Ten Commandments - Part 2

Ten Commandments - Part 2

As I explained with the first three commandments, they are specific to how we are to relate to God. The other seven commandments concern how we are to relate to one another and, in the process, glorify God. They are as follows:

The Final Seven Commandments:

• Honor your Father and your Mother.
• You shall not kill.
• You shall not commit adultery.
• You shall not steal.
• You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
• You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
• You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

"Honor your Father and Mother"

This commandment sounds simple enough when taken at face value, but there is more to it than this. We are called to always honor our parents no matter what, except when they are asking or commanding something that is sinful—then we are commanded to honor God and disobey our parents. To disobey God is a greater and more grievous thing than to disobey parents when commanded to sin.

This commandment can extend to those who are in authority over us. For example, in the New Testament when Paul became a spiritual father to the church in Corinth, they had an obligation to honor him as their spiritual father. We honor our spiritual fathers to this day in the form of priests, calling them "Father." Where there is a spiritual father, there are spiritual mothers as well, in the form of consecrated religious women. They regard their superior as "Mother" or "Mother Superior," depending on the order.

"You shall not kill"

Of all the commandments, you would think this one would be the one people would adhere to no matter what. And yet, malicious and intentional murder happens. The least obvious aspect of this commandment is that not all forms of killing are forbidden—otherwise everyone would starve if we equated this to the death of animal and plant life needed to feed humanity. There are lawful forms of killing, such as killing an assailant who is determined to kill you. Killing in a justified war or battle is also just. Simply look to the various battles and wars in the Old Testament; they were just in one way or another.

A less obvious application concerns spiritual death. We are capable of causing the spiritual death of others through scandal. Scandal, in the theological context, pertains to words, acts, or omissions that lead another to commit sin. You can be guilty of scandal when you do something that goes against the faith—such as worshipping an idol like a false god, money, fame, etc.—and then act as if there was nothing wrong with your actions.

"You shall not commit adultery" and "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife"

Typically these two commandments are discussed together as they deal with the same issue: unfaithfulness to one's spouse. The sixth commandment forbids anyone and every act contrary to chastity, which by extension forbids infidelity in marriage. The ninth commandment forbids any desire that is contrary to the fidelity between husband and wife. These commandments, when followed, prevent impurity in the heart. Impurity in the heart leads to an impure soul, which is a soul that is turned away from God.

"You shall not steal"

This is another of the more obvious commandments, but as with anything theological and philosophical, there is more than meets the eye. Beyond the well-known forms of theft, robbery, or mugging, there is also theft through unjust business practices. If you cheat a customer of just goods or an employee of just wages, you are guilty of stealing. Promising a customer 20 pounds of flour and purposefully giving them 18 pounds hoping they wouldn't notice is theft. Depriving an employee of just pay and wages for their work is theft.

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"

This is most commonly referred to as the commandment not to lie. But there are many ways that you can bear false witness against someone, including calumny, gossip, adulation, rash suspicion or judgment, detraction, and every sort of lie—whether jovial, officious, or malicious. All of these are false statements intended to cause harm to the character in question.

This includes saying that someone has faults they do not possess (calumny), making known the faults of a person with intent to harm (detraction), suspecting evil without due reason (rash judgment/suspicion), or telling a lie to make a joke or false statement without injury, or telling a lie with intent to cause character or physical harm to another. All of these acts break this commandment.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's goods"

People often lump this commandment in with stealing because coveting goods and stealing are closely related. However, one deals with action, and the other deals with desire. This is why they are treated separately. This commandment helps us deny our greediness and accept what we have and our state in life.

Many people only relate this to material things, for example: "He has a Ferrari, but I don't. I want his car!" It doesn't occur to many people that "That family is so blessed with happiness, joy, and stability. I want what they have" can be just as dangerous as the first example. There is nothing wrong with working hard to have a comfortable and happy life, but to covet the life of another, to covet the blessings of another, leads to discontentment with your life and your blessings. You then begin to dislike your life and deny the blessings in your own life.

To live a life without coveting others is to live a life focused on God and all that He is and has for you. To live for Him is to deny the excessive pleasures of this world. Being focused on God will lead you to enjoy your life—the life that He gave you. In doing so, you not only follow His commandments but give glory to Him as well.