Ten Commandments, Moral Law

How should we live? A perfect GOD abhors sin and requires perfect holiness in his presence for eternal life. His Law points toward the gift of his Son's redemption.

GOD Gives Moses the Ten Commandments.

  (Painted by Gebhard Fugal, 1900, German)

I. I am the Lord your God. You shall

have no other gods before me.

There is only One True God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Bible. 

 

II. You shall not make any 

graven idol.

This includes making God out to be any other god, giving attributes other than the God of the Bible who with perfect love and perfect justice abhors sin and requires holiness.

III. You shall not take the Name of 

the Lord your God in vain.

Any form of misusing his Divine Name is blasphemy.

IV. Remember the Sabbath Day, 

to keep it holy.

Saturday or Sunday. Early Christians after the Resurrection chose to break bread on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) and to collect donations (1 Cor 16:2). The Apostle Paul taught the Gentiles converts not to regard the old traditions and festive days including Sabbaths (Col 2:16), but to live by grace (Eph 2:8-9) and not to forsake meeting together (Heb 10:25).

V. Honor your Father and 

your Mother.

The old law seriously called for anyone who cursed his mother or father to be put to death (Lev 20:9). But this commandment also bears a blessing, one who honors his father and mother will live a long life (Ex 20:12).

VI. You shall not kill.

This does not forbid killing in national defense for war or for personal defense as demonstrated in the Bible. However, Jesus points out that anger against someone is itself murder and liable to judgment (Matt 5:22, 1 John 3:15).

VII. You shall not commit adultery.

Forbids all forms of sexual immorality. He who looks at another with lust has already committed adultery in his heart (Matt 5:28). Jesus said the pure in heart will see God (Matt 5:8).

VIII. You shall not steal.

Most often man steals or cheats to benefit himself. Stealing, cheating, and all forms of dishonesty are offenses against God and man. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

IX. You shall not bear false witness 

against your neighbor.

Slander is listed along with other sins. Includes gossip, lies, and any false or defaming reports. 

 

v9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were (1 Cor 6:9-11 NIV). (See also Rev 20:8.)

X. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,

nor your neighbor's property.

v17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Ex 20:17 NIV).

NOTE: Only One Man ever

kept the Ten Commandments!

The only man who ever kept the ten commandments without sin is Jesus. In fact, most men sin against all ten commands. Anyone who claims not to be a sinner is a liar (1 John 1:10). For this reason, Jesus, the Son of God, came and died on the cross to redeem mankind. He is either the Son of God as he claims, or he is a liar.

Two things are necessary for our eternal life as the Bible teaches, to totally believe and trust our salvation to Jesus and to repent for our sins.

v22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

v24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live (John 5:22-25 NIV). 
 

--Bill Hunt

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