The Church of the Nine Commandments

Several years ago there was a bit on the Tonight Show in which they tried to spoof former President Bill Clinton. The comedy gag showed the President at a ceremony in which a bill was being signed into law. This was about the time that a number of states were giving their Governors the right to do a line-item veto. A line-item veto allows the executive the right to simply cross out those parts of the bill that he did not agree to. In this comedy sketch, when they cut to the actual bill being signed, it was a copy of the 10 Commandments. Just as the camera turned to the bill, the pen scratched out the Sixth Commandment.

Now, please understand the point I seek to make is NOT political. It is theological. While the comedy sketch was funny, it also highlighted something that we tend to do all the time. By our actions we like to “line-item veto” Commandments all the time. This is the essence of sin. We claim to corner the market on righteousness and all the while we are trashing the very Law of God by our actions. This is a serious spiritual issue. When we consistently and openly contradict the Law of God, we run the risk of driving out the Holy Spirit. We also cause needless division within the body of Christ. Neither of these are what our good and gracious heavenly Father wishes for us.

We could turn this article into a long thesis-like paper on each of the Commandments. However, this month I want to draw our attention to the one commandment that is constantly “line-item vetoed” among the sinner-saints here at Zion. I have been reflecting a great deal on the 8th Commandment lately. I have seen what damage that open sin against that can do to individuals. It destroys the desire to gather, worship, serve and live for the Lord. My friends, this should not be.

So just what is the 8th Commandment? You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. On the surface, this commandment could be seen as only covering lying. However, we need to take a deeper look. Here is how Dr. Luther explains it in the Catechism: We should fear and love God so that do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him and explain everything in the kindest way.

It is Luther’s explanation that really starts to indict us of our regular, repeated and often relished sin against the Law of the Lord. Whenever we do not seek to speak well of our neighbor, we sin. When we pass on the juicy gossip, we sin. When we sit in meetings of the congregational leadership and we snipe instead of defend, we sin. When we speak publicly about issues that are a family matter among the people of Zion with others in the community, we sin. There is no getting around this. At Zion, we have a tendency to behave, pastor and people alike, like we are a church of the 9 Commandments instead of 10.

But here is where the grace of God applies. Our Lord Jesus went to the cross and bore our open sin against the 8th Commandment. Don’t you think the insults of that Good Friday would be a sin against the 8th? You bet! However, what was Jesus’ response? He said,

“Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Jesus’ death on the cross covered EVERY sin against the 8th Commandment that you or I have committed. His atoning sacrifice is complete and clear. In our baptism, all those 8th Commandment sins are washed away.

The question becomes, “what then shall we do with this grace?” St. Paul says “shall we keep on sinning so that more grace may abound? NO!” If we know that Christ has forgiven all our 8th Commandment sins, we can’t go back to them. To do so strikes a blow at our Savior yet again.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, now is the time that we can flee to God for grace. The mass “line-item veto” of the 8th Commandment must stop. This is not an “other guy” problem. Here is where we are called by the Lord to check our speech before the words cross our lips. When we begin to examine what we say, BEFORE we say it, then the 8th Commandment has a chance.

It is critical that EACH of us starts to ask of ourselves, “Am I explaining everything in the kindest way?” If I am not, then I flee to the cross for refuge. That cross is there for you and me. It calls us to repentance and grants us all the forgiveness we need. Ending the constant “line-item vetoing” of the 8th Commandment is not a matter of our effort. We need not try harder, or pray harder. Righteous living is never solely about our effort. In worship and Bible Study, confession and communion, we receive the gifts that equip us to do the extremely hard work of being a church of all Ten Commandments.

Lord God, grant us your grace so that we may so honor you with the lives that you redeemed by the blood of your Son, Jesus as we live lives in accordance with your Holy and perfect Law that gives freedom. AMEN.