STRM Newsletter 28 February 2015 – The Eighth Commandment “You shall not steal”

by | Mar 1, 2015 | Blog

The Eighth Commandment “You shall not steal” gives us clear instruction about how we are to behave in relation to other people’s property. This Commandment is further expanded in Exodus chapter 22 to include the doctrine of restitution. This idea that the one who causes loss must make good that which was damaged or stolen is a key principle in out modern legal code. The prophet Malachi challenges us “Will a man rob The Mighty One?” There has been so much abuse of the principle of tithing by the corporate churches and televangelists of all denominations that we are understandably concerned about doing what is right before YHWH but at the same time not being scammed by slick preachers who merchandize the flock of YHWH. Y’HoWShUA clearly demonstrated His attitude to this when drove out the money changers from the temple. He also stated “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to The Mighty One, that which belongs to Him”. Obviously all of creation, including our lives and very spirits belongs to YHWH. So have we become so focused on the physical issue of tithing that we have missed out on the spiritual principle? Our Savior admonished us, “You tithe in mint, cumin and anise but neglect the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy and faith”. We must also stand apart from the dangerous attitudes we hear in our society based around the concept of situational ethics. The idea that a little white lie, or no harm no foul, are acceptable behaviors is not appropriate for us, the saints. There is one absolute standard, the example of...

STRM Newsletter 21 February 2015 – The Seventh Commandment

by | Feb 22, 2015 | Blog

“You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14). Few professing Christians would make the case that physical adultery is acceptable in the eyes of YHWH but the majority commit spiritual fornication on a daily basis. The Seventh Commandment “You shall not commit adultery”, leads us into the regulations on sexual morality which are expanded in the latter part of Leviticus chapter 20. The beginning of this chapter talks of the abdominal pagan practice of offering child sacrifice to Molech and idolatry, which YHWH considers to be spiritual prostitution. So we find a duality between the physical behavior of a nation and its spiritual state. Y’HoWShUA expanded even further on these laws when He stated that whoever looks at a woman with lust in his heart has committed adultery. Doing so He fulfilled the law by moving it from an external piece of legislation to an internal way of behaving. He then went further to reinforce the sanctity of marriage and forbid divorce for all reasons except sexual immorality. YHWH divorced the house of Israel because of their spiritual fornication and then watched as the House of Judah went on to commit even greater spiritual fornication. This ultimately resulted in His wrath, as a scorned husband, being poured out on the people, firstly on Israel with the Assyrian captivity and then on Judah with the Babylonian exile. As we look at our society today, we see the outward physical manifestation of our sexual promiscuity – pornography, hyper-sexualization of our children, pedophilia, teenage pregnancy, divorce and broken homes. This is mirrored internally with our spiritual decay and the failure of our churches...