In my previous blog, I mentioned that the 10 commandments are about love and not legalism.
While in meditation of Exodus 20, I realize that the word "10 commandments" is actually a "theological construct" - something the church came with to label this passage of scripture. To me, it is actually a guide on Love. Loving God and loving others.
Loving God:
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:2-11 NIV)
For if we love God, we:
1 & 2) Would not want to put anything before Him or idolize things - Like our career, ambitions, our most precious - not even our own family!
3) Would not use the Name of God in vain. Understand that the Name of Jesus is higher than our problems and situations. Treasure the Name of Jesus
4) Keep the Sabbath. Take time off from our busy lives and worship Him, not just on weekends, but on a daily basis in private devotion.
Loving people:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:12-17 NIV)
For if we love people, we:
5) Love our Parents:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12 NIV)
Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old. (Proverbs 23:22 NIV)
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20 NIV)
6) would not murder and bear unforgiveness
Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 John 3:15 NIV)
7) would love our spouses and not commit adultery
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 NIV)
8) would not steal
"For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them. (Isaiah 61:8 NIV)
9) would not bear false testimony, or cover our rear ends at work and make a fellow worker a scapegoat.
There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV)
10) would not be covet what is our neighbours. We would not be consumed by keeping up with the Joneses, the Rat Race
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:15, 16 NIV)
Jesus summed up what this "love list" is all about:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35 NIV)
So let us live our lives, loving God more fervently, loving others more whole-heartedly!
