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The Fifth Commandment: Family

Exodus 20:12Honor thy father and mother

Deuteronomy 5:16Honor thy father and mother

Genesis 9:20-27Noah and Ham

Genesis 26:34-35Esau's marriage a grief to Isaac and Rebekah

Exodus 21:15Death penalty for smiting father and mother

Exodus 21:17Death penalty if curse father and mother

Leviticus 19:3Fear father and mother

Leviticus 19:32Honor the elderly

Leviticus 20:9Death penalty for cursing father and mother

Deuteronomy 21:18-21Stubborn and rebellious son to be stoned

Deuteronomy 27:16Cursed be he that setteth light by father and mother

Childrearing

Genesis 18:19God knew that Abraham would train his children in God's ways

Genesis 24:2-4Father to arrange marriage

Genesis 33:5Children the gift of God

Genesis 48:9Children the gift of God

Numbers 30:3-5Father has authority over child, can nullify vows

Deuteronomy 4:9-10Teach God's laws to your children

Deuteronomy 6:4-9Diligently teach your children

Deuteronomy 6:20-25Show your children that God's ways are good

Deuteronomy 11:18-21Teach your children

Inheritance

Genesis 21:10-13Sons inherit father's estate

Numbers 27:1-11When no sons or daughters, inheritance to nearest relative

Numbers 36:1-12Inheritance of daughters of Zelophehad

Deuteronomy 21:15-17Double portion to firstborn son

Deuteronomy 25:5-10Levirate law (widow marry nearest unwed relative). But see Incest.

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The Fifth Commandment is the bridge between commandments showing us how to love God, and commandments showing us how to love our fellowman.

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Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Genesis 26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Deuteronomy 27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Childrearing

Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Genesis 33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Genesis 48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

Numbers 30:3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; 4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Deuteronomy 6:20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? 21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: 22 And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: 23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.

Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

Inheritance

Genesis 21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

Numbers 27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. 6 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. 11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Numbers 36:1 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel: 2 And they said, The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. 3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel,  then  shall  their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubile of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well. 6 This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. 7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. 9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance. 10 Even as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons: 12 And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.

Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Deuteronomy 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. 6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.ê

The Sixth Commandment:  Murder

Exodus 20:13Don't murder

Deuteronomy 5:17Don't murder

Genesis 4:8-15Cain murdered Abel

Genesis 4:23-24Lamech murdered

Genesis 9:5-6Whoso sheddeth man's blood,  by man shall his blood be shed

Exodus 21:12-14Murderers shall be put to death

Leviticus 24:17-21Eye for an eye

Numbers 35:11-34Cities of refuge for manslayer; murderers shall die

Deuteronomy 21:1-9Innocent blood

Deuteronomy 27:25Cursed be he that takes reward to slay the innocent

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Murder is a capital offense.

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Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Deuteronomy 5:17 Thou shalt not kill.

Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Genesis 4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

Genesis 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Exodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

Leviticus 24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. 18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. 19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

Numbers 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. 12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. 13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. 14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. 22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: 28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. 29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 21:1 If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him: 2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: 3 And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley: 5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: 6 And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: 7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 8 Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. 9 So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.ê

The Seventh Commandment:  Adultery

Exodus 20:14Don't commit adultery

Deuteronomy 5:18Don't commit adultery

Genesis 1:26-28Male and female created in the  image  of God

Genesis 2:18, 20-25Man shall cleave to his wife

Genesis 16:1-5Abraham's adultery with Hagar

Genesis 19:4-8Homosexuality of Sodom

Exodus 21:7-11Marriage to a servant girl

Exodus 22:16-17Fornication

Exodus 22:19Death penalty for bestiality

Leviticus 18:6-30Sex sins of Canaanites: incest, bigamy, homosexuality, bestiality

