GOD'S PREROGATIVE DEFINED BY THE MORAL LAW SEARCH AND SHARE MINISTRY

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1 GOD'S PREROGATIVE DEFINED BY THE MORAL LAW SEARCH AND SHARE MINISTRY Overview: The Moral Law defines the relationship and distinction between the Creator and the creatures. The first division defines the prerogative and distinct nature of God above His creation. It outlines God s commitment through Christ toward man and man s commitment toward his Creator. The second division defines God's transcendent nature and character imparted toward His creatures. It reflects God's prerogative above the creatures and outlines how Christ is the relationship among them. The whole law depicts the relationship between the Creator-owner and the creature-manager or the steward, and the relationship between the creatures which both represents Christ. Satan wants to abolish or change the law because his purpose is to put himself in the place of Christ to dethrone God and enthrone himself on the heart of his fellow creatures and make them followers that are covetous of God's prerogative. Theme: IN CHRIST GOD S PREROGATIVE FULLY EXPRESS AS DEFINED BY THE LAW. I. THE FIRST DIVISION OF GOD S LAW The first division of the law requires of men the supreme love toward their Creator (Matt. 22:37, 38). The moral law reveals and defines that every action of man in his life is a form of worship. God is the God of freedom and salvation. He is The One who serves, saves and gave the law of freedom to His people. He will not require supreme love to Him if His love does not exceed man s love. He will not ask man s service if He is not the first One who serves in fullness. Man s duty represent his acceptance, acknowledgment, and appreciation to God s commitment and services to him (Ex. 20:2; 1Tim. 1:8-11; Jas. 2:12; Rom. 3:31; Heb. 8:10). II. INTRODUCTION OF THE LAW GIVER: Exodus 20:2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. God is a serving God, the One who saved Israel out of slavery and provided them everything they need in the wilderness. He is the compassionate God who is worthy of honor and worship. Note: Before God gave His law to Israel, He demonstrated first His power and His love by saving them from the power of Egypt. God had shown that He is the serving God who deserves to be their King, the guardian of their economy, and His law is the law of His love and ministry to the whole creation. In these were Christ role to represent His Father as the loving God.

2 PP Jehovah revealed Himself, not alone in the awful majesty of the judge and lawgiver, but as the compassionate guardian of His people: "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He whom they had already known as their Guide and Deliverer, who had brought them forth from Egypt, making a way for them through the sea, and overthrowing Pharaoh and his hosts, who had thus shown Himself to be above all the gods of Egypt--He it was who now spoke His law. PP The law was not spoken at this time exclusively for the benefit of the Hebrews. God honored them by making them the guardians and keepers of His law, but it was to be held as a sacred trust for the whole world. The precepts of the Decalogue are adapted to all mankind, and they were given for the instruction and government of all. Ten precepts, brief, comprehensive, and authoritative, cover the duty of man to God and to his fellow man; and all based upon the great fundamental principle of love. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Luke 10:27. See also Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Leviticus 19:18. In the Ten Commandments these principles are carried out in detail, and made applicable to the condition and circumstances of man. 1. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT GOD S FULL REPRESENTATION Ex. 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This commandment declares Christ s full representation of the Father as the true God and His union with Him in authority, existence, and will. He represents God s Supremacy in which worship is due. There is no other gods (or idols) that can represent God on the heavenly throne except His Son, and on every heart except the Holy Spirit. God is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end of all things. He is without the beginning therefore without an end. With God all things are dependent; they are His subjects and never to be put as equal with Him nor can be put above Him. He is the greatest of all for He serves all. Note: Obedience to this command is a sign of acceptance of God's ministry of rulership through His Son to us. Deut. 33:3 The God who loves His people is the only one who deserves praises and worship. Ex. 34:14 He is a jealous God. He does not like rivals. 1Cor. 8:4-6 There is no other gods before Him; they are just idols the usurpers of God s prerogative and His Son Ex. 20:3,4 Creatures must not be made equal with Him. They must not be worshiped as gods. Matt. 23:9 God alone must be the spiritual Father. 1Tim. 2:5 The Father represents the heavenly Trio or the Godhead (Matt. 28:18, 19)

3 Jn. 5:44 Accepting praises from men leads them to reject Christ and God. Matt. 4:10 Worship and service belong to God alone John 17:3, 1John 5:20; 1Cor. 3:17-19 The union of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in authority (see Matt. 28:19) Pagans designed competitions, beauty pageants, and other things that give man honor and pride. They made their kings, priests, and other religious and political ministers as representatives of their gods. They were like the Grecians who invented Olympic Games; in order to honor their idols they must be honored with them. They must win the games. Kings, like Alexander the Great, were attributed claimed as gods and representative of the gods especially if they won the war. The title, the crown or the trophy they won were the symbols of their godly qualities. Self worship was being manifested in any of the competitive programs they made. In other religions, their priests or ministers were being ascribed with the title of father or reverend or the most reverend. These are the titles of God alone. Praises are given to men and are manifested in various ways and cultures of humanity. Gen. 10:1-11 Man made a vast political system in order to become gods on earth. Dan. 7:25 They made man's laws above God's law to make them a god over fellowmen. Man made themselves dominant over others, self-enthroned and tyrannical if not followed by their fellowmen. Acts 20:28-30; 2Thes. 2:4 The boastful claims equality with God. Rom. 7:14; 8:4; Jn. 4:24 True worship is to live by the Spirit of Christ and worship God through Him. Note: Competition exist between evil and good because it is being initiated by evil. And it exist between evil and evil for evil means--everybody has to take the highest place and not to be satisfied with the humble place or position designated by the Creator. Fact: There is no competition between your two eyes or two ears, but they help one another in harmony for good. How if they are competing one another? Then you are in trouble. Should competition exist between members of one body-the church? God forbid. ST p.26 "Everything which leads the affections away from God is an idol, and betrays us into sin."

4 PP305 "Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god." All these spiritualistic representations are simply nothingness. They are imperfect, untrue. They weaken and diminish the Majesty which no earthly likeness can be compared to. God cannot be compared with the things His hands have made. These are mere earthly things, suffering under the curse of God because of the sins of man. The Father cannot be described by the things of earth. The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and is invisible to mortal sight. {Ev 614.2} The Son is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested. The Word of God declares Him to be "the express image of His person." "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Here is shown the personality of the Father. {Ev 614.3} The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers --the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.-- Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, pp. 62, 63. (1905) {Ev 615.1} Because there is no other God and no other supreme ruler besides the Creator and Redeemer, we are admonished to worship and love Him supremely! 2. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT GOD S CHANNEL OF WORSHIP Ex. 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Through the Son of God alone is the channel of worship (Jn. 14:6) and by the ministration of the Holy Spirit who represent Him brings us to go through Him (John 14:26; Acts 1:8; 1Cor. 12:3). No creatures nor images or man made things can become the channel of reverence and worship toward God, for none of them can represent Him in His power and character; His nature and purpose. The channel of worship must be equal with God in all aspect for He must represent Him

5 in fullness. The images and idols are the counterfeit channels of worship. They misrepresent God and robs the prerogative of His Son. Worshiping God through man's ingenuity is blasphemy. Note: This commandment defines the ministry of representation between the Godhead before the creation. Obedience to this command means acceptance to the Divine ministry represented by the member of the Godhead for the benefits of the creation. Through the Son, God is being represented fully before the creation. His love was fully channeled in His Son. Ex. 20:5 The commandment that describes idolatry as an act of hatred against God ( of them that hate me ) Note: Idolatry is the legacy of hate from the idolatrous parents. Ex. 20 :6 The commandment that has promise of mercy to those who love God and obedient to God s law Prov. 22:6 Children must be taught of the true worship while they are young. Eze. 7:20 Worship through images is abomination. This is a sign of rivalry against God. Dan. 3 Images represent the gods or religions of the pagans or heathens, their ruler and their people as kingdom. Both worshipers and their idols shares worship. Jer. 1:16 Worship through images is an act of self-worship. They worship what they made; in turn the maker is being worshiped. Images are the subtle channel of self worship. Note: As the worshiper bows down to his own creation an idol demonstrates Satan's demand that the Creator must worship His creation Acts 17:29 God is being misrepresented by worship through man made things. As if He is equal with His own creations. Jn. 14:6 Christ alone is the channel of worship for He is equal with God. In the book, `The Catechism of Catholic Doctrine,' by Peter Geiermann, p49, it shows that the second commandment was taken away by the Catholic authorities. On page 90, the author denies the worship to the images, but they pray and give praise to God through the images. Have you ever heard that Mary the mother of Christ in humanity was declared equal with God or elevated as goddess? It is Satan's purpose that creatures will share worship with God, so they might turn away their affection from God to self. PP306 "The second commandment forbids the worship of the true God by images or similitudes. Many heathen nations claimed that their images were mere figures or symbols by which the

