Are the Ten Commandments a set of rules? Or are they a set of promises? After four hundred and thirty years of slavery, the Israelites’ sense of identity was distorted, and they were in dire need of a spiritual reset. So, God provided them a gentle reminder of who they were in Him through the Ten Commandments. A summary of what their new life with Him and away from slavery would look like.
The Ten Commandments aren’t just a list of rules—they’re a reflection of God’s heart. Each command shows us what matters to Him and what a life of freedom in Him looks like.
It’s easy to think of commandments as heavy or legalistic. But in reality, they were given in love, to a people God had just rescued, to you and me. They’re not a way to earn His favor—they’re a response to it. A guide to help us live differently in a world that chases everything but Him.
The first four teach us how to love God: no other gods, no idols, honoring His name, and remembering His day. The last six teach us how to love people: honoring our parents, valuing life, marriage, honesty, integrity, and contentment.
To sum it all up
Jesus summed it all up: Love God. Love people. That’s what the commandments are really about.
They’re not just “Old Testament laws”—they still reveal God’s character today. And you know what the most beautiful thing about the Ten Commandments is? They come as a consequence of our love for God. We don’t follow the Ten Commandments to earn God’s love, but when we love God, we keep His Ten Commandments.
Today, take a moment to reflect: Is my life aligned with God’s heart? Am I living in a way that honors Him and shows love to others?
The commandments aren’t chains—they’re compass points. Let them guide you back to God’s purpose for your life.
Did you know that the Ten Commandments are also manifested through the New Testament?
- You shall have no other gods before Me- Exodus 20:3, Matthew 4:10
- “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them-Exodus 20:4-6, 1 John 5:21
- You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God- Exodus 20:7, Matthew 6:9
- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy- Exodus 20:8-11, Mark 2:27
- Honor your father and your mother- Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2-3
- You shall not murder- Exodus 20:13, Matthew 5:21-22
- You shall not commit adultery- Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27-28
- You shall not steal- Exodus 20:15, Ephesians 4:28
- You shall not bear false witness- Exodus 20:16, Colossians 3:9
- You shall not covet- Exodus 20:17, Luke 12:15