Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

The Six Commandments?
by Tom Goodman
September 19, 2012

In the debates about posting the 10 Commandments in tax-funded spaces, one federal judge has a solution: Cut out the first four commandments that explicitly refer to God, and let the last six stand on their own.

Yeah, that'll fix things.

The Giles County school board in Virginia is being sued by a student offended by seeing the Decalogue on school property. The biblical list is among a collection of historical documents, including the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. But it's the 10 Commandments that provoked a lawsuit by the ACLU on behalf of the student. They argue that it violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The case has arrived at federal court, where the judge, Michael Urbanski, asked the school board's lawyer if just removing the first four commandments would settle things.

No word on whether the judge also suggests that "by their Creator" be stricken from the Declaration of Independence in order to allow it to remain in the display, too. It would certainly change the famous document: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal and are endowed [by their Creator] with certain unalienable Rights."

In truth, when it comes to posting the 10 Commandments in tax-supported spaces, you'll find a variety of opinions among the Hillcrest Family. Regardless of whether our world keeps the list posted in its public spaces, though, we believers need to keep the list posted in our hearts.

And posted there, the first four commandments cannot be excised from the last six. The good life begins by (#1) joining yourself to the right God, (#2) envisioning him in the right way, (#3) respecting his character -- his "name" -- and (#4) celebrating the rest he has brought us into. You don't follow the 10 Commandments like ordering from a Chinese menu: a little from Column A and a little from Column B. Our success with the last six have a lot to do with our passion for the first four.

The Hillcrest Family just started a series on these 10 Commandments. We're calling it "God's Perfect 10," and the series is for all ages. Preschoolers and children and youth and adults -- we'll all have our own age-appropriate study.

This week we'll we find out how to establish our lives on the first two commandments! Join us at 10 for God's Perfect 10.

--Tom

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The Six Commandments? by Tom Goodman September 19, 2012 In the debates about posting the 10 Commandments in tax-funded spaces, one federal judge has a solution: Cut out the first four commandments that explicitly refer to God, and let the last six stand on their own. Yeah, that'll fix things. The Giles County school board in Virginia is being sued by a student offended by seeing the Decalogue on school property. The biblical list is among a collection of historical documents, including the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. But it's the 10 Commandments that provoked a lawsuit by the ACLU on behalf of the student. They argue that it violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The case has arrived at federal court, where the judge, Michael Urbanski, asked the school board's lawyer if just removing the first four commandments would settle things. No word on whether the judge also suggests that "by their Creator" be stricken from the Declaration of Independence in order to allow it to remain in the display, too. It would certainly change the famous document: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal and are endowed [by their Creator] with certain unalienable Rights." In truth, when it comes to posting the 10 Commandments in tax-supported spaces, you'll find a variety of opinions among the Hillcrest Family. Regardless of whether our world keeps the list posted in its public spaces, though, we believers need to keep the list posted in our hearts. And posted there, the first four commandments cannot be excised from the last six. The good life begins by (#1) joining yourself to the right God, (#2) envisioning him in the right way, (#3) respecting his character -- his "name" -- and (#4) celebrating the rest he has brought us into. You don't follow the 10 Commandments like ordering from a Chinese menu: a little from Column A and a little from Column B. Our success with the last six have a lot to do with our passion for the first four. The Hillcrest Family just started a series on these 10 Commandments. We're calling it "God's Perfect 10," and the series is for all ages. Preschoolers and children and youth and adults -- we'll all have our own age-appropriate study. This week we'll we find out how to establish our lives on the first two commandments! Join us at 10 for God's Perfect 10. --Tom Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here. Check out my weblog here. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.