The Ten Commandments
Jesus was once asked,
"Of all the commandments, which is
the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus,
"is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all
your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31)
Can anyone see anything possibly wrong with those? These two commands of love, to
love the Lord and love our neighbor summarize the commands given in the
unchangeable Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone by the very finger of God.
Read them carefully!
The Ten Commandments
Exodus. 20:1-20 And God spoke all these words: "I am the LORD
your God . . .
Commandments regarding our relationship to God
I. "You shall have no other gods before me.
II. "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. You shall not bow down to
them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children
for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but
showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
III. "You shall not
misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who
misuses his name.
IV. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall
labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD
your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your
manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six
days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he
rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. |
Commandments regarding our relationship to our fellow men
V. "Honor your father and your mother, so that you
may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
VI. "You shall not murder.
VII. "You shall not commit adultery.
VIII. "You shall not steal.
IX. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
X. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet
your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that
belongs to your neighbor." |
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love
one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The
commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not
steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are
summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love
does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from
your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans
13:8-11)
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your
neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)
For a fuller picture, see the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ
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