INTRODUCTION :
Exodus 34: 27-28 And the Lord said to Moses: Write to yourself these words, for in these words I make a covenant with you and with Israel. And Moses stayed there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, eating no bread or drinking water; and wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the decathology.
Deuteronomy 10: 4 And He wrote on the tablets, as it was written before, the ten words which the Lord spoke to you in the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly, and the Lord gave them to me..
Ten Commandments, otherwise called ten words are a concise set of immutable moral laws. These commandments were given by God to his chosen people of Israel on Mount Sinai about fifty days after they left Egypt ( Exodus 19: 10-25).
They were written by the finger of God on stone tablets (tablets). The first tablets were broken in anger by Moses when he came down with them from the mountain ( Exodus 32:19 "When he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, then he was kindled with anger and threw the tablets from his hands and broke them under the mountain."). Later, at the command of the Lord God, Moses climbed the mountain for the second time, so that God would write again on new tablets. "the words that were on the old tablets" (Exodus 34: 1).
These tablets with the ten commandments were later placed in the ark of the covenant ( Deuteronomy 10: 5 "And I turned, and went down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark, which I made, so that they would be there, as the Lord commanded me.", 1 Kings 8: 9 "There was nothing in the ark except two stone tablets, which Moses put there on Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, after their departure from the land of Egypt.").
What happened to them next is unknown to history. The Word of God also calls them "covenant" ( Deuteronomy 4:13), "tablets of the covenant" ( Deuteronomy 9: 9,11; Hebrews 9: 4) and "ten words" ( Deuteronomy 4:13).
Let's take a look at some of the frequently asked questions about the Ten Commandments.
Old Testament on the ten commandments
The Ten Commandments are listed in two places in the Old Testament: in Exodus 20: 1-17 and in Deuteronomy 5: 6-21... Let's turn to one of them:
Exodus 20: 1-17 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; may you have no other gods before me. Do not make yourself an idol and no image of what is in the sky above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the water below the earth; do not worship them and do not serve them, for I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, punishing children for the guilt of fathers up to the third and fourth generation who hate Me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations to 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 utters His name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy; work six days and do all your deeds, and the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God: do not do any deed there, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your handmaid, nor your cattle, nor a stranger. that is in your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you. Dont kill. Do not commit adultery. Don't steal. Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is with your neighbor.
God is Spirit (John 4:24), and the Ten Commandments are a condensed version of the spiritual law given to man by God. That is why the Ten Commandments are called the Law of God.
Listing the Ten Commandments:
1. Honor God and serve Him alone.
2. Don't make yourself an idol.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day.
5. Honor thy father and mother.
6. Don't kill
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor.
10. Do not desire anything that your neighbor has
Lord God is "God is a jealous person, punishing children for the guilt of fathers up to the third and fourth generation who hate Me, and showing mercy up to a thousand generations to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20: 5-6). He wants us to love Him. That is why He said that He would punish those who hate Him and bless those who love Him.
Under the word love I mean not just a feeling of adoration, but first of all - obedience: Deuteronomy 11: 1 So love the Lord your God, and keep that which is commanded by Him. follow . John 14:15 If you love Me, observe My commandments.
New Testament of the Ten Commandments
Many people believe that when Jesus Christ came, He canceled the Old Testament Law and brought His New Law. In fact, everything is completely different. Let's turn to the Bible and see what the New Testament has to say about this:
A. Jesus did not come to break the law, but to fulfill:
Matthew 5: 17-19 Do not think that I came to break the law or the prophets: I did not come to break the law, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law, until all is fulfilled. So, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; and whoever does and teaches, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
B. Jesus Explains the Spiritual Side of the Law: (Matthew 5: 21-45)
1. Thou shalt not kill
Matthew 5: 21-26 You have heard what the ancients said: do not kill, whoever kills is subject to judgment. But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother in vain is liable to judgment; whoever says to his brother: "cancer" (fool) is subject to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, "foolish," is subject to fiery hell. So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go first, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Make peace with your adversary quickly, while you are still on the way with him, so that the adversary does not give you up to the judge, and the judge does not give you to the servant, and they do not throw you into prison; Truly I say to you: you will not get out of there until you give up to the last penny.
2. Don't commit adultery
Matthew 5: 27-30 You have heard what the ancients said: do not commit adultery. But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye tempts you, pluck it out and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, and not your whole body was thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand tempts you, cut it off and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, and not your whole body was thrown into Gehenna.
3. About divorce
Matthew 5: 31-32 It has also been said that if anyone divorces his wife, let him give her a divorce. But I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of adultery, gives her an excuse to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
4. Do not break your oath
Matthew 5: 33-37 You have also heard what the ancients said: do not break your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord. But I say to you: do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; and what is beyond this is from the evil one.
5. An eye for an eye
Matthew 5: 38-42 You've heard it said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you: do not resist the evil one. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also; and whoever wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your outer garment as well; and whoever forces you to go one mile with him, go with him two. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
6. Love your neighbor, hate your enemy
Matthew 5: 43-47 You have heard that it is said: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who offend you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Heavenly Father, for He commands His sun to rise over the wicked and the good and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what is your reward? Do not the tax collectors also do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing special? Do not the Gentiles do the same?
Jesus came not to abolish or break the Law, but to fulfill it and bring to us the true spiritual meaning of the Law of God. Using the example of various commandments, Jesus showed that if a person does not sin in his behavior, but sin in his thoughts, then he is guilty of violating the entire Law of God.
Jacob 2: 8-9 If you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scriptures: love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you act with discernment [favoritism], then you are committing sin, and before the law you are criminals.
Christ also explained that people like the scribes and Pharisees, the ministers of the Law, only pretended to be fulfilling the Law of God. In reality, they only pretended to obey the Law. In the eyes of God, they looked like children who were told by their parents to clean the room, and they threw toys under the bed, and swept the rubbish under the rug. From the outside it seems that the room is in order, but in reality it is only an appearance of order.
God is primarily concerned with the condition of our heart, not our deeds. That is why Jesus warned us that the appearance of fulfilling God's commandments and the so-called “spiritual throwing dust in our eyes” will not save us:
Matthew 5:20 For, I say to you, if your righteousness does not surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, then you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Through His life and teaching, the Lord Jesus Christ revealed the true spiritual meaning of the ten commandments and showed the desire of our Creator to see us holy and blameless - as we were created by Him in the image and likeness of God:
Matthew 5:48 So be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
The most important commandment
Almost every person at least once thought about which of the ten commandments is the most important. Someone asks this question consciously and formulates it in this way: "Which commandment is more important?" Others raise this issue, often without realizing it, in the following statements: "We are all sinners. So am I, but I did not rob or kill anyone." Such statements indicate that they still believe that not all ten commandments are equal in their importance and significance.
Let's turn to the Holy Scriptures and find out which of the ten commandments is the most important.
1. Jesus' Answer
Matthew 22: 36-40Teacher! what is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: 1) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind: this is first and greatest commandment; 2) The second is similar to her: love your neighbor as yourself.
As we can see, this question worried people 2000 years ago. Even then, they tried to find out which of the 10 commandments is the most important. Jesus answered this question in a very interesting way. He named two commandments that are the most important in the Law: (1) Love God and (2) Love your neighbor.
2. The whole Law and the prophets are confirmed on these two commandments.
This phrase, which heads point two, can be found in Matthew 22:40. This is the conclusion of Jesus, which He made, answering the question of which of the 10 commandments is the most important in the Law of God. Why did Jesus single out only 2 commandments from the entire Law and said that it was on them that "the entire Law is established"? Why are these two commandments so remarkable? And in general, where did Jesus read the second commandment he mentioned - "Love your neighbor"? Under what number is it written in the 10 commandments?
Ten Commandments can be divided into 2 broad categories:
Commandments in relation to God.
Commandments in relation to neighbor.
The first four commandments- (1) Honor God and serve Him alone, (2) Do not make yourself an idol. (3) Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, and (4) Remember the Sabbath day - concern our relationship with God. Jesus phrased this relationship as love for god... If you love the Lord God with all your heart and mind, you will try to please Him and do His will.
The other six commandments- (5) Honor your father and mother, (6) Do not kill, (7) Do not commit adultery, (8) Do not steal, (9) Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor, and (10) Do not desire anything that your neighbor has yours - relate to our relationships with others. Jesus phrased this relationship as love for neighbor.
Romans 13: 9 For the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not covet someone else's, and all the others are contained in this word: love your neighbor as yourself.
If you love those around you, then you will not plot evil against them, you will not envy them and offend them with words or deeds.
3. Love is the fulfillment of the Law.
If you paid attention to these two commandments, emphasized by Jesus, on which "all the Law and the Prophets are established", then you must have noticed that the key word in them is the word " love".
Romans 13: 8 Do not owe anyone anything other than mutual love; for loving another fulfilled the law .
Romans 13:10 So there is love execution of the law .
God is love. 1 John 4: 8 He who does not love has not known God, because God is love.. 1 John 4:16 God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
God's law is built on love. That is why Jesus formulated the essence of the whole Law in two commandments of love- Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself!
Keeping the Ten Commandments
Many people ask themselves, "Am I good enough to go to heaven?" One way to find the answer to this question is to analyze yourself through the lens of the 10 Commandments. Sometimes people reason like this: "Just think, if I suddenly broke some little commandment. But I didn’t kill anyone and I didn’t do anything like that in my life."
Let's take a closer look at this issue ...
1. Honor God and serve Him alone.
Is God the first and foremost in your life?
Let me tell you a story: A man bought a huge television set for his children. When he came home from work, the children did not even come out to greet him, as they did before. The father was very offended by this, realizing that now it is not he who takes the first place in the hearts of his children, but the TV ...
Likewise, if something or someone else, and not God, takes the first place in our heart and in our life, then we are guilty of breaking the very first commandment. V Gospel of Matthew 10:37 it is said that if someone loves their parents or children more than God, they are not worthy of Him. This does not mean that we should not love our loved ones. It only emphasizes that if we love them more than God, then this love is not worthy of God. God wants more from us ...
2. Don't make yourself an idol.
There is a saying "God created man in His own image and likeness, and man created God for himself in his own image and likeness."
What takes the first place in our life and in our heart (unless, of course, it is GOD) is our idol. What (or whom) we love more than our life is our idol. It can be money, power, fame, things, people and their opinions, structure or way of life, some goal in life ... Anything! An idol is not necessarily a figurine, as was commonly believed ...
Idolatry is one of the oldest sins of humanity. But the Bible makes it clear that idolaters do not inherit the kingdom of heaven: 1 Corinthians 6: 9
4. Remember the Sabbath day.
Saturday (translated as "rest"). God gave people one day off. Not just so that they can rest, do whatever they want, but so that they find time to reason about their Creator. Our Lord wants us to come to Him and "find rest for our souls" ( Matthew 11:29).
5. Honor thy father and mother.
Try to remember how often in childhood and adolescence you were disobedient to your parents? We are no longer talking about relationships with parents today, we only remember childhood and youth ... Surely, a lot has already been forgotten ... However, God has not forgotten anything. He does not remember our sins to us only when we confess them and ask Him for forgiveness:
Isaiah 43:25 I, I myself blot out your crimes for my own sake and I will not remember your sins. Hebrews 8:12 I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more..
6. Don't kill
You may not have killed anyone. But Jesus said that he who hates his neighbor is a murderer ( Matthew 5: 21-26). Thus, it turns out that you can break the commandments even in your thoughts and intentions.
7. Don't commit adultery.
This commandment warns against sexual sins such as sex before marriage, sex outside of marriage, sex with a partner of the same sex, sex with relatives, sex with animals, etc. In addition, Jesus emphasized that adultery in the heart (in thoughts) is tantamount to real adultery ( Matthew 5: 27-3). Remember that fornicators will not inherit the Kingdom of God ( 1 Corinthians 6: 9)!
8. Don't steal.
Has it ever happened when you, willingly or unwillingly, appropriated something that did not belong to you? Moreover, it can be not only a thing or money, but also time, rank, fame, idea, etc. etc. But this is a violation of the commandment: do not steal.
9. Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor.
If you have ever deceived someone or told a lie about someone (including a lie about yourself), then you are guilty of breaking the ninth commandment.
10. Do not desire anything that is your neighbor.
This commandment explains itself. Envy is the same sin as lying or stealing.
CONCLUSION: We examined all 10 commandments and figured out what it means to fulfill the Law of God. For those who believe that one commandment is more important than another, and therefore thinks that some commandments can be broken, while others cannot, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the following words from the Bible:
Jacob 2:10 Whoever keeps the whole Law and sins in one thing, he becomes guilty of everything. For the same one who said: "You shall not commit adultery," said also: "You shall not kill"; therefore, if you do not commit adultery, but kill, then you are also a transgressor of the Law.
Now let's think about ourselves and our relationship with God for a moment. And the question that arises in connection with the topic under consideration is " Whether I am a transgressor of the Law of God or not?"
The Purpose of the Ten Commandments
I. WHY DID GOD GAVE US 10 COMMANDMENTS?
1. God gave us His Law to show that He wants to see His people holy and worthy of Him.
Leviticus 11:44 Be holy, for I am holy.
Matthew 5:48 So be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
2. God gave the Law for the good of people, and not just to prohibit something.
Deuteronomy 30: 19-20 Today I call heaven and earth as witnesses before you: I have offered you life and death, a blessing and a curse. Choose life, so that you and your offspring may live, love the Lord your God, listen to His voice and cleave to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days.
3. God gave us His Law so that man would understand that he is not able to fulfill it.
Romans 3: 19-20 But we know that the law, if it says anything, speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth is blocked, and the whole world becomes guilty before God, because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified before him
...
The law was given to man so that he would understand that he was not able to reach God's perfect standards by his own strength and efforts. Not a single person on Earth is capable of fulfilling the holy Law of God. Only Jesus Christ - God in the flesh - fulfilled the entire Law. And if one of us considers himself to be the executor of God's Law and His Ten Commandments, then he is a liar. Because:
At first, there are no perfect people among us. And if you do not violate God's Law by action, then you will definitely violate it in your thoughts.
Jacob 2: 8-9 If you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scriptures: love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you act with dissent, then you are committing sin, and before the law you are criminals.
A Secondly, if you violated at least one commandment of the Law, then you become guilty of violating the entire Law:
Jacob 2: 10-11 Whoever keeps the whole law and sins in one thing, he becomes guilty of everything. For the same one who said: do not commit adultery, also said: do not kill; therefore, if you do not commit adultery, but kill, then you are also a transgressor of the law.
4. God gave us His Law so that we, people, could "by the Law know sin."
There would be no commandment, a person would not know what is allowed and what is not; what is good and what is bad; whatever is pleasing to God and what is an abomination in His eyes.
Romans 7: 7 ... I did not know sin otherwise than through the law. For I would not understand desire, if the law did not say: do not desire.
Romans 5:13 For even before the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Romans 3:20 ...for the law is the knowledge of sin.
If someone hopes to be justified before God by the fulfillment of His Law, then he is deceived, because the Bible says that it is impossible to be justified by the Law:
Galatians 3:11 And that no one is justified by the law before God, it is clear, because the righteous will live by faith.
God's Word warns that you can only be justified before God by faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross:
Galatians 2:16 ... A person is justified not by works of the law, but only by faith in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2: 8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from you, God's gift: not from works, so that no one can boast.
II. HOW IS A BELIEVER JUSTIFIED TO GOD THROUGH FAITH?
The answer is simple: another God's law applies to the believer in Jesus Christ - The Law of Grace:
Romans 3: 21-26 But now, regardless of the law, the righteousness of God appeared, to which the law and the prophets testify, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ in all and in all believers, for there is no difference, because all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God, getting an excuse for nothing by His grace, through the atonement in Christ Jesus, whom God offered as a sacrifice of atonement in His blood through faith, to show His righteousness in the forgiveness of sins previously committed, during God's longsuffering, to show His righteousness at the present time, may He appear righteous and justifying the believer in Jesus .
Romans 8: 1-4 So now there is no condemnation to those who in Christ Jesus do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus set me free from the law of sin and death... As the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless, God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sacrifice for sin and condemned sin in the flesh, so that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
All you need to do is acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now! Give Him your heart and devote the rest of your life to Him. Trust me, you will never regret it.
Today, many Christian denominations believe that the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments) is outdated, therefore, with the permission of God, it was slightly "corrected" by the church. I hope you are convinced that the New Testament does not teach cancellation of all commandments of the Old Testament. Moreover, the ten 10 commandments are inviolable. To confirm this, let's pay a little more attention to them.
Let's remember that ten 10 commandments were given to people for two stone tablets. Attention: not one, not three, etc., namely two. Therefore, it is generally accepted that the commandments were divided into them as follows:
the first tablet in the first four commandments reflected the relationship between man and God (Ex. 20: 1-11):
1. May you have no other gods before my face.
2. Do not make yourself an idol and no image of what is in the sky above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the water below the earth; do not worship them and do not serve them, for I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, punishing children for the guilt of fathers up to the third and fourth generation who hate Me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who utters His name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy; work six days and do all your deeds, and the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God: do not do any deed there, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your handmaid, nor your cattle, nor a stranger. that is in your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it.
on the second tablet, the commandments from the fifth to the tenth were intended to regulate relations between people (Ex. 20: 12-17):
5. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days on earth may be prolonged.
6. Dont kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor.
10. Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is with your neighbor.
It is easy to see that the first of the two specially marked by Jesus commandments of the Old Testament "Love the Lord your God ..." consonant with the teachings of the first tablet. Think, after all, you cannot truly love God and at the same time have other gods (1st west), create idols, images, worship and serve them (2nd west), mention the name of God in vain (3rd West) and not devote time to the Creator (4th West). Indeed, God, through specific commandments, explained to believers how and in what the love of people for Him should be expressed.
Think, if there was no law, then each person could show their feelings for the Creator in the way that it seems right to him, but not in the way that the Creator wants. Let us remember that the Lord compared Himself and His people with a married couple, where He is the husband, and the Israelites in the Old Testament, the church in the New is the wife (see Isaiah 54: 5, Jer. 3: 1, Hos. 1: 2, Eph. 5:25, Revelation 12: 1,6, Revelation 19: 7). Now imagine that a wife will treat her husband the way she likes, without being interested in the feelings and desires of her other half. Will such a marriage be strong and happy? Of course not. This is what we see in the example of the Israelites, knowing how they repeatedly deviated from God's commandments. That is why the Creator included the corresponding instructions in the Constitution of His law - in the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments), showing the believers how important right show your love and respect for Him - spouse His chosen people.
And the commandment of Scripture, called by Christ the second most important "Love your neighbor ...", is close in spirit to the second tablet, as it teaches relationships between people. See how Jesus answered the young man's question: "What can I do to inherit eternal life?":
We see here an incomplete list of conditions for the inheritance of eternal life, since among the named there are not many important commandments, including the most important one: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."(Mark 12:30; see also Deut. 6: 5, Matt. 22:37). It is obvious that Christ did not set the goal of this instruction to give exhaustive list of saving commandments, but I wanted to point out the need to observe Total God's law. Look, speaking about the conditions of the inheritance of eternal life, Jesus here quoted five of the ten 10 commandments of the Decalogue (Ex. 20: 12-16) and other commandments of the law of Moses: in the Gospel of Mark - "Do not hurt"(Mark 10:19 - in OT Lev. 25:17), in the Gospel of Matthew - "Love your neighbor"(Matt 19:19 - in OT Lev 19:18). At the same time, Jesus began the enumeration with the ten 10 commandments of the Decalogue. This lesson of Christ clearly confirms His lack of desire to replace all the commandments of the Old Testament, including the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments), with one or two “generalizing” commandments. If Christ had such a purpose, He would say so. However, as we have already noted, Jesus constantly quoted the commandments of the Old Testament Scripture, including the ten 10 commandments, and urged people to keep them.
After Christ, the apostles continued to proclaim the Decalogue - the ten 10 commandments. Paul spoke respectfully of 5th commandments: "Honor your father and mother, this is the first commandment with a promise: may it be good for you, and you will be long on earth"(Eph. 6: 2,3).
Paul also noted the connection between the second tablet of the Decalogue and the commandment, which Jesus called the second most important in the law of Moses:
“The commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not covet someone else's, and all the others are contained in this word: love your neighbor as yourself» (Rom. 13: 9).
In the previous chapters, we saw that many of the commandments of the Old Testament were fulfilled by Christ. However, the commandments of the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments) remained in force. Moreover, the ten 10 commandments are unchanged by the law of God. In the chapter "God's Law" we have already noted that in relation to the Decalogue the Lord in His Word uses only meaningful epithets revelation, covenant, testimony... We also compared the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments) with the Constitution established by the Creator. All this allows us to conclude that the ten 10 commandments of the Decalogue will not lose their relevance in the future - in the eternal life promised by God. There is plenty of evidence for this claim in the Bible, some of which we will look at now and some in later chapters of this book.
God himself is special singled out Decalogue (ten 10 commandments) from the law of Moses, thereby showing its immutability. Otherwise, why did He do it? Only ten 10 commandments were written personally by God (see Ex. 32:16, Deut. 5:22), only ten 10 commandments were not on scrolls, but on a stone - an eternal information carrier, and were made twice (see Ex. 34: 1, Deut. 10: 1,2,4), only ten 10 commandments were constantly in the ark (see 1 Kings 8: 9, 2 Chron. 5:10, Heb. 9: 4), over which it was The Lord (see Ex. 25:22, Ex. 30: 6, Lev. 16: 2, Num. 7:89). Recall that the law of Moses, written on the scrolls, lay next to the ark (see Deut. 31:26).
The question of the importance of the ten 10 commandments can be approached from the other side. We will discuss in detail the concept of "holiness" later, but for now let's analyze the text of the Bible for the holiness of the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments). According to the Holy Scriptures, there was only one saint the city of Jerusalem (see Neh. 11: 1), there was one saint Mount Zion (see Ps. 2: 6, Is. 10:32), on this mountain stood the only one on the ground Saint temple of the God of Israel (see Psalm 5: 8), this temple was sacred branch (see Heb. 9: 2), it has another branch - holy of holies(see Hebrews 9: 3), and in this the holy of holies stood Saint the ark of the covenant (see 1 Kings 8: 6, 2 Chron. 35: 3). Next to the ark was a scroll of the law of Moses (see Deut. 31:26). And what was the value of the ark of the covenant? Of course, for God it was not the box itself that was important, and not the stones lying in it, but the ten 10 commandments written on them. Thus, according to Holy Scripture, the center of everything saint on Earth was God's law, and its "epicenter" - Decalogue - ten 10 commandments.
The earthly temple and the commandments of the law of Moses connected with the ministry in it ceased to exist, having been fulfilled in Jesus. A acting the commandments of the law of God remained saints and to this day. And of course, first of all, the Decalogue - ten 10 commandments. Let us remember how the Apostle Paul spoke about the commandments of God:
« The law is holy, and the commandment is holy» (Rom. 7:12).
Christians who belittle the importance of the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments) often refer to the words of the apostle Paul from chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians (see below 2 Cor. 3: 7), where he speaks of the stone tablets as about deadly letters... In chapters "Sin and the Law", “The law embedded in the heart. Grace" we have already discussed the relationship between the commandments and sin. Indeed, the law of Moses "condemned" a person "to death" according to the commandment "The soul of sin, that will die"(Ezek. 18: 4, see also Gen. 3: 17,19, Heb. 9:22, Rom. 6:23, James 1:15). And the grace of forgiveness now justifies the sinner by imputing the righteousness of Christ to him (see 1 Pet. 3:18, 2 Cor. 5:21, Phil. 3: 9, Rom. 3: 21,22, Rom. 5:17, Rom. 10: 4 and also chapter Justification by Faith. Faith and deeds "). Of course, and in the letter to the Corinthians about lethality letters The Decalogue has the same meaning.
If you carefully read this epistle of Paul in its entirety, it will be clear that the apostle here is not talking about the abolition of the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments). He explains that, unlike in previous times, from now on there is not so much writing, but Christians themselves should be a living letter of the Lord, an example for other people: « You are our letter written in our hearts, recognizable and readable by all people; you show yourself what you are a letter Christ, through our ministry written not ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the flesh tables of the heart» (2 Cor. 3: 2,3).
Above, we have already talked about the law of God, which must be written in the heart, and about the new spirit of the Christian. That is, here Paul repeats the same thoughts, giving them a different form and accompanying them with new examples. The Apostle compares the Jewish clergy - the ministers of the "letter", with the Christians - the ministers of the "spirit" (see 2 Cor. 3: 6), opposing the system of numerous rules to the heart always open to the guidance of the Spirit of God. So Paul says:
"If serving deadly letters written on the stones was like this gloriously that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face that is passing, is it not much more should be nice ministry of spirit?» (2 Cor. 3: 7.8)
"Serving Lethal Letters" here refers not only to the Decalogue (ten 10 commandments), since just above Paul mentions ink(see above 2 Cor. 3: 3) with which the scrolls of the law were written. It is generally about the law of Moses, which pointed to the "killing" sin, in comparison with God's grace revealed through Christ, which can justify the sinner and to clear his from every untruth(see 1 John 1: 9). The covenant made on Mount Sinai, the apostle calls glorious (see above 2 Cor. 3: 7), while the New Testament based on Jesus more glorious than the old one. Then Paul once again draws attention to this:
"Transient gloriously, so more glorious abiding "(2 Cor. 3:11).
However, not everyone accepted the spirit of the New Testament. Many Jews closed their hearts, which Paul likened further to the veil of Moses (see 2 Cor. 3: 13-16). Then at Mount Sinai, after Moses recounted the words of the Lord to the children of Israel and his face shone, he covered his head with a veil so that people would not see the extinction of the Glory of God (see Ex. 34: 30-35). So now, with the coming of Christ, the Jews did not want to get rid of such a veil from their hearts, which prevented them from seeing the fading of the glory of the Old Testament. Only from the hearts of those who saw the fulfillment of the law in Jesus was this veil removed.
Look, in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is described in detail that Jesus, in the form of a sacrifice and at the same time a High Priest, entered true the heavenly temple, in the image of which the earthly tabernacle was made:
“For Christ has entered not man-made sanctuary, in the image of the true arranged, but in the most sky... He ... appeared to take away sin sacrifice My own " (
The basic commandments by which all Orthodox people should live are set forth in the Bible, in the section (book) "Exodus". They are traditionally called Commandments, because they were bequeathed - "commanded" - by the Lord to the people of Israel and passed on to them through a prophet named Moses (Exodus 20,2-17).
All this happened in the days of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Moses led the children of Israel, freed from Egyptian captivity, through the wilderness to the promised land. The journey turned out to be long and difficult.
On the 50th day of wandering, when people were very tired and began to complain, Moses decided to turn to God and ask him for help or guidance.
He climbed Mount Sinai and began to pray. In answer to his passionate pleas, the Lord himself appeared. He pronounced 10 laws by which from now on all Christians were to live.
God personally inscribed the 10 Commandments on two stone slabs, tablets. Shocked and grateful, Moses took down these stone "writings" from the mountain and announced God's will to the people.
This moment is considered a key one in Orthodoxy. It was the gift of the highest, God's commandments to people that determined the whole future fate of faith and the course of history. The 10 Commandments of God are indestructible and fundamental law that determines the norms of human life.
The one who keeps the commandments, loves Jesus Christ, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be able to contemplate the Face of the Lord. This is the highest reward and grace that an ordinary mortal man can hope for.
10 commandments in Orthodoxy:
The 10 commandments of God reflect the main tenets of faith, philanthropy and mercy that Christianity proclaims. They also determine, and why it should be avoided in every possible way. These are the commandments:
The first commandment: "I am the Lord your God"
In this message, the Creator proclaims the highest Truth: He is the Lord, the only Creator and Heavenly Father of all life on earth. People should honor only Him and should not invent any false gods and idols for themselves. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (Exodus, 20,2-17).
The second commandment: "Do not make yourself an idol ... neither in heaven, nor on earth"
The Lord created everything on earth and in heaven. Life itself is His will and the fruit of His efforts. People should always remember this and honor the Creator as the only creator. Anyone who begins to pray to other gods is committing a sin against their true God.
The third commandment: "Do not take the name of the Lord ... in vain"
God's name is as valuable as His works. It cannot be repeated unless absolutely necessary. This is disrespect and disregard for the most sacred that is given to a person. The one who pronounces God's name "in vain" (that is, just like that, in everyday life, along the way, without attaching special importance to it). God's name should evoke sacred trembling and gratitude in the human heart.
The fourth commandment: "Work 6 days ... the seventh (dedicate) to the Lord God"
This commandment reflects another important position of Orthodoxy. According to the Biblical canon, the Lord created the Universe and the Earth in 6 days. On the seventh day, He rested and rejoiced in the beauty of everything that He had created. A person should do the same. 6 days of the week exist for work, the seventh - to devote to God, to go to church for service,.
Advice. Be sure to go to Church every Sunday! Go to confession so that your sins may be forgiven.
Anyone who works on weekends falls into the sin of pride. He, as it were, puts himself above God, showing that he is able to work all seven days without rest. In addition, the sinner neglects the time to devote to prayer, and thereby ruins his immortal soul.
The fifth commandment: "Honor your father ... and your mother"
This position shows that the Commandments of God only determine how a person is supposed to honor God, but also regulate relations within society and the family. A child's relationship with his parents is a reflection of a person’s relationship with the Creator. He who reveres his father and mother prolongs his days on earth and pays tribute to the Lord.
The sixth commandment: "Do not kill"
This is perhaps the shortest and most obvious commandment. Since God created life, only he has the right to take it. The sinner who encroaches on this right commits a heinous crime against humanity and against the Lord himself. Life is the most incomprehensible miracle, the sacred secret of the universe. This also includes abortion, because it is one of the most serious sins.
Seventh Commandment: "You shall not commit adultery"
The family in Orthodoxy is also considered sacred. God sanctifies marriage during the sacrament. Anyone who cheats on his wife and enters into unlawful relationships with other women breaks the vows made in the church to the Lord himself. Loyalty and love are the basis of all living things.
The eighth commandment: "Do not steal"
This commandment, on the one hand, regulates social norms. A person who encroaches on someone else's property violates the laws of society. He is a criminal in the eyes of his brothers, who earn the goods they own by hard daily work. Each person is obliged to honestly deserve his bread. Everything that is received undeservedly or stolen is from the evil one.
On the other hand, this commandment determines where the line is, crossing which a person blackens his heart and loses the spiritual purity so pleasing to God. The Lord wants to see his children with pure hearts and thoughts, like angels. For such beings, the bright Kingdom of God is prepared.
The ninth commandment: "Do not bear witness"
Perjury is a crime against a neighbor whom Jesus Christ commanded to love as himself. A person who has slandered his neighbor or just an acquaintance is likened to a murderer and a thief.
He encroaches on the good name and even the life of the slandered. True children of God must be honest with others and with themselves. Only in this case their souls will be pure, and their deeds will be pleasing to God.
