By Mike Peek

Dear Neighbor, Question 101: What do we pray for in the first petition? Answer: In the first petition, which is, "Hallowed be thy name," we pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory. It is for the glory of God and the Lamb that we pray. What is the purpose of all things? The purpose for all things is the glory of God. The very first question and answer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Question 1: What is the chief end of man? Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever. Man was created to glorify God, and to enjoy God forever, but man sinned and fell short of his glory. However, it is for the glory of God, that God justified man. We are justified as a gift, by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, for the glory of God alone, as it is written in Scripture alone. (cf. Rom. 3:10-26) We who are redeemed...

Dear Neighbor, Question 100: What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us? Answer: The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, "Our Father which art in heaven," teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others. When Jesus meet Mary Madeline in the garden, he said to her: “G o to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” (Jn. 20:17b) This indicates a change in covenant, for God’s covenant name in Israel was Yahweh or Jehovah, but we should understand God, not as the God who took us out of slavery in Egypt, but as a loving Father who elected us and Jesus Christ as a loving brother who died for us. Therefore, when you pray, pray to your Father who loves you, for he elected you before the foundation of the earth and adopted you as a son or daughter of God. However, we should not think of God a...

Dear Neighbor, Question 99: What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? Answer: The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord's Prayer. Yesterday I mentioned that the pastor of Sylvania Church often reads Puritan prayers from The Valley of Vision . He also does something else that I think is very interesting; he prays from the psalms. He will take one of the psalms and pray it aloud, adapting it to the congregation for which he is praying. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, says: “ All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Therefore, the Westminster Puritans are correct in their assertion that the whole Word of God is useful to direct us in prayer. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, (cf.  Luke 11...

Dear Neighbor, My personal devotional time begins each morning with a recitation of a chapter out of the Gospel According to John; after this, I write a write a letter to God; after this, I read a portion of Scripture; after this, I write a letter to you. Prayer is very very important to me. I surround my prayer time with the Scriptures. The Puritans have much to teach us about prayer, for they were a prayerful people. In the liturgy of the worship service, at Sylvania Church, our pastor often reads a Puritan Prayer from the Valley of Vision; therefore, I believe that the Puritans have much that they can teach us about prayer.  The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 98: What is prayer? Answer: Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies. I do not always do so, but several years ago, someone suggested to me to use the acronym A.C.T.S. while pra...

Question 97: What is required to be the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper? Answer: It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgement to themselves. This is a good and biblical answer, however, there is something missing from this answer. The thing missing is church membership. I do not mean membership in the particular local church in which a traveler might take part in the Lord’s Supper, but I mean membership in the church universal. We do not believe in Baptismal regeneration; therefore, this is not of which I am speaking. However, we do believe that Baptism is a church ordinance; therefore, Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and the Lord’s Supper. Faith in Jesus Christ is the prerequisite to Baptism, believers...

Question 96: What is the Lord's supper? Answer: The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worth receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace. Dear Neighbor, I do not believe that this answer is sufficient. I believe “The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.” (BFM, Article 7b)  The Westminster Puritans believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament but I believe that it is a symbolic act of obedience. Remember, the word sacrament implies that the act itself conveys grace to the believer. I do not believe that the act of receiving the Lord’s Supper conveys any grace t...

Dear Neighbor,  This is the day that the Lord has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it. God created everyday, but the first day of the week is a special day. The first day of the week is the Lord’s day! Christians regularly observe the first day of the week as being the Lord’s special day of the week. Not in observance of the Sabbath rest, commanded of Israel, in the covenant that he made with them at Mount Sinai in the desert, but because it commemorates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Therefore, Christians come together on the first day of the week to worship God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  It was on the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were, that Jesus first appeared to the disciples, bodily resurrected from the dead. Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you.” After saying this, he showed them that he was not a spirit but bodily resurrected. The disciples rejoiced when the saw the Lord Jesus Ch...

Acts 2:41-42 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Dear Neighbor, What is the church?   The church is a fellowship of baptized believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who devote themselves to teaching from the Scriptures, to eating meals together, especially the Lord’s supper, and to prayer. At these fellowship meals, in the early church, there must have been women in attendance with their infants and small children. As the children grew, they would have heard the Word spoken but there would have been no necessity to baptize infants. The eating of meals together denotes intimacy, it is, and always has been families who sit down together for a meal. At these fellowship meals there would have been discussion. Often, the discussion would have begun with a lecture by the elder. These early ...

