The rest of the commandments from 4-10 would be known as a social justice this is what we owe to the other people like our neighbor, friends, family, and enemies.
- Honor your father and mother, we must always respect our parents, we are to look after and support them in old age and illness.
- You shall not kill, Human life is sacred (holy) it involves the creature action of God and we are made in the image and likeness of God.
- You shall not commit adultery, which also included Fornication-sex between an unmarried man and woman.
- You shall not steal; goods of creation are destined for the entire human race need charity.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, lying boasting, spreading false rumors, perjury all comes under it. The safety of others, respects for privacy and avoiding scandal are sufficient reasons for being silent or for making use of a discreet language.
- You shall not covet your neighbors wife, people who look at women lustfully they have already committed adultery in their heart.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods, Forbids greed and desire for whatever does not belong to us.
In the Unmerciful Servant Matthew 18:23-35 the servant failed to forgive others, while others forgave him, he acted very unjustly. In Jesus’ words the 10 commandments is best summed up as “Love your God, neighbor, and yourself.
Where justice is not upheld forgiveness will be needed. There are particular aspects to forgiveness
- Sin- wrong doing is committed
- Contition- recognition of wrong doing.
- Satisfaction- smoking amends for the wrong committed.
- Absolotion- where forgiveness is offered.
Forgiveness is when people accept other people’s apologies when they know that they have done something wrong. We have to be ready and willing to forgive others and it needs to be accepted because if we can’t forgive others apologies, then we can’t expect God to forgive us when we do something wrong. This is like the Unmerciful Servant, the king forgave him but he did not forgive his fellow servant, individuals who have been forgiven need to understand that:
- They were in the wrong
- They got to be sorry
- They have to change their attitude
- They have to make amends.
These stages are the same stages in the Prodigal Son where the younger son wanted his father’s share of the property, in the end he was left with nothing because he wasted his money on reckless living but he realized he was wrong and try to make amends and change his attitude.
People think forgiveness is easy but in fact it is very difficult but also vital. Gordon Wilson is an example; on live TV he managed to forgive his daughters murderers that very day she died, these are people who set us an example and we should learn from them.
Forgiveness is not once and for all e.g. the forgiving father, it is unconditional forgiveness, forgiveness is swift, generous and not grudging, ultimately forgiveness is important, Jesus’ death atoned our sins, Jesus’ sacrificed his own life to forgive our sins for the rest of our life’s.
