8/18/11 Not maligning another

Ninth Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbor

 ¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. (James 4:11)

(Ecco Homini- Behold the man.  People bore false witness against Christ, slandering and maligning him as if they were pure).

Thoughts: The Study Catechism (Q114) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) speaking of this command, says, "God forbids me to damage the honor or reputation of my neighbor.  I should not say false things against anyone for the sake of money, favor, or friendship, for the sake of revenge or any other reason.  God requires me to speak the truth, to speak well of my neighbor when I can, and to vew the faults of my neighbor with tolerance when I cannot." In a consumer-crazed society, we are asked to judge.  We are encouraged to text to see who gets to stay on the next round.  We are encouraged to tweet or email a comment about why we think this or that human deserves to be punished.  These words of scripture admonish us to speak our words slowly and tenderly- for tomorrow we might have to eat them. Part of turning the other cheek and walking the extra mile is not laoding judgment and slander on another.

Prayer: God, help me to be quick to listen, slow to wrath, and slow to speak.  Let me build others up instead of tearing them down.

John Calvin Abridged form Institutes: We should guard ourselves against those who seek to bring sanctification to themselves by charging others with wrong. When we growl with ill will toward our neighbor hurting him- that is false witnessing.  1 Corinthians 6:10 says that slanderers will not inherit the kingdom. 

8/16/11 Lying to God

Ninth Commandment: Do Not Steal. (Dt. 5:19)

¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶ Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
⁹ Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (Acts 5:1-10)

(The Death of Ananias by Raphael 1515)

Thoughts: We can deceive ourselves, and even lie so much to others that we begin to believe the lie.  But this story is about two people who tried to deceive God.  Annanias and Saphira thought they could fool the church- and they could have in part.  But they could not fool the One who sees all and knows all hearts.  This is a warning to give with sincerity, and not to do things just for show.  In the end, we must come clean and be honest before the Lord.

Prayer:  Let me seek truth and pursue it, Lord. 

8/15/11 Do not Lie

Ninth Commandment: ¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16; Dt. 5:20).

 ⁵ An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. (Prov. 14:5)

¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)

(Michelangelo- Moses)

Thoughts:
(Ex. 20:16: לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר׃ ס);  (Dt. 5:20 לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁוְא׃ ס )
Note: that while the English translation is the same, there is a difference in Hebrew.
Exodus speaks of not lying or being untrue; Deuteronomy speaks of being insincere, deceitful- a slight difference in emphasis.
     While this law was intended for court, there is an attidue toward false speech that applies very much to every day life.  God does not lie, for God does not need to lie.  A lie is a purposeful delusion of relaity (which is what "deception" means).  God wants us to see reality for what it is.  Perhaps some feel that the truth is too painful to bear.  Or that we can elevate our own welfare more if we lie. 

Prayer: Give me grace to see life for what it is.  Give me grace to speak about reality truly yet with love.

Westminster Shorter Catechism:
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.
The ninth commandment forbids whatever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name.