1996 Issue 6
Ireland's Apostle Patrick, alias Padraig or Sucat, was the covenant child of the Christian Church's Deacon Calpum, and grandson of Presbyter Pottitt from the village of Banna Ventaburniae. There Patrick was born, around A.D. 385 - probably in northern Britannia's Cumbria (south of the Solway in Britain's Strathclyde).
Raised in a Bible-believing Christian community which normally spoke Brythonic Cumbrian but could also read Latin, Patrick was captured by pirates - and sold into slavery in Ireland when but sixteen. After having learned some Gaelic Irish, and escaping from captivity in Antrim six years later, he returned to Britain. There, like his grandfather, he became a Presbyter.
God rejoices in Himself, I Chron. 16:27, His works, Psa. 104:31, and His people, Psa. 149:4; Isa. 62:45; Dt. 30:9; Zeph. 3:17. God rejoices in the repentance of sinners, Lk. 15:5, 9, 32.
God is the object and source of joy, Gal. 5:22; Psa. 16:11; 15:11; 16:24; 17:13. We rejoice in His perfections, Psa. 97:12; 30:5; Lk. 10:20; 21:6, 7; Hab.3:17, 18, His salvation in Christ, Psa. 21:1; Hab. 3:18; Phil. 3:3; I Pet. 1:8, His Laws, Psa. 1:2; 119:1f, and His judgments along with all His works, Psa. 48:1l. The good news of great joy is the content and effect of the gospel, Lk. 2:10. Furthermore, the consummation of life at death is the consummation of joy, Lk. 15; Mat. 25:21, 23.
All profane oaths, speeches, and exclamations are forbidden in many parts of Scripture. From Sinai God said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Exodus 20:7. In the sermon on the mount Christ said, "Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea, Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" Matt. 5:34-37. God's name was never intended to be used as an expletive in conversation. It is a great evil that it is so often used in exclamations of surprise, grief, or joy.
The Example of the Puritans
The Puritans emphasized the importance of the heart in the observance of the Sabbath, and they provide an excellent demonstration of the practical outworking of such a belief.
Puritan Understanding of the Sabbath
The Puritans staunchly believed that the Sabbath was an abiding moral ordinance and were convinced of its importance, because it was clearly demonstrated in Scripture. The Westminster Confession gave a concise statement of the Puritan view of the Sabbath.
Our God is a God of the family. At the heart of God's plans for man lies the family. It is the oldest and most basic institution God has created among men. In this study we come to a text that has two laws related to the family. According to the outline of Deuteronomy this passage is located in the section which gives an exposition of the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill". It follows Moses' expansion of the Sixth Commandment in regards to capital punishment and war laws. These very obviously fit the pattern. But in light of that, the passage before us would seem at first glance to be misplaced. These laws would appear to be more relevant were they in the previous section dealing with the Fifth Commandment, "Honor thy father and mother". After all, this section deals with a matter obviously concerned with family relations. But as is so often the case, the laws of God overlap and intertwine themselves around one another as a seamless garment.
