Discover Yourself 

If you are like most people you probably say, sure I haven’t killed anyone. Let’s look a little further. God’s standards and man’s standards are quite different. The book of James in chapter 2 and verse 10 says, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point is guilty of all." So what God is saying here through James is that we cannot break one of His commandments and not be found guilty on judgment day.

Now if you still feel pretty confident that you are good enough to go to heaven, let’s take a look at God’s ten commandments.

#10. You shall not covet. This means we are not to be greedy or materialistic. 1 Corinthians 6:10 tells us that the covetous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. You are tempted every day to covet after all this is what the advertising business is all about. If you are honest you would have to admit to coveting something, or someone and, that would make you a breaker of God's law.

#9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Have you ever told a lie? If you have then you are a liar and are guilty of breaking God’s law. Revelation 21:8 tells us that all liars will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

#8. You shall not steal. Have you ever taken anything that does not belong to you? Did you ask the bank teller if you could have that pen before you took it? Did you ask the stock boy if it was ok to sample the grapes? It does not matter how big or expensive the item is, taking something that does not belong to you without permission is stealing. If you have stolen something big or small you are a thief and thieves will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Now don’t get upset or mad, these are not my rules they are God’s and it is His heaven so He is the one who gets to set the standard.

#7. You shall not commit adultery. Jesus defined this commandment for us when He said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." If you have lusted sexually for someone you have broken this commandment and are an adulterer.

#6. You shall not murder. Like the last commandment here also that God does not only care about our outward actions but He cares about the inward motivations of our heart. Scripture states, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" 1 John 3:15. If you have ever hated anyone you have broken this commandment.

We have only looked at five of the ten commandments, but I think it is quite clear that all of us are guilty of breaking God’s law. One day we will all be judged. It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the judgment Hebrews 9:27. Every day 140,000 people die and all of them stand before God to be judged according to His law. Four hundred and twenty times the new testament warns us of judgment day. Jesus even said, "Unless you repent, you will perish."

When we look at the ten commandments we must agree, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is hope because God sent Jesus to pay for our sins by dying on the cross. "He was wounded for our transgressions, and He was bruised for our iniquities" Isaiah 53:5. He took the punishment meant for us. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" Galatians 3:13.

We must simply repent (turn from our sins and turn toward God) and make Jesus the Lord, master, and decision-maker of our lives. If we do this we will escape the punishment that awaits all lawbreakers, Hell.

God commands all to repent. Acts 17:30

 

A short message from Pastor Jim Bates