The 10 Commandments Serve a Purpose...

The Ten Commandments are the staple of the Christian faith. Why? Because when they serve their purpose, a sinner repents and turns to God. The thing I never understood about people who don’t want the 10 Commandments displayed anywhere is when someone guns people down at schools or in a public place they angrily ask, “Why?” If you don’t teach children that murder is wrong, how can you expect them to behave and not kill innocent people? The purpose of the 10 Commandments is not to set the standard of living, however it does do that. Rather it’s a mirror in our lives. When we break one of the Commandments, it’s called sin, it proves that we are sinners. And the wages of sin is death. So it’s purpose is to show us we are sinners. If we’re sinners then we are doomed. However, once we realize and admit we are sinners, we realize we need to be rescued. We need a Savior. Jesus is that Savior. So in essence, the 10 Commandments tell us we are sinners (for no one can keep all ten their entire life), then point us to the Savior Jesus. In the OT, the 10 Commandments are presented in a “Don’t “ method, a negative type of light. However in the NT, they are presented in a positive, “Do” light. The 10 Commandments are broken down into two sections, vertical and horizontal. The first four are how we are to interact with God, and the last six are how we are to interact with people. Jesus clearly points this out in this passage in Matthew 22. The most important commandment is to love, respect, and honor God in all that you do. Then, it’s vitally important to treat your fellow man with the same convictions. When you do that, you keep the law, and God is pleased. Not that you can earn Heaven, by doing this. It just shows your affections are with God and not on the world. Two simple commands, but oh so hard to live out. Ask God to empower you with His Spirit today, to love; Love Him, and love others. Then you will be serving your purpose; knowing your “why” you were put here on earth.

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees with His reply, they met together to question Him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap Him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40