“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.” (Exodus 19:5)
To get along with others, we need rules. Society would be chaotic without rules. Imagine driving in traffic! It is unthinkable and simply wouldn’t work. This is also true for society. The government creates laws and ensures that they are obeyed, and these laws are established to protect the rights of citizens and to make living in freedom possible.
Citizens are expected to respect the law, but Jesus asks more of His followers. He wants us to live as He did. Jesus obeyed the Ten Commandments, which He calls the Law. Is it your desire to do God’s will and as a Christian, to honour God with your life? If so, God says: keep the Ten Commandments. Is it easy? No, because there are all kinds of temptations and ultimately sin is a part of our nature. Ask God to help you with His Spirit. Don’t forget that Jesus valued the Ten Commandments. He summarized them in the command to love, as you can read in Mark 12.28-34.
So, what do you think? Were the Ten Commandments only for the Israelites, or do they have any relevance for us? What do the Ten Commandments mean to you? Would you say that in your experience, the Law, as we also call it, has a liberating influence on your life? Does it give you joy, as God intended?