As we walk through the Bible, we arrive at a powerful moment in history when God came down and rescued His people with His truth. As His people were freed from Egyptian captivity, they had work to do with Him to keep their part of the covenant so God gave them 10 Commandments - 10 clear ways that they could obey, honor, and please Him with their life. The commandments are for our blessing and for our benefit so it is important that we dig into and understand their meaning. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God and the last 6 deal with our relationships with one another. They provide the way that we should live and they provide the motive for which we live.
Now, for some things that I wish I said:
- A Gallup Poll revealed that 84% of Americans believe that the Ten Commandments are a valid guide to life. That’s encouraging until you realize that another survey revealed that only 30% of those polled could name even 3 of the Commandments.
- Commandment #1 proves that all religions aren't the same. We are to have no other God's before our God.
- Commandment #2 pushes us to worship God in spirit and in truth. Don't settle for a caricature of God when you can worship the one, true God.
- Commandment #3 leads us to deal with our words and our heart. If we say that we believe in and worship with one true God, then our words should show it. We don't want to misuse the name of God. We don't want to curse people and bless God with the same mouth. We want consistency because what we say with our mouths displays what we believe about the person of God.
- Commandment #4 reminds us of how we were created and how life is best lived. If God can create in 6 and rest on the 7th day, we can set apart a day for rest and worship, too. Don't turn a holy day into a holiday. In Commandment #4, God says, "I want some control of your schedule." Your body needs it. Your Spirit needs it. Your family needs it.
Comments