Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it, thou shalt to do any work, thou, nor thy sons, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor the ox, nor the ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; and that thy days be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Neither shall thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shall thou bear false witness against thy neighbor. Neither shall thou desire thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s – Deuteronomy 5:11-21.

To be able to walk in a covenant relationship with God, where there is a continual flow of God’s covenant promises being fulfilled in our life, there is a condition we must meet. All the blessings God poured out upon Israel He plans to pour out upon us, under the New Covenant. To take hold of the covenant promises, we must enter into a covenant relationship with God with our whole heart. Our entire being, our mind, our will, our spirit, must be consecrated and dedicated to doing God’s will. In order to comply with the Word of God, one must know His written Word and is willing to adhere to it. This is why it is so important for those who profess to be Christians to read and study the Bible, His written instructions for His people.

To take the name of the Lord in vain refers to the abuse, misuse, blasphemy, cursing, or manipulation of the Lord’s name. The Sabbath of the Lord was the primary significance of the Sabbath was that it belonged to the Lord. On this day the Israelites were to rest from work and celebrate God’s good gift. The Israelites were to remember Israel’s past oppression and celebrate their current freedom. Christians differ as to how this commandment relates to believers in Jesus Christ. The Sabbath was Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Christians generally worship God on Sunday, the first day of the week, because it was on a Sunday that the Lord rose from the dead. Even so, Christians follow the principle of this command. As sinners, we were in bondage and slavery to sin, but when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour we too became free from the bondage of sin. We honor each day as the Sabbath meaning it is the Lord’s day every day and we keep it holy in our actions and behavior.

To honor parents with respect would build strong families. Strong, godly families, in turn, would teach children the ways of God, and the covenant community dedicated to serving and worshipping God would remain intact. The benefits of respecting one’s parents would be long life and success. God hasn’t changed neither has His Word, when we comply with His Word we will reap the benefits of His Word.

Premeditated murder was the concern of this law. Taking another’s life is not have been given to us to do whether physical or through selling them drugs that will kill one physically and spiritually. To sell drugs is premeditated to gain money no matter the outcome of the individual. To commit adultery is the betrayal not only of a commitment but also to treat his or her relationship with God lightly. Not to steal could take many forms, illegitimate removal of the property, kidnapping, manipulation of a person, and his or her property to one’s advantage.

Not to bear false witness included any testimony that falsely incriminated someone or negatively affected someone’s reputation, such as gossip and slander. Sadly, to say a lot of this is going on now against another brother or sister in the Lord. As Christians, we should be building one another not tearing down someone’s reputation. Even what one is saying is true, it should be kept between the individual and God through praying for the person.

To covet was the only command that specifically prohibited an attitude. Desiring what someone else possessed with self-interestedness. This attitude was the opposite of a concern for the other person’s welfare. The Law can be summed up in the last and first commandments: A person must truly love God and truly be concerned for his or her neighbor. Jesus instructed the professing Christian to love God and to love his neighbor as he loves himself. God’s Word hasn’t changed, if we love God there is no way we can hate or discriminate against someone because of their skin tone, financial, or educational status.

God has given instructions on how to please Him, it’s left up to the individual whether they want to submit to His instructions. It’s their decision to decide where they will spend the rest of their lives. Take time, read and study the Word of God, in it you will find a life for this world and for the coming of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven.