Mar 31, 2023

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Deuteronomy 5:21).

This tenth covenant word is different from the rest. The others concern things that we do...

Mar 30, 2023

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Deuteronomy 5:20)

This word honours and guards the integrity of all words by keeping honesty and integrity at the forefront of our dealings with one another, particularly in a court of law.  We are not to falsely use the name of God: the same applies to...

Mar 29, 2023

“You shall not steal” (Deuteronomy 5:18).

It was a Tuesday evening; my dad had brought several of his children to the church building for the weekly Catechism Classes. Because we had classes at different times, we needed to wait for each other. The intend was that we would complete our homework while not in class....

Mar 28, 2023

“You shall not commit adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:18)

These five words are ground zero of the culture war over human sexuality in the CRC.  Synod’s decision to make a list of sins confessional was attached to it via the Heidelberg Catechism’s use of the word “unchastity” to describe what this word...

Mar 27, 2023

“You shall not murder” (Deuteronomy 5:17).

Offering this reflection, the Heidelberg Catechism helps us mine the depth of this covenant word,

“I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor--not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds--and I am not to be party to...