“Consider a different description of the Ten Commandments. Consider them to be a description of the character of God.”

 “Consider a different description of the Ten Commandments. Consider them to be a description of the character of God.”

TEXT:

Chapter 7, Page 66 –

Most Christians think of the Ten Commandments as a list of ten rules that God says you have to obey – or else God will frown on you, maybe even strike you down. They live in fear of breaking one of these rules. Have you known someone like this? Or is this how you view the Ten Commandments? After our previous conversations, I am hoping that it is not, but it’s because of this possibility that we’re having this conversation. Some people are fearful of getting on the wrong side of God, either by accident (fearing that they might not know when they have broken one of the rules) or on purpose (wanting and insisting on doing their own thing, then living in fear that they might now have permanently excluded themselves from God’s grace.)

For a moment, consider a different description of the Ten Commandments. Consider them to be a description of the character of God, a description of who God is. So that you can follow my thoughts, I will describe the Ten Commandments in the order of their classic presentation in Exodus 20, but I will describe them in their positive sense as a description of who God is. Understand that these ten – and many other commandments – are presented both in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, all of them being a reflection and a description of the character of God. As added illustrations, I’m going to suggest other Scriptures as well for you to look up now or later, if you choose, in the Bible that you always have with you when we’re having a conversation.