Graduate 87: Advent, Day 10
The Ten Commandments
Exodus 19-20:20
Throughout their history, the people of Israel have revered and upheld the “Gift of Law”. But I fear that even many in the Christian community (not to mention the world generally) have lost sight of this. Dallas Willard describes the Ten Commandments (roughly paraphrasing from memory) “God’s best ideas about how to live the good life.” Does that ring true as you reflect on the Ten Commandments?
Think about it. Philosophers since Plato and Aristotle have recognized that, as a general rule, everybody wants to be happy. Nobody wants to lead a miserable, unsatisfying, unfulfilled life. But how to go about attaining that good life—that is the question. Many people think that the good life consists in having the same things that other (apparently) happy people have; so they are consumed with desire for those things. Some think that the good life consists in the acceptance and approval of other people; so they ingratiate themselves (often disingenuously) to people who seem to be important. Still others think that success is the key; so they push and bully and manipulate others in order to get ahead. Many, believing that happiness is all-important, are led to ignore and neglect the interests of others (even their own families) in order to satisfy this deep-seated craving of theirs. And what is the result? Are these people happy? Are these people satisfied?
The Ten Commandments sum up God’s best recipe for how to live the best kind of life. It is a life free of worry, fear, guilt, deceit, hate, and shame; it is full of satisfaction, fulfillment, love, grace, charity, and kindness. The first step to this life: place God at the center. That’s the first four commandments in a nutshell. Jesus would later encapsulate them in this statement: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) After that: love your parents; respect the life and property of others; be faithful to your spouse and family; conduct yourself with sincerity and integrity; do not compare yourself to others. (See Matthew 22:39)
“But,” you may ask, “if I am always looking out for others, who will look out for me?” You don’t have to worry about that—that is the point. In agreeing to follow and obey God, the people of Israel were trusting in God to take care of them. Indeed, it is only when we feel the pressure of needing to take care of ourselves that we are tempted to disobey these commandments.
The great tragedy is that none of us has been (or is) able to keep these commandments perfectly on his or her own strength. As a result, that life of contentment and satisfaction is lost to us. That is what Jesus Christ came to change. He says, in the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) And again, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) The Gift of Law finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:24)
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
Exodus 19-20:20
Throughout their history, the people of Israel have revered and upheld the “Gift of Law”. But I fear that even many in the Christian community (not to mention the world generally) have lost sight of this. Dallas Willard describes the Ten Commandments (roughly paraphrasing from memory) “God’s best ideas about how to live the good life.” Does that ring true as you reflect on the Ten Commandments?
Think about it. Philosophers since Plato and Aristotle have recognized that, as a general rule, everybody wants to be happy. Nobody wants to lead a miserable, unsatisfying, unfulfilled life. But how to go about attaining that good life—that is the question. Many people think that the good life consists in having the same things that other (apparently) happy people have; so they are consumed with desire for those things. Some think that the good life consists in the acceptance and approval of other people; so they ingratiate themselves (often disingenuously) to people who seem to be important. Still others think that success is the key; so they push and bully and manipulate others in order to get ahead. Many, believing that happiness is all-important, are led to ignore and neglect the interests of others (even their own families) in order to satisfy this deep-seated craving of theirs. And what is the result? Are these people happy? Are these people satisfied?
The Ten Commandments sum up God’s best recipe for how to live the best kind of life. It is a life free of worry, fear, guilt, deceit, hate, and shame; it is full of satisfaction, fulfillment, love, grace, charity, and kindness. The first step to this life: place God at the center. That’s the first four commandments in a nutshell. Jesus would later encapsulate them in this statement: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) After that: love your parents; respect the life and property of others; be faithful to your spouse and family; conduct yourself with sincerity and integrity; do not compare yourself to others. (See Matthew 22:39)
“But,” you may ask, “if I am always looking out for others, who will look out for me?” You don’t have to worry about that—that is the point. In agreeing to follow and obey God, the people of Israel were trusting in God to take care of them. Indeed, it is only when we feel the pressure of needing to take care of ourselves that we are tempted to disobey these commandments.
The great tragedy is that none of us has been (or is) able to keep these commandments perfectly on his or her own strength. As a result, that life of contentment and satisfaction is lost to us. That is what Jesus Christ came to change. He says, in the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) And again, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) The Gift of Law finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:24)
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
posted by Metaphysician_delta | 2:00 AM
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