The Truth of the Ten Commandments

Many people claim to obey the Ten Commandments. However, in reality, no one has kept them utterly. Indeed, very few people have even gone without breaking one of them. You may object, but it is completely true. See, there is more to each commandment then meets the eye. From this, we are all guilty.

1. "Do not have any gods besides me." (Exodus 20:3) This is the first commandment, and you likely doubt that you have broken it. However, I would suggest you rethink that. See, the same word that means "gods" in the Hebrew (elohim) can more abstractly mean things "exceeding" or "great." What God forbids here is giving anything an exceedingly great position in your life, to the point where it causes you to violate the two primary commandments, love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40), in your desire for it. Now, you should be able to see how this applies to your own life. Have you ever felt as if something was so important that you disobeyed God or hurt another person (emotionally, physically, or otherwise) for it? If so, you have broken the first commandment.
   
2. "Do not make any image…Do not worship them or serve them." (Exodus 20:4a, 5a) This commandment is almost a restatement of the first. The image here is an idol. The word technically referred to a carved or engraved picture or statue of a god, element, or other thing that people would worship. God was telling them not to have such idols, and not to worship them. However, this is not the full extent of the meaning. It also can refer to anything that we hold in our minds in the place of an idol, whether it is a kind of desire, a person, or (very importantly) a false image of who God is. We have all done this at one time or another. We have given undue attention, time, or money to something or someone we want or like, or have lived in service to God while believing Him to be someone He is not.
   
3. "Do not use the name of Yahweh your God improperly." (Exodus 20:7a) This commandment is usually interpreted as use in speech. Some people think you are okay if you do not say "G** d***!" This is inadequate. There are three main ways to break this commandment.
   1. Being a hypocrite – Everyone who says he is a Christian is using the name of God on a daily basis. Everyone who knows someone is a Christian sees God's name on that person. If you claim to be a Christian, then, but do not live in a way that glorifies the name of God, you are violating this commandment. For a comparison, see Proverbs 30:8-9.
      
   2. Misapplying God's name to promises – This is the second way to misuse God's name. If you make a promise and involve God's name, you must keep the promise and you must be serious. It is better not to promise at all than to break a promise with God's name. This includes even saying, "I swear to God" lightly. Not only is it bad to invoke the name of God so carelessly, but since such thoughts are usually false, you break the promise and end up double-guilty.
      
   3. Using God's name flippantly or immorally – This is the most common way to break this commandment. Any use of God's name that is not reverently speaking to Him or about Him is an improper use of His name. Also note that this not restricted to just the word "God." It can include any reference to God, such as Yahweh, Jehovah, Jesus, Christ, Lord, etc. You ought never to use God's name as an exclamation or any other way that does not directly respect Him.
      
4. "Keep in mind the Sabbath day, and keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8) This one is actually simple. You just need to observe the Sabbath. What does that entail? Set one day apart for God. Rest on that day and spend extra time meditating on God and worshiping Him. Unfortunately, this simple commandment is rarely kept. How many times have you skipped church for something less important? How many times have you gone to church without really thinking about God? How many times have you spent your Sunday without having God involved at all? Even doing any of those once means you have broken this commandment.
   
5. "Honor your father and your mother." (Exodus 20:12a) This is probably the most straightforward commandment. You must honor your parents. The word for "honor" involves placing a value upon or regarding as having worth. This not only requires you to obey them while living with them, as is commonly believed, but in general requires you to have a positive attitude of submission, cooperation, and assistance to them. How many times have you failed in any of those points? Also note that this includes your step-parents. Just because they did not give birth to you does not mean that you are not under their authority.
   
6. "Do not murder." (Exodus 20:13) If I had to guess, I would say that you feel fairly confident that you have not broken this commandment. However, you probably have. See, in the New Testament, Jesus elaborates on murder, showing how it can occur in the heart without action. Read here Matthew 5:21-22. "You have heard about how it has been said in the past, 'Do not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of condemnation;' but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother for no good reason will be in danger of condemnation, anyone who calls his brother a worthless idiot will be in danger of official judgment, and anyone who says to his brother, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fires of Hell." Here we see three levels of antagonism towards another person, all of which are compared by Jesus to murder. So, have you ever been mad at someone over something stupid? Have you every fiercely insulted anyone, or hated anyone? If so, you have broken this commandment.
   
7. "Do not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14) This is another one under which I would suspect that many people feel innocent. Again, though, you have probably broken this one. Check out Matthew 5:27-28. "You have heard about how it has been said in the past, 'Do not commit adultery;' but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to where he wants her has already committed adultery with her in his mind." Talk about condemning. The "want" part is sexual: if you have ever looked at anyone or thought of anyone and had a conscious, sexual desire for that person, you have broken this commandment.
   
8. "Do not steal." (Exodus 20:15) There are three parts to the idea of not stealing. If you do any of the following things, you are guilty.
   1. Waste your own money, time, or possessions – By doing that, you are essentially stealing from the blessings God has given you, stealing what He wants you to use for His glory. Remember that nothing is your own: you are managing it for God.
      
   2. Take something owned by another without consent so as to deprive them of need, joy, pleasure, time, or aid – This is the basic definition of stealing, but even it does more than what we usually think of as stealing. Under this definition, it is easy to consider even seemingly harmless acts of taking something of someone else's as plain wrong. Never deprive another person of time, pleasure, possessions, or anything else.
      
   3. Deceive people – The Hebrew word used for "steal" included this by implication. This is actually theft of an important right: the right to know the truth. All people are entitled to an understanding of reality, and deception steals this from them.
      
9. "Do not give a deceptive report towards another." (Exodus 20:16) Most people paraphrase this commandment as "do not lie." However, this paraphrase does not do it justice at all. It has a two-fold meaning.
   1. Do not deceive others – This is the simple, common version. In fact, it is the primary intention. You are not to intentionally tell someone anything that would cause them to believe a falsehood. This goes along with the previous commandment.
      
   2. Do not spread false rumors or gossip – This is the less noticed explanation of this commandment, although it is likely truer to the Hebrew. This commandment not only forbids the spreading of gossip and rumors of your own invention, but also those you hear from another if you do not know them to be true. Even if you do know it is true, the Bible explains elsewhere that it is bad to gossip.
      
10. "Do not envy." (Exodus 20:17a) You are not to long for that which another has, especially to a point of fierce, contemptuous, or consuming desire. You are supposed to be content in what you have and be glad for the blessings of others. If you have ever wanted something someone else has, to the point where you would wish to have it at their deprivation, you have broken this commandment. This actually ties in with the commandment not to steal. After all, most theft results from a morally corrupt desire for that which another has.
    

There they are: the Ten Commandments in their full meaning. More than likely, you have broken every one of these commandments at one times or another. That is why Jesus came to die, after all. He kept these commandments and died because we could not keep them.