Leviticus 19:20-22Fornication with bondmaid

Leviticus 19:29Don't prostitute your daughter

Leviticus 20:10-21Death penalty for adultery, incest, homosexuality, bestiality

Leviticus 21:7Don't marry a whore or divorcee

Leviticus 21:9-10Daughter of priest who is a whore shall be burnt

Leviticus 21:13-15High priest shall marry only a Levite virgin

Deuteronomy 21:10-14Wives of captives

Deuteronomy 21:15-17Two wives and inheritance

Deuteronomy 22:13-21Proof of virginity

Deuteronomy 22:22-24Death penalty for adultery and fornication

Deuteronomy 22:25-27Rape

Deuteronomy 22:28-30Shotgun wedding

Deuteronomy 23:17-18Lesbians and homosexuals

Deuteronomy 24:1-4Divorce and remarriage

Deuteronomy 24:5Newlyweds

Deuteronomy 25:5-10Levirate  law  (widow  to  marry  nearest unwed relative

Deuteronomy 25:11-12Woman not to grab a man by his secrets

Deuteronomy 27:20-23Curse for incest and bestiality

Interracial Marriage

Genesis 6:1-13Interracial marriage

Genesis 26:34-35Esau's marriage to Hittite was a grief to Isaac and Rebekkah

Genesis 34:14Interracial marriage is a reproach

Exodus 34:16Interracial marriage

Deuteronomy 7:1-5Don't intermarry

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Deuteronomy 5:18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him....20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

Genesis 19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Exodus 21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

Exodus 22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Exodus 22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord. 7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness. 9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. 10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. 11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman. 14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. 15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness. 17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. 18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. 19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. 20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. 21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled; ) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.  29 For whosoever shall commit any of  these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. 13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. 15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. 16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. 18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity. 20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. 21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

Leviticus 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

Leviticus 21:9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire. 10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;

Leviticus 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. 15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the Lord do sanctify him.

Deuteronomy 21:10 When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. 14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou has humbled her.

Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Deuteronomy 22:13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 16 And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. 23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.

Deuteronomy 22:28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. 30 A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt.

Deuteronomy 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 24:5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

Deuteronomy 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. 6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

Deuteronomy 25:11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: 12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

Deuteronomy 27:20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. 21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. 22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Interracial Marriage

Genesis 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Genesis 26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Genesis 34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

Exodus 34:16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a-whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a-whoring after their gods.

Deuteronomy 7:1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.ê

The Eighth Commandment: Stealing

Exodus 20:15Don't Steal

Deuteronomy 5:19Don't Steal

Exodus 21:16Death for kidnapping

Exodus 22:1-15Thieves shall make restitution

Leviticus 19:11,13Don't steal; don't rob a hired person of his wages

Leviticus 19:35-36Just weights

Deuteronomy 19:14Don't remove a neighbors landmark

Deuteronomy 22:1-4Restore lost merchandise

Deuteronomy 23:24-25Helping yourself to a few grapes is not stealing

Deuteronomy 24:7Slave traders shall die

Deuteronomy 25:13-16Just weights and measures

Deuteronomy 27:17Cursed be he that removes his neighbors landmark

Usury

Exodus 22:25-27No  usury  to  poor  of thy people; neighbor's raiment

Leviticus 25:35-38Take no usury or increase of thy poor brother

Deuteronomy 23:19-20No usury to your brother; you may lend usury to a stranger

Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

Deuteronomy 5:19 Neither shalt thou steal.

Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Exodus 22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. 7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. 9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: 11 Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. 14 And if a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. 15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another....13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Leviticus 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Deuteronomy 22:1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. 2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again. 3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself. 4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

Deuteronomy 23:24 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.

Deuteronomy 24:7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 25:13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 27:17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Usury

Exodus 22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

Leviticus 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. 36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. 38 I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

Deuteronomy 23:19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.ê

The Ninth Commandment: Lying

Exodus 20:16Don't lie

Deuteronomy 5:20Don't lie

Exodus 23:1Don't raise a false report

Exodus 23:7Keep far from a false matter

Leviticus 6:1-5Deceitfulness and lying

Leviticus 19:11-12Don't deal falsely and lie

Leviticus 19:16Don't be a talebearer (slanderer)

Numbers 30:1-16Vows are not to be broken

Deuteronomy 19:15-21False witnesses

Deuteronomy 23:21-23Vows shall be kept

Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Deuteronomy 5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus 23:1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

Exodus 23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

Leviticus 6:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.

Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.

Numbers 30:1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. 2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. 3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; 4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered aught out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her. 9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; 11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity. 16 These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. 16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; 18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. 20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. 21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.ê

The Tenth Commandment:  Coveting

Exodus 20:17Don't Covet

Deuteronomy 5:21Don't Covet

Deuteronomy 23:24-25Eating from neighbors crops

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 23:24 When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.ê

Biblical Liberty and Freedom

In the United States it is July 4, Independence Day.  In Canada, it is July 1, Canada Day, or Dominion Day.  In France it is Bastille Day, July 14.  Each free country has a special day celebrating national freedom.

America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution refer to man's inalienable rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," of a "more perfect union."  The American flag salute refers to "one nation under God...with liberty and justice for all.  United States currency has the motto "In God We Trust."  The National Anthem refers to America as the "land of the free."

Yet neither the founding fathers, nor today's leaders, know the true meaning of liberty and freedom.  Let us examine what the Bible says about liberty and freedom and see the Almighty's perspective.

Philadelphia's liberty bell has an inscription from Leviticus 25:10: "proclaim liberty [from the Hebrew root meaning "to move rapidly," #1865 derowr] throughout all the land."  True liberty, the true jubilee, comes only at the Kingdom of God, the Millennium, Isaiah 61:1-11, Luke 4:16-21.

Because Judah didn't proclaim liberty to their Hebrew servants, God proclaimed liberty to them, a "liberty" to the sword, pestilence and famine, Jeremiah 34:8-22.

Truth makes one truly free.  Sin produces bondage.  Psalms 119:45, John 8:31-36, II Peter 2:18-19.  Human freedom is doing what is right in our own eyes, Judges 21:25.  Being human is slavery.  We live but a short time.  To be a resurrected child of God is true liberty, Romans 8:20-23.

According to the Bible definition, a "liberated woman" is a widow whose husband is dead, being free to marry another, I Corinthians 7:39.  She is NOT free to marry just anyone: only another believer, Romans 7:3.  Although free from the law of her husband, a widow can face economic hardships.

Don't offend others is the message of I Corinthians 10:19-33.  Verse 29 (Amplified) "I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours, [do not eat it].  For why should another man's scruples apply to me, and my liberty of action be determined [restricted] by his conscience?"  The reason why we sometimes have to restrict our liberty for the sake of others is to not lead others into sin, to help save others, verses 32-33.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is,  there is liberty -- emancipation from  bondage,  freedom," II Corinthians 3:17 (Amplified).  Christ brought us into liberty.  Don't let others bring you back into bondage, Galatians 2:4, 5:1, 13.  The basis for liberty is God's law, James 1:25, 2:12, Romans 8:2, being led by the Jerusalem which is above, Galatians 4:22-31.  Having liberty means that we must be more responsible for our actions, I Peter 2:16-17.

The free gift of Christ's sacrifice made many free, Romans 5:15-18.  Freedom from sin makes you a slave of righteousness, Romans 6:16-23, I Corinthians 7:21-22, 9:19.

Symbols such as the Statue of Liberty inspire the world to the human ideals of liberty, equality, fraternity (brotherhood).  Indeed, the United States of America is blessed materially beyond all other nations.  Yet with all its "liberty," America leads the world in lawlessness, divorce, homosexuality and many other sins. Liberty, as we have seen, makes one more responsible for his or her actions. True liberty comes only from obeying the Eternal, being His slave.  Only when His Kingdom comes will there be true "liberty and justice for all."

The "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" will have all their dreams fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.  "Give me liberty or give me death!" was the call of American patriot Patrick Henry.  Every human being will have the freedom of choice, according to God's purpose when He calls them.  Let us choose life and liberty now, instead of slavery to Satan and death.

