Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Question 74: What is required in the Eighth Commandment?

Answer: The Eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Dear Neighbor,

The Lord Jesus Christ said to love God with your whole self and love your neighbor as yourself (cf. Mt. 22:37-39) The apostle paul wrote in Romans 13:8-10, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

The commandment requires the hearer to actively seek the best for ourselves and our neighbor. And one should not seek the best for themselves at the expense of his neighbor. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Phi. 2:3-4)

Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake