As we finish “Irresistible Husband” by Ed Cole this week, he brings up an interesting question. Do you know the Ten Commandments? Do you? It would be easy to say we did but what if we had to recite them in front of our family or church family? So how well do you know them?
You shall have no other gods before me.
Only because of who God is can He demand to be Number 1. He is holy, righteous, omnipotent and doesn’t have to explain why.
As Ed Cole said, “Only when God is first and foremost in our lives will the others give satisfaction, and only then will the rest of the commandments become easy to follow. Jesus said the first commandment is the greatest, upon which all others rest.”
You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
It would be easy to say that we don’t have any wooden Baal’s or Ashera poles in our homes that we worship. So we might think we would be good here. But when you realize that idolatry is the worship of self, how good are we really? We can make idols out of many things: money, work, sports, pornography, and church and on and on.
Is there anything or things in our lives that we are unwilling to give up? What do we really give importance to? If it’s anything other than God, then it’s an idol.
You shall not take the name of the Lord our God in vain.
Again this may be a commandment that we believe we are keeping. But how often do we use phrases like “OMG” or “gosh-darn” or something close and think we are not taking God’s name in vain? And if “all profanity is based on taking God’s name in vain”, how often are we really breaking this commandment?
If our language is a direct reflection of our character, then how often are we saying things that reflect badly on our character and on God’s name?
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
It would seem that the Sabbath has become just another day in the week. It’s rare to see businesses like Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby that close on Sunday. Most give in to the pursuit of the almighty dollar. It’s easy to pick on businesses, but what about us?
Do we keep the Sabbath holy? Or do we treat it like just another day of the week?
Sure, most of us have never taken the life of another. But how many of us have done so in thought? How many of us have murdered an idea, dreams, someone’s witness, our witness, a reputation or someone’s self-esteem?
“Grace is the antidote to murder.”
Pg. 157 Irresistible Husband.
“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).
Enough said.
“Stealing is trespassing on another’s right of possession.”
Pg. 158 Irresistible Husband.
Adrian Rogers gave seven facts about the Ten Commandments:
- Absolute – not obsolete.
- Given in perpetuity for each generation.
- For a righteous social structure.
- Given to each individual to build character.
- Given to every family to build a strong family.
- Guidelines to daily living.
- An essential element in God’s covenant with His people.
How can we keep them if we don’t know them?
Run to the Cross!
Hugh