Understanding the Ten Commandments
I want to respond to Richard Brager’s commentary, “The Ten Commandments aren’t for everyone” (Dec. 18).
God gave the commandments for every human throughout history, but there are people who do not believe them and do not think they apply to them. Some may think they are outdated, and others just do not care.
The people who do follow the commandments are those who have committed and dedicated their lives to God.
From reading Brager’s comments after each commandment, I can see he does not understand them. God gave us his word to enrich our lives, to lead a productive life and to have a relationship with him.
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
The first commandment is first for a reason. God must be first in everything we do, for intimacy with God is his highest priority for our life. The God of the Bible is the one true God. John says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus Christ is not one of many doors to the Father, but the only door. He never claimed to be one route among several to an intimate relationship with God, but said he was the only way.
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.
It means we are not to worship an image such as a picture or statue. When God says he is a jealous God, he only means he wants to be No.1 in our lives. He wants to be second to no other.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
“In vain” means in an irreverent or blasphemous manner. Most anyone knows that using God’s name in anger is wrong.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
If you follow God, you do your very best to keep the Sabbath holy. Brager says it’s OK whatever you choose. God has given us all a free will, we just have to make good decisions.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
We should honor our parents no matter what. This must be very important.
6. You shall not murder.
This is what it says.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
Of course Brager would mention men of God falling into adultery, which is wrong. They are human and make bad decisions but can receive forgiveness and reconciliation. I would not at all condone it, but we all must be accountable for ourselves first, then help our fellow man.
8. You shall not steal.
Stealing is wrong no matter how small.
9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Lying is an abomination to God.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, house nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
Covet means to wish for enviously or to desire what belongs to another. Don’t wish for riches; work hard and be content.
As far as having the Ten Commandments in schools and public buildings, it’s obvious some people want nothing to do with God. They don’t want his name mentioned. Most do not want the word “Christmas” said; it is supposed to be “holiday” or “Xmas.”
Look what happened in the schools with all the crime. They have kicked God out the front door and evil has crept in the back. No disrespect to Brager, but I hope readers do not put a lot of stock in his words.
Terry R. Gillenwater
Gillenwater lives in Christiansburg.
No related posts.
6 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Amen Sister. Well said.
Comment by Connie — January 29, 2012 @ 4:58 pm
Amen
Comment by L Robertson — January 30, 2012 @ 9:37 am
This is unfortunately a poor response to the original opinion piece and all it does is preaching to its own choir.
“The people who do follow the commandments are those who have committed and dedicated their lives to God.”
This says it all. The ten commandments are for those and only those. Some of the commands make sense, because they appeal to common sense, but a lot of the commands don’t make sense if you haven’t committed and dedicated your life to god.
I personally, for instance haven’t. I don’t even believe in a god. Not at all.
As an atheist it doesn’t bother me if someone else does believe in god and does adhere to the ten commandments but I’m often bothered by people who want to enforce their ideology on me and push it into my life and into the lives of my children.
Please, this is a private matter and the ten commandments shouldn’t be put on public display.
Comment by Kathy James — February 2, 2012 @ 11:41 am
I attended an ultra-conservative Christian college where Bible professors who held doctorates in theology taught that the Ten Commandments were given as a set of rules for Israelites who had fled Egypt and were living in a new community together. Following those rules was meant to keep order within their society, but there wasn’t an expectation that those outside their society were going to follow their rules. Today, many of us would agree that at least some of these rules are still valid, or at least based on principles we can agree upon.
But many of these commandments are not quite so black and white. It doesn’t say you shouldn’t murder, it says you shouldn’t kill, but clearly this only applied to those in the Israeli community, otherwise the Old Testament wouldn’t be full stories about God ordering the Israelites to war, and pacifism isn’t exactly popular among the American religious right. Honor your parents…even if they’re abusive? Remember the Sabbath…which is Saturday, not Sunday, and “remembering” meant following very strict restrictions that very few people, including Christians, would be willing to follow today. Don’t lie…but most people tell white lies if it will spare a person’s feelings.
My point is, are we going to teach children about all these subtleties and inconsistencies, as well? I personally would rather have public schools focus on trying to keep pace with other countries in the areas of literacy, math, and science.
And to those who want to just issue the blanket statement that these rules be placed in schools, there are teachings from other religious texts, including the Koran, that most of us would agree with and find to be moral. I assume since you’re cool with teaching kids the Bible in public schools, you’re also cool with them learning the similar truths even if they originate from Islam, Buddhism, etc?
Comment by dave — February 2, 2012 @ 1:08 pm
Amen! I totally agree!
Comment by Deidra — February 2, 2012 @ 3:05 pm
I do not see any issue here. There is nothing wrong with the ten commandments and posting them in public. The United States of America was founded on the principle of christianity…It is that simple. Nothing that is said in the ten commandments is bad anyway. Pratice some of those principles and you may better your life and those of others.
Comment by David — February 12, 2012 @ 12:08 pm