Liberty and Law

R.J. Rushdoony, in his book Law and Liberty (1984: Ross House Books, Vallecito, California) discusses the relationship between law and liberty.  The dictionary definition of liberty is "The state of being exempt from the domination of others or from restricting circumstances."  But who is free from domination of others?  Even the President of the United States, is subject to Congress.  According to this narrow definition,  perhaps only God is absolutely free.  But even God is not free to do anything because He has said He cannot lie, so He can't, because He won't!

If we give any person unlimited liberty to be "above the law" the result is anarchy, chaos.  Unless every man's liberty is limited by law, no liberty is possible for any man.  That is why we deplore ministers who claim to be "above the law."

Rushdoony concludes that one of the basic premises of the American system and a basic article of the Christian faith, is that man's liberty is under law.  On the contrary, moral anarchism insists that liberty can be gained only by freedom FROM law.  The end result of moral anarchy is always freedom from liberty!

Limited liberty is the only kind of liberty possible to man.  Liberty goes hand in hand with responsibility.  Those who believe in true liberty must be constantly vigilant or they will lose their liberties. With the Almighty's help, they will "confirm thy soul with self-control, thy liberty in "law."ê

This article was originally published as Study No. 104.

Philo:  Classical Expounder of Law, Sabbaths

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The entire Bible is based on Love to God, and Love to Others

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Two Great Laws of Love

Recently I was surprised to find someone else writing almost exactly like our material on Biblical Law.  This writer explained how all the laws and statutes of the Almighty relate to one or more of the Ten Commandments.  He said, "the Ten Covenants [Commandments] are summaries of the special laws which are recorded in the Sacred Books and run through the whole of the legislation."  (Decalogue, 154). In other words, "The Ten Words, as they are called, [are] the main heads under which are summarized the Special Laws . . . ."  (Special Laws, 1).

This is the main point of our book, Biblical Law, which expands Messiah's statement in Matthew 22:36-40 that all the law and the prophets hang on the two great laws:  Love the Almighty, and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.  These two great Laws of Love are summaries of the Ten Commandments.  

Philo, a "Modern" Ancient Supporter of God's Laws

This writer who sounds like me is ancient Philo, who died about 1,950 years ago!  We came to similar conclusions without any knowledge of one another.

Philo of Alexandria, often called Philo Judaeus (c. 30 B.C. to c.úA.D.ú40), was a famous classical Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, called "the first theologian."  Philo was well versed in pagan Greek philosophy, including Plato.  However, Philo wrote extensively to gain the acceptance, if not the conversion, of Greeks to Judaism.  He recognized the Pentateuch as having divine authority and containing all truth.  In the books of Moses, Philo found doctrines which paralleled some of the teachings of the Greeks, but were on a much higher level.  Philo argued that much of Greek philosophy in large part came from Moses.  In an age of liberal Hellenistic Judaism, Philo seems to stand as a bulwark in support of the keeping of the Almighty's Law{1}.

Philo's teachings seem strikingly modern.  If I didn't know any better, I might think he "lifted" his writings from Sabbath-keeping ministers of today. 

Honor Your Parents:  Pivotal Commandment

Actually, Philo may have expounded some points better than I did.  He divides the Ten Commandments into two equal parts of five each, while I have divided them into four and six.  The Eternal wrote the Commandments on two tables of stone.  According to Philo, the Fifth Commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother," is the last of the commandments affecting our relationship with God, rather than the first of the commandments

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The Fifth Commandment connects the laws relating to loving God and loving our fellowman.

