The Truth As Far As I Can Tell...

The Ten Commandments

            I hear a lot of Christians complain the Ten Commandments have been removed from the public sphere.  I often wonder if those same Christian even know the Ten Commandments.  I was talking to someone the other day and she could only name 4 or 5 of the Ten Commandments—even though she goes to church every week.  I suspect that is the true for many Christians.  What are the Ten Commandments?  I invite you to join me at Pleasant Grove UMC each Sunday this summer as we study the Ten Commandments and learn how they apply to us today.

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-8, 12-17

¹Then God instructed the people as follows:
²“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt.
³“Do not worship any other gods besides me.
⁴“Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish.
⁷“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.
⁸“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
¹²“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you.
¹³“Do not murder.
¹⁴“Do not commit adultery.
¹⁵“Do not steal.
¹⁶“Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.
¹⁷“Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns.”

God gave us rules like the Ten Commandments so we can get the most enjoyment out of life.  Nobody wants to have a tragic, unhappy life filled with sorrow and disappointment.  God doesn’t want us to have lives like that either, so He gave us rules to guide our feet away from the valley of sorrow and despair—rules that lead us toward happiness, joy, and contentment. 

            But the world has rules too.  And the ruler of the world—that fiend the Devil—tells us all kind of lies about what will make us happy.  On TV, he glorifies promiscuous sex outside of marriage; he shows people dancing around and drinking at wild parties; he shows men with expensive cars, cool clothes, and a girl on each arm.  And they all seem so happy.  But it’s a lie that Satan fabricates through fancy camera angles, special affects, paid actors and actresses, and lots and lots of money.  Those who have lived the wild lives the world promotes and escaped from them can tell you, it doesn’t lead to happiness; it only leads to sorrow.  It leads to broken families, broken dreams, and broken hearts. 

            So if you want to live “the good life,” follow God’s plan.  Perhaps you can start with the Ten Commandments.  Of course, I’m no expert and certainly don’t claim to know everything, but that’s the Truth as far as I can tell…

God loves you and so do I,