Free-Reprint Article Written by: Gary Kurz See Terms of Reprint Below.
***************************************************************** * * This email is being delivered directly to members of the group: * * [email protected] * ***************************************************************** We have moved our TERMS OF REPRINT to the end of the article. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you. This article has been distributed by: http://Article-Distribution.com Helpful Link: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act - Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- Article Title: ============== 'The Ten Suggestions' Article Description: ==================== The real reason that God gave the 10 Commandments. Additional Article Information: =============================== 893 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line Distribution Date and Time: 2007-01-17 10:12:00 Written By: Gary Kurz Copyright: 2007 Contact Email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For more free-reprint articles by Gary Kurz, please visit: http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/index.shtml#Gary_Kurz ============================================= Special Notice For Publishers and Webmasters: ============================================= If you use this article on your website or in your ezine, We Want To Know About It. Use the following URL to let us know where you have used this article, and we will include a link to your website on thePhantomWriters.com: http://thephantomwriters.com/notify.php?id=4227&p=load HTML Copy-and-Paste and TEXT Copy-and-Paste Versions Of Article Are Available at: http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/db/k/the-ten-suggestions.shtml#get_code --------------------------------------------------------------------- 'The Ten Suggestions' Copyright (c) 2007 Gary Kurz Cold Noses Book www.coldnosesbook.com Most of us have heard preachers passionately warn in their sermons, "They are not the ten suggestions; they are the ten commandments". Factually, no one can argue that point. Indeed, no one should argue that point. God gave us commandments. He did not mince his words. He said "thou shall" and "thou shall not". Practically speaking however, as we apply the commandments to our lives, we might do well to consider them as being suggestions as well. In no way does this diminish the authoritative intent of these providential edicts. Rather, acknowledging the suggestive tone of the commandments underscores the importance of obeying them and reflects a little more on how they should impact positively upon our lives. As commandments, or law, we all fail miserably at keeping them. Is there one who has not lied? Is there one who has not coveted? The question is rhetoric as scripture already provides the answer for us in Romans 3:23 (kjv), where it says: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". The chapter goes on to tell us that all are guilty before God. When an elderly preacher was asked by a young Christian what the word "all" meant in that verse, the wise old servant replied "All means all and that is all, all means". In other words, the verse says not some, not many, not even most, but all are guilty of sin and all have broken the commandments. Armed with this knowledge, one might question why God gave us the commandments at all. If we were all not able to keep them, if we were all guilty of breaking them in God's eyes, then why even go through the drill of trying to keep them? Is God testing us? Is God tricking us? Is he being some kind of a bully, who, because he has the power, can just force his will upon us and order us to keep his commandments, or else? If one views the commandments exclusively as commandments, one might arrive at that incorrect conclusion. However, if we also view the commandments as guidance or suggestions on how to live our lives, we can draw a clearer picture on just why God gave them to us. Simply, God knows us. He made us. He searches hearts and knows the inner-most thoughts of men and women. He understands our old nature and how it contrasts with his holiness. In a perfect world (which he tried to give to us) we would live righteously and holy. There would be no need for commandments, because there would be no sin. Of course, this is not a perfect world. Sin is present and often wields great influence over people, even Christians. Knowing our propensity to give in to temptation, God gave us commandments that would educate us about sin. That is why he referred to the law as our "schoolmaster" in the epistles. He didn't lay these commandments upon us because he is the boss and we have to listen to him. He gave them to us because he loves us. He knew the hardships and suffering that would come from doing evil and he wanted to protect us from all of that. God knows that if we steal, for example, it will hurt not only those we steal from, but it will hurt us as well. First, there are the ramifications that come if one is caught stealing. You may be tasked with making restitution to those you stole from. You may be assigned many hours of arduous community service. You may even be incarcerated. Next, there comes societal scorn and a ruined reputation as you are branded a thief. You lose friends and credibility. You have a record and authorities keep close tabs on you and your activities. It is harder to find good work. Generally, everything in life becomes a little bit more difficult for you. Finally, if the previous results do not deter you from stealing again, your conscience might grow weak it will become easier for you to steal again. Eventually, you will lose your conscience altogether and become progressively more reprobate. Breaking any of the commandments can have similar disastrous effects upon your life and upon the lives of those you love. For that reason, the commandments become practical suggestions on how you should conduct yourself in life. Moreover, as suggestions or guidance, the commandments carry promises or rewards with them. For example, we are told in the fifth commandment that if we honor our father and our mother, our life will be long on the earth. As commandments, an "or else" connotation is inferred, but as suggestions for living righteously we are given positive incentives. Without doubt, the commandments should first be viewed as commandments. They are the will of God for mankind. But they should also be viewed as providential tutorials for successful living, where God offers good results for those who keep them. We are faced with many decisions in life. God has given us free will to make choices. This free will to choose applies to the Ten Commandments. You may choose to abide by them or you may choose to ignore them. You have free will. If you want a long and successful life, God's counsel, God's suggestion, is that you incorporate these ideals into your life. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Kurz is a Baptist Preacher and Bible Teacher. He helps those grieving the loss of a pet to understand the Biblical evidence that proves they live on. His most popular book, "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates" delivers hope and comfort to the reader in a very gentle, yet convincing way. Visit at http://www.coldnosesbook.com for more information, tips and gifts or write to Gary at [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- END ARTICLE --- Get HTML or TEXT Copy-and-Paste Versions Of This Article at: http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/db/k/the-ten-suggestions.shtml#get_code ..................................... TERMS OF REPRINT - Publication Rules (Last Updated: May 11, 2006) Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcable under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR: ..................................... *** Digital Reprint Rights *** * If you publish this article in a website/forum/blog, You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links). * Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy. * You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do. * Email Distribution of this article Must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email. * You Are Allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article. * You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article. *** Author Notification *** We ask that you notify the author of publication of his or her work. Gary Kurz can be reached at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** Print Publication Reprint Rights *** If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ..................................... If you need help converting this text article for proper hyperlinked placement in your webpage, please use this free tool: http://thephantomwriters.com/link-builder.pl ===================================================================== ABOUT THIS ARTICLE SUBMISSION http://thePhantomWriters.com is a paid article distribution service. thePhantomWriters.com and Article-Distribution.com are owned and operated by Bill Platt of Stillwater, Oklahoma USA. The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Gary Kurz www.coldnosesbook.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------
