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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The Ten Commandments (also known as the Decalogue) are ten laws in the Bible that God gave to the nation of Israel shortly after the exodus from Egypt. The Ten Commandments are essentially a summar...
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Brad Vincent
Supporter
My studies reveal to me that the Ten Commandments were innately known to those who loved God long before the Mt. Sinai delivery of stone tablets. For the sake of brevity, I will only use the example of Joseph, who, loving God with his entire being, knew it was wrong to commit adultery (there are many other similar examples of this built in conviction). In Revelation, it is stated that remnant church will consist of those who "keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ." Notice that it does not say "some of the commandments" but, rather, "the commandments, plus the witness of and belief in our Savior. It is my opinion that many Christians confuse the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God, with the commandments that were hand-written by Moses for the governance of the Jews as well as the means of atonement for sins. They required this extra set of rules because they were so easily led to worship pagan gods. These commandments. Hand-written by Moses, were never placed into the Ark of the Covenant but were constantly available as reference for the judges of the Jews. It was these latter laws and commandments of sacrifice and the silly Pharisee additions and minutia that what were "nailed to the cross". In fact, these laws had become so ridiculously religious and worldly that Christ was crucified for trying to show believers the true meaning of the Ten Commandments through His Words and deeds, especially the Sabbath commandment, intended by his Father, our Father, as a day of communion with our Creator instead of nit-picky man-made dogma and traditions. While the Sabbath commandment is the most frequently broken commandment today, we must remember that we do so at out own peril. Christ was only trying to show people how not to be so "stiff-necked" about it and how to properly honor the Creator on this day made for man. Christ, Himself, is recorded as stating that He has kept the commandments of this Father. It is not impossible to keep the commandments, it is impossible, for man, to keep them all, all of the time; enter Christ Jesus whose only references to scriptures was indeed the Old Testament because no New Testament yet existed. Praise God for giving to us His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins, Nothing changed, Christ simply magnified the Old Testament just as surely as the Old Testament bore witness to the coming Christ for that exact purpose; and though He was the only perfect life, it is possible with obedience to the Holy Spirit's urgings, the study of God's Word, and constant prayer for Christ's increase and our decrease while on this earth. With God's strength, which is sufficient, we strive to adhere to God's commandments and when we fall short, as we all do, Christ is there to forgive us if we are in the world but not of the world. It is remarkable and mind-boggling how much God loves each and every one of us and the high price with which he values us all. How small is His request. Just love Him because He loved you first.
Salem Markus Purba
Supporter
Well, Actually The Ten Commandments is a Constitution of The Kingdom of Heaven :"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.."(Mat.6:9-10). It consists of The Sovereignty of the LORD in verses 1-5 (Exodus 20:1-12) and the Criminal and Civil Law in verses 6-10 (Exodus 20:13-17). In other words, The Ten Commandments is a Declaration of Independence for The Israeli people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 3:7; Acts 7:34). For Christians,(Jews and Gentile) The Ten Commandments also a Declaration of Independence from the bondage of sin (Mat.5:17-20; John 1:1-18; 3: 14-21; 14: 6-7; 15-31) As John Adams, the second president of the United States, wrote in 1789, "Our Constitution was designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequqte for the government of any other....Free government rest upon private and public morality"; So is The Ten Commandment was designed for a believer and follower of Jesus's teaching (John 14: 15-31) In conclusion, Every believer and follower of Jesus's teaching become a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven and the ambasadors of to the earth (Mat.28:18-20; Mark.16:15-20)'
D W
Supporter
The Nation of Hebrews, National Israel, the Hebrew folk, began to ignore the Abrahamic Covenant when it was "just off the press." God's love for them was not sufficient, from their point of view. They had to work stuff out their way. So God said, "OK, ye stubborn ones! Try this on for size!" And He issued the Ten Commandments. The idea was that the Jews would realize how impossible it was to walk in a prison of rules. The idea was that they would return to the Covenants, casting all their cares upon Him. They didn't. What happened? God came to earth. We call His Name Emmanuel. Most of us just say Jesus. HE fulfilled every obligation that the Jews could not when He sacrificed Himself on the Cross. Believe that, and you will meet Him in person one day. See Romans 10:8-13.
Tom Reynolds
Supporter
The Ten Commandment are Principles of conduct in the Kingdom. Jesus, when he gave the function of the commandments in Matthew in what we call the "Sermon on the Mount," He explained these principles and answered a series of questions that New Believers ask.
Bruce Lyon
Supporter
What are the Ten Commandments? Comment: Notice: Exodus 20: 1 ¶ And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. Again: Deuteronomy 5:1-21. These are the Ten Commandments. Notice that there is no work involved in keeping them, none! They are commands telling us what not to do! No work involved in not doing something is there. To honor ones parents which is the one positive command doesn't require work, just a proper attitude and respect toward ones parents. Now the question will come up do we have to keep the command to keep the seventh day Sabbath, and the answer is no. Notice: Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Mt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and YOU SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS - YOUR ENTIRE BEING. Heb 4:3 For WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Heb 4:9 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works - we begin to do all things as unto our God, as God did from his. Heb 4:11 Let us labour [work][ therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Revelations 1:4-6: John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus the anointed one, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto HIM [JESUS] that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and HAS MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD AND HIS FATHER; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Priests can do all kinds of work on the Sabbath, so the restriction upon them to not work on the Sabbath does not apply. We who are in the lord Jesus are priests, as part of the Melchezidek priesthood of which Jesus is the High Priest. Mt 12:5 Or have you not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple work on the sabbath, and are blameless?
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
If you want to memorize the Ten Commandments, try this shortened form: You shall have no other Gods before me You shall not make for yourselves an idol You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy Honor your father and your mother You shall not murder You shall not commit adultery You shall not steal You shall not give false testimony You shall not covet
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