“The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” ~Luke 18:27
Dear Neighbor,
I am always amazed how God brings me to the right text of scripture, at just the right time. One week ago I read the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Mark’s gospel and today I read the same in Luke’s gospel. In both stories Jesus uses the Ten Commandments to bring the knowledge of sin and closes the mouth. The rich young ruler’s sin was covetousness.
Salvation is not possible with people but is possible with God. God has given us a tool by which we might show people their need for salvation and that tool is the Ten Commandments.
In Romans 3, the apostle Paul asked, If both Jew and Gentile are guilty, “then what advantage has the Jew?” The answer is that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. In Romans 3:19-20, he wrote:
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
I have been briefly writing about the Ten Commandments, as they pertain to the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The Westminster Shorter Catechism is not the word of God, but it is a historical understanding of the word of God. It is the understanding that a group of men in church history agreed upon, as they meet in assembly. They formed their understanding of theology into questions and answers by which children and new believers might be taught.
The word of God is the bases for our understanding about God, and to truly understand oneself and our neighbors. It is good to study, and read what others have said about the oracles of God, less we become a law unto ourselves.
Like the Westminster Puritans, my convictions are reformed; therefore, I agree with much that they wrote, however, my convictions are also baptist, so I am not in full agreement with everything that they had to say. Should we read only those whom we are in full agreement with? If we do, will we learn anything? Will we be able to discern when and in what way we are wrong? For this reason I love to study church history and the writings of Christians who came before us.
Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake
