God’s laws vs. Fence laws

10 Commandments

1.   I am your God

2.   You cannot serve any other gods

3.   You cannot use the name of God in vain

4.   Keep the Sabbath holy

5.   Honour you father and mother

6.   Do not murder

7.   Do not commit adultery

8.   Do not steal

9.   Do not bear false witness against people

   10.  Do not covet what others have

These are:

1.   Ten ways to lead a successful and happy long life

2.   Ten things your kids need to know

3.   Ten things that should not be overstepped if possible

        

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai to serve as principles of moral behaviour for the human race. The Ten Commandments of God are the foundation of the moral code and legal system of justice for Western civilization.

* (Please note that breaking the 10 commandments does not lead to you losing your salvation or right to go to heaven. I am also aware that wagering our salvation on how well we adhere to the Law of the Old Testament would mean that we are putting ourselves under a curse. Jesus freed us from the curse of the Law (which is eternal death). That said, Jesus said that if we love each other, we would automatically do these things.

What are fence laws?

Fence laws are human laws that usually seem like “a good idea at the time”, and are created to ensure that we do not break God’s laws. In other words… we make more rules to keep God’s rules. The irony is that in doing so, we are taking over the role of the Holy Spirit who is suppose to be our Helper, and all these “fence laws” do nothing but steal our joy.

A good example from the conservative churches would be dancing. Some churches say that you should not dance because it COULD lead to sex… God never said that we should not dance… ever… In fact, when David danced and was criticised by his wife for it being provocative and idiotic, God made her barren.

2 Samuel 6:5 & 14-16, 20-23  (AMP)

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, … …14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, clad in a linen ephod [a priest’s upper garment].

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter [David’s wife], looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

…20 Then David returned to bless his household. And [his wife] Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who stripped himself of his kingly robes and uncovered himself in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the worthless fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

21 David said to Michal, It was before the Lord, Who chose me above your father and all his house to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. Therefore will I make merry [in pure enjoyment] before the Lord.

22 I will be still more lightly esteemed than this, and will humble and lower myself in my own sight [and yours]. But by the maids you mentioned, I will be held in honor.

23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

Another favourite of the Charismatic church movement is that nobody is allowed to drink alcohol, NOT EVEN WHEN CELEBRATING COMMUNION! This is ridiculous!

Psalm 104 (AMP)

14 He causes vegetation to grow for the cattle, and all that the earth produces for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food out of the earth—

15 And wine that gladdens the heart of man, to make his face shine more than oil, and bread to support, refresh, and strengthen man’s heart.

Ecclesiastes 9 (AMP)

7 Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart [if you are righteous, wise, and in the hands of God], for God has already accepted your works.

8 Let your garments be always white [with purity], and let your head not lack [the] oil [of gladness].

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun—all the days of futility. For that is your portion in this life and in your work at which you toil under the sun.

Proverbs 20:1 (AMP)

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise.

Proverbs 23:33 (AMP)

30 Those who tarry long at the wine, those who go to seek and try mixed wine.

31 Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the wineglass, when it goes down smoothly.

32 At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

33 [Under the influence of wine] your eyes will behold strange things [and loose women] and your mind will utter things turned the wrong way [untrue, incorrect, and petulant].

In other words, for those who have the ability to stay righteous when drinking wine, do so until you are happy, NOT until you turn into a reeling brawler or a husband that stops loving his wife…

PS I love the fact that even in the Bible we are warned against mixing our alcohol, LOL. (Prov. 23:30)

What keeps us in the sheepfold?

That which keeps us in the sheepfold is not supposed to be a human made fence. God is our shield, Jesus is our Shepherd and the Holy Spirit is our Helper with Love as our compass – this protective force, covers all our needs.

If Joy is lacking in anything you do…

Check whether you are not perhaps helping God do His work instead of letting God help you do His work.

Joy is a “fruit”, or a natural by-product of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP)

22. But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

Let’s ask Jesus what He thinks of the commandments…

Mark 12:28-33 (AMP)

28 Then one of the scribes came up and listened to them disputing with one another, and, noticing that Jesus answered them fitly and admirably, he asked Him, Which commandment is first and most important of all [in its nature]?

29 Jesus answered, The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord;

30 And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.

31 The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said to Him, Excellently and fitly and admirably answered, Teacher! You have said truly that He is One, and there is no other but Him;

33 And to love Him out of and with all the heart and with all the understanding [with the faculty of quick apprehension and intelligence and keenness of discernment] and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And as for keeping God’s law…

It is as the theme song of the movie “Love actually” says…”All you need is LOVE… Pap a da da da!”