The Ten Commandments are the only laws written by God himself. The importance of God Himself writing the Ten Commandments, humanly speaking, might be compared to the CEO of a company deciding to write what is required for employees of the company rather than dictate it to his or her secretary. Better still, we could compare the writing of the US constitution as more like the Ten Commandments than writing the expectations of employees’ conduct. But even writing the US Bill of Rights falls short of God Himself writing the Ten Commandments.
The importance of the Ten Commandments is that they are the plum line by which all the Scriptural directives, commandments, statutes and laws are to be interpreted. Not the other way around.
By keeping the Ten Commandments, we keep the rest of God’s requirements. Therefore if we do not understand the Ten Commandments there is less likelihood of understanding the other commands and requirements stipulated by God.
The First Commandment of the Decalogue expresses a cosmic reality that is overlooked by all who dismiss the Ten Commandments.
Many Christians believe that the Ten Commandments are no longer relevant, when in fact they are the backbone of the teaching that God desires us to understand; so that we will not miss out on the inheritance that is ours in Lord Jesus Christ, or perish because we neglect the truth.
The First Psalm tells us that we ought to meditate the Law of God day and night, if we truly want to experience the blessings that are rightfully ours. King David did this and he realized that there was two Lord God’s—the Father and the Son (
Psalm 2:7; Psalm 110:1.)
Proverbs tells us that the Holy One has a Son
(Proverbs 30:2–4). However, unless you know His name, you cannot call out to Him. His name is found in the First Commandment—but only if you are perceptive enough to realize who He is.
When the book of Hebrews speaks about repentance from dead works and exercising faith towards God (
Hebrews 6:1), many commentators say that the dead works are not those that are referenced as works of the flesh.
- Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:20–21)
Really, it is astounding that Biblical expositors would claim that the dead works that need to be repented from are not those identified in Galatians 5:20–21. Especially when these same expositors often exclaim how sinful people are as they walk in the dead works that eventuate from following the ways of the world and quote the following text to support their postion:
- And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 2:1–2)
One we fully understand the First Commandment, we find it easier to understand the rest of the precepts of God. For dead works are left behind once we turn from them and begin to exercise faith in God.
There are many variations regarding aspects of the Ten Commandments that are stated within the Scriptures. The reason for this has to do with people not understanding the simplicity and the depth of the Ten Commandments. Consequently, the many commandments, statutes and laws that are stated, along with the injunction to circumcise one’s heart (
Deuteronomy 10:16) have been provided so that people might have a better idea of what is required.
Unfortunately, the scribes love writing, and they write extended treatises about aspects of commandments, statutes and laws, just like philosophers who love to write volumes on the value of a pinhead, and how it could or could not affect a person who is not pricked by their conscience, rather than acknowledge the truth.
The only commandments written by God Himself are the Ten Commandments. Therefore understanding the Ten Commandments ought to be a high priority. The other commandments, statutes, laws and the imputation were not written by God but were dictated to Moses. The prophets expounded upon them. Likewise, so did the Son of God. For the Ten Commandments are evidenced in the Sermon on the Mount. So the Ten Commandments were written by God Himself because they are of the highest importance. The rest of the Bible can be regarded as an exposition of the Ten Commandments.
