THE OPPOSITE OF TRUTH

Romans 1: 18-32

The Reformer's Fire

Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 78:

What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

Answer 78:

The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name.

 

Have you ever been disappointed in the behavior of another person? By that I mean did you have expectations of behavior for a relative, friend or public official that did not measure up? Let me give you several examples.

First, after the warm glow of the Reagan years we learned that the first lady had regularly consulted an interpreter of the zodiac. I was profoundly disappointed when I heard that and it took the edge off of the love that I felt for my all time favorite first family.

Second, another older pastor once shared his concern for a grown child who just couldn't get his act together socially, financially or familially. You could tell from his voice that that was one of the great disappointments of his life.

Third, I once shared tears with some people of another congregation whose pastor had been found in bed with the spouse of one of their members. The congregation never recovered its viability after that, yes it has limped along but the extreme disgust public disgrace and disappointment that came from that tragedy affected their ability to function.

If in any way shape or form you have experienced such a disappointment, then you can better understand the disappointment of our God in heaven every time you choose to sin! But God is patient and long suffering and He has covered your sin with the blood of His own Son - Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that we are to sin all the more so that grace may abound! Far be it, we are called to live quite and godly lives giving public credit for what the Lord has done for us.

Private disappointments are hard to take, but public ones are even worse. Thank goodness, only God knows the full depravity of our personal mindset and by God's grace and the enabling of the Holy Spirit we are usually able to live lives somewhat free of public scandal. But then every once in a while - other people discover what we are truly like. Married couples usually need about two years for reality to sink in - then their love changes as they adapt to the reality of life. So it is within Christ's Church as well.

I think I was a pastor for about two years before I realized that my first congregation was imperfect! So is my second as well! And by now, all of you have known me long enough to realize that I fall very short of perfection with my own faults and character flaws as well. Any one with delusions of finding a perfect congregation or denomination in this life is setting themselves up for a great disappointment. Certainly, our session works and witnesses to prevent the worst of public scandals that could dishonor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Discipline and Discipleship are indeed difficult callings. One reason we have gone out of our way to get as many people into weekly Bible studies is to give everyone a chance to apply the scriptures to their lives and thereby inoculate as many as we are able against the worst aspects of human living. The intention is to fill your minds with God's words, doctrines and warm fellowship so that you will not want anything other. Between the three studies and the Sunday morning adult class - we are able to reach almost 66% of our local adult membership. This is good and the fact of adding two Bible studies in the last few months has allowed us to even reach beyond our own little company of the committed to include some Christians apart from our little circle of friends and members. And this is the purpose of Christ's Church to build people up in the faith and inoculate them against the wickedness of the world by studying the truths of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

In this last decade of the 20th Century, this work is ever so much more important since we no longer have public opinion, family habits or ethical conduct taught in our local schools. One of the main reasons for my regular travel into Columbus was my realization over a decade ago, that neither my local church nor school was going to support or encourage the ethics and habits that I wished to imbue my sons with.

Several people have recently congratulated me for the public presence of my three sons. Of course, they do not know them like Sherry and I do, but it is comforting to bask a little from public perceptions. One of the people who noticed was a teacher who wondered why our boys behaved and worked beyond their years. I simply pointed out that my intention, which was almost always at odds with the school program - was to raise up three adults capable of making their own way in the world. Of course, there is still room for spiritual growth and economic independence. And much of that we must leave in the Lord's hands.

Home, Church & School have always the most profound impact when all three are working together to raise up the next generation. As we look at the terrible description of a society gone wild in our passage from Romans, well may we comprehend how difficult it is to fill the minds of our children with the truths of scripture when all around us any notions of truth are considered quaint or even wicked. Very fast, our American society is learning to uphold what is bad and wicked while at the same time redefining the teachings and activities of Christ's true churches as the worst dogma to ever infect mankind.

As I read through the Larger Catechism's laundry list of sins forbidden by the ninth commandment, I was impressed that we could easily spend a solid year considering what beliefs and activities are effectually the real opposite of the truth revealed by God. As one popular proverb goes "everything you say and everything you do" fails to please at least half the population. How much greater are the holiest expectations of our God and King not being met! Now, I do not want to disappoint anyone in their spiritual journey through sanctification. I am not calling for an increased pressure to perform fundamentally as a Christian.

No indeed, as we wind down our year long study of God's Ten Commandments, I earnestly want to leave you with an awesome sense of humility that it is impossible for any human, except the person of Jesus, to please the Creator God of the universe with godly living. A thorough study of the commandments must lead us to that conclusion. In the awesome calling to holiness imposed by a right understanding of the commandments, we learn over and over and over the great necessity for grace. Day by day, we fall short of obeying even the least of the commandments and thus earn for ourselves God's righteous judgment. Look at our catechism question for today:

"The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name."

A few short decades ago, this calling was much easier because the whole culture was better filled with the ethics and civilization inherit within the Biblical context. Yes, fallen men and women there still were aplenty, but with the limitations of the social order based on the common truths of the commandments, the most fallen creatures were easily observed and avoided. Well did C.S. Lewis write in the fifties that it wouldn't be so very long before the Christian life style would shine out like fireflies at dusk. Yes, as Christians we are called to live a life pleasing to our Father in heaven, but we no longer have the solid community structures to make certain that we live better than we might want.

Thus we need not only the life saving power of salvation in Christ, but the regular presence of the Holy Spirit day by day. Where do we find that? Look in your Bibles at the verses just prior to our passage in Romans today. Romans 1: 16-17

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

Faith in Jesus Christ as "the way the truth and the life", is the cornerstone of life in the Spirit. Recently there has surfaced a popular movement within evangelical christianity. It involves a whole panoply of T-shirts, bracelets and paraphernalia with the engraved letters: WWJD? Those wealthy entrepreneurs on their way to the bank have missed the whole point of our life in Christ. We cannot do what Jesus did - because we are unable. We desperately need the new birth and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit to reflect the light of Christ in our day and time. May the Lord bless us through the power of the Spirit as we diligently study God's love letters written to us over several thousand years. And as we read and listen, may we be moved to be better people than we are or want to be.

Amen.

Resources Used:
     Douma, J.              The Ten Commandments: Manual for the Christian Life.
     Green, James B.        A Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards.
     (PCA)                  The Confession of Faith: The Shorter Catechism.
     Watson, Thomas.        The Ten Commandments.

Places Preached:
      Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)      01 October 89
             Box 132049 --    Columbus, OH  43213-8049
             WSC078           02 August 98

Return to
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Westminster Shorter Catechism Series