Bible Matters 412: Lord’s Commandments  

By now it should come as no surprise to you that the eight witnesses did not testify to the truth in God’s word out of the mouth of one witness.  God wants women to serve equally with men in the New Testament, See Bible Matters 275 Serving Jesus.  Only one witness Paul, spoke out against women serving in the church equal with men.  Likewise, when we think of the New Testament Commandments, we also know that the witnesses, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Peter walked with Jesus.  As Jesus’s brothers, James and Jude knew him as one.  Let’s look at their testimonies.  As far as the commandments go, let’s review what the Lord has told you.

Matthew 5:19,21,27,31-32,43-44 – Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 19:17-19 – And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mark 10:17-21 – And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark 12:29-31 – And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Luke 18:20-22 – Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Jesus told you that when you love God the Father, you keep his commandments. 

John 14:15,31 – If ye love me, keep my commandments. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

John 15:10-12 – If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

2 John 1:6 – And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

John 8:12 – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

James is clear.  These commandments are treated individual.  If you break one commandment, then you break them all.  Give you heart to God and he will lift you up. 

James 2:11 – For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

James 4:7-8,10,17 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The love of God is perfected in you when you keep his commandments and abide in the light.  To obtain the promises, then keep yourself from the lusts of the flesh.   

1 John 2:3,5,7-8,10,15-16 – And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Peter 1:4 – Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

By doing the will of God, you will not pass away.

1 John 2:16-17 – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1 Peter 2:12,15-17 – Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.  Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

1 Peter 4:2 – That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Both Matthew and Luke caution you not to waste the days until the coming of the Lord

Matthew 24:48-51 – But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 12:45-46 –  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Luke 21:34 – And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

God’s commandments are clear for the New Testament believer:  Do not commit adultery; Do not kill; Do not steal; Do not bear false witness; Honor thy father and thy mother; Love God; Love neighbor.  If you break one of these, you break them all.  You are told to walk in the light doing the will of God with a pure heart and not serving the lusts of the flesh in drunkenness. 

Instead of doing the will of God, you may be distracted and your gut instinct will want to judge others against the sins of the flesh referred to in the epistles of Paul.  Paul is but one witness.  You are told not to judge others, as God is the judge.  You have been given the commandments.  Keep yourself in the love of God and may the peace of the Lord be with you.  Judge no one, share God’s word and pray for God’s blessings in 2025.  Do this and you shall live.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen..