The Ten Commandments can be found both in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, so they must be very important if they are stated twice by God in the Bible. I wanted to concentrate on the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:3-10. It has been a while since I really sat down and done a self-check on how I am following God’s Law. I thought I would share the Commandments with you along with some of my thoughts.
- Exodus 20:3 states, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” This means God should be the only focal point in your affections. It doesn’t need to be a position, money, or a new house. We tend to worship material things more than we do God.
- Exodus 20:4-6 states, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” The golden calf is probably the classic example of this from the Bible, although an idol doesn’t have to be a tangible item. People also make an idol anytime they create a god that fits their own image. For example, have you ever heard a person say that the god they believed in would not have created a Hell. That is not the God of the Bible; that god does not exist. Some people want a lawless god. Guess what, that god doesn’t exist either.
- Exodus 20:7 states, ” You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Isn’t it amazing how Satan has turned the most holy name known into a name we use flippantly or even as a curse word? I suggest be careful how you use God’s name.
- Exodus 20:8 states, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” No matter what you consider as keeping the Sabbath, you have broke it and so has everyone else.
- Exodus 20:12 states, “Honor your father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” This is an unconditional statement. It doesn’t mean to honor your patents only when they do something for you, or you think they are worthy, or anything else. Parents must be respected just because they are parents. This commandment only has to do with the obedience of the children.
- Exodus 20:13 states, “Thou shall not murder.” God made this one very straightforward and simple. We might refer to abortion as a “choice” but it is still murder. It is the taking of an innocent life.
- Exodus 20:14 states, “Thoubs shalt not commit adultery.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus let us know that even looking with lust is the same as committing adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Intent matters to God if it may not matter to us.
- Exodus 20:15 states, “Thou shalt not steal.” Theft is theft irrespective of value. Stealing time from an employer or stealing cash they are both theft.
- Exodus 20:16 states, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Lying is wrong according to the God who says, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) Big lies, small lies, or white lies — all are lies to God.
- Exodus 20:17 states, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservants, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s/ The truth of the matter is we covet before we commit adultery. Coveting opens up the floodgate of sin.
- After reviewing the Ten Commandments, we may think we’re not too bad if we have broken only a few of them. However, the Bible states, “For whosoever shall kept the Whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). That’s right breaking one is like breaking them all. That is a tough standard to follow. Thank God He provided us a way to remove all those sins. I encourage you to evaluate the Ten Commandments in your life to see where you fall short. I know I repent daily where I fall short of glory.
Very well said!!
Very well said!!
Yes but……….
Christ saw that obeying ALL the laws were too difficult for even the best of us to follow without straying at times.
So at his death, the curtains between the masses and the holiest of holy places in the great Jewish synagogs were all ripped. It was the symbolic way of saying the masses were no longer separated by the law. They could now attain salvation by the simple acceptance of Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The Old Testament laws were no longer the way to heaven from that moment on.
Love this Mike!