Introduction to the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments or Gods Law, are the laws that God passed down through Moses to the Israelites. The laws are found in two different places in the Bible, Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5. These laws are guidelines that God created for his people so that they may come to know him and live in his glory. The laws created are rules for all Christians to live by. Some people believe that if these laws are not followed it is punishable by death, although the thought of punishment for following the laws is not clearly stated in the laws this is an idea brought on by man. God chose Moses to be his servant to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and deliver Gods Commandments to them. After the exodus God spoke to Moses on the top of Mount Sinai, this is also where God revealed Himself to the Israelite people and commanded them to follow his laws.
The first four commandments are laws that refer to a Christian’s relationship with God, “you shall have no other gods before me” (Deuteronomy 5:7). The remaining six commandments are boundaries set by God for all Christians to uphold, “Neither shall you commit adultery” (Deuteronomy 5:18). All the commandments are significant because they lay the foundation of what it means to be a good Christian. Today the commandments are still followed by many but not nearly as strictly as they once were. For example, not many people “remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). When these laws were first created, people followed this very strictly. Many didn’t leave their homes, or cook on Sundays, as that was the Lords day and he commanded them not to. Now a days practically no one follows this commandment.