Question 95: To whom is baptism to be administered? Answer: Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized. Dear Neighbor, I know by what means they came to this answer, but being men who spent much time in the Scripture, I do not understand how they held to it. There is much that we all do out of habit, and because others did it before us; but the truth is, the second part of this answer is fallacy. There is absolutely no instance of anyone being Baptized in Scripture except that of a believer.  I believe that the reformers were on the path to abandon the practice of infant baptism but they chickened out. Throughout the middle ages, and during the time of the reformation, the way that governments counted its citizenry was through church baptismal records. If only believers were baptized, not all persons born in...

Question 94: What is baptism? Answer: Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's. Dear Neighbor, Baptism is not a sacrament, whereas, by calling Baptism a sacrament, the word implies conveyance of grace. No one has been or ever will be sealed our ingrafted into Christ through the act of Baptism. However, Baptism is required for church membership, that you a believer may then take part in the activities of the church, but it does not give us the benefits of the covenant of grace, for all was given to us when we first believed.  Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which G...

Question 93: Which are the sacraments of the New Testament? Answer: The sacraments of the New Testament are, Baptism, and the Lord's supper. Dear Neighbor, I believe it of necessity that I once again define sacrament and ordinance. In answer to question 92, the Westminster Puritans said, “A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ.” I agree that the Baptism and the Lord’s supper are ordinances instituted by Christ, and they are Holy because Christ instituted them, but for what purpose and to whom? This is the purpose of the questions that follow, but for now, let us once again define sacrament and ordinance. The authors of The Baptist Faith & Message define ordinance and sacrament thus: Ordinance means decree or command. The word sacrament implies that the act itself conveys grace to the believer. Both the Westminster Puritans and Baptist agree that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted Baptism and the Lord’s supper, and there are none but these. (cf. Mt. 28:19 & 1 Co...

Question 92: What is a sacrament? Answer: A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. Dear Neighbor, As I said yesterday, I do not like the word sacrament being used of baptism and the Lord’s supper because the word sacrament implies that the act itself conveys grace to the participant. I, however, prefer to call them ordinances because an ordinance is a decree or command; therefore, I am pleased to read in answer to question 92 that the Westminster Puritans said, “A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ.” However, I do not believe that the entire second half of the answer is correct: “wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.” I do not like the answer because it implies that the act itself conveys grace.  I knew when I began to write about the questio...

Question 91: How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation? Answer: The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. Dear Neighbor, The word sacrament is derived from the ancient Roman religions of making and oath to and worshiping the gods; for this reason the Roman Catholic church adopted this word into the Christian faith. The Westminster puritans continued to use the word in their confession and catechisms; both longer and shorter catechisms. The Baptist decided to make a change and call them ordinances. It became excepted in Roman Catholicism that there was virtue in the ordinances and in the priest who administered them. I do not believe this to be true. I do not believe that Baptism and the Lord’s supper are acts that convey grace but are commands given by Christ as pictures and affirmation of grac...

Dear Neighbor, I am concerned about the unrighteousness and ungodliness among Christians in the present age. “Χριστιανός, christianos (Christian), a word formed after the Roman style, signifying an adherent of Jesus, was first applied to such by the Gentiles and is found in Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16.” (Vines) Christians are followers of Christ. A Christian believes that Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee, the Son of Mary, is in fact the Christ, the Son of God.  The apostle Paul wrote to Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Paul is not preaching universal salvation but salvation av...

Question 90: How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? Answer: The the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives. Dear Neighbor, The bases for these final questions and answers is Acts 2:41-42 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Those who received the Word began to practice the Christian life! In the parable of the Sower and the Soils; (Mark 4:1-20) Jesus explained that there are four ways in which people receive the Word: People who hear, but do not receive the Word. People who hear, receive the Word, but do not lay it up in their hearts. People who hear, receive the Word, lay it up in their heart...

Question 89: How is the Word made effectual to salvation? Answer: The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. Dear Neighbor, Yesterday, I wrote that the bases for these final questions in the Westminster Shorter Catechism were set in the answer to question 88; therefore, even if the answers deviate, we will not, for this is the bases, the establishment of the church of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:41-42 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. The apostle Paul wrote to his apprentice Timothy: “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” (1 Tim. 4:13) Why? Because the apostle P...

