COMMANDMENTS TO LIVE BY (EXODUS 20:12-17)

REFLECTION Commandments to live by, is the theme for our reflection. Commandments are divine laws, rules or instructions given by God to be followed by believers to ensure that His covenant relationship is maintained with them. It is impossible to please God without knowing, understanding and living by His commandment. To live by God’s commandments,…

Jean-Paul Agidi

Jul 11, 2022

2–3 minutes

REFLECTION

Commandments to live by, is the theme for our reflection. Commandments are divine laws, rules or instructions given by God to be followed by believers to ensure that His covenant relationship is maintained with them. It is impossible to please God without knowing, understanding and living by His commandment.

To live by God’s commandments, we must love God and our fellow human beings. The commandments about loving our neighbour or fellow human beings is captured in Exodus 20:12-17, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”. These commandments enable us to respect the human rights and dignity of people, maintain peace and order in our societies and ensure that we live a life of contentment.

Again, God’s commandments, especially from Exodus 20:12-17 were given to ensure that we have a morally upright and just society where protection of lives and properties are guaranteed. It goes to reason that, any human law which does not promote peace, morality, human dignity, protection of human life and property is a deviation from God’s will and commandments. It is possible for human laws to be deliberately enacted to serve the selfish gains of the law maker or to cause great harm to others by a vindictive law maker. The good news is that such mischief can be cured only if we set God’s commandments as the highest standard to live by or by which all other human laws must derive validity from. May we live by God’s commandments and please Him always for He is our salvation. Shalom.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation…” (Psalm 24:4-5) Amen.