Theology 101 No. 6

The Ten Commandments represent a summary of God’s moral law. The content, intent, and meaning are meant for all people. The purpose of the Law is three fold: (1) The law is meant to curb or restrain sin in the world. Just think what society would be like if people did not have consciences. The conscience is a remnant of the law that God wrote on the heart of man when he was created; (2) The law serves as a mirror. It is designed to show us where we fall short of God’s expectations. Through the second use we can see our sin and know the threat and the wrath of God’s anger against sin. Here the law is meant to also point us to our need for a Savior from God’s eternal wrath; and (3)The law serves as a rule or guide for the Christian enlightening him by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word to instruct the Christian in God pleasing works of service toward God and his neighbor.

The numbering of these Commandment can be confusing for some because other churches number them differently. As Lutherans we follow the Hebrew tradition of numbering them (the Hebrews calls the Commandments the “Ten Words”). Regardless of how they are numbered it is agreed that the Commandments can be broken down into two “tables.” The First Table (by Lutheran and Hebraic rendering) consists of the first three Commandments and these deal with how we are to respond and show God our fear, love, and honor. The remaining seven Commandments comprise the Second Table of the Law and are the ones that represent how we are to love our neighbor/fellow man.

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1ff), Jesus makes it quite clear that each of these Commandments are deeper in their meaning than the simple words on a page. Our Catechisms bear this out with the explanations written by Martin Luther. These meanings are helpful to the Christian as a guide to our treatment of God and one another. Each meaning generally consists of both a positive and a negative aspect. Each meaning tells us the various ways we fall short of the mark of God’s will by highlighting the various ways a particular Commandments can be broken. The positive nature of the Commandment shows us the good and proper use or way of fulfilling God’s will for that particular command.

The First Commandment is the greatest and most important. “You shall have no other gods before me. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” We are forbidden in this Commandment to worship anything other than the Triune God of the Bible.

By this Commandment we are not to make idols for ourselves. An idol is a false god. This includes the imaginary gods of Islam, Unitarianism, Mormonism, Hinduism, Buddhism or any other false religion that denies the deity of Jesus Christ. This is called gross or coarse idolatry.

You are also to love the “Lord your with all your hearts, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” When we put anything before God, including money, work, love of family; when we lean on our own understanding rather than the explicit truth of God’s Word; when we do things out of fear of men in moral matters rather than the fear and love of God; when we live for this life rather than the next, these are all forms of “fine” idolatry. Both gross and fine idolatry are grievous sins.

In this Commandment we are called upon to fear, love, and trust in God. To fear God has two meanings. The first means that we are to be afraid of the just wrath that God has upon disobedience. It most especially means that we are to fear God in the sense of honoring and revering Him and through this, obey Him.

To love God means that our highest aim in life is to want to be with Him and render unto Him a life of service and good works by doing His commandments. To trust God means we are to place all of our confidence in His promises and to believe His Word. It means that we should not doubt God, nor worry, but depend on Him for every need in this life.

To the sinful nature in all of us, this Commandment is one of dread and fear, for God is a jealous God Who will not tolerate those who do not put Him first. But He is gracious and loving toward the man who turns to Him in faith and fears, loves and trusts in Him; especially to the one who trust in the promises He has given through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who has turned away God’s wrath for our sake.