Lesson 4 Commandments 9 – 10, the Law and Sin Questions 63-85

A. Carefully read and think about Questions 63-85 in the Small Catechism

B. Write down at least 5 Important Things that you discovered in your reading 1.

C. Agree-Disagree Questions: Read and think about each of the following Agree-Disagree statements. Answer each statement and write a brief reason to support the answer you gave.

___ 1. Coveting is the sinful desire for things that we should not want, especially when it would harm another person.

___ 2. Coveting is not such a harmful sin because it only affects the thoughts of our hearts.

___ 3. When God forbids coveting, He is also commanding us to be content with what we have and to have hearts filled with only holy desires.

___ 4. When God describes Himself as a “jealous God”, He is telling us that He has the absolute right to our highest love and loyalty and that He is not willing to share that love and loyalty with anyone or anything.

____ 5. God makes threats to punish sin with both earthly and eternal punishments, but He will only carry out those threats with those who live extremely wicked lives.

___ 6. The primary purpose of God’s threats to punish sinners is to lead people to sincerely repent of their sins.

___ 7. When God says that He will bless those who revere Him to a thousand generations and curse those who sins against Him to the third and fourth generation, He shows us that He is far more interested in blessing us than He is in having to punish us.

___ 8. God demands that we try to keep His Law the best that we can.

___ 9. No one can be saved by their efforts to keep God’s commandments.

___ 10. When God’s Law serves as a curb, it controls the external behavior of sinners.

___ 11. When God’s Law serves as a mirror, it shows us our sin and our need for a Savior.

___ 12. When God’s Law serves as a guide, it points out the ways that we can show our love for God and for others.

___ 13. Original sin is the wicked, rebellious attitude of the heart that we have inherited from our parents since the time that Adam and Eve fell into sin.

___ 14. Actual sins are the evil thoughts, words and deeds that we commit to express our rebellion against God and His commandments.

___ 15. God’s loving solution to our sin is the Gospel that shows us that we must live the ways Jesus lived so that we can save ourselves.

D. Reflection Questions

Many people have offered the opinion that the reason God gave us two commandments that deal with the sin of coveting is that coveting is a sin of the heart and that these invisible sins of the hearts are hard for us to recognize and take seriously. What do you think of that observation?
What would you say to help someone who says that while he is not a perfect person, he is also not deserving of going to hell for his sins?
Suggest something you can do to stay mindful of the Ten Commandments and allow God to carry out His work of curbing your outward sinful behavior, showing you your sins and need for a Savior, and giving you guidance for your Christian living.

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