPIRIT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER
"...and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer." (I PETER 4:7).
A. Even though life has its upheavals, the Christian is to remain
calm. Sometimes we sing a hymn which says, "Blessed
assurance, Jesus is mine; Oh what a fortaste of glory divine."
To lack assurance is to lack faith in our "Blessed Assurer."
B. Also, our prayers are aided by our secure hearts. In times of
trouble, we must not let doubt overcome our assurance, thus
rendering our prayers without effect (JAMES 1:2-8).
III. KEEP FERVENT IN YOUR LOVE
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another,
because love covers a multitude of sins." (I PETER 4:8).
A. The word "fervent" means to be intense. Our mutual support
for one another is indispensable. As a community of believers
waiting for Jesus' coming, our attitude toward Him shows itself in
our attitude toward one another (I JOHN 4:20,21).
B. This commandment is especially important during times of
trial and persecution, such as was being
endured by disciples when Peter wrote this epistle. We
certainly are made stronger when we have the
support of loving brethren. We must stand as one with one
another and against those who seek to
destroy (HEB 3:12,13; 10:23-25).
IV. BE HOSPITABLE
"Be hospitable toward one another without complaint." (I
PETER 4:9).
A. Hospitality is to show kindness to those outside one's
immediate household. Brethren who are traveling, preachers
and teachers of the Word, brethren in need due to accident or
tragedy, are all examples of times when hospitality is needed.
B. But, as with all giving, it is to be given "without complaint." (II
CORINTHIANS 9:7).
V. BE GOOD STEWARDS
"As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (I
PETER 4:10).
A. We should be unselfish when it comes to using our gifts for
the benefit of others (ROMANS 12:9-16). It is not being a good
steward to bury one's talent; nor to use it selfishly.
B. We are given additional incentive to practice good
stewardship by being reminded that it is only by God's wonderful
grace that we have the gifts we do (GAL 2:20).
VI. SPEAK AS THE UTTERANCES OF GOD
"Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances
of God.." (I PETER 4:11).
A. God has spoken to us through His Son, who in turn chose
apostles and prophets to function as His emissaries. Because
"the end of all things is at hand," it is vitally important that we
preach and teach only those things which God has appointed.
B. We simply do not have the luxury of each going his own way
and doing his own thing. It will be the true gospel of Jesus Christ
which we proclaim that will save ourselves and others (I
TIMOTHY 4:16). Other gospels will not.
VII. BE NOT SURPRISED AT FIERY ORDEALS
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange
thing were happening to you." (I PETER 4:12).
A. It is not an unusual thing for Jesus' disciples to suffer
indignities at the hands of the world. Jesus had explained that it
would be this way: (JOHN 15:18-20).
B. Do not ever allow yourself to be so dismayed at the evil,
wickedness, cruelty,selfishness and hatefulness of the world
that you allow your faith to falter. It is in such times that you
need your faith as much as ever, and your faith will give you the
victory (1 JOHN 5:2-5; PSA 27:1-6)
VIII. BE NOT ASHAMED
"...but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel
ashamed..." (I PETER 4:16).
A. We have been blessed with an honorable covenant. There is
absolutely nothing in the gospel to be ashamed of (ROMANS
1:16).
B. Parts of it may be unfashionable today, but it is the eternally
abiding Word of God and its most severest critics will be judged
by it one day. We are to live it and proclaim it, but never, never
be ashamed of it. It is our badge of honor (1 PETER 1:22-25).
IX. GLORIFY GOD
"...but in that name let him glorify God." (I PETER 4:16b).
A. What a powerful thing to behold! The world tries to ridicule
and shame the man or woman of faith, and find to the contrary a
calm assurance and a noble dedication. It is a thing over which
to rejoice; for it is much better to be persecuted for
righteousness than it is to be the persecutor!
B. Note the example of the apostles: "So they went on their way
from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been
counted worthy to suffer shame in His name." (ACTS 5:41).
X. ENTRUST YOUR SOUL TO GOD
"Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God
entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." (I
PETER 4:19).
A. In difficult times, even times such as Peter describes here as
"fiery", there is a safe haven built on an unassailable rock for the
Christian. Whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice, even unto
death, the disciple knows that by faith he is secure. It is the Lord
who promised. "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake
you." (HEBREWS 13:5).
CONCLUSION: 10 new commandments. Important because
Jesus is coming again. Are you ready to "entrust your soul to
faithful creator in doing what is right" ? INV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Punchline of the week: "Seven; three in the front seat, three
in the back seat, and one in the glove compartment." (5/29)
Jon Quinn co-editor of Expository Files
1547 E Broadway jwquinn@keynet.net (Main address)
Bradley, IL 60915 jwquinn@juno.com (backup)
(815)939-3315 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1681
Expository Files available @ website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From jwquinn@main.keynet.net Wed Jun 12 16:02:51 1996
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 16:40:02 -0500
From: Jon Quinn
Reply-To: garyslist@erc.jscc.cc.tn.us
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: S>A New Ten Commandments
|