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affecting our relationship with our neighbor.  The first set of five "begins with God the Father and Maker of all, and ends with parents who copy" His nature by begetting particular persons.  "The other set of five contains all the prohibitions namely adultery, murder, theft, false witness, covetousness or lust."  (Decalogue, 51)

Philo's reasoning is not just Greek Hellenistic philosophy, but it makes sound spiritual sense.  " . . . parents by their nature stand on the border line between the mortal and the immortal side of existence, the mortal because of their kinship with men . . . through the perishableness of the body; the immortal because the act of generation assimilates them to God, the generator of the All."  Some seekers after truth overemphasize the last set of the Commandments, being "lovers of men."  Others assume that only the first set of Commandments are important, and are falsely pious.  One cannot neglect any of the commandments. "Both come but halfway in virtue" says Philo, because the Ten Commandments are the summary of God's way of life.  Honoring one's parents does indeed bridge the two sets of Commandments.  (Decalogue, 106-110).

The Sabbath According to Philo

"The fourth commandment," Philo says, "deals with the sacred seventh day, that it should be observed in a reverent and religious manner . . . . [and men should] rest on the seventh and turn to the study of wisdom . . . " (Decalogue, 96-98).

Philo concludes:  "Again, the experience of those who keep the seventh day is that both body and soul are benefitted in two most essential ways.  The body is benefitted by the recurrence of respite from continuous and wearisome toil, the soul by the excellent conceptions which it receives of God as the world-maker and guardian of what He has begotten.  For He brought all things to their completion on the seventh day.  These things shew clearly that he who gives due value to the seventh day gains value for himself,"  (Special Laws, II, 260).

"On this day we are commanded to abstain from all work, not because the law inculcates slackness; on the contrary it always inures men to endure hardship and incites them to labour . . . .   Its object is rather to

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Philo understood the spiritual meaning of the Sabbath and Holy Days.

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 give men relaxation from continuous and unending toil and by refreshing their bodies with a regularly calculated system of remissions, to send them out renewed to their old activities . . . .  Further, when He forbids bodily labour on the seventh day, He permits the exercise of the higher activities, namely, those employed in the study of the principles of virtue's lore . . . knowledge and perfection of the mind." (Special Laws, II 60-64).

Festival Fellowship

Philo groups the feasts and holy days, as well as the land sabbath and jubilee year under the Fourth Commandment.   He says that traveling to the Festivals is an important spiritual life exercise.  Festival goers leave behind them the cares of daily life, and "enjoy a brief breathing-space in scenes of general cheerfulness.  Thus filled with comfortable hopes they devote the leisure, as is their bounden duty, to holiness and honouring of God.  Friendships are formed between those who hitherto knew not each other . . . [and the mutual festivities] are the occasion of reciprocity of feeling and constitute the surest pledge that all are of one mind." (Special Laws, I, 69-70). 

"Proselytes," or newly-joined members of the spiritual community, have equal rank with the long time native born members, who are to give them "special friendship" and "more than ordinary goodwill . . . .  For the most effectual love-charm, the chain which binds indissolubly the goodwill which makes us one is to honour the one God,"  (Special Laws, I, 51-53).

Ten Important Feasts

Philo enumerates ten different feasts in the Law:

            1.         Feast of Every Day

            2.         Sabbath

            3.         New Moon

            4.         Pascha, "the Crossing-feast" (Passover)

            5.         Feast of Unleavened Bread

            6.         Festival of the Sheaf

            7.         Feast of First-products (Weeks, Pentecost)

            8.         Trumpet Feast

            9.         the Fast (Day of Atonement)

            10.       Feast of Tabernacles

The first, which may come as a surprise to some, Philo calls "the feast of every day."  Every day, according to Numbers 28:3-4, daily sacrifices were offered in the tabernacle and later the Temple.  The entire life of the wise follower of the Almighty is "one continuous feast."  The wicked cannot keep a Feast.

Like Josephus, Philo places the Wavesheaf Day on Nisan 16, whereas we feel the Scriptural evidence points to the Sunday following the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Philo draws a number of conclusions as to the spiritual meaning of the festivals, which you can discover for yourself when you read his excellent books.  Obviously, the Sabbaths had great meaning to this Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, Egypt.

Adultery the Greatest Crime

Since he lists the sixth commandment as the first of the last five commandments, Philo concludes that adultery is the vilest of physical sins.  (Decalogue 121).  This is consistent with New Testament teaching.  Notice that in Galatians 5:19-21, sexual sins are listed first among the "works of the flesh."

