The Moral Minimum!!!

The 10 Commandments...

The 10 Commandments are not only an amazing story of God’s justice, or of HIS presence and communication with humanity - but they are the absolute foundation of our moral minimum by which we should live.

For far too long the 10 Commandments have been treated as some vague notion that Christians follow - but for the most part, they are not something that we actively engage with on a monthly basis, let alone a daily basis.

Yet, it is the lack of engagement with the 10 Commandments within our churches, within our homes and to a wider extent - our nations - that has led the world to the position it finds itself in at the moment. Our world lay in ruins, communities are being destroyed from within, children are being corrupted in their early formative years, whilst greed, lust and violence all have become a normal part of life in our communities. All because the 10 Commandments have been set aside for economic, social and cultural expediency and removed from the public sphere.

All of the 10 Commandments have to do with the condition of a person’s heart. Either they are oriented towards good - towards God - or they are oriented towards evil and the deliberate disobedience of God and HIS commands.

So, let’s have a look at the 10 Commandments and discuss what they ask of us - shall we!!!

Exodus 20:1-17 says

Verse 1-2: “And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."

God ‘literally’ spoke these words to Moses. Yahweh’s presence was there on the mountaintop with Moses and spoke the lawful foundation of life that is found within the 10 Commandments. If Yahweh spoke them - perhaps we should hold them in higher stead than the words of people and all the human traditions and concepts espoused in the various catechisms and writings of espoused theologians over the years.

I find it interesting and so very sad that many Christians will turn to the latest literary offering of their favourite preacher on how to live life and cope with life - yet they never turn to the very words of Yahweh.

Yahweh even said that HE was the one responsible for leading them out of bondage (just as Jesus has led us out of bondage to sin). If Yahweh is giving these commands to us after rescuing us from slavery and bondage - then perhaps…just maybe…we need to take heed of what HE says and instructs.

Commandment #1 - "Worship No Other Gods"

Verse 3: “You shall have no other gods before Me."

When you read the Bible - both Old and New Testaments - you see a reoccurring pattern of behaviour and consequences. Whoever walks away from God and HIS commands, always…and I mean always…ends up living in moral corruption that is soaked in evil. And because of that depravity, God sends HIS judgement on that person or group of people. This is the reason why God allowed the enemies of Judah and Israel to consume them and to take them off to captivity as slaves.

There should be no other thing in our lives that we worship - that we put our focus, effort and adoration on - only God is eternal, everything else in this world is going to get destroyed and taken from us in eternity. We should not worship sports, pleasure/leisure, our lifestyle, our family, our career, our possessions, or even our religiousness. If we place our worship, our focal point and our obedience to the demonic and the physical things of this world - then it should be no surprise when our lives fall apart.

Jesus HIMSELF said in Luke 4:8 that only God is worthy of our worship and obedience, when he said - “And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” - perhaps we should heed HIS words to us.

Commandment #2 - "Do Not Make Any Graven Image"

Verses 2-6: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

It is interesting that God’s chosen people (the Jews) stemmed from a man (Abraham) whose vocation was idol maker. And God called Abraham out of that role and culture into one that focussed on Yahweh - THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD!

So, if the Jewish nation (and us Christians) worship God (Yahweh) - who is alive and reigning HIS kingdom on high - why worry about things of stone and wood?

The answer is simple…and complex.

God wants a relationship with us all, just like HE had with Adam and Eve. That sort of relationship cannot be had with an inanimate object. Giving our worship to an inanimate object also causes it to quickly become overly religious, and lacking in meaning. God wants a meaningful engagement with us through direct prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs the disciples (and us) on how to pray - at no point does HE instruct us to pray that towards a physical and temporary representation of God.

In fact, there are scriptures in the Old Testament that show us the absolute destruction of items of idolatry - such as the Asherah Poles, or even the Philistine fish-man idol of Dagon. Then there are scriptures in the New Testament that plainly state that those who worship idols (idolators) will not inherit the Kingdom of God, meaning that they will not experience an eternity in the presence of God.

Commandment #3 - "Don't Take The LORD's Name In Vain"

Verse 7: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."

I think this is one of the most mis-understood of all the 10 Commandments. In modern times (last few hundred years), the discussion around this has been focussed on swearing using God’s name or Jesus’ name as part of a curse-word or phrase.

I think that this commandment is much more that just that…

What if it is more about how believers and followers of God (Yahweh) take HIS name as believers (much like Christians take the name of Christ, as Christ’s-One’s) - then act, think and relate to others in evil and ungodly ways?

Think about it - in God’s eyes, what would be worse?

A) Someone using HIS name in a way that wasn’t intended - and more often than not - a person who doesn’t believe in God.

Or…..

B) Those who claim to be followers and lovers of God - who take on HIS name as HIS follower - and act in ways that are counter to HIS commands and will for our lives.

I’m pretty sure it’s the later - and it is very interesting that those who claim to be followers of Yahweh are often the one’s pointing out those who fulfil (A), whilst neglecting their own involvement with (B).

Commandment #4 - "Keep The Sabbath Holy"

Verse 8-11: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 

There is some argument over whether or not Christians need to follow this commandment directly, because we gather to worship God and be taught HIS word on a Sunday.

Personally, I think this is an irrelevant argument, and one that causes unnecessary division amongst believers.

There are several indications in the New Testament that Sunday gatherings for worship, teaching and communal engagement were becoming normalised. One such event can be found in Acts 20:7 where it informs us that “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”

Furthermore, Colossians 2:16-17 says “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

By the 1st Century the Jewish religious leaders had established a long litany of human traditions that were forced upon the people to try to “keep the Sabbath holy” but they just made the situation worse by adding legalism to the situation.

