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The Most Violated Commandment? Recently I asked the members of this congregation and those on my email list to tell me what they think if the "most violated commandment?" I realize this is pretty subjective and the question itself lent itself to interpretation. Did I mean violated by the brethren or the world in general? The answer is, yes. Quite a few mentioned, Matthew 22.37-40, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' It should be noted that Jesus’ answer is not to the most violated commandment, but the "greatest commandment." Certainly if we truly love God with all our heart, mind, and soul; we will do our best to keep His Law. It is when man’s heart is not set to obey God that he forsakes the law and intentionally disobeys it. Looking at the 10 Commandments one sees six that are aimed at our relationship with our fellow man. How we treat and what we do with our fellow man is part of the law. If I love my fellowman I will not lie, steal, commit adultery, etc. If I love God I will love my fellow man. Jesus, Himself said all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments, Matthew 22.40. As a follow up question I asked for some thing more specific. What specific commandment or commandments are the most violated. Here’s what I received. (In no specific order.)
Here are some observations:
Our answer is individual in nature. We look at things from our own perspective. Most likely the sin a person mentioned is either one they have a problem overcoming or they see others committing. That which tempts me may or may not be tempting to you. The question assumed we all understood and were going by the same definition of sin. Sin is transgressing God’s law; rebellion, lawlessness. If a person asks me a question and I tell them something that is truthful, but I also withhold some information, have I lied? We must come to a proper understanding of what the Bible means by lying, gossip, idolatry, and so on. Sin is not defined by our society or by me. At the same time, to do some thing that I think is sinful, is to violate my conscience, therefore, it is sinful, Romans 15.23. Our answers do show a concern we have with our efforts of teaching the lost. We realize the world is lost and we are not reaching them. I do not think the problem is a lack of concern, but a lack of knowing what to do. We need to be knowledgeable enough to teach and take advantage of our opportunities. Absent from the list were a lot of "social sins." No one answered, using drugs, drinking alcohol, lusting after the opposite flesh, watching pornography, etc. I also noticed no one answered, procrastination, harboring ill feelings, forsaking the assembly of the saints. The reason may have been because of the age of those that responded. Paul told Timothy to "flee youthful lust" (2 Timothy 2.22). While an older person may have a problem with staying awake during the lesson, a younger person may have trouble not lusting. A person may have a problem of concentrating on the Bible Class, but at least they are there. Based on the responses, a problem some have is with their brethren. Whether true or simply perceived, a lack of love for one another creates problems in the Lord’s body. 1"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another" (Rom 12:10). "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another" (1 Thess 4:9). "Let brotherly love continue" (Heb 13:1). The real problem is not our lack of love for each other but our lack of love for God, Matthew 22.37. Jesus said it will be our love for one another the world will see, John 13.35. We do not have to sin, but we some times fall short of the glory of God. Jesus did not die for the perfect, but for the sinful. It is up to each of us to grow in our service to Him. — Dennis Tucker |