THEOLOGY, FOR THE
PEOPLE
Biblical Doctrine, Plainly Stated
By William S. Plumer, 1875
GOD'S LAW—SECOND TABLE
I. We have already considered the first table of the law,
which states our duty to God. We come now to consider the second table of
the law, which regards our duty to man. The sum of it is, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself." We as much need grace rightly to keep the second
table as the first.
II. The
fifth commandment is, "Honor your father
and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord
your God gives you." In the spirit of this law, a father and a mother point
not only to our parents according to the flesh, but to all who have
authority over us, or are our superiors. We ought in heart, speech and act
to honor and reverence our superiors, Proverbs 16:31; pray for them, 1 Tim.
2:1-3; cheerfully obey their lawful commands and good counsels, Eph. 6:1-7;
be true and faithful to them, defend them, Tit. 2:9, 10; Romans 13:6, 7;
love them, and, as far as possible, hide their faults, Gen. 9:23. This
command forbids us to envy our superiors, Numb. 11:28, 29; to despise them,
Isaiah 3:5; to rebel against just authority, Exod. 21:15; to curse or mock
them, Deut. 21:18-21; or try to put them to shame, Proverbs 19:26. All this
implies that parents and other superiors should love and pray for those
under them, Eph. 6:4; should instruct and counsel them, Deut. 6:6, 7; defend
them, Romans 13:3; commend them, Esth. 6:3; and, when necessary, chastise
them, Proverbs 29:15 but never to be bitter against them, Eph. 6:4. This
precept also shows the sin of envying the gifts or grieving at the
prosperity of our equals. The promise added to this commandment is, "That
your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you."
Compare Deut. 5:16; 1 Kings 8:25; Eph. 6:2, 3. It is a lovely sight to see a
whole family or society ruled by the law of love.
III. The
sixth commandment is, "You shall not
kill." This requires a careful study and a lawful endeavor to preserve
human life. 1 Sam. 19:4, 5. It therefore requires us to subdue all malignant
passions, Psalm 37:8, 11; Proverbs 22:24, 26; Eph. 4:26; and to be very
careful in the use of food, drink, medicine, rest, and recreation, so as not
to shorten life. Proverbs 17:22; 23:20, 29, 30. It requires us to banish
hatred, 1 John 3:15; 4:20, malice, envy, 1 Peter 2:1, unjust jealousy, Cant.
8:6, needless disquietude, unholy anger, Jas. 4:1; Proverbs 27:4; and to
cherish love, pity, and kindness in our hearts, words and acts, 1 Cor.
13:4-7; to forgive injuries, Matt. 6:14; 15; Romans 12:19, 20; and to help
and defend the innocent, Proverbs 24:11; 31:8, 9; Matt. 25:35, 36. It
forbids the needless, careless, unjust or cruel wasting of human life,
irritating words, Proverbs 12:18; 15:1; injustice, Exod. 22:2, quarrelling,
striking, Isaiah 3:15, wounding or insulting men, Proverbs 28:17, so as to
distress their spirits, or to tempt them to deeds of violence.
IV. The
seventh commandment is, "You shall not
commit adultery." This requires purity in the mind, in the heart, in
words, looks, and acts. It requires us to be chaste in body, 1 Thess. 4:4,
5; to avoid unchaste sights and unchaste company. Job 31:1; Proverbs 5:3-10.
It says nothing against lawful wedlock. "Marriage is honorable in all, and
the bed undefiled." Heb. 13:4. Our Savior was present at a marriage. It
forbids adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, all unclean thoughts
and affections, all wantonness in looks, dress, or behavior. 1 Cor. 7:2;
Tit. 2:4, 5; Matt. 5:28; Jer. 5:7; 1 Cor. 5:9; 1 Tim. 2:9. It allows no man
to have more than one wife, and no woman to have more than one husband. We
should avoid everything that begets in us or in others any lack of purity or
temperance. Eph. 5:3, 4. Husbands ought to love their wives very tenderly,
and very strongly, even as Christ loved the church. Eph. 5:29, 33. And wives
should reverence their husbands and love them. Eph. 5:33; Titus 2:4, 5.
V. The
eighth commandment is, "You shall not
steal." This clearly requires truth, justice, fairness, honor, and
fidelity in trades and bargains between man and man. Psalm 15:2, 4. We
should give to every man, and every body of men their dues. Romans 13:7. It
requires contentment with our own lot. 1 Tim. 6:8. It enjoins kindness to
the poor and needy. Deut. 15:7, 8, 10; 1 Tim. 6:17, 18. Everyone ought to
have some proper business, and be industrious in it. Romans 12:11; Eph.
4:28. It is our duty to care for those dependent on us, particularly poor
and aged relatives or neighbors. 1 Tim. 5:8. This precept forbids all
stealing, all robbery, all cheating, false weights and measures, all
oppression, extortion, usury, vexatious law-suits, covetousness, love of the
world. 1 John 2:15, 16. It is wicked to waste our worldly goods, and it is
wicked to hoard them up, or to receive stolen goods. Proverbs 29:24; Psalm
50:18; James 5:4; Eccl. 4:8.
VI. The
ninth commandment is, "You shall not bear
false witness against your neighbor." A neighbor is any one to whom we
can do good or harm, whether he lives near us or not. Luke 10:30-37. This
commandment requires us to think, feel, speak and act truly, Psalm 15:2, and
sincerely, 2 Chron. 19:9, towards all our fellow-men. We should love and
rejoice in their good name, 3 John 4, in their gifts and graces, Romans 1:8.
We should defend the innocent. Psalm 82:3. We should take sides with the
slandered. Psalm 15:3; Proverbs 25:23. We should keep our word and study and
practice all things that are true, honest, lovely, and of good report. Phil.
4:8.
The sins against this commandment are many and heinous:
such as telling lies, giving false evidence, Luke 3:14; Proverbs 19:5;
asking other people to do so, calling evil good, and good evil, Isaiah 5:20;
forgery, back-biting, Psalm 15:3; Romans 1:30; detracting, tale-bearing,
whispering, Romans 1:29; scoffing, Proverbs 21:9; railing, 1 Tim. 6:4;
reviling, 1 Cor. 6:10; flattering, Proverbs 20:19; boasting, Proverbs 20:14;
or encouraging others to do these things. We must not take sides with the
rich or poor when we pass judgment. We must not "respect persons." We must
not be glad when men do wrong or when they suffer wrong. Read James 2:1-18.
VII. The
tenth commandment is, "Do not covet your
neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant,
ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns." Surely this requires
contentment with our own lot, Heb. 13:5, and pleasure at the good success of
our neighbor, Romans 12:15. Surely it forbids all discontent, all envy,
James 3:14, 16, all ill-will towards others, as well as all vain-glory, Gal.
5:26, and all the pride of life, Proverbs 8:13; 11:2.
VIII. We should keep all these precepts. "Then shall I
not be ashamed when I have respect unto all your commandments." Psalm 119:6;
Compare 1 Cor. 7:19. In no other way can we prove our love to Christ. John
14:23. Nor is there any substitute for an honest, simple, earnest keeping of
the law of God. Deut. 10:12, 13; 28:58, 59 Micah 6:6-8.
IX. The motives urged upon us for keeping God's
commandments are, 1, it is our duty; 2, his commands are not grievous; 3, we
are under obligations of gratitude; 4, God is worthy of all honor, and the
highest honor we can give him is to obey him and imitate him.
X. A right study of the law shows us that we are all
sinners. "There is no man who does not sin;" "There is not a just man upon
earth that does good and sins not;" "Who can say, I have made my heart
clean, I am pure from my sin?" "If we say that we have no sin we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 Kings 8:46; Eccl. 7:20; Proverbs
20:9; 1 John 1:8.
XI. It is a glorious truth that for the purposes of
righteousness— complete justification—we are delivered from the law. Romans
7:6. We are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14. The way of
access to heaven by personal deservings is forever closed against sinners.
But thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, Jesus Christ. The gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.
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