Question 88 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?” Answer: “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.” Acts 2:41-42 “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” All of the remaining questions in the Westminster Shorter Catechism deal with the ordinances of the Word, sacraments and prayer. The proof text given for their answer to question 88 is Acts 2:41-42; therefore, I think it prudent that we return to this text when considering every answer to the end of the catechism. In Acts 2:41-42 we can see the workings of the early church....

Dear Neighbor, Question 87 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: What is repentance unto life? Answer: Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience. In several spots around the city of Tyler, Texas, someone has paid for billboards that read: “The ABC’s of salvation: Admit that you are a sinner. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Call on the name of the Lord.” None of these are wrong but they do not say enough. The biblical and historical way of salvation is to turn from sin to God in Jesus Christ. However, repentance for the the forgiveness of sins does not make for a catchy billboard, with blocks that one may recall from their childhood, along with the ABC’s.  Repentance is not something that a man can do, yet he must do it to see the kingdom of God. Jesus answered and s...

Dear Neighbor, Question 86: What is faith in Jesus Christ? Answer: Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel. The apostle Paul wrote of both Jew and Greek, Romans 10:13 “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” Then he asked in Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” Then he said in Romans 10:16, “However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” Nonetheless, he said in Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” In the book, All of Grace, Charles Spurgeon said, “Faith is the simplest of all things, and perhaps because of its simplicity it is the more difficult to explain.” Then he explained faith in this way: “It is made up of three things--knowledge, belief...

Dear Neighbor, Question 85: What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin? Answer: To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. You ought to know by now that there are some differences in my understanding of Scripture from that of the Westminster Puritans. The Westminster Puritans understood the Scriptures through the lens of Covenantal Theology. Covenantal Theology views all of Scripture through the Abrahamic covenant. However, I see several covenants throughout Scripture. There is the covenant that God made with Adam but Adam broke that covenant; however, God made a promise, that the seed of the woman would defeat the seed of the serpent, though he would be injured. (cf. Gn. 3:15)  There is also the covenant that God made with Noah and all of creation. The...

Today I would like to write an open-letter to my 36 year old nephew, Dustin Chance Weeks. An open-letter because Dustin was found dead on the morning of July 6, 2021 and you may glean something from my letter to Dustin. Dear Dustin, Today, your our family and friends are holding a memorial service in honor of your life. You are worthy of honor, as are all men, because you were created in the image of God. I first meet you at another man’s funeral service, that of your grandfather’s, whom you called Paw. I meet Paw once before his death but I feel as though I know him through the eyes of his daughter, my wife, and your Aunt Darlene. She has trained your children, since the time that they were very little, to call her Aunt Favorite. You were but five years old when Darlene and I married.  During the early years of our marriage I saw and played with you often. We lived just a few miles away, as I was stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana. We would come up to Stanley to see Maw and all o...

Dear Neighbor, In my letter to you yesterday morning, I wrote that I agreed with the Westminster Puritans on their answer to question 83, that God sees some sins more heinous than others. I agreed based on Scripture alone, but  I warned to not think that God sees as we see. Question 84: What doth every sin deserve? Answer: Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come. This morning I read: Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” There in lies a huge problem for all of us. Question 82 asked, “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?” We agreed with the Westminster Puritans, that know one is able, but all breaks them daily in thought, word and deed.  A question that is often spoken during times of distress: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Romans 3...

Dear Neighbor, Question 83 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Are all transgression of the law equally heinous? The answer given: Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations are more heinous in the sight of God than others. The Roman governor Pilate believed that he had authority to release or crucify Jesus. Jesus did consider it sin that Pilate should crucify him, but Jesus considered the sin of those who turned him over to Pilate to be greater.  Jesus answered Pilot, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (Jn. 19:11, NASB) By this text, I agree with the puritans, that some sins are more heinous in the sight of God than others, but I do not think that we should believe that the sins we consider more heinous, are the sins that God considers more heinous.  We should all consider that God sees sin differently than we do; for God sees anger and slander as...

Answer: No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. Dear Neighbor, The preacher in Ecclesiastes 7:20 wrote: Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. This is not to say that it is ok to sin because sin is always wrong. We were created in the image of God; (Gn. 1:27) therefore, we are to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt. 5:48) But no one is perfect; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) We all have evil thoughts, (Gn. 8:21) we all speak evil from the mouth, (Jam. 3:8) in many things we offend and we know that it ought not be this way. (Jam.3:10 If no one is able to perfectly keep the commandments of God and does daily break them in thought, word, and deed; what is the purpose of the law? The Law closes the mouth from saying, “I am good.” (Rom. 3:19a) The Law makes us accountable to God. (Rom. 3:...

