Do We Still Need to Know the Ten Commandments?

Do We Still Need to Know the Ten Commandments Today?

Posted on by Michele Morin

Christians, even the most devout, have an uneasy relationship with the Old Testament. We rhapsodize over the psalms and spin heroic tales from Israel’s hall of fame, but to be honest, we’re queasy over discussions of slavery, God-sanctioned Canaanite slaughter, the exclusion of women from worship spaces, and all manner of bizarre customs. We’re far more confident talking about Jesus and his gracious words from the Beatitudes–entirely forgetting that Jesus frequently referred to the Law, reminded his listeners that if they loved him they would keep his commandments, and even claimed to be, himself, the fulfillment of the Law.

Author and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin describes our estrangement from the Ten Commandments as “a PR problem.” In her latest book, Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands, she admits that “we have trouble seeing any beauty in the Ten Words.” She counters the popular sentiment that “Christianity isn’t about rules, it’s about relationship” with the truth that “rules show us how to live in those relationships. Rather than threaten relationships, rules enable it.”

What we now know as the Ten Commandments, the Torah and rabbis have historically called the “Ten Words.” They were given to a nation steeped in Egyptian paganism for four hundred years and headed into the land of Canaanite idolatry. Moses handed down the inscribed tablets fresh off Mt. Sinai as a basis for the people’s moral law, and I read them with new eyes as Wilkin’s commentary pointed my heart back to God, the loving Law Giver.

God alone is worthy of worship and we worship a lie if we remake or diminish his attributes to make him more pallatable or crowd pleasing (#1 and #2). To misuse the name of God is to misrepresent his character (#3). He is a good God who has ordained regular rhythms of rest (#4). As a Father, he has provided the church as the “family your family of origin could not be” (#5). And as we do good (and not evil) to and for one another, we honor the image of God in humanity (#6-#10).

Ten Needful Words

Has there ever been an era in which all of this is more needful?

Like Israel, we are a people steeped in paganism, so the Ten Commandments are more relevant today than ever. Examining what God forbids, we discover what God values. “The Ten Words show us how to live holy lives as citizens of heaven while we yet dwell on earth. For the believer, the law becomes a means of grace.”

“In the church today, there exists a great forgetfulness about the role of the law in the life of the believer.” @jenniferwilkin

Just as all biblical study invites us to love God more and to avoid error, by understanding the Ten Commandments as part of the narrative arc of redemption, we see that Jesus is our “true and better Moses,” and a life of obedience to God’s Top Ten is a life of peace with God and others–but only with the understanding the “without faith, it is impossible to please God.”

Because Christ has met for us the requirements of the law and dwells in us by his Spirit, we are empowered to live in an expansive obedience, not committing murder, certainly, but also not falling into the sin of contempt for others; not being merely a “not-thief, [but becoming] a provider of abundance.” Our New Covenant lives are shaped by the Ten Words, carved on our hearts, holding us in right relationship with God and others, helping us to hunger for a holiness that keeps us longing for our true home.

Holding you in the Light,

Our New Covenant lives are shaped by the Ten Words, carved on our hearts, holding us in right relationship with God and others, helping us to hunger for a holiness that keeps us longing for our true home.

Many thanks to Crossway and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

47 thoughts on “Do We Still Need to Know the Ten Commandments Today?”

  4. I have been seeing this book around and have been thinking I want to read it. I haven’t read any of her books but have heard good things about her writing.

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  7. The seeker-sensitive stream has so much watered down who we are as a believer and what we do, that vast numbers of the church has become spineless, and has started living by what is in vogue, instead of what is in God’s word, If we are thankful for our salvation, we WANT to do what is pleasing to God, The Ten commandments are as basic of what pleases God. If I say I love Him, it is a no-brainer that these Basic Instructions (other translation) are basic for me, every day. Jesh

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  8. Thank you, Michele for sharing this book by Jen Wilkin, I love her books and participate in her Bible studies. I couldn’t agree more, “Our New Covenant lives are shaped by the Ten Words, carved on our hearts, holding us in right relationship with God and others, helping us to hunger for a holiness that keeps us longing for our true home.”

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  9. I was just last night reading about becoming washed clean by the Holy Spirit. Typically, Christians think of rebirth through Christ’s sacrifice, but when we are redeemed by the Spirit, we “die to sin”. It makes sin unappealing to us. I love your phrase “hunger for holiness”.

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  11. That sounds like an interesting book. Our denomination is doing a daily devotions series on the Ten Commandments at the moment so I’m reflecting on them a little more. It does make me realise how much we tend to gloss over them though. #PoCoLo

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  14. I’ve heard about this book a few times so it was great to read your review. It is easy to dismiss the Old Testament rules instead of looking at what they can teach us. This sounds like a helpful book to read.

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  15. Good reminder that God’s word is timeless and all scripture is relevant. I’ve not heard of this author before, so it was interesting to read your review and recommendation!

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  16. As recently as Sunday, and not for the first time, I have characterized the commandments as necessary, but also contextual. On their own, they are good moral law, but the context of relationship is what really makes a difference. Hopefully (and this was my illustration) no one who is married says to a spouse, darn, I am supposed to cherish and honor you. That is so oppressive to me! Or to our children, “i have to feed you, I don’t feel like it. Why do I have to do this?” Love of God and relationship with God gives us the boundaries. Maybe I am not saying this as clearly as I would like. I do a sermon series on the Ten commandments every year, because they are important. Thanks for sharing this Michele. Michele

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    1. I thought that what you said was VERY clear and very true. Especially about context. We forget that God gave these 10 words to his people when they were about to head into Canaanite polytheism — after 400 years of Egyptian gods. He wanted to be #1 in their hearts. Apparently, that was just as hard for them as it is for us!

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  19. Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. We appreciate your shares. They have been Tweeted Pinned. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn

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  20. I think the Ten Commandments are still relevant today. Treating your mind, body and soul with respect and showing the same to others is essential for a contented life and society. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories

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  21. The old testament can be problematic for sure. My kids have definitely asked me questions around it that I could not answer or justify. However, I do think that the commandments are still relevant or at least the notion of having a set of rules of decency for the way we live, treat ourselves and one another #MischiefAndMemories

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  22. This is such a great reminder especially during these very tumultuous times. And while I am very much a rule breaker when it comes to arbitrary rules that make no sense to me, there is a great validity in the 10 Commandments that can always be applied in order to just be better humans. Thanks for sharing and linking with me, Michele!

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

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  23. Congratulations on being asked to write for The Joyful Life magazine on the subject of Parenting boys. Thanks for joining in with #pocolo, sorry for the delay in commenting, hope to see you back again soon

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  26. […] This week is FAMILY feature week Swing by the Family hosting team’s blogs: Michelle @ Moms Are Frugal Kris @ Kris and Larry . com Lisa @ Lisa’s Everyday Life This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU! There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear – this is NOT a themed party – you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month.  The “theme” occurs in our weekly features: WEEK#3 FAMILY – parenting, fitness, health, finances & inspirational (this can include anything about children like: education ideas for children, also self help, beauty etc –  anything family friendly) (These features were chosen from the April 2021 “You’re the STAR” blog hop) Cease Striving….Stand!  by A New Lens What Is Happening To The Church by StuffedVeggies The Bishop Castle in Rye, Colorado by Mille Fiori Favoriti Do We Still Need To Know The 10 Commandments Today? by Living Our Days […]

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