Post by Sarah on Feb 24, 2007 9:06:59 GMT
The Ten Commandments are the basis of Old Testament law. They were given to Moses by God on top of Mount Sinai. The first four govern your relationship with God and the other six your relationship with other people.
1. You shall have no other gods besides me.
- This means that Christians (and Jews) should be monotheic, ie. worship only one god.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol 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 fathers to the thirds and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
- This means that God should be the biggest and best thing in your life. If you value anything above God, whether this be another god, person, item or idea, it is idolatry. This is why many Churches refuse to have any icons or images in their places of worship.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
- This means that God's name is holy and shouldn't be used for anything which doesn't show reverence. For example, saying "Oh God," in a swearing way is blasphemy.
4. 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 manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 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.
- This means that everyone must take a rest once a week. This may be more of a practical thing, but it also allows us to step back from our busy lives and spend time with God.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
1. You shall have no other gods besides me.
- This means that Christians (and Jews) should be monotheic, ie. worship only one god.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol 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 fathers to the thirds and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
- This means that God should be the biggest and best thing in your life. If you value anything above God, whether this be another god, person, item or idea, it is idolatry. This is why many Churches refuse to have any icons or images in their places of worship.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
- This means that God's name is holy and shouldn't be used for anything which doesn't show reverence. For example, saying "Oh God," in a swearing way is blasphemy.
4. 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 manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 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.
- This means that everyone must take a rest once a week. This may be more of a practical thing, but it also allows us to step back from our busy lives and spend time with God.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.