The Ten Commandments in the Christian Churches

don · 05-08-09 5:38 pm

The Ten Commandments by Martin Luther In 1524, Martin Luther wrote a choral, or German hymn, based on the Ten Commandments titled "Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot'"; in English, "These Are the Holy Ten Commands". These Are the Holy Ten Commands These are the holy Ten Commands God gave to us by Moses’ hands When high on Sinai’s mount he stood, Receiving them for our good. Have mercy, Lord! “I am alone your God, the Lord; No other gods shall be adored. But you shall fully trust in Me And love Me wholeheartedly.” Have mercy, Lord! “Do not My holy name disgrace, Do not My Word of truth debase. Praise only that as good and true Which I Myself say and do.” Have mercy, Lord! “You shall observe the worship day That peace may fill your home, and pray, And put aside the work you do, So that God may work in you.” Have mercy, Lord! “You are to honor and obey Your father, mother, ev’ry day, Serve them each way that comes to hand; You’ll then live long in the land.” Have mercy, Lord! “You shall not murder, hurt, nor hate; Your anger dare not dominate. Be kind and patient; help, defend, And treat your foe as your friend.” Have mercy, Lord! "Be faithful to your marriage vow; No lust or impure thoughts allow. Keep all your conduct free from sin By self-controlled discipline." Have mercy, Lord! "You shall not steal or take away What others worked for night and day, But open wide a gen'rous hand And help the poor in the land." Have mercy, Lord! "Bear no false witness nor defame Your neighbor nor destroy his name, But view him in the kindest way; Speak truth in all that you say." Have mercy, Lord! You shall not crave your neighbor's house Nor covet money, goods, or spouse. Pray God He would your neighbor bless As you yourself wish success." Have mercy, Lord! You have this Law to see therein That you have not been free from sin But also that you clearly see How pure toward God life should be. Have mercy, Lord! Our works cannot salvation gain; They merit only endlless pain. Forgive us, Lord! To Christ we flee, Who pleads for us endlessly. Have mercy, Lord! <a href="http://davidyow.blogspot.com/2009/03/these-are-holy-ten-commands.html" target="_blank">http://davidyow.blogspot.com/2009/03/these-are-hol y-ten-commands.html</a> Also at... <a href="http://glcmusic.blogspot.com/2009/03/luthers-10-commandments-hymn.html" target="_blank">http://glcmusic.blogspot.com/2009/03/luthers-10-co mmandments-hymn.html</a> More Ten Commandments music can be found <a href="http://www.ten-commandments.us/ten_commandments/music.html" target="_blank">**HERE**</a> .

don · 05-08-09 5:42 pm

Bach's Ten Commandments Fughetta <blockquote>"<a href="http://glcmusic.blogspot.com/2009/03/luthers-10-commandments-hymn.html" target="_blank">The prelude for today is</a> an organ setting of today's hymn, "These are the Holy Ten Commands," a hymn in which Luther set the Ten Commandments into German. When Bach made this organ arrangement he used a musical pun to reinforce the text of the hymn. Bach places the melody in canon, similar to a round with one voice following the other. The pun is that in Latin, canon means law and Bach is using a musical canon for a hymn on the Ten Commandments, the most prominent example of the Old Testament Law. Also, Bach has the second voice start at a specific point so the first note of the hymn can be heard repeating ten times, once for each commandment." That Bach ... very tricky! Always doing things with numbers and notes that most mortals couldn't quite imagine! </blockquote>____________________________________ <blockquote>Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot' (Fughetta), <a href="http://www.oldorg.net/ehrlich/bwv679_ehr.mp3" target="_blank">BWV 679</a> (an mp3 file) [2:22] "Part of the small German Organ Mass, this delightful Fughetta makes the Ten Commandments actually sound appealing." Chorale Text German: Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot', Die uns gab unser Herre Gott Durch Mose, seinen Diener treu, Hoch auf dem Berg Sinai. Kyrie eleis! English: These are the holy ten commands, Which came to us from God's own hands By Moses, who obeyed His will. Standing upon Sinai's hill. Have mercy, Lord! --Tr. George MacDonald <a href="http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/trak1947.htm" target="_blank">http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/trak1947.htm</a> </blockquote> (Message edited by Don on May 08, 2009)

elaine · 05-08-09 6:11 pm

Bach is my very favorite composer, and probably the most prolific of any who ever lived. Everthing he wrote was "Sola dei gloria." As a former church organist, as often as possible I chose to play some of Bach's compositions, especially those based on the liturgical year.

elaine · 05-08-09 6:12 pm

Thanks for sharing that with us, Don.

renie · 05-09-09 4:38 pm

Elaine, my husband is a huge Bach fan too. Mozart too. Personally I think adding a nice helping of Christian Rock would help Bach a lot. Oh well, what do I know, I'm just an 800 lb gorilla. <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> renie

don · 05-09-09 5:59 pm

More on Bach <a href="http://www.mtio.com/articles/bissboo7.htm" target="_blank">Theological Symbolism in the Organ Works of J.S. Bach</a> (mostly showing how Bach adapted Luther's work) <a href="http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/trak2165.htm" target="_blank">Ein feste Burg ist Unser Gott</a>, <a href="http://www.oldorg.net/csg/bwv720_csg_wet.mp3" target="_blank">BWV 720</a> (mp3) A Mighty Fortress is Our God <a href="http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/trak1045.htm" target="_blank">Wir glauben all' an einen Gott</a>, <a href="http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/audio/bwv680_scc.mp3" target="_blank">BWV 680</a> (mp3) We all believe in one true God <a href="http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/list2b.htm" target="_blank">A List of Bach's work at Virtually Baroque</a> .

bob_2 · 05-10-09 2:17 am

Don, who is greater Jesus or Moses, especially in the NT/NC. Is Jesus able to set the new tenets of a NC? Does he have that authority? Of course. So what does the NT say about discontinuity of the Covenants. Heb 8:13. How many ways can you read it. And the statements in the OT and NT that state the tablets, engraved by God's finger, were the Covenant that is obsolete now, but like a library, is archived for future learning from past errors and how God will eventually deal with evil, even though now he seems to deal "more maturely" with today's Christians, because they are not the "children" that were overworked and persecuted by the Egyptian Pharoah. God dealt with them at their level as He does in the NT with more maturity, warranted by more mature and cultural changes. Christ's Law seems to be a lot more dynamic than the 10 Commandments. <a href="http://cranfordville.com/NTViceLists.html" target=_top>http://cranfordville.com/NTViceLists.html</a> <a href="http://cranfordville.com/NTVirtureLists.html" target=_top>http://cranfordville.com/NTVirtureLists.html</a> Are those directives consistent with the obsolete covenant. All except the Sabbath. BUT, the Sabbath tenet is addressed, separately, in Heb 4, and Col 2:16,17. Christ is the reality of the past shadow. Can Jesus, who God gave to be the Judge, can Jesus judge fairly with those who lived under a temporary sacrificial system mandated by God, and judge those under a new set of tenets in the New Covenant. In my opinion, you seem to be concerned that God can not judge consistently if he has a moving target for us. Is that why the clinging to the Decalogue, when even Jesus expanded and gave a new fresh look at what His kingdom would be based on.

don · 05-10-09 6:25 pm

Is that why the clinging to the Decalogue, when even Jesus expanded and gave a new fresh look at what His kingdom would be based on. Bob, recall that we have discussed our differing views on the Decalogue. I doubt there is much more new things to say. Were Bach and Luther clinging to the Decalogue? Perhaps the framers of the Westminster Confession? Adventists, especially after 1888, learned to relate to the Law of God in the light of the cross. Much of Ellen White's view of the law reflects the views of those reformers and church people who learned the proper role of the Law of God in salvation. In light of these grand concepts it seems petty to resort to lists. The lists reflect God's will, but the principles behind the lists are really where the law's strength is.<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!>quote: The law and the gospel, revealed in the Word, are to be preached to the people; for the law and the gospel, blended, will convict of sin. God's law, while condemning sin, points to the gospel, revealing Jesus Christ, in whom "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." The glory of the gospel reflects light upon the Jewish age, giving significance to the whole Jewish economy of types and shadows. Thus both the law and the gospel are blended. In no discourse are they to be divorced. (1888 892.5) <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>I find the Adventist view of the Law quite congruent with those of the great leaders of the reformation. God wants us to cling to Him. That I am willing to do. .

bob_2 · 05-11-09 12:31 am

You raise a good example with the Westminister Confession. It certainly was written clinging to the Decalogue. It was written around 1650 CE. The Divines, who wrote the Westminister Confession, would have been more consistent had they been NCTers, since they messed with the 4th Commandment. It would have made them more consistent, rather than changing a day without authority whilst hanging on to the Decalogue. At least NCTers see the discontinuity between the two Covenants, the Divines, didn't.

bob_2 · 05-11-09 12:39 am

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!>quote:VII. As it is of the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord's Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath. VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> <a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/westminster_conf_of_faith.html" target=_top>http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainf rame=http://www.reformed.org/documents/westminster _conf_of_faith.html</a> Don that passage hardly is clinging to the Decalogue but being selective about what you cling to, wouldn't you agree. Notice another section of that Confession, Chapter XIX: <blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!>quote:V. The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation. VI. Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin, and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof; although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works: so as a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under grace. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> Sounds like double talk to me and they claim to be Reformed, SDAs only claim to be Restorationists, eh???

elaine · 05-11-09 6:28 pm

Speaking of Bach, one of my favorites (among many) is his improvisation of "Now Thank We All Our God" (Nun Danket Alles Gott).

cadge · 05-11-09 11:59 pm

Pertainiing to the Westminster Confession on the use of the Decalogue Bob said: "Sounds like double talk to me and they claim to be Reformed" It certainly is doubletalk Bob. It defies the truth as spoken to the use of the law in 1 Timothy 1:5-11: 5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; (see Gal. 3:24&25) 9Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Again, in rebuttal to the Westminster Confession, Chapter XIX #s V&VI: 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. The commandments we are under are: John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Acts 1: 1-3 1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. We are to keep Jesus the Christ's commandments just as faithfully as He had kept His Father's commandments. John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These commandments of the New Covenant are given by Jesus and through revelation by Him to the Apostles for us to follow as are written in the epistles. They are full of warnings and directives for us to persevere towards holiness by His grace. Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Heb.4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. The discourse on the law in the Confession was nothing more than what is referred to as "vain jangling" according to 1 Tim. Catholics do the same. SDAs too.

bob_2 · 05-15-09 12:30 am

Hey, David. good scripture quote and remarks. Bob

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The Ten Commandments in the Christian Churches

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