Chapter 8: Understanding God’s Word

Page 15

Notice that apostasy takes you in a downward direction. It is a path

away from God and towards Satan. It is a path that moves you onto Satan’s turf. As useful as these target illustrations are, they do not provide you with a complete understanding so I will use a couple of recent false teachings that I heard on national television. The first one came from the renowned Baptist

preacher Charles Stanley. Several months ago, I accidentally tuned in for his televised message. Paraphrased below is what I heard Charles Stanley tell the people of his own Baptist congregation and the tens of thousands of national and international television viewers who were tuned in.

“You cannot obey the Ten Commandments. Nobody can. That is why you need Jesus. You need to understand that Jesus is God who came down in the flesh.” Charles Stanley

I remember how dumbfounded I was when I heard Charles Stanley make that statement on television about God’s Ten Commandments. The first thought that came to my mind was which one or ones couldn’t Charles Stanley obey? What about his Baptist congregation? Which ones couldn’t

they obey? Was it?

1. You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image …

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 4. Observe the Sabbath. 5. Honor your mother and father. 6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery. 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife …

Long before I knew God intimately, I had concluded in this earthly existence that I did not want to be a murderer, thief, adulterer, etc. Yes, I reckoned that the least I could do was to be a good citizen in America. Do

you know that the majority of the Ten Commandments are incorporated into our Judeo Christian laws?