I am long overdue to finish a series that I started nearly a year ago. This post is going to see me concluding the real ten commandments series by touching on the first two commandments then making some broad conclusions for your consideration.
The first two commandments are;
- You shall have no other God’s before me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol.
Now I am not a religious scholar and I am not terribly well read and knowledgeable in all the different religions in today’s world. A lot of what I write about is based on experience and what I have learned since I have gone back to church. In respect to the final two commandments we spend far too much time apart from God. We have become too diluted with information and options when it comes to spirituality. There is far too much attention put on work and entertainment. If we’re not working we are entertaining ourselves and if we’re not entertaining ourselves we are working to pay for more entertainment later.
To keep it short and sweet in those two commandments God is asking us to not allow ourselves to have any other Gods that confuse and don’t offer us everything we need like He does. He doesn’t want us worshiping or putting our hope and energy into empty things. He is also asking us not to turn other things into priorities over him. I’ll admit that is something that I even continue to struggle with as a follower of Christ. There is just so much stuff that begs for our attention. I have to hold in check the time that I give to TV, sports, fantasy football, video games, music, movies, work, poker and other games… and I could go on.
It is something that I recognize as being so important that recently I made a mission statement for myself and have it framed and on the wall beside my bed so I can see it everyday when I get up. I think a lot of people talk a big game about what their priorities are but don’t really lead lives that are inline with what they say. I know I have been guilty of that a lot. But then I came to the conclusion that what I do with my time is what my priorities are, not what I say. So know I make an effort to live what I talk, hence the new commitment to this site and the faith that I proclaim to have. I know in my heart that is what God desires from all of us.
the big conclusion for this series
Well here we are on the other side of our adventure through all the commandments. So here is a rough picture of the world if they we’re obeyed. There would be less jealousy and debt. People wouldn’t be killing themselves working to stay ahead of payments for things they don`t need. Because people would be working less hard for stuff they would be more rested and have more time for friends and family. People would be less stressed about finances and the condition of all their “treasures”.
People wouldn’t be lying to each other about anything so we wouldn’t have to deal with the hurt, sadness and anger that comes with lying.
No one would be stealing anything from anyone so there would be more trust of other people. There would be far less crime if no one stole stuff, money or people for that matter. Human trafficking, abductions and slavery would all take a major hit.
If no one was having sex outside of marriage we would all be more capable of monogamous relationships. There would be no std’s if everyone was just having sex with one person in their life. There would be no rape. There would be no sex trade in the world. I am also pretty sure abortion would be a thing of the past.
With no killing there would be no war and no murder. With that being true no one would have to suffer the trauma, hurt, anger and sorrow of losing their loved ones by war or someone stealing their life.
Family relationships would be stronger with kids honoring their parents. Kids would be in less or no trouble at all because they would be obeying the guidelines set out by their parents.
People would be more rested taking a day to rest the way God desires us to rest. I believe we would experience more of God’s peace if we did that and checked our tempers when it comes to misusing his name. Also we would only be brought into closer relationship if we gave him the priority he deserves and pushed aside a lot of the distractions and pitfalls that the enemy puts in the way.
That is a little bit of a sloppy conclusion. Most of the individual posts did far more justice to what I was speaking about. That said, links to all the previous posts in this series have been added to the bottom of this entry. At the end of the day I think there is no one that could honestly say that the world described above isn’t better than the one we are living in now. God wants better for us, it seems like we don’t want it for ourselves.
Lastly in Matthew Christ makes a very broad sweeping statement that goes even further than all the commandments put together.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
What is so great about this verse of how deep it roots are when thought about at length. Love God and love each other is the short version. If we love God we don’t put things before him. We don’t build idols in our life to distract us or offer empty worship to. We don’t abuse His name. We don’t stray and allow ourselves be out of fellowship with. Furthermore we would acknowledge and believe everything He tells us is truth which would compel us to change so much about our lives.
If we love our neighbors as ourselves (and this goes further than the people living to the left or the right of us) so much would change about our attitudes towards other people. Think about all the things that people do to you that anger or hurt you. This really is another wording of the old advice do onto others as you would have done onto you. So why do we pass hungry people in the street asking for help and pretend we don’t see them? Why do we cut people off in traffic? Why do we lie to each other, steal, say hurtful things, do kind things for selfish reason… the list could be endless.
In every situation look at yourself as the problem and then take the proper actions to be the positive solution. If everyone started with themselves instead of looking at everyone else as the problem a world full of people would be changed. Then and only then will we ever see some real change.
previous posts in the series
Coveting
False Witness
Stealing
Adultery
Killing
Honour Your Parents
Sabbath Day
The Lord’s Name