In giving the Ten Commandments to His people God acted as any good father would. He provided rules and guidelines that would enable His people to live lives of fulfillment and joy in the Promised Land. These boundaries would also protect His children from the dangers and harms that could befall them. God gave His people the commandments in order to provide for their guidance, their encouragement, and their protection. Just as some laws are necessary to provide order and structure, the laws God gave His children were designed to help them live optimally in their new land. They would help the Israelites to honor God through faithful obedience, as each of the Commandments reflected a part of God’s identity.
The purpose of the Ten Commandments was not to assure the absence of evil but to ensure the presence of purity. Certainly, God intended the Ten Commandments to provide rules for living, but they were much more than a simple list of does and don’ts. They were part of God’s revelation to humanity and they are to be cherished and kept to this day. These Commandments serve as God’s divine gauge to help us discover peace and blessing for our lives.
Although the Ten Commandments have generally lost their place of authority in the context of our nation, the actual Commandments have not abated in value, worth, or authority. They are still the authoritative revelation of God to humanity through which God reveals His will for humanity and how humanity should live in relationship to God and others. The Ten Commandments remain timeless, relevant truths. Those who ignore them ignore a vital part of the revelation of God’s character. Honoring God involves obeying God and living within the boundaries He has set for us. In the midst of an individualistic society, the core of being Christian means that we look to God as our ultimate source of authority.
This Sunday we will begin a 10 part series on each of the Ten Commandments. Audio downloads of each lesson will be available on the website each Sunday by 11:00.
Praying everyone is staying safe and healthy,
In Christ, Gary T.