God’s Ten Commands

Commencing on Sunday, 27 September, there will be a series on the Ten Commandments. You’ll find them in two places: Exodus, chapter 20, and Deuteronomy, chapter 5. The Bible tells us God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, who led the ancient Israelites after they’d been freed from slavery and were headed toward the land God had promised them.

These Commands are still important for believers! Billy Graham noted that the Ten Commandments remain significant today because they serve as a timeless moral compass. God gave these commands so His people would know how to live, and God promised that if they followed them, their lives would be blessed.

Moses wrote: “Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 5:33). Although they were given many centuries ago, the Ten Commandments are still valid, and our lives (and our world) would be far better if we followed them. The first commands deal with our responsibilities toward God – to put Him first in our lives, and not allow anything to take His rightful place. The latter ones deal with our responsibilities toward others – to avoid lying, stealing, murder, immorality, greed, and so forth.

But the Ten Commandments are important for another reason: they point to our need for God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness. Jesus summarized the commandments into two core principles: loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbour as yourself.