The final installment in the Morality Leads to Godliness Series, this daily devotional will look at why we shouldn’t discount what we consider the least commandments – and why our morality shouldn’t be so considered.
Nuggets
- If we think that the moral laws are the least of His commandments, we have to realize God does not.
- Living a moral life honors God is great ways.
- While there is no connection between salvation and good works, there is between faith and completing whatever tasks He assigns for us to do.
To read devotions in the Redo for Godliness series, click the appropriate button below.
Devotions in the Moralities Lead to Godliness series
Wow! We have reached the end of Manton’s sermon entitled The Moralities of Christianity. It took longer than I had anticipated to get through it, but I did find it got me thinking on some things I hadn’t considered before.
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Let's Put It into Context
“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things” (Phil. 4: 8 CSB)
The definition of moral, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” Morality, then, is “a doctrine or system of moral conduct.” When it is the plural form — moralities — it is a “particular moral principles or rules of conduct.”
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Our morals determine our character. Character, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation.”
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Are There Least and Greatest Commandments?
“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5: 19 CSB)
If we think that the moral laws are the least of His commandments, we have to realize God does not.
I had to really think through what Manton said about this section. He wrote, “All the disorders contrary to these limits and bounds by which our conversations are regulated, are condemned by the righteous law of God which is the rule of the new creature; and therefore they ought to be avoided by the good Christian (Matthew 5:19).”
Rogers told us we are to consider profanity and irreligious and immodest conversations as forbidden. Jortin added lying and prideful to the mix as well as slanderous and defamatory language.
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This regulates our conversation to be uplifting and encouraging. It also falls into the scope of the second greatest commandment: “… Love your neighbor as yourself …” (Mk. 12: 31 NLT).
Heygate reminded us that our words create responses in two ways, making them actions.
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In one way, words are actions because they exhibit our passions and feelings. On the other hand, our words evoke passions and feelings.
When we are regenerated, we become new creations. That means we are under the rule of God’s righteous law. As disciples of Christ, we should avoid that which does not follow God’s laws and commandments.
Let’s see what the verse tells us.
In a way, grace has replaced the law, but in a way it hasn’t. The law cannot save us but shows us our need for grace. It shows us what sin is.
Paul said it this way. “What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Rom. 7: 7 ESV).
Grace came so we would not have to suffer the consequences of sin. The consequences of sin are spiritual death and separation from God.
Moore wrote, “Man is set free from the curse of the law, but not from its authority.” That is why we don’t have to mete out the punishments listed in the Scriptures.
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For example, “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense” (Lev. 20: 13 NLT). Homosexuality is still a sin because we are still under the authority of the law, but Jesus paid the punishment for those who will accept His salvation.
The Titus verse, though, talks more about levels of sin. We can probably look at it both ways. We can see it saying that there are indeed levels of sin. But it is also saying that our estimation of what those levels are is not always accurate.
Hopkins contended that it was the scribes who classified the commandments as least and greatest. They were categorized somewhat by whether they were a duty to God or man.
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But let’s look at it this way. The greatest commandments have no more authority than the least commandments. The least commandments offend God just as much as the greatest commandments.
How does this apply to morals? We may think the moral law is not as consequential as, say, killing someone. But to God, they have the same authority.
We can’t think that, just because we consider something a least commandment, that we don’t have to obey it. We do.
Remember what James said. “For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all” (Jas. 2: 10 CSB).
I know. We don’t want it to be an all-or-nothing proposition. We know we can’t keep all of them.
A thought just slammed into my head. Do we think the greatest commandments pertain to what we do, and the least commandments pertain to who we are? That is dangerous thinking.
God is less interested in what we do than who we are. We can’t earn our way to salvation. It is based on changing ourselves to be more like him — changing who we are.
What is abundantly clear is that keeping or breaking the least commandments will have great impact for eternity. “… whoever breaks one of the least of these commands … will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. … whoever does … these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5: 19 CSB).
The Reasons Why the Moral Laws Aren’t the Least Commandments
Living a moral life honors God in great ways.
Well, yes. Manton has already led us through the reasons why the moral laws are not the least commandments. He wrote, “These moralities are not small things; the glory of God, the safety of His people, the good of human society, and the evidence of our own sincerity being concerned in them.”
What did we say when we were looking at those?
- Disciples are to honor God’s name by acknowledging His nature.
- God fights for His children.
- The Sanctification Road takes the good within us and refines us to better reproduce God’s character. We need to take the morals and kick them up a notch to make them graces.
- Our morality is a reflection of our faith.
I don’t think we can stress enough that we have to show evidence of our sincerity in changing our character to be like God’s.
Heaven depends on it. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Mt. 7: 21 NLT).
Our Morals Exhibit Themselves in Our Works
“This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone” (Ti. 3: 8 CSB)
While there is no connection between salvation and good works, there is between faith and completing whatever tasks He assigns for us to do.
Manton warned us that, if living moral lives is God’s requirement, we need to do just that. He wrote, “If religion adopts moralities into its constitution, we must not leave them out of our practice (Titus 3:8). Here is an answer to those who ask wherein must we be holy and obedient.”
Jesus taught that it isn’t enough just to believe. We have to show our faith by our good works. We have to put feet to our faith.
Remember, good works doesn’t mean charity work. Good works means that we give God our best to complete whatever tasks He assigns for us to do.
- If we believe there is a God, but don’t believe He sent His Son to die for us, we don’t believe.
- If we believe Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, but don’t live our lives to indicate that, we don’t have faith.
- If we live our lives trying to be a good person because we think that is what God wants, we need to check our motivation — are we trying to be like God?
Work with me a second. Something flitted in my head reading Taylor’s sermon.
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“This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things [morals], so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works [using the morals to change our character to God’s]. These are good and profitable for everyone [produces holiness]” (Ti. 3:8 CSB).
Isn’t that where we are wanting to go? We are wanting a redo for godliness.
Disciples must show good moral character in order to show worldview people their faith. It shows the depth and the genuineness of our faith.
Another way to look at it is that the it is the test of our faith, as Maclaren said, our conduct. Our true self comes out in our actions.
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We are known as children of God by our good works. We have to be showing God’s character in our performance. That means our morals have to be at the forefront.
Making the Connections
Little sins can indicate our true commitment to God. If we are unwilling to give up even the little sins, how can we be expected to give up the big, hard ones? Are we really committed to God if we don’t take care of the little stuff?
Kind of brings new meaning to the saying the devil is in the details.
Also, isn’t it the little things that trip us up? We may be more on the lookout for the big things, so the small things just slip in under the radar.
But if we took an inventory, we probably have more quantity in little sins. Does that offset the quality of not committing the big sins?
This takes on more importance when we consider what Whincop said. He wrote, “Christ’s laws, as well as any other, run in this disjunction — either do or suffer; either live holily, or perish everlastingly: nothing is therein promised, but upon condition of our obedience.”
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Yeah, all or nothing. Scary, isn’t it?
We have to be totally committed to God.
How Do We Apply This?
- Hopkins suggested that we pray for a conscience that is sensitive to all sin.
- We should humble ourselves before God and do His work.
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The most important thing we do as a disciple is to grow to be like God. We need to have the moral characteristics that He does. Perfection is being, not doing.
Father God. We want to be like You. We want Your character. Help us to grow in Your character and in Your Will. Amen.
What do you think?
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