The tenth commandment: "Do not covet a house ... a wife ... a slave ... nothing that your neighbor has"
The tenth commandment is envy. Christianity, as opposed to paganism, brought people such a concept as "conscience." This means that it is not enough to appear righteous in the eyes of others. You need to be like that in your soul. The Lord looks directly into the heart of a person. He sees all the black feelings and thoughts of his creatures.
If a person does nothing wrong, but secretly envies someone with all his might, he has already sinned. In his thoughts, he took, stole, took away the object of driving. In his heart, he has already committed adultery with the woman he secretly desires. The sinner has broken the seventh and eighth commandments.
Before we start discussing the topic of Christ's commandments, let us first determine that the law of God is like that guiding star that shows a person traveling his way, and for a person of God - the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. The law of God has always meant light that warms the heart, comforts the soul, and consecrates the mind. What are they - 10 commandments of Christ - and what they teach, let's try to briefly understand.
The commandments of Jesus Christ
The commandments provide the main moral foundation for the human soul. What do the commandments of Jesus Christ say? It is noteworthy that a person always has freedom to obey them or not - the great mercy of God. It gives a person the opportunity to grow spiritually and improve, but also imposes on him responsibility for the actions he does. Violation of even one commandment of Christ leads to suffering, slavery and degeneration, in general, to disaster.
Let us recall that when God created our earthly world, a tragedy occurred in the angelic world. The proud angel Dennitsa rebelled against God and wanted to create his own kingdom, which is now called Hell.
The next tragedy occurred when Adam and Eve did not listen to God, and their life experienced death, suffering and poverty.
Another tragedy happened during the Flood, when God punished people - contemporaries of Noah - for their unbelief and violation of God's laws. This event is followed by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, also for the sins of the inhabitants of these cities. Then comes the destruction of Israel, and after it the Kingdom of Judah. Then Byzantium and the Russian Empire will fall, and behind them will be other misfortunes and calamities, which will fall in God's wrath for sins. Moral laws are eternal and unchanging, and whoever does not keep the commandments of Christ will be destroyed.
History
The most important event in the Old Testament is the receipt of ten commandments by people from God. Moses brought them from Mount Sinai, where God taught him, and they were carved on two stone tablets, and not on decaying paper or other substance.
Up to this point, the Jewish people were disenfranchised slaves working for the Egyptian kingdom. After the emergence of the Sinai legislation, a people is created who are called to serve God. Great holy people later emerged from this people, and from them the Savior Jesus Christ himself was born.
Ten commandments of Christ
Having familiarized yourself with the commandments, you can see a certain sequence in them. So, the commandments of Christ (the first four) speak of human responsibilities towards God. The next five define human relationships. And the latter calls people to purity of thoughts and desires.
The Ten Commandments of Christ are expressed very briefly and with minimal requirements. They define the boundaries that a person should not cross in public and private life.
The first commandment
The first one sounds: "I am your Lord, let there be no other Gods for you besides me." This means that God is the source of all goods and the guide of all human actions. And therefore, a person should direct his whole life to the knowledge of God and by his pious deeds to glorify his name. This commandment indicates that God is one in the whole wide world and it is unacceptable to have other gods.
Second commandment
The second commandment says: "Do not create an idol for yourself ..." God forbids a person to create imaginary or material idols for himself and worship them. Earthly happiness, wealth, physical pleasure and fanatical admiration for their leaders and leaders have become idols for modern man.
Third commandment
The third says: "Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." It is forbidden for a person to use the name of the Lord dishonestly in everyday life, in jokes or empty conversations. Sins are blasphemy, blasphemy, perjury, breaking the vows given to the Lord, etc.
Fourth commandment
The fourth says that one must remember the Sabbath day and hold it holy. You need to work six days, and devote the seventh to your God. This means that a person works six days a week, and on the seventh day (Saturday), he must study the word of God, pray in the temple, and therefore devote the day to the Lord. On these days, you need to take care of the salvation of your soul, conduct pious conversations, enlighten your mind with religious knowledge, visit the sick and prisoners, help the poor, etc.
Fifth commandment
The fifth says: "Honor your father and your mother ..." God commands you to always care, respect and love your parents, not to offend them in word or deed. The great sin is disrespect for father and mother. In the Old Testament, this sin was punished with death.
Sixth commandment
The sixth reads: "Do not kill." This commandment forbids taking life from others and from oneself. Life is a great gift from God, and only he sets the limits of earthly life to man. Therefore, suicide is the most serious sin. In addition to the murder itself, suicide also includes the sins of lack of faith, despair, murmuring against the Lord and rebellion against his providence. Anyone who harbors a feeling of hatred for others, wishes death to others, starts quarrels and fights, he sins against this commandment.
Seventh Commandment
In the seventh it is written: "You shall not commit adultery." It indicates that a person should be chaste if he is not married, and if he is married, he should be faithful to his husband or wife. In order not to sin, you do not need to arrange shameless songs and dances, watch seductive photographs and films, listen to piquant anecdotes, etc.
Eighth commandment
The eighth says: "Do not steal." God forbids the appropriation of another's property. You cannot engage in theft, robbery, parasitism, bribery, covetousness, as well as evade debts, weigh on the buyer, conceal what was found, cheat, withhold the salary of an employee, etc.