Philo correctly understands that the priests had to fulfil strict qualifications, among them being physical and spiritual perfection, marrying only a virgin, and never a divorced woman or widow.  Echoing what Paul would write decades later, in I Timothy 3, Philo states, "For the rights and duties of the priesthood are of a special kind, and the office demands an even tenor of blamelessness from birth to death." (Special Laws, I, 103).  Would to God that today Messianic believers would always follow the Bible qualifications for the ministry, and not allow men tainted with adultery to occupy the office of elder or minister.   "For in the souls of the repentant there remain,"  Philo notes, "in spite of all, the scars and prints of their old misdeeds," (104).

In classical Greek and Roman times, sexual sins abounded.  The Oedipus Complex (marrying one's mother), pederasty (sodomy practiced by a man with a boy), and bestiality were common among Greeks.  Philo unequivocally shows that the laws of God condemn such practices:  "These persons are rightly judged worthy of death by those who obey the law . . . ," (III, 38).  In an age where it was common to cast live, unwanted children in the wilderness to die from exposure, Philo showed how the principle of the Laws given through Moses "pronounced the sentence of death against those who cause the miscarriage [abortion] of mothers in cases where the foetus is fully formed," (III, 117).

Philo Condemns Unclean Foods

It may seem strange at first glance, but Philo places the laws of clean and unclean meats under the Tenth Commandment, which forbids coveting or lusting.  He explains that the Eternal prohibits the eating of the unclean animals partly because they are the most appetizing and to abstain from them requires self-control.  Eating such things leads to "gluttony, an evil very dangerous both to soul and body . . . .  Now among the different kinds of land animals there is none whose flesh is so delicious as the pig's, as all who eat it agree, and among the aquatic animals the same may be said of such species as are scaleless."   How true!  Mankind apart from God has a natural inclination to lust after what the Creator forbids.

Philo Supports Calculated Calendar Rules

Living in Alexandria, Egypt, Philo was too far from Jerusalem to receive notification of "official" new moon sightings from the Sanhedrin.  Since he obviously believed in and observed the Holy Days, how did Philo know when the Eternal's Feast Days occurred?  By calculation!  Philo says that the length from one New Moon to another, for the beginning of the lunar month, "has been accurately calculated in the astronomical schools,"  (Special Laws, II, 140). 

Furthermore, Philo says that the Sabbath and the day preceding it (sixth day of the week) are both taken into account by the Almighty in reckoning feast times, including the crucial "holy-month day," or Day of Trumpets.  (Decalogue, 159).

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Calendar rules of calculation with observation were in effect in Philo's time.

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Here in simple terms by a contemporary of the New Testament Church, is an exact description of the so-called "Jewish" calendar rules which some "observable calendar" proponents say were invented by Simon III, the Jewish Patriarch in the second century, A.D., or even by Hillel II in the fourth century, A.D.!  

The molad of Tishri resulting in the calculation of the proper Day of Trumpets is the key to determining the Holy Days.  And the Day of Trumpets can never fall on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday.  The key to this rule is that the Holy Days (with one scriptural exception explained in section 9 of Biblical Holy Days) require a day of preparation so as to protect the sanctity of the Sabbath.  Wise Philo understood the basis for the calendar rules, while many today ignore these spiritual principles.

Conclusion

Philo of Alexandria was amazing.  Instead of espousing liberal Hellenistic paganized ideas on the one hand, or narrow-minded Pharisaical concepts on the other hand, he obtains a reasonable balance.  Philo was a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth. When Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to Egypt, Philo may have been already teaching in Alexandria. Some of Philo's writings about love and charity sound like the Beatitudes.  Philo was certainly a man for all times.  His principles sound strikingly modern.