The real key here is to keep the “Sabbath” holy - Sabbath means ‘rest’ - God rested on the seventh day. In today’s world we work too much, we seek out leisure and pleasure too much, we are busy with family activities and events and churches can fill their calendars with a multitude of events and services that they expect the congregation to be involved with. And the result is a bunch of people in the pews who are exhausted and suffering spiritually, emotionally and physically because of it.

God wants us to rest for a reason. So rest…because when we are physically and emotionally recovered then it is easier for us to focus on God and our relationship with HIM, rather than merely trying to survive.

Commandment #5 - "Honour Your Parents" 

Verse 12: “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."

In today’s broken world full of shattered families this can be a very difficult thing to do. Many believers struggle with the concept of a ‘Heavenly Father’, and they struggle with the notion of respecting/honouring parents when those same parents behaved in deplorable ways towards their children.

And to be honest - it’s understandable.

This commandment isn’t about agreeing with your parents decisions, actions or attitudes. Rather it is about forgiving them, and loving them despite those very things. In 1 Peter 4:8 it discusses the notion that we need to love others fervently (especially family), and in doing so our love will cover a multitude of sins. This doesn’t mean forgetting what they did, nor is it ignoring the fact that those things were not good in the slightest - but that we can love those that hurt us, because God loves us.

It is interesting that this commandment comes with a promise - that if we love and forgive our parents in order to be able to honour and respect them - God will bless us with a long life.

Commandment #6 - "Don't Murder" 

Verse 13: "You shall not murder."

This commandment is also one the ones that is mistake or taken out of context more often than not. This is, in part, due to the fact that some translations say “kill” rather than “murder”. However, the original Hebrew term relates to the intentional slaying of another person, or even by extension the accidental killing of another person (which is addressed elsewhere in the Old Testament).

Many Christians have taken this to an extent where they disallow members of their denomination/group to serve in the military, the police or any form of service or group where the killing of another human being is a significant aspect of that role.

Some Christians have also equated this commandment with Jesus’ teaching on the mount where he talks about ‘turning the other cheek’ (Matthew 5:39)- which is a whole different issue and context altogether.

Previously, in Matthew 5:21, Jesus had said… “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” - This commandment exists for precisely the reason that Jesus stated. Our hearts are what drives us to murder, and it is our hearts that lead us to consider the intentional killing of another. This is also why Christians should stand and fight against abortion as the legalised, yet intentional slaying of a baby, as determined in the heart of the mother.

However, serving in your nations military (or police force), or taking a life in defence of another does not stand against this commandment.

Commandment #7 - "Don't Commit Adultery"

Verse 14: "You shall not commit adultery." 

Again, this commandment (like most of the others) is a heart issue.

Adultery is intentionally engaging in sexual relations with someone who is not your wife or husband. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus says, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” - a person who enters into adulterous relationships always purposes that in their heart/mind before the fact.

These days, adultery can be found in so many various forms, yet the heart and fleshy aspects and core of it remain the same.

Galatians 5:19 notes that “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness…” - it is a part of the corrupted order of things that have decayed since “The Fall”.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 the apostle Paul informs us that… “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

People who engage in adultery and sexual immorality (of all kinds) will not enter the Kingdom of God if they continue knowingly and actively participating in that sort of fleshy lifestyle. Yet, God has given us forgiveness and redemption through Jesus.

Commandment #8 - "Don't Steal"

Verse 15: "You shall not steal."

Once more this commandment relates to the condition of a person’s heart. You cannot take what is not your without at first contemplating doing it. Theft, real theft is not done on the fly, with little or no forethought. So, to go and deliberately take someone else’s property means that a person has thought about undertaking the event, and weighed the consequences and deemed it to be a valid course of action - which just goes to show the deception and darkness that is in the hearts of people.

One reason why this is one of the 10 Commandments is because of the negative impacts that stealing has on others. Depending on what is stolen and its value - people’s whole lives can be ruined by one act of theft. Meaning that when a person sets out to steal, they do not care about the harm this does to others - they have already set it in their heart to cause pain and misery upon others.

Commandment #9 - "Don't Lie About Others"

Verse 16: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour." 

Lying about another person and having them experience consequences of that deliberate lack of truth telling, is perhaps one of the lowest things one person can do to another. It means that one person has chosen, with some forethought, to deliberately harm another by refusing to say the truth about a matter - all for their own personal gain.

Harm always comes to the victim of those who lie - yet, liars will always reap what they sow. And it is interesting that those who live out a life of constant and deliberate lying - they will not enter into the Kingdom of God either (as evidenced by 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

If you are prepared to lie, you cannot accept the truth - and the truth is that God is in control of all things - not you. Lying becomes a level of disobedience against God that darkens our hearts.

Commandment #10 - "Don't Covet" 

Verse 17: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.”

Comparison is a soul killer.

When we compare our lives to those of others and we want what they have - that means we are not content with what God has given us. This is a deceptive heart posture, because in reality it means that we do not trust God to provide for us, or we devalue what God has already blessed us with.

In a letter to the church in Philippi, the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

And in his first letter to Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:6 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

If we are not content with whatever God has blessed us with - then we are more likely to try to go and acquire those things we covet through our own means (often by breaking more of the 10 Commandments along the way). This lack of trust in God’s will for our lives shows a profound lack of faith that God is in control - even if we are facing lack in our lives.

So, the 10 Commandments all relate to our heart’s posture towards God and HIS glorious will for our lives. If we turn our hearts away from God, then it is really easy for us to disobey these moral minimums and for us to travel along a dark lonely road of selfish desires and self-centredness - which only brings despair and conflict. However, if we orient our hearts towards God, then we will experience the fullness of whatever blessings that HE deems fit for our lives. It is in that place we will find peace.

May you be like David and cry out “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:10-11).

May you regain a love for the 10 Commandments and what they add to our lives.