Many religious people embrace the idea of loving others as themselves but remain blissfully unaware of how the Bible defines love. As a result, they do not understand the necessity of putting into practice the biblical principles that determine the success or failure of their relationships.
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The 10 Commandments
Abbreviated list, with traditional numbering
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You shall have no other Gods before me
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You shall not make or bow down to an idol
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You shall not take God's name in vain
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Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy
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Honour your father and your mother
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You shall not murder
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You shall not commit adultery
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You shall not steal
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You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour
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You shall not covet
The 10 Commandments
Exodus 20:2-17
Full version with traditional numbering (NKJV)
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2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
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4 “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; 5 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, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
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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.
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8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 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. 11 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.
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12 “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
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13 “You shall not murder.
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14 “You shall not commit adultery.
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15 “You shall not steal.
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16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
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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.”
The 10 Commandments
Deuteronomy 5:6-21
Full version with traditional numbering (NKJV)
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6 ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
7 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
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8 ‘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; 9 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, 10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
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11 ‘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.
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12 ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 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 ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
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16 ‘Honour your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
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17 ‘You shall not murder.
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18 ‘You shall not commit adultery.
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19 ‘You shall not steal.
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20 ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
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21 ‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbour’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.’
Some people consider them to be only 'suggestions', while others make an attempt to practise at least some of them. Very few view these commandments for what they really are —our loving Creator’s gift to humanity.
The 10 Commandments were designed to protect us, our families and communities. Properly understood, they not only apply to today's world, but they can also transform the way we think and how we approach the problems and difficult of life. Our free booklet, The Ten Commandments, provides a clear overview and demonstrates their validity in our daily lives.
What's in the Guide
Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the most important commitment we can ever make. That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments.
We don't realise how fragile our existence is, how constantly dependent on God's care we are.
The Second Commandment goes to the heart of our relationship with our Creator. What is the proper way to worship the only true God?
The Bible uses a variety of names for God. He calls things what they are, and He calls Himself what He is.
The use of God's name in a degrading or in any way disrespectful manner expresses an attitude of disdaining the relationship we are supposed to have with Him. Having a relationship with God demands that we represent Him accurately, sincerely and respectfully.
The Fourth Commandment, to remember the Sabbath, concludes the section of the Ten Commandments that specifically helps define a proper relationship with God—how we are to love, worship and relate to Him. It explains why and when we need to take special time to draw closer to our Creator.
The primary focus of the Fifth Commandment is the importance of learning to respect others while we are still children.
How can we honour parents or grandparents whose behavior is unworthy of admiration? How can we apply this commandment to them?
Who possesses the authority to take human life? Who has the right to make that decision? The emphasis in the Sixth Commandment is on the word you. You shall not murder! You are not to deliberately kill-premeditatedly or in the anger of the moment.
Unless the natural desires that attract us to members of the opposite sex are channeled exclusively toward a loving marriage relationship, the temptation to engage in sexual immorality can easily overpower our self-control. This weakness is the focus of the Seventh Commandment.
The Eighth Commandment safeguards everyone's right to legitimately acquire and own property. God wants that right honoured and protected.
How important is truth? To fully appreciate the Ninth Commandment, with its prohibition of lying, we must realise how important truth is to God.
The last of the Ten Commandments—against coveting—is aimed directly at the heart and mind of every human being. In prohibiting coveting, it defines not so much what we must do but how we should think. It asks us to look deep within ourselves to see what we are on the inside.
Does it matter whether we obey the Ten Commandments? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could ask Jesus Christ if keeping the Ten Commandments is still necessary, especially to receive eternal life?
Jesus Christ and the apostles viewed the Ten Commandments as a necessary part of Christian living.
God's grace through faith requires a law that defines the sins that are to be forgiven.
Does this new commandment supersede the Ten Commandments and replace all other biblical laws?
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