Answer: The Tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his. Dear Neighbor, Are you content with all that you have, or do you look at your neighbor and envy what your neighbor has, grieving, even angry that your neighbor has such and such but you do not? The kingdom of God is not in our possessions, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 14:17) To envy and grieve what your neighbor has causes one to bite and devour ones neighbor. (Gal. 5:15) It is from covetousness that murders, adulteries, theft and lying against ones neighbor occurs. This world is a very difficult place to live in and a great deal of bad things happen in it. Some people have a great deal and others have very little. Some people work hard and have little, and others work little and have a lot. However, do not think that this is necessarily the case with your ...

Answer: The Tenth Commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all this is his. Dear Neighbor, Are you content with what you have and are you glad for your neighbor? The Westminster Puritans understood that the tenth commandment requires our full contentment with our own condition and a right spirit towards our neighbor, being glad for him in all that he has. When we are unsatisfied with what God has given to us, this is sinning against God. When we do not have a charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, this is sinning against our neighbor.  The great commandment is to love the Lord your God with your whole self and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and the prophets depend on these two commandments; (Mt. 22:37-40) therefore, being dissatisfied is not loving God who is the giver of all things and being jealous of your neighbor’s positions is not loving your ne...

Answer: The Tenth Commandment is, "thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." Dear Neighbor, The following two question ask what is required and what is forbidden in the tenth commandment but what is the tenth commandment? The tenth commandment is very often shortened, “You shall not covet.” What does it mean to covet? The Oxford American Dictionary says that the word covet is a verb, which means to “yearn to possess or have something.” Therefore, shortening the commandment can be misleading. To covet, crave, set your heart on, want, wish for, long for, dream of, aspire to, hanker for, hunger for, thirst for, ache for, etc. is not in itself the commandment. The commandment specifies that which belongs to ones neighbor. Jesus said, (Matthew 5:6) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shal...

Dear Neighbor, Since the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, to his disciples, on the first day of the week, (the day in which he rose from the dead) the disciples have been gathering together on the first day of the week, to break bread, to talk with one another and hear a message. (cf. Acts 20:7) Many churches in the East Texas area are caught up in Americanism and 4th of July celebrations on this Lord’s day. Let us not forget that “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” (Rom. 13:1) A Christian should be in subjection to the governing authorities, pay taxes and respect the countries leaders. (Rom. 13:7) However, we should not forget that our citizenship is not in this world but in the kingdom of God. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Cor. 15:50) All authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth; therefore, we are to make disciples of all the nations, baptize...

Answer: The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness-bearing. Dear Neighbor, A citizen of the Kingdom of God walks among men with integrity. All that he does on the earth is right. He speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander his neighbor or do any wrong to his neighbor. The citizen of the Kingdom thinks rightly, speaks rightly and does rightly by his neighbor. (cf. Ps. 15:1-5)  However, in Romans 3:10-18, the apostle Paul wrote of all men: THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND ...

Answer: The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness-bearing. Dear Neighbor, Proverbs 14:5, 25 says, A trustworthy witness will not lie, But a false witness utters lies. A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous. This morning, in my daily recitation of John’s gospel, I recited John 19:35, “And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.” The children of God speak truth because God’s nature is truth and the children of the devil speak lies because it is the devil’s nature to lie. Whenever a person lies, he makes himself a son of the devil, but when he tells the truth, he is a son of God. (Jn. 8:43-44)  Above all else, the Christian must be truthful in all matters, because our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth of God. (Jn. 14:7) How can one represent our Lord i...

Answer: The Ninth Commandment is, "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Dear Neighbor, Pilot directly asked Jesus: “Are you the the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered but after asking Pilot how he came to this knowledge. Jesus revealed to Pilot that he is in fact a king but his kingdom is not of this world. When Pilot understood that Jesus believed himself to be a king, he asked a clarifying question: “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate then said to Jesus, “What is truth?” (Jn. 18:33-38) What is truth? In Prov 12:17, 19, truth is that which is opposed to falsehood. (EBD) Therefore, conversely, one could say, falsehood is that which is opposed to the truth. Psalm 116:11 says, “All men are liars.” and that is a terrorfying reality because Revelation 21:9 says, “all liars, their...