The Ten Commandments: A Map for Reverence

Reverence as a virtue has always been associated with appropriate conduct. The Ten Commandments were meant to be a map for showing  reverence for God and all of life. The basic objective of parenting is to teach children to demonstrate appropriate conduct, a gracious disposition, and reverence for God – all based on the Ten Commandments.

Jesus emphatically stated that his objective was to fulfill the Ten Commandments. So no matter how sophisticated our culture becomes, we can never grow beyond our need for Christ Jesus and his command that we love one another as he has loved us.

An attitude of reverence for God provides hope for believing, "Greater is he, the Holy Spirit, who is in you than he, Satan, who is in the world." The more sincere our attitude of reverence is for God, the better equipped we are to fight the good fight of faith he entrusted into our care. God empowers us to live a life that honors him.  

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Don’t suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning.

~Matthew 5:17 Contemporary English Version

 

Blessings on all who reverence and trust the Lord – on all who obey him.  

~Psalm 128:1 The Living Bible

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Develop an Attitude of Reverence for God

A person's attitude will eventually be revealed, whether it’s political, religious, or social. So it is with reverence. If we accept reverence as a virtue and then let it become a part of our being, there will be a powerful need to express it directed toward God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

God gave the Hebrew people the Ten Commandments as they were making their way to the Promised Land. They constructed a tent for worship with a designated area set aside as the Holy of Holies where a special priest could enter to offer a specific sacrifice. God’s purpose was to teach them reverence for a place and for himself.

Positive and negative attitudes begin developing early in childhood. Positive attitudes encourage appreciation for what is good and holy and directly influence a willingness to express reverence. Where there is heartfelt reverence for what is holy, pure, and praiseworthy, one’s judgmental and critical attitudes are less likely to dominate.  

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He gave them the following instructions: “You must perform your duties in reverence for the Lord, faithfully obeying him in everything you do.  

~2 Chronicles 19:9 Good News Bible

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Values: Boundary Markers for Living - Part 2

Values serve as boundary markers for everyday living. Values are guidelines for management of personal conduct. Do they provide guarantees for a perfect, sin-free life? No! We cannot say, "I have values, and they protect me from any temptation or whenever internal impulses push me toward sin."

The Ten Commandments are about values. They help Christians establish values and serve as a reminder when there are deviations from those boundaries. Jesus said he came to this world to fulfill the commandments, not to do away with them. Our self-interest and desires pull us away from the commandments and our personal values.

Romans 11 clarifies. "When Israel tried to be right with God by pursuing her own self-interest, Israel failed. God’s chosen ones have always been those who would invite God to pursue his interest in them, and they in turn received his approval." Values become crystal clear when we permit God to pursue his interest in us. Can you do that without hesitation?