The Ten Commandments: 6-10

The ten commandments are often referred to by people. Interestingly enough, they are not named as separate from the rest of the law, or numbered. The majority of people hold them as still binding. Numerous churches list them as official parts of their doctrine. Yet we know today that the laws given through Moses are not binding on us today (Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15). However, nine of these commandments are repeated in the New Testament. And the exception, the Sabbath, has a corollary in the New Testament (and it isn't Sunday). Last week we looked at the first five commandments. This week we look at the sixth through tenth commandments.

Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)
Christ takes this commandment and gives us the fullness of it in Matthew 5:21-26. We see that not only are we to avoid physical murder, but that we should not hold in our hearts the unrighteous anger that leads to murder. Our hearts must be as free from murder as our actions are.

Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
Again we see Christ giving a more full understanding of this in Matthew 5:27-32. We see again that it is not simply the action that is wrong, but the thoughts and intents of the heart as well. Looking at someone to lust after them is, in God's eyes, equal to the act of adultery.

Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
In Ephesians 4:8, Paul writes to the church in Ephesus telling them no one should steal, but rather should endeavor to earn an honest wage doing honest work. Not only are we to avoid stealing, but we are to do the opposite action and earn our way honestly.

Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Exodus 20:16)
The act of giving false testimony against another is abhorrent in the sight of God. Was this not the method chosen by those who sought the crucifixion of Christ (Mark 14:57)? Romans 13:9-10 repeats that we are to love others, and that this commandment is as much a part of what we are to do as Christians as it was a part of the law of Moses. Moreover, as this is a form of lying, and as all lying is condemned (Colossians 3:9), we must put away.

Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. (Exodus 20:17)
Covetousness, that consuming desire for what others have, must be avoided. In Colossians 3:5, Paul equates covetousness with idolatry, that is, putting something ahead of God. Again, in Ephesians 5:3-4, covetousness is one of the things which should not even be named among those who are striving to follow Christ.

These commandments we strive to keep. Not because the Lord gave them to the Israelites through Moses, but because the Lord has taught them to us in the New Testament. Let us do so!