What does God declare concerning these Commandments?
He says: "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments,"
What in meant by this Declaration?
God threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments; we should therefore dread His displeasure and not act contrarily to these commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep them; we should therefore love and trust in him, and cheerfully do what he has commanded us.
A JEALOUS GOD. God claims our highest love, and is grieved and offended if we turn our affections away from Him and disobey His law. He will punish or bless men according as they hate or love Him: [Rom. 2:6-10, Deut. 11:26-28, Gal. 6:7-8] "to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him," and "unto thousands of them that love Him and keep His commandments."
1. Whom? ALL THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS THESE COMMANDMENTS [Rom: 1:18+, Lev 26:14-15, Isa 59:2, Ezek. 18:4+, Rom. 6:23+] by commission, (doing what is forbidden) or omission (not doing what is commanded), whether it be transgression by deed or word or thought. Every transgression, great or small, is sin, and makes men guilty and punishable. [Gal. 3:10]
2. Why? Because justice demands it. [Gal. 6:7+] God cannot be unjust. He cannot overlook or excuse sin. [Eccl. 11:9] Earthly governments must and do punish offenders, or they would be unjust to those persons who obey the law. A law without a penalty would amount to nothing. God, who governs the universe, is and must be just. [Gen. 18:25+]
3. How?
In this World God punishes sin by Pangs of Conscience; [Matt. 26:75, Matt. 27:3-4] Pains and Sufferings which are the results of wrong-doing, [Jer. 17:10] e.g., the results of drunkenness and licentiousness; Legal Penalties which the State, as God's servant to punish crime, inflicts by fines, imprisonment and hanging; [Rom. 13:4] Special Judgments upon individuals [1 Cor. 10:5] in the form of sickness, accidents and reverses, though we must remember that afflictions are not always a judgment, but are often sent upon the godly as a chastening; [Heb. 12:6+] General Judgments upon wicked communities, such as that which God sent upon Sodom and Gomorrah. [Gen. 19:24]
Children are often obliged to suffer for the sins of their parents. [Jer. 31:29] If the children also are wicked, their sufferings are a punishment; [Ezek. 18:20, Prov. 3:12, Rom. 8:28] if they are godly, their sufferings are a chastening.
In the Next World God will punish by Exclusion from Heaven and from His Presence; [Matt. 22:13] and by Eternal Misery in Hell. [Rev. 21:8, Matt. 25:41]
GOD PROMISES GRACE AND EVERY BLESSING. [Rom. 2:10+]
1. To Whom? TO ALL WHO KEEP THESE COMMANDMENTS. It is true, all men are sinners, and no one keeps these commandments perfectly. [Rom. 3:23+] But the godly try earnestly to keep them, [I Cor. 9:27] and are truly sorry for every failure to do so. [Rom. 7:24] To them, therefore, God promises grace and every blessing.
2. Why? God will bless them, not because they have earned a reward, but because He is merciful and gracious. [Ps. 103:11+, Joel 2:13] We cannot earn anything from God but punishment. His blessing is bestowed upon us solely as a gift of grace.
3. How?
In this World God blesses the godly with: Peace of Heart; [John 14:27] His Favor and Guidance; [Ps. 34:15+] True Success in Life; [Rom. 8:28] and a Blessed Hope of Salvation. [Rev. 2:10+]
Children and remote descendants share in the blessing of godly ancestors.
In the Next World God will grant them: Entrance into Heaven for Christ's Sake; [Matt. 25:34] and Eternal Glory and Blessedness. [John 14:2-3, Rev. 3:21]
A WARNING. An impenitent life will bring upon us God's punishment in time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE DREAD HIS DISPLEASURE, AND NOT ACT CONTRARILY TO THESE COMMANDMENTS.
AN ENCOURAGEMENT. A godly life will bring upon us God's blessing in time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE LOVE AND TRUST IN HIM, CHEERFULLY DO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED US.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US; for we have broken them by thought, word, and deed. [John 1:8-10+, Rom 3:23, Eccl 7:20, Jas 2:10+]
We are not able to keep them perfectly. [Rom 7:18-19] Consequently we cannot be saved by them. [Gal 3:11] They are meant to show us our sinfulness, [Rom 3:20] to lead us to repentance, and to direct as to Christ for salvation. [Gal 3:24] We can be saved only through Him. [John 14:6+, Acts 4:12+] We are taught concerning Christ, and confess our faith in Him in the Second Part of the Catechism which now follows, namely, The Creed.
QUESTIONS.—1. What does God mean when He says that He is a jealous God? 2. Whom will God punish? 3. Why will He punish? 4. How does He punish? 5. To whom does God promise grace and blessing? 6. Why will He bless them? 7. How will He bless them? 8. What warning is contained in the Conclusion of the Commandments? 9. What encouragement is contained in it? 10. Why can we not be saved by the Ten Commandments? 11. What are the Commandments meant to do? 12. How only can we be saved? 13, Where are we taught concerning Christ?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—Rom. 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Ezek. 18:4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Rom. 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gal. 6:7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gen. 18:25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Heb. 12:6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.
Rom. 2:10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.
Rom. 3:23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Ps. 103:11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Ps. 34:1-5. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Rev. 2:10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
I John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Jas. 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
John 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
READING.—The Fall into Sin and its Punishment, Gen. 3.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Punishment: Adam and Eve; Cain, Gen. 4:9-15; The Deluge, Gen. 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19; The Ten Plagues, Exod. 7-12; Korah, Numb. 16; Saul, I Sam. 15; The Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities, II Kings 17, II Kings 25. Blessing: Abraham, Gen. 12:2; Joseph, Gen. 45:4-8; David, II Sam. 7:16; Cornelius, Acts 4:10.
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