I’m Duane Matz and
welcome to Today’s Living Word.
I want to continue talking
about the Ten Commandments today. You’ll find them in Exodus 20. With the
exception of “Remember the Sabbath Day,” they all begin with this phrase: “Thou shall
not.” And even on the Sabbath day we are told, “you shall do no work,” (read
that, thou shall not do any work.”
To do any of these
things that God forbids stirs up His wrath. Note well the setting of His
deliverance of these commands on Mt Sinai.
It was not chirping birds and harps, gentle brooks and flowery meadows!
Ex 19:16 Then it came
to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and
lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was
very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
This setting should
strike fear in all of us! In the matter of these “thou shalt nots,” God means terrifying
business. And if we were honest with
ourselves and took the time to let each one of these commands break through our
denials, we would have to admit we deserve His wrath!
What a despairing
situation for sinners like you and I, and those just delivered from Egypt,
Israelites. And right on the heels of the “thou shalt nots,” Moses says this: Ex
20:20 "Do not fear; for God has
come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not
sin."
The test is simple. Do
you fear the wrath of God? Do you desire to not sin? That’s called repentance,
and repentance is a necessary forerunner of the gospel, And the gospel when
rightly received, removes all fear.
Why? Because one
understands that the wrath of God against your sins was poured out on Jesus
Christ on the cross. All your dark and forboding “thou shalt nots” have been
paid for!
Proper fear of God
ushers in proper reception of the Gospel. Let the Law of God do it’s preparatory
work for the Gospel.
Tremble before the Law
but fear not from the Gospel. Jesus has paid for your sins.
I’m Duane Matz and that’s
Today’s Living Word
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