Philo's excellent exposition of the Law is very helpful today.  Unfortunately, Philo believed in the immortality of the soul, that the soul was imprisoned in the body and released only at death.  But nevertheless, ancient Philo's expositions of God's Law have great relevance for today's lawbreaking society.  The Creator's laws are on a divine plane, and a proper understanding of their inter-relationship and importance is essential to the liberation and eventual elevation of the human mind.  Philo put a magnifying glass on the divine law of God.  The Messiah further magnified the Law and made it honorable.ê

Note:  This article was originally published as Bible Study No. 129.

Recommended Reading on Bible Law

Digest of Divine Law, by Howard Rand, published by Destiny Publications, PO Box 177, Merrimac, MA  01860.

The Institutes of Biblical Law, by Rousas John Rushdoony, published by The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1973.

Law and Society, Volume II of the Institutes of Biblical Law, by Rousas John Rushdoony, published by Ross House Books, PO Box 67, Vallecito, CA  95251, 1982.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?Study No. 103

Although the scriptures were written primarily about or to a specific group of people at specific times in history, God in His wisdom laid down living spiritual principles that apply to all of mankind throughout the history of this world.

One of these basic living principles is found in Micah 6:8, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

Have you ever asked yourself, "What does God really expect of me?"  Here's your answer.  Notice He is not suggesting. Nor is He asking or encouraging.  He is REQUIRING that we do the works of Justice and the works of Mercy as we live (actively) in humble fellowship with Him.

The scriptures speak often of Works.  So much so that we must recognize there are Works to be done in those who belong to Him. Let's look at some of these in order to help us fulfill what God requires of us.

It says in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good WORKS and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Romans 2:6 states, "Who will render to every man according to his DEEDS."  Notice that God will remember us not for our faith, nor by how much knowledge we possess or for our ideas, but by our WORKS.

Another interesting scripture that seems to overwhelm us is John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."  Yes, Christ said if we believe in Him we will do not only the same works He did, but even GREATER WORKS.  That means more both in quantity and quality.

Have we ever asked ourselves, "What more should I be doing?" Isn't this the theme of Christ's Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7?  He continually makes a comparison of what was believed or practiced by the people and then gently and precisely tells them they should be doing "more."  Matthew 5:43-44 is an example.  He stated, "You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."  Verse 47 really drives the point home: "And if you salute your brethren, only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"

As believers in Jesus Christ we should really be doing "more" than others, much much more.  Read verse 48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."  He didn't say, perfect in comparison to other human beings, but "as your Father is perfect."  His Son, who always did His Father's will, did more than others and He said we would also be able to do more because He was to go to His Father.

As you study Verse 48 you will see that it is not a mere suggestion, a request, nor even encouragement to do better. Instead we find it is a requirement.  Yes, if you will, it is a command from the Son of God.

How can this be?  How can we be perfect (spiritually mature) just as God is perfect?

If we can accept what we have just read and believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind, and that He lived and died because of the Father's great love for us, then because of that love for us, He has provided a Way for us to fulfill that commandment, to be perfect, just as He is perfect.

Can we determine that way?  It has something to do with our relationship with God and Works.

Most of us believe that we have been called and chosen by God. But why?  What is the purpose of His choosing us now? John 15:16 puts it this way, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide...."  We should observe two things here: first, we are to go out, not stay in our comfortable nest, and secondly, we are ordained to produce, perform, and work.

The Scriptures amply testify to this teaching.  Read John 15:1-8. To demonstrate, or prove, that we are His disciples, we "bear much fruit."  Also, the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:4-20 shows us those who hear the Word and receive it will produce much fruit.  Some "thirty, sixty and a hundred fold."  Therefore, those who understand the Word and accept it will then apply these truths and the results will be production, fruits or works.

Bearing good fruit then is producing good works.

We might ask, "Who am I to perform these greater works?  How can I do more than Christ?"  After all, I read in Isaiah 64:6 that "we are as an unclean thing and all our righteousness is as filthy rags."  Even the Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing."

Yes, but we know our Father is creating in us a clean heart by the washing with the Word, that we may be clothed in white garments, Psalms 51:10, Ephesians 5:26, Revelation 3-4-5.  So then, how do we get into this "washing machine?"  How far do we have to go for this cleansing?

