1Exodus 20:1-17—The demands of God’s Law. God gives the Ten Commandments to Moses and his people. The Ten Commandments are the unconditional demands of God. They are absolute laws that express the will of God for His people. Israel is His people for a covenant was established at Mt. Sinai. The Commandments follow the covenant relationship as the people’s response to God’s grace in making the covenant.
They are not conditions to be met before God is their God but rather because He is their God. They will live as His children according to these absolute laws. The laws were written on two tablets of stone by the finger of God indicating that the laws come from God and not from social development. The two tablets refer to the division of the laws as they relate to God and to people.
What then, if a homicide seek refuge with a Christian, or if he see where the homicide have taken refuge, and be questioned of this matter by him who seeks, in order to bring to punishment a man, the slayer of man? Is he to tell a lie? For how does he not hide a sin by lying, when he for whom he lies has been guilty of a heinous sin? Or is it because he is not questioned concerning his sin, but about the place where he is concealed? So then to lie in order to hide a person's sin is evil; St. Augustine—On Lying
Collect for the Third Sunday in Lent—O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, on Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen 2
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