The Commandments

Exodus 20:1-2

After the Lord comes down on Mount Sinai, He speaks to the people of Israel and gives them the Ten Commandments. The commandments are meant to be a guide for Israel, describing how they should relate to God and how they should relate to the people around them. The commandments are the first part of the law, and they are to be kept so God’s people can flourish in the land He is giving to them; however, we see soon after the commandments come in that Israel is unable to keep them (Exodus 32)—and we know of our own inability to keep them today.

In the Gospels, Jesus not only reminds us that the commandments are a reflection of how we are supposed to love God with all we have and love our neighbors as our own selves (Matthew 22), but He also does the impossible: He comes to fulfill the entirety of the law and to accomplish its original purpose on our behalf (Matthew 5). Christ took the death we deserve on the cross in order to give us His righteousness and the life He deserves. He welcomes us into this life by His grace and through our faith in Him.

Prayer:
God, give us hearts of obedience and help us to love you above all else.

Question to consider:
How has Jesus fulfilled the law specifically for you where you could not?