As God was training the Israelites, He used obedience to the Law as His cleansing agent.  Read Deuteronomy 30 for example, noting verses 11-14 where He said that the commandment is not too difficult for us.  Neither is it far off, someplace else.  No, He said the word is very near you, it is in your mouth, and in your heart, so that "you can do it."  God was not withholding or hiding His cleansing agent from them.

Keep in mind that the written word was specifically designed to bring us to the Living Word.

How far then do we in this age have to go for cleansing?  Read Romans 10:1-11 and you will see that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, that every one who has faith may be justified. We don't have to go someplace else to find Christ.  The Living Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.

Jesus Christ is real and He is alive and God expects us to bear fruit as we are attached to the Vine, and we can do it. Philippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  IN CHRIST is the key to understanding Works. We are in Christ when we perform HIS WORKS--not our works.

Think about this for a moment.  Many believers have been stressing "our" ACTIVE life -- what we should be striving to do, what we must accomplish -- when in truth it is the PASSIVE (yielding) response God wants from us.

The Apostle Paul understood this.  In the epitome of the passive response, Paul in Romans 1:1 acknowledged that he was "a SLAVE of Jesus Christ."  He had given himself completely over to Christ. He loved his Savior enough to make that 100% commitment of his life.

The  other Apostles also understood and made that Passive commitment of voluntary slavery. James 1:1, "James, a slave of God and our Lord Jesus Christ." II Peter 2:1, "Simon Peter, a slave and Apostle of God."  Jude 1, "Jude a slave of Jesus Christ."

Think for a moment about the physical slave/master relationship. The slave's only purpose of existing is to serve his master.  The master has complete control over him and the slave must do the master's work, when he wants him to do it, and how he wants it accomplished.  The master has the right to interrupt the slave's life anytime and any manner he chooses.  You mean He can make me move from my present location to somewhere else?  Yes He can!  A wise and gentle master will give the directions and the necessary equipment to complete the job and leave the application to the servant.  As the servant becomes qualified -- by experience -- the master gives him greater and greater authority and responsibility.  Eventually, as time and circumstances permit, the slave could have all authority and power.  Consider the story of Joseph and the Egyptian Pharaoh as a type, Genesis 41:37-46.

So it is with our Spiritual Master who gives us the direction, the authority and the power to WORK.  It is God's WORK -- not ours -- that is accomplished.  The results of His works, therefore, are also His responsibility.

If we can accept this knowledge that it is our PASSIVE response God desires, then it does away with those things that may inhibit us, such as: fear of stepping out in faith -- the results are His responsibility; our lack of talents or qualifications -- it's His power; our ideas of righteousness -- it's His righteousness.  We can all have this passive response!  It is God's realm that we have access to enter.  We are free!  Free to become slaves of Jesus Christ and God the Father.

Read Romans 6:15-23 for a brief summary of freedom, slavery, obedience and righteousness, and yielding ourselves to God.  It's OUR choice.  Also, in Romans 12:1-2, Paul put it this way, "I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

The problem comes for most of us when we get into a "comfort zone" in how we view our relationship with God.

Study John 12:24-26 where Christ discusses the production process for the believers: "Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

God's message has always been the same: Today I set before you good and evil, life and death, choose life and live.  Its OUR choice!  Yield, commit, present yourself to God.  LOVE God.

When the Works are done through us rather than by us, then -- at last -- we will do those greater works Christ was talking about in John 14:12!!!

As we make this passive commitment of ourselves to the Father He will continue the transformation process and produce Jesus Christ within us -- PERFECTLY.  They will make their abode within us.

Then, in Christ, we can fulfill what God REQUIRES of us: to perform His justice, to apply His love and mercy and finally to walk humbly in a deep abiding fellowship with our God.

---written by Jerry Laws

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FOOTNOTES********************************

{1}       Volumes VII and VIII of Philo's works, containing The Decalogue, The Special Laws, On the Virtues, and On Rewards and Punishments, are available at any good public library or Christian bookstore.