Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 46



Foreword:
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of scripture …

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT PART I
"Thou shalt not steal" (Ex. 20:15). The root from which theft proceeds is discontent with the portion God has allotted, and therefrom a coveting of what He has withheld from us and bestowed upon others. With his usual accuracy Calvin hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "This law is ordained for our hearts as much as for our hands, in order that men may study both to protect the property and to promote the interests of others." Like the preceding one, this precept also respects the government of our affections, by the setting of due bounds to our desires after worldly things, that they may not exceed what the good providence of God has appointed us. Hence the suitability of that prayer, "Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain" (Prov. 30:8, 9).
"Thou shalt not steal." The positive duty here enjoined is this: thou shalt by all proper means preserve and further both thine own and thy neighbor's estate. This commandment requires proper diligence and industry so as to secure a competency for ourselves and families, that we may not through our own default expose ourselves and them to those straits which are the consequence of sloth and neglect. Thus we are to "provide things honest in the sight of all men" (Rom. 12:17). But even more, this commandment is the law of love with respect to our neighbor's estate. It requires honesty and uprightness in our dealings one with another, being founded upon that first practical principle of all human conduct: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matt. 7:12). Thus this commandment places a sacred enclosure around property which none can lawfully enter without the proprietor's consent.


1) Show how resisting the impulse to steal is related to loving others.

2) How does your salvation prohibit your taking anything that is not yours in this world?

3) Elaborate and make specific to your own life the prayer of Proverbs 30:8-9.




No comments:

Post a Comment