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THE
COMMANDMENTS OF Christ
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64.
What other commandments has Christ delivered for
our observance?
Answer: He has commanded
us to assemble ourselves together on every first
day of the week to break bread and drink wine in
remembrance of him.
Proof:
For
I have received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same
night in which he was betrayed took bread: And
when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for
you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:
this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance
of me. (1 Cor. 11:23-25).
And
upon the first day of the week, when the disciples
came together to break bread, Paul preached unto
them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued
his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7).
Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
(Heb. 10:25).
Upon
the first day of the week let every one of you
lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him,
that there be no gatherings when I come. (1 Cor.
16:2).

65.
Are there other commandments that we must obey?
Answer:
Yes; many. Some of these commandments tell us
what we are to do, and others tell us what we
are not to do.

66.
Recite a few of the things we are to do.
Answer: (1) We are to
love God and Christ;
(2) to do to men as we would that they should
do to us;
(3) to love one another;
(4) to sympathize with men in their joys and sorrows;
(5) to love even our enemies, blessing those who
curse us, doing good to those who hate us, and
praying for those who badly use us;
(6) we are to be ready to every good work; to
give to those who ask, to relieve the afflicted;
(7) to be faithful even to bad masters;
(8) to pray always and in everything give thanks;
(9) to speak the truth always;
(10) to be blameless and harmless;
(11) to be humble, brave, joyful, courteous, and
manly;
(12) to follow after whatsoever things are true,
honest, pure, just, lovely, and of good report.
Proof:
(1)
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind. (Matt. 22:37).
(2)
But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto
Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was
a widow. (Luke 4:26).
(3)
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for
this is the law and the prophets. (Matt. 7:12).
(4)
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with
them that weep. (Rom. 12:15).
(5)
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies,
do good to them which hate you, Bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you. (Luke 6:27-28).
Not
rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are
thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
(1 Peter 3:9).
But
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you; (Matt.5:44).
(6)
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities
and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to
every good work, (Titus 3:1).
Give
to him that asketh thee, and from him that would
borrow of thee turn not thou away. (Matt. 5:42).
Distributing
to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
(Rom. 12:13).
(7)
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count
their own masters worthy of all honour, that the
name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
And they that have believing masters, let them
not despise them, because they are brethren; but
rather do them service, because they are faithful
and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things
teach and exhort. (1 Tim. 6:1-2).
(8)
And he spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
(Luke 18:1).
Giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Eph.
5:20).
(9)
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbour: for we are members one
of another. (Eph. 4:25).
(10)
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier,
and to the church in thy house: (Phil. 2:15).
(11)
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou
makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends,
nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy
rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again,
and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest
a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame,
the blind: (Luke 14:11-13).
I
thank my God, making mention of thee always in
my prayers, (Phil. 4:4).
But
let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting
on the breastplate of faith and love; and for
an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath
not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that,
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together
with him. (1 Thess. 5:8-10).
(12)
I thank my God, making mention of thee always
in my prayers, (Phil. 4:8).

67.
Can you enumerate some of the things we are not
to do?
Answer: (1) We are not
to be masterful and lordly.
(2) We are not to return evil for evil.
(3) We are not to avenge ourselves, but rather
give place to wrath and suffer ourselves to be
defrauded.
(4) We are not to do our alms before men, or to
let our left hand know what our right hand doeth.
(5) We are not to labour to be rich or to love
the world.
(6) We are not to return cursing for cursing or
railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing.
(7) We are not to grudge, judge, complain, or
condemn.
(8) We are not to give way to anger, wrath, bitterness,
or evil speaking.
(9) We are not to conform to the world or to be
ambitious after high things.
(10) We are not to be slack in paying our debts.
(11) We are not to backbite or speak of other
men's sins until we have spoken to themselves
first.
(12) We are not to be guilty of adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, drunkenness, covetousness, wrath,
strife, sedition, hatred, emulation, boasting,
vain glory, envy, jesting, or foolish talking.
Proof:
(1)
But he that is greatest among you shall be your
servant. (Matt. 23:11).
Ye
call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for
so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have
washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's
feet. For I have given you an example, that ye
should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The servant is not greater than
his lord; neither he that is sent greater than
he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them. (John 13:13-17).
(2)
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things
honest in the sight of all men. (Rom. 12:17).
(3)
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if
he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou
shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Rom. 12:20).
(4)
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,
to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward
of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when
thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, that they may have glory of
men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand
know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms
may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in
secret himself shall reward thee openly. (Matt.
6:1-4).
(5)
And having food and raiment let us be therewith
content. (1 Tim. 6:8).
(6)
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are
thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
(1 Peter 3:9).
(7)
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that
speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his
brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not
a doer of the law, but a judge. (James 4:11).
Judge
not, that ye be not judged. (Matt. 7:1).
And
to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier,
and to the church in thy house: (Phil. 2:14).
(8)
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and
clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you,
with all malice: (Eph. 4:31).
Wherefore
laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all evil speakings, (1 Peter 2:1).
(9)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God. (rom. 12:2).
Be
of the same mind one toward another. Mind not
high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceits. (Rom. 12:16).
(10)
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to
whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear
to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man
any thing, but to love one another: for he that
loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (Rom. 13:7-8).
(11)
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained
thy brother. (Matt. 18:15).
Brethren,
if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert
him; Let him know, that he which converteth the
sinner from the error of his way shall save a
soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of
sins. (James 5:19-20).
(12)
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness,
let it not be once named among you, as becometh
saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking,
nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather
giving of thanks. (Eph. 5:3-4).

68.
Will the gospel save us if we are disobedient
to those commandments?
Answer: No; our belief
of the Gospel and baptism will only be to our
condemnation if we live in disobedience of the
commandments of Christ. Only those who do His
commandments will at last be among the blessed.
Proof:
Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter
in through the gates into the city. (Rev. 22:14).
And
every one that heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish
man, which built his house upon the sand: (Matt.
7:26).
For
it had been better for them not to have known
the way of righteousness, than, after they have
known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered
unto them. (2 Peter 2:21).

69.
Is there forgiveness for those who, having submitted
to the Gospel, may fail in rendering a perfect
obedience to the commandments of Christ?
Answer: Yes; if there
were not, no flesh could be saved. But forgiveness
is conditional, on our confessing and forsaking
our sins; and also on our being forgiving to others;
and forgiveness is only granted at the intercession
of Christ. If we are unforgiving, or if he refuse
to intercede, there is no hope for us.
Proof:
If
thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord,
who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with
thee, that thou mayest be feared. (Psa. 130:3-4).
But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin. (1 John 1:7).
My
little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(1 John 2:1).
If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
Wherefore
he is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth
to make intercession for them. (Heb. 7:25).
Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at
the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. (Rom. 8:34).
But
if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mat.
6:15).
I
pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for
them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
(John 17:9).
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