1st/2nd Commandment Resources

[blhowes]

Today the theme for the service was prayer. At the beginning of the sermon, the pastor played a clip from the Bruce Almighty movie. For those who have seen the movie (I haven't), its the part at the end where he comes to the end of the rope and prays to God, telling him he wants to do God's will. Next, he's hit by an 18 wheeler and ends up in heaven talking with God, a black actor (I don't go to movies much, don't know his name).

I'd like to learn more about the first two commandments. I'd prefer sermons, but reading material would be good too. Any recommendations?

 

[Hippo]

And people wonder why the RPW is so wonderful.

 

[TheocraticMonarchist]

Bruce Almighty is one of the most blasphemous movies ever created. I haven’t seen the whole movie, but the bedroom scene was enough to make me passionately hate it. I can’t believe anyone other than the most vile heathen would endorse such sacrilege.

The makers of Bruce Almighty also made Evan Almighty. ‘Christians’ flocked to see it like a crack whore after a fix. The secular church is just plain sick.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

See James Durham's work on the ten commandments. The lecture on the second commandment is online; for the first see the Naphtali Press edition in print.
James Durham | Naphtali Press

 

[blhowes]

Bruce Almighty is one of the most blasphemous movies ever created. I haven’t seen the whole movie, but the bedroom scene was enough to make me passionately hate it. I can’t believe anyone other than the most vile heathen would endorse such sacrilege.

The makers of Bruce Almighty also made Evan Almighty. ‘Christians’ flocked to see it like a crack whore after a fix. The secular church is just plain sick.

I haven't seen it either. I try within reason to keep an open mind when visiting a church. When he started the sermon by asking the media person to play the clip, I was surprised, but figured I'd give the benefit of the doubt. When it got to the part where he was "talking with God" in heaven, I'd seen enough. I gathered my things, stood up, and left. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, nevertheless...

 

[TheocraticMonarchist]

These may help. The first link leads to where the Westminster confession addresses worship, the second and third links lead to chapters in Calvin's Institutes that deal with idolatry. Calvin addresses the 2nd commandment directly in Chapter 11, and the WCF references it in support of its stance against images.

Chapter 21 - WCF

Institutes of the Christian Religion; Chapter 11 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Institutes of the Christian Religion; Chapter 12 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

 

[blhowes]

See James Durham's work on the ten commandments. The lecture on the second commandment is online; for the first see the Naphtali Press edition in print.
James Durham | Naphtali Press

Thanks. I look forward to reading it. Its intro looks like it'd be just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

 

[toddpedlar]

Bruce Almighty is one of the most blasphemous movies ever created. I haven’t seen the whole movie, but the bedroom scene was enough to make me passionately hate it. I can’t believe anyone other than the most vile heathen would endorse such sacrilege.

The makers of Bruce Almighty also made Evan Almighty. ‘Christians’ flocked to see it like a crack whore after a fix. The secular church is just plain sick.

I haven't seen it either. I try within reason to keep an open mind when visiting a church. When he started the sermon by asking the media person to play the clip, I was surprised, but figured I'd give the benefit of the doubt. When it got to the part where he was "talking with God" in heaven, I'd seen enough. I gathered my things, stood up, and left. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, nevertheless...

It was the right thing to do, without question. When a "pastor" blasphemes God by showing an idolatrous piece of garbage like he did - all questions of RPW aside - you have no business staying there, but in my opinion it was your duty to get up and leave. (and I would not have been too concerned about being noticed leaving or making too much noise, either.)

 

[Marrow Man]

I've heard tell of a church where the pastor was preaching some heretical trash and the elders forcibly removed him from the pulpit.

 

[Casey]

John Murray on Pictures of Christ and the Second Commandment

Ursinus' exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism on the 2nd Commandment

 

[blhowes]

Thank-you for your responses and the resources to check out. I appreciate it and look forward to reading them.

I must admit, maybe because of the churches I've attended during my life, that my understanding of what's commanded/prohibited in the 10 commandments is lacking. Its just not what was taught - the "we're under grace, not the law" kinda thing. I hope to remedy that.

-----Added 1/25/2009 at 05:37:46 EST-----

"We're not making any graven image of God here, or bowing down to worship him; nobody said or believes that the actor was God. The story is just used to illustrate a point."

I'd imagine that might be one response given to justify the use of the movie clip. How would you respond?

 

[NaphtaliPress]

This has been handled in older threads I think, but perhaps you should start a new thread rather than attach it to this one on the topic of resources.

"We're not making any graven image of God here, or bowing down to worship him; nobody said or believes that the actor was God. The story is just used to illustrate a point."

I'd imagine that might be one response given to justify the use of the movie clip. How would you respond?

 

[blhowes]

This has been handled in older threads I think, but perhaps you should start a new thread rather than attach it to this one on the topic of resources.

"We're not making any graven image of God here, or bowing down to worship him; nobody said or believes that the actor was God. The story is just used to illustrate a point."

I'd imagine that might be one response given to justify the use of the movie clip. How would you respond?

ok, I'll search the older threads first.