Day 12 – Precepts
(Psa 119:4) Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
Stop for a moment and think about what this verse means to you. Pick it apart in your head and see what you come up with – specifically the words commanded, keep, precepts, and diligently.
Today, we will pick apart a verse in light of this series and walk away, hopefully, with an understanding that God’s Word is our final authority in all things.
Many of you know how much I love Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. It amazes me to see the differences in definitions between his dictionary and today’s Webster’s dictionary. It saddens me, as well, to see how diluted definitions have become through the years. For example, if you were to look up the word sin in both dictionaries, you would be absolutely amazed.
Noah’s definition of sin is as follows:
Sin
SIN, n.1. The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law. 1 John 3. Mat 15. James 4. Sinner neither enjoy the pleasures of nor the peace of piety. Among divines, sin is original or actual. Actual sin, above defined, is the act of a moral agent in violating a known rule of duty. Original sin, as generally understood, is native depravity of heart to the divine will, that corruption of nature of deterioration of the moral character of man, which is supposed to be the effect of Adam’s apostasy; and which manifests itself in moral agents by positive act of disobedience to the divine will, or by the voluntary neglect to comply with the express commands of God, which require that we should love God with all the heart and soul and strength and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves. This native depravity or alienation of affections from God and his law, is supposed to be what the apostle calls the carnal mind or mindedness, which is enmity against God, and is therefore denominated sin or sinfulness. Unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is supposed to be a malicious and obstinate rejection of Christ and the gospel plan of salvation, or a contemptuous resistance made to the influences and convictions of the Holy Spirit. Mat 12.
2. A sin-offering; an offering made to atone for sin. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. 2 Cor 5.
3. A man enormously wicked. [Not in use.]
4. Sin differs from crime, not in nature, but in application. That which is a crime against society, is sin against God.
SIN, v.i.
1. To depart voluntarily from the path of duty prescribed by God man; to violate the divine law in any particular, by actual transgression or by the neglect or non-observance of its injunctions; to violate any known rule of duty. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Rom 3. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. Psa 51.
2. To offend against right, against men or society; to trespass. I an a man more sinn’d against than sinning. And who but wishes to invert the laws of order, sins against the’ eternal cause.
SIN,for since, obsolete or vulgar.
Merriam-Webster’s On-line Dictionary:
Main Entry: sin
Pronunciation: \ˈsin\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sinne, from Old English synn; akin to Old High German sunta sin and probably to Latin sont-, sons guilty, est is — more at is
Date: before 12th century
1 a: an offense against religious or moral law b: an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible c: an often serious shortcoming : fault
2 a: transgression of the law of God b: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
synonyms see offense
Do you see what I mean? Think about this for a moment. We as a society have been raised on Merriam-Webster type definitions. Therefore, our thought process when we read our Bible is in line with the definitions of today. When the Scriptures were translated into English, they were translated using words “of that day” and the meanings of that day.
So keeping that in mind, let’s look at our verse for today dealing with God’s Word. To the Christian living today, reading today’s verse would have this meaning: “God commands me (bids me) to follow His Word.” Do I fear that statement? Not really. It’s more of a directive to me than a command, actually.
However, to the Christian of the day at the time of Noah Webster, it would mean: God requires me to obey Him; and He is ordering me to possess in my heart and mind His precepts, statutes and commandments with steady application and care!” That definitely has more impact, doesn’t it?
I came up with that “translation” using Noah’s 1828 Dictionary. So let’s look at the relevant definitions.
Command
COMMAND, v.t.1. To bid; to order; to direct; to charge; implying authority, and power to control, and to require obedience.
We will sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us. Exo 8.
2. To govern, lead or direct; to have or to exercise supreme authority over.
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Keep
KEEP, v.t. pret. and pp. kept. [L. habeo, and capio.]1. To hold; to retain in one’s power or possession; not to lose or part with; as, to keep a house or a farm; to keep any thing in the memory, mind or heart.
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Precept
PRE’CEPT, n. [L. proeceptum, from proecipio, to command; proe, before, and capio, to take.]1. In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. The ten commandments are so many precepts for the regulation of our moral conduct.
No arts are without their precepts.
2. In law, a command or mandate in writing.
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Diligently
DILIGENTLY, adv. With steady application and care; with industry or assiduity; not carelessly; not negligently.Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God. Deu 6.
With those definitions now before you, I pray that this verse will impact you. (Psa 119:4) Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
God is adamant about His Word being kept, otherwise He would not command us to keep it diligently. Would the Lord command us to keep His Word diligently if it could not be preserved through the years? Again, we know that the God of Glory is able and the Creator of all things is powerful enough to preserve it without fault. To say otherwise limits the God of Heaven and it is foolishness.
Since we are commanded by the God of all to keep His Word diligently (With steady application and care; with industry or assiduity; not carelessly; not negligently), then we would be careful not to allow the doctrines of man or church traditions, etc. to over rule what God has said in His Word. My on-going challenge with a dear catholic soul has been this very topic. The catholic church teaches that the Scriptures, church tradition and magisterium (words from the church leaders) are equal. Therefore, the poor catholic either lives in a state of confusion or simply trusts church tradition and church leaders’ words. Much of the Catholic church traditions and the church’s words differ from what the Word of God says. This would definitely cause me to be confused.
Who would you obey? Would you obey what God has commanded of you? Or would you obey what the church leaders have told you to do instead? I’m sure to the catholic it is a conundrum. But to the born-again believer, it’s a “no brain-er.” We obey God because His Word is truth. (Joh 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. God’s Word is above all things. (Psa 138:2) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (emphasis mine)
If God magnifies His own Word above His own name, do you not think that the Bible would be error free and preserved? God will not accept your excuse that you obeyed the church fathers and traditions even though they disagreed with the Bible. He just won’t go against His own word, my friend! This applies to the Christian as well. Do you think that you will go without chastisement when you don’t obey that which the Word has commanded you to do? God’s Word is not a suggestion of guidelines. God’s Word is our very bread and water and we should desire it just as much as we desire to keep our bodies alive with food. (Luk 4:4) And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
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