ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite Sepitema 19, 2017

Ko palopalema ‘o ‘etau tauhi ‘a e Laó

Our dilemma in keeping God’s Law

Fehuʻi #8

Ko e hā ‘a e lao ‘a e ‘Otuá  ‘oku hiki ‘i he Fekau ‘e Hongofulú?

(What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?)

‘Oua na‘a ai hao ‘Otua kehe, ‘o ua ‘aki au. ‘Oua te ke ngaohi ma‘au ha tamapua, pe ha momo‘i fakatātā ‘o ha me‘a ‘o e langi ‘i ‘olunga na, pe ‘o māmani ‘i lalo ni, pe ‘o e tahi ‘i lolofonua. ‘Oua te ke hū ki ai, pea ‘oua te ke tauhi ki ai. ‘Oua te ke takuanoa ‘a e huafa ‘o Sihova ko ho ‘Otua. Manatu ‘a e ‘aho Sāpate ke tauhi ia ke tapu. Faka‘apa‘apa ki ho‘o tamai mo ho‘o fa‘ē. ‘Oua na‘a ke fakapō. ‘Oua na‘a ke tono ‘unoho. ‘Oua na‘a ke kaiha‘a. ‘Oua na‘a ke tu‘u ko e fakamo‘oni loi. ‘Oua te ke manumanu.

(You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below – you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet.)

‘Ekisoto 20:3

‘Oua na‘a ai hao ‘Otua kehe, ‘o ua ‘aki Au.

Exodus 20:3

You shall have no other gods before Me.

Komeniteli ‘a Sione Ieti – hoko atu

Commentary – John Yates (cont…)

Ko e Laoʹ ko ‘etau koloa. ‘Oku tau ‘ofa ai. Ko e meʻaʻofa fungani he ko e foaki ‘ofa mei he ‘Otuaʹ. Ko ‘etau kāpasa. Ko hotau fakatokanga. Ko hotau maluʻi. Pea ‘i he taimi ‘oku tau tauhi ai ‘ene ngaahi laoʹ, ‘oku tau fakahaaʻi ki mamani ‘a e ‘ulungaanga hotau ‘Otuaʹ. Pea ka tau afe mei he ngaahi laoʹ, ‘oku tau fokotuʻu ha tautea kiate kitautolu kae pehē foki mo ‘etau tukuhifo e langilangi ‘o e ‘Otuaʹ.

Ko e palopalema ‘o e ‘ikai ke tau lava ke tauhi haohaoa ‘a e Fekau ‘e Hongofuluʹ, koeʻuhiʹ he ‘oku fanauʻi ‘a e tangataʹ ‘i he tuʻunga pōpula ki he angahalaʹ mo e sio kitaʹ. Pea ‘oku iku ai pe ki heʻene maumauʻi ‘a e Lao haohaoa ‘a e ‘Otuaʹ. Ka ‘i he taimi ‘oku tau hoko ai ko e fakatupu foʻou ‘i he tui kia Kalaisiʹ, ‘oku tau maʻu leva ‘a e Laumālie Maʻoniʻoni ‘oku ne nofoʻia kitautoluʹ. ‘Oku fakatauʻataina kitautolu mei he moʻua ki he angahalaʹ pea foaki mai ‘a e kelesi ke tau tauhi ‘a e lao ‘a e ‘Otuaʹ. Ko e tauhi ‘o e Fekau ‘a e ‘Otuaʹ ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha kavenga mamafa, ka ‘oku tokoni ke tau nofo melino mo e ‘Otuaʹ, mo hotau ngaahi lotoʹ pea mo hotau kaunāʻapiʹ.

The commandments are our treasure. We cherish them. They’re a great gift, a love gift from God. They guide us. They warn us. They protect us. When we keep them, we show others what God is like. When we fail to live them, we bring great harm to ourselves and we dishonor our Maker.

We have a problem keeping the Ten Commandments because man is born in bondage to sin and selfishness. And in the end, we cannot help but break God’s holy law. But when we become a new creature by faith in Christ, we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. We’re freed from having to sin, and we’re given the grace to keep God’s law. Keeping God’s commandments is not onerous but helps us live at peace with God, with ourselves, and with our neighbors.