# 7th commandment



## Notthemama1984 (Nov 6, 2010)

I have the privilege of preaching through the Ten Commandments and have a question if you do not mind. The congregation is very family oriented and has very young children in it. Do you have any tips on preaching the 7th commandment in a way that "little ears" could hear? 

I have plenty of time to figure this out. I am just starting the first commandment this week and already know a few Sunday nights will be dedicated to another subject. It could easily be in January before I get to the 7th. That isn't an excuse to put it off though.

Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.


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## Whitefield (Nov 6, 2010)

I would approach it from the positive side of the commandment. Starting with the emphasis on faithfulness and loyalty in marriage, then the negative will make sense to the most innocent of ears.


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## Contra_Mundum (Nov 6, 2010)

I echo the above. I would want to help folks see this is a most "virtuous" of commandments.

But also that we are not virtuous, we break this command in various ways (you might use the Larger Catechism for its catalog of expectations, both positive and negative), and need Jesus'.

I think its helpful if even the littlest children realize this commandment is for them, and they need the forgiveness of this sin they have committed (though thankfully not usually in the grosser ways of older persons), by Jesus' blood.


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## Andres (Nov 6, 2010)

Contra_Mundum said:


> I think its helpful if even the littlest children realize this commandment is for them, and they need the forgiveness of this sin they have committed (though thankfully not usually in the grosser ways of older persons), by Jesus' blood.


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## Jack K (Nov 6, 2010)

First of all, realize that it is very good for them to hear teaching on this topic at a young age, and to get it in their heads that fidelity in marriage is one of the distinctives of God's people, and to see that like any commandment this requires working at it and committing to be different from the larger culture.

I agree that you can and should emphasize the positive aspects.

Oddly enough, you can also protect the youngest kids by using big words, which we normally would want to avoid for the sake of kids. Example: You can talk about "p*rnography" and those who need to hear it will know what you're talking about while kids just tune it out. If you were you explain what it is, they would be appalled. But you don't do that. You just use the big word. Ditto with several other, useful big words. Some kids my ask their parents after the sermon what those words mean, but then parents can deal with it as is appropriate for the individual child. For kids who already know what the words mean, the cat is out of the bag and they might as well hear you preach against it.


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## TomVols (Nov 9, 2010)

I think Contra Mundum has it right, and while I understand where Jack K is coming from, I don't know that I think it's a good general rule to try to use words that will be unclear so as to go purposefully over the heads of the young uns. That said, I understand that we must be judicious in our language - we can be clear without being profane or "hip" (Mark Driscoll may have figured that out)


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## TimV (Nov 9, 2010)

I'm also with the first two posters. I used to teach the 10 Commandment song in SS. It goes in part "be loyal to your chosen mate, steal nothing neither small nor great, report with truth your neighbors deeds, and keep your minds from selfish greed, the Ten Commandments are God's law, with love for Christ we'll keep them all"


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## Andres (Nov 9, 2010)

TimV said:


> the Ten Commandments are God's law, with love for Christ we'll keep them all"



I think i might take issue with this verse. We don't keep them all. We don't keep any of them ever. This is what I think needs to be focused on when teaching the 10 commandments - the fact that only Christ can fulfill the law perferctly as required by God. Subsequently, this is why we are in dire need for a Savior.


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## Leslie (Nov 9, 2010)

Would it be acceptable to bring up touching someone inappropriately as being a violation? It would prepare the little ones to see attempted sexual abuse as wrong. It would prepare a child to label it as wrong and react against it rather than just being uncomfortable and keeping their mouths shut.


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## TomVols (Nov 10, 2010)

Leslie said:


> Would it be acceptable to bring up touching someone inappropriately as being a violation? It would prepare the little ones to see attempted sexual abuse as wrong. It would prepare a child to label it as wrong and react against it rather than just being uncomfortable and keeping their mouths shut.


 
I appreciate your desire to instruct children about something dangerous. However, it seems a bit of a stretch to apply that in this way to this commandment. The commandment forbids consnsual sexual contact outside marriage. (I believe touching someone inappropriately in a desire to be sexual would be appropriately applied here). But if we extrapolate the commandment to teach children to report abuse, we'd also have to teach adults to avoid / report rape. While commendable, I don't know that this is a legitimate application of the text. Now, if we preach to the predators, have at it, because they are the ones breaking God's standard of sexual purity. And before anyone thinks there are no predators among them, think again. The heart is wicked above all things. 

Again, do not misunderstand me. I believe you are absolutely right in what you are attempting. We need to do EVERYTHING we can to teach our children about the dangers of sexual predators. I may be wrong, but I don't know if doing it while preaching this text is being hermeneutically/homiletically faithful.


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## Scott1 (Nov 10, 2010)

> Westminster Larger Catechism
> 
> Q. 137. Which is the seventh commandment?
> A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.[766]
> ...



You might use the Westminster Larger Catechism as a guide, including the Scripture proofs.

Also, the Shorter Catechism, originally written for children, can give a a rich guide, including the Scripture proofs.


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## KaphLamedh (Nov 10, 2010)

Why not also use Heidelberg as well? Why not Luther's small catecism, but notice that there's so differences between calvinistic and lutheran catechisms on commandments


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## jwithnell (Nov 10, 2010)

From a pew-dweller's perspective, it is wise for you to be cautious in this regard. We recently had some families leave an otherwise excellent church and join ours because the pastor was too frank in his discussion of sexual sin -- and it was their teenagers that the parents had concern for. 

That said, we should not be afraid to use the language of the Bible. Our church just started a series in Hosea, and our pastor has not shied away from describing Gomer as a harlot and mentioning the temple prostitutes, but he certainly doesn't give any description of their activities. Should my children ask me what these words mean, I'd simply tell them it means that these women don't honor their husbands, that they want to go out with other men and leave it at that. (After all, they hear about adultery every week with the reading of the 10 commandments.)


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## TomVols (Nov 11, 2010)

Joshua said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > TimV said:
> ...


Well said and worth saying. It's not that Christ has exempted us from not committing adultery; it's that Christ is all that will enable us from committing adultery, and that we do so out of allegiance to Him for the glory of God by the power of the indwelling Spirit.


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