Exodus 19:1-20:26
The Ten Commandments
Of all the references made to the bible, this one is probably the most widely known. Folks may not know where the Ten Commandments can be found in the bible, but they recognize the list of "thou shall nots". However, being widely recognizable can also lend itself being widely misunderstood. This is most certainly the case with the ten commandments. Also known as the decalogue, the list of ten laws is one of my favorite bible passages to teach, primarily because it is so widely misunderstood.
If you're like most people in our world who can recognize the decalogue with the first "thou shall not...", then you probably share the same commonly accepted understanding of the commandments as well. Ask just about anyone to tell you what they believe to be true about the commandments and they are likely to say that they are a list of things that people are supposed to do if they want to get into heaven. Live your life according to these ten and all will go well for you. Live your life otherwise, and God is likely to punish you. Often when political debates ensue over whether or not it is legal for the decalogue to be displayed or referenced in public places, this belief is what gets thrown up as a "common Judeo-Christian belief" in association with the reasons why non-believers find them a violation of their rights. The tragically comical truth, however, is that this commonly held belief about the ten commandments couldn't be any further from the truth.
Consider the characterization of God that comes from believing this about the decalogue. If this belief were true then God is nothing more than a vindictive tyrant. One who does not love his people at all, but instead holds a very high bar in front of them and demands that they jump over it, or He will punish them, possibly even kill them. This depicts God with no more empathy, compassion, or devotion to His creation than that of other ancient false gods. With this belief as the common understanding of the most commonly associated scripture of our faith, it's truly no wonder non-believers run away as fast they can from Christianity. Who would, or even should, worship a God like this?
The truth about the Ten Commandments is a very different characterization of God. When we look closely at the decalogue, we find that before God speaks any of His laws to the people he claims them as as His own. In verse one, God says "I am the Lord, your God. I brought you up out of Egypt." My favorite way of teaching this text is to refer to the way in which my grandmother would offer her household "commandments". When I was a boy, my grandmother had a very powerful way of enforcing her rules of the house. Particularly when I would misbehave in public, she would, as I call it, snatch me up by the back of the neck. make me face her, and she would say, "Richie, no child of mine behaves like that!" She was swift and forceful, but also very clear whose I was. I was her's, and nothing was ever going to separate her from me.....even if, as a boy, there were times when I wished I could get away. "No child of mine..." She loved me, and wanted what was best for me, therefore she had rules to guide my actions accordingly. Her laws were never merely that of a vindictive tyrant, but rather that of a loving grandmother; one would never let me stray too far from what was best for me.
The same is true of God. God is not the vindictive tyrant depicted by the the common held misunderstanding. God loves us, and wants what is best for us, therefore he offers commandments to us, so that we might live according to His loving intentions for our lives.
Lord God, thank you for guiding my life. Thank you for claiming me as your own. Thank you for never allowing me to stray too far from your loving, and forgiving embrace. Encourage me to see that your laws are good. Enable me to trust that nothing I do can ever separate me from your love. In Jesus' name. Amen
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