New City Catechism, Week 12

Q: What does God require in the ninth and tenth commandments?

A: Ninth, that we do not lie or deceive, but speak the truth in love. Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone or resenting what God has given them or us.

At the end of James chapter 1, the author warns that anyone who claims to be religious but does not bridle his tongue deceives his heart and his religious devotion is worthless.  James later dedicates an entire passage to how much harm the tongue can do. The ninth commandment requires that we bridle the tongue with truth. If we aren’t careful, we can water down the truth and make it seem less important than it is, or think that a lie is merely impolite. We eclipse the truth of God by not recognizing that even a white lie is sin. The commandment is meant to convict us to not only tell what is true, but to do so in a loving and God-honoring way. The tenth commandment, like everything else, deals with our hearts. If our hearts are always grasping for what is not ours, it hurts us, it hurts the owner and it tells God his provision is not enough. When we are not content with our blessings, we question God’s care of his creation. In order to honor the tenth commandment we must restrain desire and rest in the things God has bestowed upon us. Both of these commandments require that we search our hearts. Let us glorify the Lord through our tongues and be grateful for what we have been given!

This is week 12 of 52 catechism readings from New City Catechism. Christ Community is reciting an entry from the catechism each Sunday in 2013.