Responding to the Moral Law of God – An Attitude of Grattitude!

God is glorified when His people respond to His commandments. The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit directs and energizes the believer to love God with all the heart (first four commands) and to love all individuals or neighbors as they love themselves (last six commandments). This is, in essense, responding to the moral law of God!

The Ten Commandments are commonly called the moral law of God. Obedience to them in no manner merits favor with God for salvation. The Holy Spirit, however, gives the direction and power to perform the righteous living that the responding to them bring. They are a guide and a delight to God’s people since obedience glorifies the Lord God. In responding to the commands of God we show our love to God and our fellow man. Living morally and ethically before a holy God is the call of Christians. In loving response to God’s word we sgow an “attitude of gratitude” toward God who has loved us immensely.

Notice the affect of the moral law of God in our life. Psalms 19:7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

And also note that our Lord was clear concerning those that responded properly to His commands are those that love Him and they are loved by the Holy Father! John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Listed below are the Ten Commandments. Many churches read these responsively in their weekly liturgical worship service along with the responses. It is important to notice that for every commandment there is a call from the New Testament to respond. So therefore how are we to respond to the moral law of God in order to Love God and our neighbor? Lets read each commandment and the proper response and we will sone discover this great truth and live with a true attitude of grattitude!

The First Commandment: Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

The New Testament Response:

1 Corinthians 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

The Second Commandment: Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for 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 shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

The New Testament Response:

.John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Third Commandment: Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

The New Testament Response:

Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

The Fourth Commandment: Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The New Testament Response.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:.1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

The Fifth Commandment: 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.

The New Testament Response:

Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Colossians 3:20-21 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Sixth Commandment: Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

The New Testament Response:

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:.Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him

The Seventh Commandment: Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

The New Testament Response:

Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

The Eight Commandment: Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

The New Testament Response:

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

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

The New Testament Response:

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

The Tenth Commandment: 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.

The New Testament Response:

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

When understood and properly responded to the commands provide and protect the people of God. They provide a righteous way to live and they protect God’s people from the hardships of sin.

In Conclusion:

Remember this all important lesson many of us have learned - “sin will take us farther down the road that than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to spend.”

The word of God, applied in the power of the Holy Spirit provides a righteous way to live and protects us from those hardships of sin.

Finally, responding to the moral law of God can only be done in the power of God. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). Only as you are linked to the vine will you grow in sanctification and kill the works of the flesh thereby glorifying God. Therefore let us remember that it is essential to read God’s word diligently, heeding the commands, and seeking in prayer the power from Christ to make application to our life resulting in proper response. Remember my brethern you can “do all things through Christ” who gives strength (Phil. 4:13).