In this article we have listed the Ten Commandments of Christianity. We have also prepared for you an interpretation of God's laws.
Ten Commandments of Christianity
These are the Commandments that the Lord God of Hosts gave to the people through His chosen one and the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex. 20:2-17):
- Don't kill.
- Don't commit adultery.
- Don't steal.
Truly, this law is short, but these commandments speak a lot to anyone who knows how to think and who seeks the salvation of his soul.
Anyone who does not understand this main law of God in his heart will not be able to accept either Christ or His teachings. Whoever does not learn to swim in shallow water will not be able to swim in deep water, for he will drown. And whoever does not first learn to walk will not be able to run, for he will fall and be broken. And whoever does not first learn to count to ten will never be able to count thousands. And whoever does not first learn to read syllables will never be able to read fluently and speak eloquently. And whoever does not first lay the foundation of the house will try in vain to build a roof.
I repeat: whoever does not keep the commandments of the Lord given to Moses will knock in vain on the doors of Christ’s Kingdom.
FIRST COMMANDMENT
I am the Lord your God... You shall have no other gods before Me.
This means:
God is one and there are no other gods besides Him. All creation comes from Him, thanks to Him they live and return to Him. In God resides all power and might, and there is no power outside of God. And the power of light, and the power of water, and air, and stone is the power of God. If an ant crawls, a fish swims and a bird flies, then it is thanks to God. The ability of a seed to grow, of grass to breathe, of a person to live - the essence of the ability of God. All these abilities are the property of God, and every creation receives its ability to exist from God. The Lord gives to everyone as much as he sees fit, and takes back when he sees fit. Therefore, when you want to gain the ability to do anything, look only in God, for the Lord God is the source of life-giving and mighty power. There are no other sources besides Him. Pray to the Lord like this:
“Merciful God, inexhaustible, the only source of strength, strengthen me, weak, and give me greater strength so that I can better serve You. God, give me wisdom so that I do not use the power I received from You for evil, but only for the good of myself and my neighbors for the magnification of Your glory. Amen".
SECOND COMMANDMENT
You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.
It means:
Do not deify the creation instead of the Creator. If you climbed high mountain, where you met the Lord God, why would you look back at the reflection in the puddle under the mountain? If a certain person longed to see the king and, after much effort, managed to appear before him, why would he then look left and right at the king’s servants? He can look around for two reasons: either because he does not dare to face the king alone, or because he thinks: the king alone cannot help him.
THIRD COMMANDMENT
Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.
What, are there really people who decide to commemorate, without reason or need, a name that brings awe - the name of the Lord God Almighty? When the name of God is pronounced in the sky, the heavens bow, the stars flash brighter, the Archangels and Angels sing: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts,” and the saints and saints of God fall on their faces. Then which mortal dares to commemorate Holy name Godly without spiritual trembling and without deep sighing from longing for God?
FOURTH COMMANDMENT
Work six days and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
This means:
The Creator created for six days, and on the seventh day He rested from His labors. Six days are temporary, vain and short-lived, but the seventh is eternal, peaceful and long-lasting. By creating the world, the Lord God entered time, but did not leave eternity. This mystery is great...(Eph. 5:32), and it is more fitting to think about it than to talk about it, for it is not accessible to everyone, but only to God’s chosen ones.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days on earth may be long.
This means:
Before you knew the Lord God, your parents knew Him. This alone is enough for you to bow to them with respect and give praise. Bow down and give praise to everyone who knew the Highest Good in this world before you.
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
Don't kill.
This means:
God breathed life from His life into every created being. Life is the most precious wealth given by God. Therefore, the one who encroaches on any life on earth raises his hand against the most precious gift of God, moreover, against the life of God itself. All of us living today are only temporary carriers of the life of God within ourselves, guardians of the most precious gift that belongs to God. Therefore, we do not have the right and cannot take away the life borrowed from God, either from ourselves or from others.
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
Don't commit adultery.
And this means:
Do not have an illicit relationship with a woman. Truly, in this, animals are more obedient to God than many people.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Don't steal.
And this means:
Do not upset your neighbor by disrespecting his property rights. Don't do what foxes and mice do if you think you are better than the fox and the mouse. The fox steals without knowing the law on theft; and the mouse gnaws at the barn, not realizing that it is harming anyone. Both the fox and the mouse understand only their own needs, but not the loss of others. They are not given to understand, but you are given. Therefore, you cannot be forgiven for what is forgiven for a fox and a mouse. Your benefit must always be legal, it must not be to the detriment of your neighbor.
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
A this means:
Do not be deceitful, either to yourself or to others. If you lie about yourself, you know you are lying. But if you slander someone else, that other person knows that you are slandering him.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; neither his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
And this means:
As soon as you desire something that belongs to someone else, you have already fallen into sin. Now the question is, will you come to your senses, will you come to your senses, or will you continue to roll down the inclined plane, where the desire of someone else is taking you?
Desire is the seed of sin. A sinful act is already a harvest from the seed sown and grown.
What should I do to live forever?
Keep the commandments
Dialogue between the Savior and the young man
(based on Matthew 19:17)
Every Christian must keep the commandments.
But what commandments are we talking about? What are God's commandments in Orthodoxy? How many commandments are there in the Bible? Let's figure it out together.
There are actually 21 commandments in the Bible.
There are 21 commandments in the Bible:
- 10 biblical commandments God gave it to Moses on Mount Sinai (Old Testament, Exodus 20:1-17);
- The 9 Beatitudes were given by Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount ( New Testament, Gospel of Matthew 5:3-11);
- 2 commandments, in which the Savior summarized the entire law of God (New Testament, Gospel of Matthew 22:37-40).
Commandments - laws of God
A commandment is the law of life that God gave to man. Therefore, the commandments are God's laws. God's commandments are in both the Old Testament and the New.
"Covenant" means "promise."
Man fulfills God's Law in order to receive the benefits that God promised. The Old Testament promised that the Messiah would come to the world, and the New Testament promised that the believer would have the Kingdom of God.
« Bible» "book" in Greek. The writings of the Old and New Testaments were so popular among traders in the Mediterranean region in the early centuries of Christianity that they were simply called “books.”
The Old Testament consists of 39 books:
- 5 books of the prophet Moses,
- 7 books about the history of Israel,
- 5 books of an instructive nature,
- 22 prophetic books.
The New Testament consists of 27 books:
- 4 books of the Gospel,
- 1 book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles,
- 21 Apostolic Letters,
- Book 1 of the Revelation of John the Theologian.
The 10 Commandments of Moses are the basis of the Old Testament
10 Commandments of Moses in Russian:
- I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, so that you may have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything in the sky above, or on the earth below, or in the water under the earth. Do not worship them or serve them; For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Work six days and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: on it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.
- Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
- Don't kill.
- Don't commit adultery.
- Don't steal.
- Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
Exodus 20:1-17
The Ten Commandments of Moses are the basic rules of life for the ancient Jews. The first commandment of the Bible and the fourth were especially revered.
There were 613 mandatory rules in total. They controlled the entire life of the Old Testament Israelite. Many of the rules were everyday ones - for example, you can’t sit down to eat if you haven’t washed your hands.
An important place in the life of Jews Old Testament focused on the study and interpretation of the Pentateuch of Moses. God's laws were learned by heart.
Moses- one of the greatest prophets who lived 120 years. For 40 of these years he lived at the court of the Egyptian pharaoh and studied science. Then he lived away from people for 40 years and tended sheep. For the last 40 years of his life he was the shepherd of the Israeli people - he led them out of Egyptian slavery. God commissioned him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
7 deadly sins - the most serious deviations from the commandments
Deadly sins:
- pride,
- envy,
- anger,
- despondency,
- greed,
- gluttony,
- lust, fornication
The Seven Deadly Sins are also called the cardinal sins. They include sins of a more private nature.
The 7 deadly sins are the most serious deviations of man from God. When a person does them, he becomes ill mentally and physically.
Deadly sins are not called “mortal sins” for nothing. A person dies due to alcoholism, drug addiction, and excessive fornication. If a person kills, he may be executed or killed for revenge.
11 commandments of Jesus Christ- rules of the New Testament
The commandments of the New Testament are 9 beatitudes and 2 more, which summarize all the previous ones. These 11 rules were given to people by Jesus Christ when he lived on earth.
They often write about the 12 or 10 commandments of Christ, but in fact there are 11 of them.
Beatitudes:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: just as they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Gospel of Matthew 5:3-11)
The Sermon on the Mount is called because Jesus Christ gave these commandments on the mountain.
Saint John Chrysostom says that the mountain was not chosen for preaching by chance. Away from the bustle of the city, the teachings of Christ were perceived best.
2 main commandments of the Bible: love God and neighbor
The Old and New Testaments approach breaking commandments differently.
God's commandments- an external law given in addition to a person’s weakened (due to a sinful life) internal guideline - .
“Jesus said...: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words” ().
God gave the Ten Old Testament Commandments (Decalogue) on Mount Sinai through Moses to the Jewish people when he was returning from Egypt to the land of Canaan, on two stone tablets (or tablets). The first four commandments contain the duties of love for God, the last six contain the duties of love for one's neighbor (i.e., all people).
Ten Commandments of the Old Testament
(; )
1. I am the Lord your God, and there are no other gods besides Me.
2. Do not make for yourself any image; do not worship them or serve them.
3. Do not remember yours in vain.
4. Six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh is a day of rest, which you shall dedicate to the Lord your God.
5. Honor your father and mother, that you may be blessed on earth and live long.
6. Don't.
7. Don't.
8. Don't
9. Do not bear false witness.
10. Don't.
Nine Beatitudes of the New Testament
(Gospel according to)
To complete the 10 Old Testament commandments, Christ taught the 9 Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. In them the Lord outlined a pattern of life characteristic of His followers, Christians. Without canceling what was prescribed by the Old Testament, the Savior expands and elevates the meaning of the ancient commandments, instilling in people the desire for ideal perfection and outlining the path to this perfection.
The Beatitudes are a declaration of Christian moral values. It contains everything necessary for a person to enter the true fullness of life. All the Beatitudes speak of the rewards that those who are faithful to Christ will receive: those who mourn will be comforted, those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied, the meek will inherit the earth, the pure in heart will see God. But already now, by fulfilling the commandments of Christ, a person receives consolation and joy on the eve of the fullness of existence - the advent of the Kingdom of God.
And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
1. Blessed are they, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
2. Blessed are they for they will be comforted.
3. Blessed are they for they will inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they will be satisfied.
5. Blessed are they, for they will receive mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure, for they will see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
9. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me.
Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven (...).
The Ten Commandments were given to the Old Testament tribes to keep wild and rude people from evil. The Beatitudes were given to Christians to show what spiritual dispositions they should have in order to draw closer and closer to God and achieve holiness. Holiness, born of closeness to God, is the highest bliss that a person can desire. The Old Testament Law is the law of strict truth, and the New Testament Law is the law of Divine love and grace. They do not contradict, but complement each other.
The content of all the commandments of both the Old and New Testaments can be summarized in two commandments given by Christ: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is similar to it - love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other greater commandment than these.”(, ). And the Lord also gave us faithful guidance on what to do: “As you would have people do to you, do so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.”() .
“God in His Commandments commands us to do something and not do something else, not because He “just wants to.” Everything that God commanded us to do is beneficial to us, and everything that God forbade us to do is harmful.
Even ordinary person who loves his child, teaches him: “drink carrot juice“It’s healthy, don’t eat a lot of sweets, it’s harmful.” But the child doesn’t like carrot juice, and he doesn’t understand why eating a lot of candy is harmful: after all, candy is sweet, but carrot juice is not. That's why he resists his father's word, pushes away the glass of juice and throws a tantrum, demanding more sweets.
Likewise, we, adult “children,” strive more for what gives us pleasure and reject what does not suit our whims. And by rejecting the Word of the Heavenly Father, we commit sin.”
Archpriest Alexander Torik, .
Why do 80% of baptized people answer the question about what commandments there are, without saying a word: “Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal”? Why are they called the sixth and eighth commandments of the Old Testament? Not the first, not the third, not the tenth?.. I thought about this for a long time and came to an interesting conclusion: out of all the commandments, a person chooses those to fulfill which he nothing needs to be done. “I didn’t kill, I didn’t steal - I’m a great guy, and leave me alone!” Do you know the seventh commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” why they skip it? Yes, a very “inconvenient” commandment in our dissolute times. So man deceives himself, choosing from the law of God only what is convenient for him, and consciously or unconsciously trampling on what prevents him from living in his own way. Lawyers say that ignorance of the law does not excuse one from responsibility. This is also true in relation to spiritual life, and precisely because knowledge (or ignorance) of the law depends entirely on us, on our good or bad will. ...
By breaking the commandments, a person does not even insult God. God is holy and cannot be mocked. But a person cripples his own life and the lives of his loved ones, because the commandments are not some kind of shackles: life is already difficult, and then some other commandments must be kept! No, it's not like that. The commandments of God are precisely the conditions for a normal, fulfilling, healthy and joyful life for every person. And if a person violates these commandments, he harms, first of all, himself and his loved ones.
priest Dimitry Shishkin
From the Sermon on the Mount, and above all from the Beatitudes, it follows that a person must cleanse himself of passions, cleanse his heart of all thoughts that dwell in it, and acquire humility of spirit in order to become worthy of seeing God. The word of Christ is clear:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God...
().
The Beatitudes show the spiritual path of man, the path of deification, the path that leads to healing. Consciousness of one's own spiritual poverty, that is, awareness of the passions that have taken root in the heart leads a person to repentance and blessed sorrow. To the extent of the depth of this sorrow comes into his soul Divine consolation. It is on this path that a person gains humility and inner peace. Living in spiritual humility, he is even stronger thirsts for God's justification and strives to keep the commandments of God in his everyday life. By keeping the commandments of God, he is granted knowledge favors God's and purifies your heart even more. IN cleansing the soul and this is the purpose of the commandments. Some of them relate to the purification of the rational, others to the purification of the irritable nature of the soul. And when the soul is cleansed of passions, a person achieves the contemplation of God.
The Beatitudes reveal the essence of spiritual life and the way to heal a person. A person who keeps the commandments is sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit and becomes a member of the Body of Christ, a temple of the All-Holy Spirit.
Let none of us think: we go to God, we pray, making many bows, and for this we will receive the Kingdom of Heaven. No; the one who keeps the commandments of God will receive it.
Reverend
They often say: in order to be a Christian, you must fulfill the commandments of Christ. Certainly; however, the commandments of Christ are not orders that He gives us: they say, we must live this way, we must live that way, and if you do not live this way, you will be punished for it... No, the commandments of Christ are His attempt to figuratively show us how we could would be, if you become and be a real, worthy person. Therefore, the commandment of Christ is not a command, but a revelation before our eyes about what we are called to be and can be; what we, therefore, should be.
metropolitan, « »
If it is difficult to be a Christian, it is not because the Lord’s commandments are difficult, but only because the power of sin, the hereditary corruption of soul and body, is great.
professor
At the time of Jesus, according to tradition, there were 613 prohibitions and injunctions, but by the same time a tradition had developed of reducing them to a much smaller number.
Thus, the psalmist king David reduced all the commandments to just eleven ():
God! who can dwell in Your habitation?who can dwell on Your holy mountain?
He who walks uprightly and does what is right,
and speaks the truth in his heart;
who does not slander with your tongue,
does not harm anyone sincerely
and does not accept reproach against his neighbor;
the one in whose eyes the outcast is despised,
but who glorifies those who fear the Lord;
who swears, even to an evil person, and does not change;
who does not lend his silver at interest
and does not accept gifts against the innocent.
He who does this will never be shaken.
The Prophet Isaiah further reduced the number of commandments and brought it to six (): One who walks in righteousness and speaks the truth; whoever despises self-interest from oppression, keeps his hands from taking bribes, stops his ears so as not to hear about bloodshed, closes his eyes so as not to see evil;he will dwell on the heights...
The Prophet Micah () limited himself to only three commandments: Oh man! It has been told to you what is good and what the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
The Prophet Isaiah elsewhere () mentions two commandments: Thus says the Lord: maintain judgment and do righteousness...
Finally, the prophet Amos () summarized all the commandments to one: For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek Me and you will live..
Vereshchagin E. M.
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The Ten Commandments are ten laws in the Bible given by God to the people of Israel after the exodus from Egypt. The Ten Commandments are actually the sum total of 613 instructions contained in the law of the Old Testament. The first four commandments address our relationship with God. The next six commandments address our relationships with each other. The Ten Commandments were recorded in the Bible, in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, and are as follows:
1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” This is a command against the worship of any gods except the one true God. All other gods are false gods.
2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth; do not worship them or serve them.” This commandment prohibits the creation of idols, visual representations of God. We are unable to make such an image that can accurately depict God.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain.” This is a warning against using the Lord's name in vain. We should not speak of Him lightly. We must show respect to God by mentioning Him with respect.
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy; six days you shall work and do all your work, and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.” The commandment is to set aside the Sabbath as a day of rest dedicated to the Lord.
5. “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” This is a command to always treat your parents with honor and respect.
6. “Thou shalt not kill.” This is an instruction against intentionally killing another person.
7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” We are prohibited from having sexual relations with anyone other than our spouse.
8. “Don’t steal.” We should not take anything that does not belong to us without the permission of the person who owns it.
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This is a command against giving false testimony. Essentially, this is a commandment against lying.
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” This is a command that prohibits us from coveting anything that does not belong to us. Envy can lead to breaking one of the above commandments: murder, adultery, or theft. If something is wrong, then the desire to do it is also wrong.
Many people mistakenly view the Ten Commandments as a set of rules that, if followed, will guarantee entry into Heaven after death. In fact, the purpose of the Ten Commandments was to show people that they could not keep the Law perfectly (Romans 7:7-11) and were thus in need of God's mercy and grace. Despite the claims of the rich young man mentioned in Matthew 19:16, no one can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The Ten Commandments demonstrate that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and are in need of divine forgiveness and redemption, which is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.
Probably everyone has heard about the 10 commandments of the Bible. They are considered fundamental laws in both the Christian religions and Judaism. These are simple theses, but entire volumes have been written on their interpretation. Is it realistic to apply them in today's life? Will this bring any practical benefit?
Origin of the Ten Commandments
The Bible tells how this set of laws came into being. The 10 commandments of God were announced from heaven publicly to the entire Israeli people, who gathered near. Later, God himself wrote the proclaimed code of laws on ten stone tablets and handed them over to Moses so that this original would be kept among the people from generation to generation.
The story of how God gave the 10 Commandments to the people of Israel is recorded in the twentieth chapter of the book of Exodus. Here is their summary:
- Worship only your Creator.
- Do not make any statues or paintings for worship.
- Don't use God's name inappropriately.
- Dedicate Saturday to God (do not do everyday work).
- Respect your parents.
- Don't kill.
- Don't engage in debauchery.
- Don't steal.
- Don't lie.
- Don't be jealous.
Should Christians comply?
Do the requirements of the Law given to Moses in ancient times apply to Christians? It would be worth mentioning that the provisions of the Law were not limited to just ten points. It includes about 600 different instructions. However, these ten commandments contain the main principles that the rest of the decrees explained more broadly.
The main criterion for making certain decisions for Christians, in theory, should be the Bible. 10 is not mentioned anywhere in it. And even moreover, when Jesus Christ was asked which commandment in the Law is the most important, he cited two statements that are not part of the 10 commandments of the Bible.
Does this mean that Christ considered them obsolete by that time or irrelevant for his followers, who had to stop practicing Judaism and become the first Christians?
Not at all. If we analyze the famous Sermon on the Mount Christ, it is easy to see the scheme by which he built it: a specific decree from the Law - an explanation of how to carry it out correctly. So, among these decrees there are requirements included in the 10 commandments of the Bible, and those that are not part of them.
Jesus Christ himself assured his disciples that he came to earth not to break the Law, but to fulfill it. It is no coincidence that for thousands of years the Word of God was preserved, despite all attempts to destroy it. And it is no mere coincidence that today we have a list of the 10 commandments of the Bible. God's law was written for our benefit. Therefore, the principles contained in the Ten Commandments directly apply to Christians today.
The Uniqueness of God's Law
Even with a very cursory glance at the famous commandments, one is struck by the similarity with the basic laws of any civilized society. And this is not surprising, because they reflect an understanding of human essence. However, one of the commandments is fundamentally different from any human law.
Think about the very meaning of laws. They are adopted to protect the interests of society as a whole and individual members of this society in particular. In addition, any resolution that prohibits something implies a certain amount of punishment in case of violation. Accordingly, methods for recording these violations are determined.
However, think about how you can monitor the fulfillment of the last of the commandments: “Do not envy”? How can someone who violates this instruction be identified, charged, proven, and punished? This is simply an impossible task for humans.
The existence of the tenth commandment is one of the indirect evidence of the veracity of the biblical narrative. God is able to examine the heart and see the motives of actions and hidden desires. Everyone must monitor their integrity in this matter on their own.
The 10 Commandments of the Bible and Modern Society
Back in 2000, a survey was conducted on the attitude of respondents to the Ten Commandments. The results clearly illustrated the change in values within neighboring generations. Almost 70% of respondents who were over 60 years old knew the commandments and tried to act in accordance with them. But among young people under 30 there are not even 30%. And this trend is only getting worse.
Substitution of concepts and values
Almost everyone, even a person very far from religion, will say that fulfilling the Ten Commandments is useful and correct. And not one sane individual will declare that we must go against God. The substitution of biblical values - those values that were originally established by the Creator himself - occurs at a more subtle level.
Is killing a sin? Yes! What if you kill while defending your country? The killer is renamed into a hero…. Moreover, regardless of whether this country is defending itself or attacking.
Is adultery a sin? Yes! What if this is true love? It seems like it already sounds somehow different...
Don't make images for worship. It seems like an absolutely definite indication. But if it's an icon... What is unacceptable according to God's law has at some point become sanctified.
This is how, unnoticed, the influence on a person’s subconscious occurs. And at the moment when you need to make a decision about what to do, the brain will automatically offer more comfortable option. Although the consequences can be dire.
Teaching children
When should you start exposing your children to Bible teaching? Nowadays, there is a popular opinion that a child should not be given a religious education. It is better to wait until he grows up and can make his own informed decisions in these matters.
However, such conclusions are untenable. The 10 commandments are no less useful than for adults. And knowing these principles will certainly not cause any harm.
Think about it, we don’t wait for a child to reach a conscious age to start teaching him to use a spoon. And following the above logic, everything would have to be completely left to chance, waiting for the right moment.
The very Law of God prescribes the need to teach our children the commandments from the very beginning. early age. But how can this be done practically?
First, don't be afraid to read the original Bible with your children from a young age. Don't underestimate the perceptive and learning abilities of children. It is best if you use a clear and easily understood translation of the Bible rather than choosing an outdated version just because of tradition.
In addition, there is now an abundance of literature that introduces basic Bible requirements, written specifically for children. Read it with your child. Encourage him to ask questions and look for answers together. And have no doubt that your efforts will pay off handsomely.
