Do You Really Know God's Moral Law The Ten Commandments?

by Mihran Kulhanjian

 

 

 

My Dear Friends,

God gave the Ten Commandments [Exodus 20] to Moses to give to the Israelite's because they did not know God’s Moral Law.  Are you obeying God?  It is time to test yourself.

 

  1. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.

The First Commandment says that God should be number one in our lives.  Jesus commanded that we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and body.  Do you love God more than anything in life?  You must love the creator more than the creation because God created everything you have:  your parents, siblings, your puppy, the earth, everything.  If you have not placed God first then you have broken the First Commandment.

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF ANY GRAVEN IMAGE.

Have you created a god to suite yourself?  Perhaps you believe your god wants everybody to be happy. Have you said, booze and smoking pot are okay with my god.  This is not the God of the Bible. Have you made a special type of god in your own mind or made one out of an object?  This is called idolatry and it is an offense to a Holy God. Idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN.

The Bible says “The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)  Out of surprise or disgust have you ever said “Oh my G… (OMG)?  Have you ever used Jesus’s name as a cuss or curse word?  This is called blasphemy and it is a serious offense against God who gave you life.  Would you use your mother’s name as a cuss word? 

 

  1. REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.

This is the only Commandment where the word “Remember” is used. This is because many do not remember or ignore the Sabbath Day.  Honor God and give one day to him.  This was under the Mosaic Covenant. God created the heavens and earth and man in six days.  He rested on the seventh.  We honor God by giving the seventh day to Him. This law was for the Israelite's. Jesus said:  “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man [Jesus] is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath. Christians have Sunday set as worship day.  This is called “The Lord’s Day.” Early Christians met on Sunday because Sunday was the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Our peace and rest is in Jesus Christ. Christians, under the New Covenant, are not commanded to attend a church on Sunday, but it is helpful for fellowship and gaining knowledge.

 

  1. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.

Honoring your parents is respecting them because they are your parents.  Would God be pleased with you or have you dishonored your parents? Do you remember the sins of your youth?  Even if your parents are not perfect and you do not agree with them on many issues, political or religious, God wants you to respect and honor them.

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT MURDER.

The Bible says “whoever hates his brother is a murderer” (John 3:15).  By the spirit or by the letter we can transgress God’s law.  We know that murder is wrong.  If we have hatred for someone, God sees this as murder. Murderers cannot enter the kingdom of God.  You must forgive anybody who has ever hurt you in anyway and remove anger and your indwelling hatred for anyone.

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.

Whether you commit adultery in your mind (secret thoughts) or by the letter you have broken the Seventh Commandment.  In Matthew 5:28 Jesus says, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.

We know that to take something that does not belong to us is wrong. To steal is a sin punishable by death according to God’s Law. Have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? You are a thief. The Bible says that a thief cannot enter the kingdom of God.  (1 Cor. 6:9, 10)

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS.

How many lies have you told in your life?  God is holy and cannot lie.  He commands all to be truthful.  The Bible says that liars are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 12:22) and that liars will have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).  Lying is serious to God.

 

  1. YOU SHALL NOT COVET.

To covet is jealous desire.  Have you ever wanted something that was not yours?  This covers all things including people and objects. Do not covet your neighbor’s house, his wife, his property, anything.

 

The first four of the Commandments deal with loving God. The next six commandments deal with the love you should have for all people. The Bible says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).  How many of the Ten Commandments have you already broken in your life? As you may now realize we are all under God’s wrath because all of us have broken these commandments more than once. Jesus said that even if you have lusted for a woman you have committed adultery in your heart. And if you have had hate in your heart for anyone, it is the same as murder. Whether by the letter or by the spirit, you are guilty in God’s eyes. This is serious to God. God is Holy and He is all powerful beyond your conception. God knows everything about you and He knows your thought life. You cannot get away from God.  God is omnipresence, omnipotent, and omniscient. He knows you whether you want to believe it or not.

 

In Mark 12:30-34, Jesus tells us the two great Commandments. If we are true to these two Commandments we are true to the Ten.

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
 
 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.   And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
 
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

 

If you love God you will obey Him and live by these two commandments, and the rest of the Ten Commandments you will obey.

 

--------------

Mihran Kulhanjian is President and Founder of Christian Revival Mission:  He is an author and businessman.

Back to News