When you hear “The Ten Commandments,” what comes to mind? Stone tablets? Ancient rules? Political debates over where they belong? Charlton Heston in a really bad wig and fake beard? But what if we’ve misunderstood their purpose? What if the Ten Commandments weren’t given to control human behavior but to guide us into a life of love, justice, and community?
In the story of the Exodus and the people who would become Israel, God acts first. The commandments are given after the people are liberated, not before. That’s an important distinction. God didn’t say, “Follow these rules and I’ll save you.” God saved them first. The commandments were meant to be a response to God’s grace, not a requirement for it.
Too often, we treat the commandments as rigid laws or cultural symbols. We beat people up with them. We use them like a measuring stick and judge people based on them. But they were never meant to be political props or moral scorecards. They’re more than rules…they’re meant to be a way of life. A spiritual rhythm that shows us how to live in harmony with God and each other.
The first four commandments are “vertical commands.” They direct our attention to God. The last 6 are “horizontal commands.” They focus on our relationship with each other. Along with the other 600+ laws in the Hebrew scriptures, they were meant to guide the lives of the Hebrew people by honoring God, valuing their relationships, living with integrity, and building a just and compassionate community.
Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments and all of the Hebrew law into 2 things: Love God with everything you have…heart, soul, mind, and strength; and at the same time, love your neighbor as yourself. If we follow those commandments, that means loving all our neighbors…regardless of who they are, what color their skin is, what language they speak, how they got here, who they love…you get the picture. Loving God and our neighbor is the heart and soul of the commandments. It’s not about control; it’s about covenant. It’s not about restrictions; it’s about restoration. It’s not about judgment; it’s about grace. Jesus calls us to live this rhythm each and every day and in everything we do.
In a world full of noise, injustice, fake news, AI generated images, and division, the Ten Commandments offer a better way. They’re not relics…they’re a framework for freedom. A call to live with purpose, humility, and love in every relationship.
We don’t follow the commandments to earn God’s love. We follow them because we’re already loved. They guide us toward the Beloved Community…the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. A world shaped by dignity, equity, and grace for all people…not just the ones we think are worth it, because really, none of us are worth it. That’s the beauty of God’s grace – God loves us in spite of ourselves.
The Ten Commandments aren’t just rules to remember. They’re a rhythm to live by…a rhythm of grace and love we can all dance to.