6 Deity was worshiped, but God has declared such worship to be sin. The attempt to represent the Eternal One by material objects would lower man's conception of God. The mind, turned away from the infinite perfection of Jehovah, would be attracted to the creature rather than to the Creator. And as his conceptions of God were lowered, so would man become degraded." 2BC 1011 "Many who bear the name of Christians are serving other gods besides the Lord. Our Creator demands our supreme devotion, our first allegiance. Anything which tends to abate our love for God, or to interfere with the service due Him, becomes thereby an idol. With some their lands, their houses, their merchandise, are the idols. Business enterprises are prosecuted with zeal and energy, while the service of God is made a secondary consideration. Family worship is neglected, secret prayer is forgotten. Many claim to deal justly with their fellow men, and seem to feel that in so doing they discharge their whole duty. But it is not enough to keep the last six commandments of the decalogue. We are to love the Lord our God with all the heart. Nothing short of obedience to every precept--nothing less than supreme love to God as well as equal love to our fellow man--can satisfy the claims of the divine law." Ed 35 "But the people were slow to learn the lesson. Accustomed as they had been in Egypt to material representations of the Deity, and these of the most degrading nature, it was difficult for them to conceive of the existence or the character of the Unseen One. In pity for their weakness, God gave them a symbol of His presence. "Let them make Me a sanctuary," He said; "that I may dwell among them." Exodus 25:8." Worship God directly and without hindrances. Christ alone is our direct access to God. Worship God through Him alone. 3. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT GOD S CHARACTER REPRESENTATION Ex. 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. The Son of God bears His Father s name to represent His character and dignity. Christ is the channel of God s holiness and righteousness toward His creation. God s name is holy and righteous as Himself and must be honored above all names and be used with reverence. The stewards of His name must live a holy and righteous life for God will hold guilty to those who will profane His wonderful and precious holy name. Note: As man s acceptance of Christ s Divine ministry in the soul signifies his recognition of the Lord as the source of holiness and righteousness. Lev.19:12 Swearing falsely in God's name is forbidden. Lev. 20:3;18: 21 Idolatry profanes God's name. Jer. 14:14, 15 Prophesying falsely in God's name is blasphemy.

7 Rev. 13:6; Dan. 7:25 To take God's title and apply it to self is blasphemy. Matt. 23:9 To be called spiritual Father is blasphemy. Mk. 3:29 To speak against God's Spirit is blasphemy and unpardonable sin. Ex. 23:21 (20-23; Gen. 48:15,16; 32:22-31;Hos. 12:4,5) Christ carries the Father's name, that through Him we revere God's name. PP306,307 "This commandment not only prohibits false oaths and common swearing, but it forbids us to use the name of God in a light or careless manner, without regard to its awful significance. By the thoughtless mention of God in common conversation, by appeals to Him in trivial matters, and by the frequent and thoughtless repetition of His name, we dishonor Him. "Holy and reverend is His name." Psalm 111:9. All should meditate upon His majesty, His purity and holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with reverence and solemnity." To love God is to worship Him with holiness and sincerity by giving reverence to His holy name by our words and actions. REFLECTION ST, June 5, 1901 par. 9 "Christ's work was to rid the commandments of the traditions and customs placed upon them by the Jewish teachers. The work of covering the law with useless exactions had been planned by the adversary of God, in order that Christ's pure ministry should not harmonize with the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees. The Jewish leaders had yielded to the temptation to depart from the Lord, and while by their forms and ceremonies making the law a yoke of bondage which the people were not able to bear, they failed to follow its great principles. This led Christ to declare, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.""