Ninth commandment
The ninth indicates: "Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor." The Lord forbids a person to give false testimony against another in court, to make denunciations, slander, gossip and gossip. This is a devilish affair, because the word "devil" means "slanderer."
Tenth commandment
In the tenth commandment, the Lord teaches: "Do not covet your neighbor's wife and do not covet your neighbor's house, neither his field, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox ..." have bad desires.
All the preceding commandments of Christ taught predominantly correct behavior, but the latter refers to what can happen inside a person, to his feelings, thoughts and desires. A person always needs to take care of the purity of mental thoughts, because any sin begins with an unkind thought, on which he can stop, and then a sinful desire will arise, which will push him to unfavorable actions. Therefore, you need to learn how to suppress your bad thoughts so as not to sin.
New Testament. Christ's commandments
Briefly the essence of one of the commandments, Jesus Christ put it this way: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second, similar to her: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This is the most important commandment of Christ. It gives that deep awareness of all those ten, which clearly and clearly help to understand in what human love for the Lord is expressed and what contradicts this love.
In order for the new commandments of Jesus Christ to be beneficial to man, it is necessary to make sure that they guide our thoughts and actions. They should penetrate into our worldview and subconsciousness and always be on the tablets of our soul and heart.
The 10 Commandments of Christ are the basic moral guidance needed to build up in life. Otherwise, everything will be doomed to destruction.
Righteous King David wrote that blessed is the man who obeys the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. He will be like that tree planted in streams of water, which will bear its fruit in its hour and will not fade.
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
Here 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):
- Dont kill.
- Do not commit adultery.
- Don't steal.
Truly, this law is short, but these commandments say a lot to anyone who knows how to think and who seeks the salvation of his soul.
Anyone who does not understand with his heart this main God's law will not be able to accept either Christ or His teachings. He who does not learn to swim in shallow water will not be able to swim in the depths, for he will drown. And whoever does not learn to walk first 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 lay the foundation of the house first, it will be in vain to try to build a roof.
I repeat: whoever does not observe the commandments of the Lord given to Moses will knock in vain at the door of Christ's Kingdom.
FIRST COMMANDMENT
I am the Lord your God ... May you have no other gods before Me.
This means:
God is One, and there are no other gods besides Him. From Him all creatures originate, thanks to Him they live and return to Him. All strength and power abides in God, and there is no strength 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 is crawling, a fish is swimming and a bird is flying, then this is thanks to God. The ability of a seed to grow, a grass to breathe, a person to live is the essence of God's ability. All these abilities are the property of God, and every creation receives its ability to exist from God. The Lord gives everyone what he considers necessary, and takes it back when he considers it necessary. Therefore, when you want to gain the ability to do something, 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, the weak, give me more 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, to magnify Your glory. Amen".
SECOND COMMANDMENT
Do not make yourself an idol and no image of what is in the sky above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the water below the earth.
It means:
Do not deify the creation instead of the Creator. If you climbed a high mountain, where you met the Lord God, why would you look back at the reflection in a puddle under the mountain? If a certain man longed to see the king and, after long efforts, managed to appear before him, why should 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 appear face to face before the king, or because he thinks that 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 utters His name in vain.
What, are there really such people who dare to remember without reason and need a name that is awe-inspiring - the name of the Lord God the Most High? When the name of God is pronounced in heaven, the heavens bow down, 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 who among mortals dares to remember the Holy Name of God without emotional trepidation and without deep sighing from longing for God?
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
Work six days, and do all your works; and the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord thy God.
This means:
For six days the Creator created, and on the seventh day He rested from His labors. Six days are temporary, vain and short-lived, and the seventh is eternal, peaceful and durable. By the creation of the world, the Lord God entered into time, but did not come out of eternity. This mystery is great ...(Eph. 5:32), and it befits to think more about her than to speak, for she is not available to everyone, but only to God's chosen ones.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days on earth may be prolonged.
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 them praise. Bow down and give praise to everyone who has known the Highest Good in this world before you.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT
Dont 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 very life of God. All of us who live today are only temporary carriers of the life of God in ourselves, keepers of the most precious gift that belongs to God. Therefore, we have no right, and we cannot take away the life borrowed from God, neither from ourselves, nor from others.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
Do not commit adultery.
This means:
Do not have an illegal relationship with a woman. Indeed, in this, animals are more obedient to God than many people.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Don't steal.
This means:
Do not grieve your neighbor with disrespect for his property rights. Do not do as foxes and mice do if you think you are better than a fox and a mouse. The fox steals, not knowing the law of theft; and the mouse gnaws at the barn, not realizing that it is hurting anyone. Both the fox and the mouse understand only their need, but not someone else's loss. It is not given to them to understand, but it is given to you. Therefore, you are not forgiven for the fact that the fox and the mouse are forgiven. Your benefit should always be subordinate to the law, it should not be to the detriment of your neighbor.
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
Do not bear false testimony against your neighbor.
A this means:
Do not be deceitful to yourself or to others. If you lie about yourself, you know yourself that you are lying. But if you slander someone else, the other one knows that you are slandering him.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife; not his servant, not his maidservant, not his ox, not his donkey, nothing that is with your neighbor.
This means:
As soon as you desired 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 an inclined plane, where will the desire of a stranger entice you?
Desire is the seed of sin. A sinful act is already a harvest from the sown and grown seed.