The Ten Commandments were part of the Mosaic Law. The Law included over 600 commandments and formed the terms of an agreement or covenant between God and Israel. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. They were written in stone by the finger of God. Each commandment was given to the Israelites as God’s standard of holiness. They are the summary of the Old Testament Law and was given to guide people until Christ came that we all might be justified by faith (Galatians. 3:24). The first four commandments address our relationship with God. The last six deal with our relationships with one another. They are recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21.
God chose Israel as His own special possession, but their sinful nature inherited from Adam kept them separated from their Holy Father. Out of love God set Israel apart and provided the law as the first step to reconcile Himself with fallen humanity. This law is vital to understanding the Holy nature of God. The law played an essential role in God’s overall redemptive plan.
The Ten Commandments
#1 Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
This keeps our focus of God who created the world and everything in it. God is a jealous God and He desires our complete loyalty and allegiance to only Him. This command forbids placing anyone or anything above God.
#2 Exodus 20:4-6 – “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 ….”
This forbids the use of any man-made image for the purpose of worship. No human has the ability to create a piece of artwork or statue that represents God. He alone is worthy of worship. This includes anything that is more importance to us than God.
#3 Exodus 20:7 – “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
This command forbids mishandling, lightly using, or speaking in vain the name of God. Many violate this commandment every day. We do this with common slang. Jesus said not to be careless talkers for we will have to give account for our words in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37)
#4 Exodus 20:8-11 – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy ….”
This command required the Israelites to set aside a specific day of the week to dedicate as a day of rest to the Lord. He wanted them to delight in His Word, enjoy His creation, celebrate beauty and love, and enjoy a relationship with Him.
Christians find their Sabbath rest in the person of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:1-11 tells us that Jesus fulfilled this law completely. Colossians 2:16 and Romans 14:5 confirms that New Covenant Believers are no longer required to adhere to Sabbath laws. It’s a matter of spiritual freedom, not a command from God.
#5 Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
This command requires that parents be shown honor, respect,
and care. Honoring parents is crucial to
the basic functioning of society. When
we don’t show honor and care for our parents, it threatens the well-being of
the entire society. It also comes with a
promise of living long in the land.
#6 Exodus 20:13 – “You shall not murder.”
This command forbids the premeditated killing of another person. Because people are made in the image of God, life has value. Murder says that a person’s life has no value. God didn’t say, do not kill. There is a difference between murder and accidental death or an act of war.
#7 Exodus 20:14 – “You shall not commit adultery.”
This forbids breaking the sacred marriage convent by having
sexual relations with anyone other than one’s spouse.
#8 Exodus 20:15 – “You shall not steal.”
This command forbids taking someone else’s possessions without
permission.
#9 Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
This command forbids testifying falsely against someone in court, but the context also implies that lying is forbidden.
#10 Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor ….”
This forbids harboring a desire for some else’s possessions, spouse, or property.
Many people mistakenly look at the Ten Commandments as a set of rules that will guarantee entrance into heaven after death. In reality the purpose of the commandments is to force people to realize that they cannot perfectly obey the law. They demonstrate that we have all sinned and need God’s mercy and grace, available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Ten Commandments are essential to our Biblical heritage. When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t abolish the law. Instead He fulfilled the law. Now believers are set free from the law, which was powerless anyway because of our sinful nature we can never keep all these commandments.
Salvation is a free gift and is offered with no strings attached to all who believe. The New Testament offers instructions and guidelines to help Christians to learn what walking by faith means. Under the Old Covenant we were slaves to sin, but under the New Covenant, Christ freed us from slavery and brought us into His family. Now we are no longer slaves to sin, but heirs of God.
Christians view the Ten Commandments as the foundation of God’s moral law. Jesus calls people to an even higher standard by obeying the commandments in actions and also in their hearts. We are to use the Ten Commandments as standards to live by. They help us in this deceived world to define right from wrong.
You could summarize the Ten Commandments in the two ‘greatest commandments’ given by Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind … and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Hope to see you here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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