How Does Your Life Measure Up to the 10 Commandments?

1st Commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."    New Testament--Matt. 6:33 "Seek ye first the king- dom of God."   Col. 1:18 "that in all things He might have the pre-eminence."    Have you ever put cars, money, job, pleasure, school work, sleep, friends, sports, and TV before the Lord?   Have your priorities always been such that God would approve?   Is there anything you get more excit- ed about than Jesus Christ and His Word?   I'm not judging you.   I'm asking you to judge yourself by God's law. I LOVE ME 2nd Commandment "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them [any graven image, or any likeness of any thing], nor serve them"   (See KJV.)    New Testament--I John 5:21 "little children keep yourselves from idols."    Have you ever bowed to peer pressure to do that which was wrong?   Have you ever made an idol of a rock star, sport hero, or a television star?   Have you prayed to a statue of a saint, Mary or a relic? 3rd Commandment "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD [Jehovah] thy God [Elohim] in vain;"    New Testament--Eph. 4:29 "Let no corrupt com- munication proceed out of your mouth."    Have you ever used God's name to swear?   Have you ever told or listened to a dirty story or joke?   Have you ever shown disrespect for God, the Bible, prayer or church?

4th Commandment "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."    New Testament--This is the only commandment that is not regiven in the New Testament (Col. 2:16). However, God says in Hebrews 10:25 that on Sunday we are "Not to forsake the assembling together as is the manner of some is."    Have you ever played hooky from church?   Do you properly prepare your heart Saturday night so that you can get a blessing?   Have you ever gone but your heart wasn't in it?   Have you always gone to please Christ or have you gone to see your friends or just to avoid feeling guilty? 5th Commandment "Honour thy father and thy mother"    New Testament--Eph. 6:1 "Children obey your parents in the Lord."   vs. 2 "Honour thy Father and Mother".    Have you ever sassed your parents?   Have you ever murmured or grumbled when they gave you a job to do?   Did you always obey the first time you were told?   Have you always made your parents proud of your every action and attitude? 6th Commandment "Thou shalt not kill."    New Testament--In Matthew 5 God says if we hate someone in our heart we are guilty of murder.    Have you ever had bitterness toward anyone? Have you ever killed someone with a mean tongue? Have you had a secret abortion?   You may have for- gotten, but God hasn't.

7th Commandment "Thou shalt not commit adultery."    New Testament--Matthew 5:28 says, "That whoso- ever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath com- mitted adultery with her already in his heart."    Have you secretly took a look at pornographic materials (nudity)?   Have you ever watched a dirty video or TV program?   Have you ever taken a second look at someone at the beach with evil thoughts in your mind?   Did you remain a virgin until you were married?   Have you ever had an affair or wanted to in your heart? 8th Commandment "Thou shalt not steal."    New Testament--Eph. 4:28 "Let him that stole steal no more, let him labour working with his hands."    Have you ever taken something you knew did not belong to you?   Have you ever shop-lifted a small item?   Did you ever cheat on a test or on your taxes? Did you ever steal a cookie from your mom's cookie jar? 9th Commandment "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh- bour."    New Testament--Eph. 4:25 "Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour."    Have you told a fib, a "white" lie, a half-truth, or an exaggeration?   Have you ever spread a false rumor about someone?   Have you ever spread gossip at work or on the phone?

10th Commandment "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house...wife ...servant[s]...nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." New Testament--Hebrews 13:5 says "Let your con- versation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have."    Have you ever been jealous over someone's clothes, bike, car, house, spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend, looks, or money?   Have you always had a contented spirit in every situation you have been in? When God has blessed you with things have you always remembered to thank Him? How did your life compare to the Law of God?   Probably not so good, right? What is the Purpose of the Law? It is a MIRROR to show us our spiritual condition (James 1:24, 25) [we use mirrors to see what needs to be straightened out]. Keeping the Law cannot save anyone (Galatians 3:10, 11), it was given to show us just how sinful we are (Romans 3:20; 5:20; 7:13), and ultimately so man would realize there is no way he could earn salvation by good deeds of any kind (Romans 3:28).

Our Predicament Look at these two verses: James 2:10--"For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in ONE point, he is guilty of ALL." Galatians 3:10--"Cursed is EVERY ONE that con- tinueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the law." The predicament is that even one sin makes us guilty sinners in deep trouble with a holy God. Our Penalty for Breaking the Law: THE VERDICT IS IN! The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 what the penal- ty for sin is.   It says "For the wages [payment] for sin is death." Death Penalty As one reads Revelation 21:8 we see that God says big and small sinners have a common destination.   Carefully read this verse--"But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

God's Only Provision By now you are probably saying to yourself, "But God is love and He will forgive all sin."   That is true but God has provided only one way to be forgiven. Isaiah 45:22 says "Look unto Me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God and there is none else." Why should we look to Jesus?   It is because He alone as the sinless God could pay the law's demand which was death (Romans 6:23). Look at what Jesus did for us: Romans 5:6 "When we were yet without strength Christ died for the ungodly."   We couldn't and still can't save ourself.) Romans 5:8 says "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   It was God's love and holiness that caused Jesus to take our sentence (death penalty) for breaking the law of God and die on the cross.

God's Only Prescription Even though Jesus died for all so they could be saved from Hell; still the Bible makes it clear in Matthew 7:13, 14 that many people are still head- ing to Hell (v. 13) and very few are on the road to Heaven (v. 14). The reason why most people will still not go to Heaven is that Jesus' death gives man the only way (road) out of being condemned by the law but most people refuse to admit they are sinners and on the wrong road and too stubborn to turn to Jesus and receive that gift of eternal life, which Jesus alone can give.   or   John 10:9 Jesus said "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."   Your only hope is Jesus.   Why don't you right now admit to Jesus you are headed on the wide road that leads to Hell and turn to Jesus and cry out to Jesus and ask Him for mercy to save your soul before it is eternally too late (II Cor. 6:2 "Now is the accepted time").

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