What are the Ten Commandments?
The Devotional Answer
The devotional answer is that the Ten Commandments are a divine mirror. They are not primarily a list of rules to earn salvation (Question 61), but a flawless standard intended to reveal our absolute need for one (Question 108). They demonstrate God’s perfect, holy character (Question 64) and establish the foundational boundaries for a flourishing life.
Jesus Himself summarized the entire Law and Prophets into two great commands: Love God completely and Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). The first four commandments show us how to love God, and the remaining six show us how to love our neighbor.
The Simple Answer
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue (meaning "ten words"), are the foundation of God's moral law. They are traditionally divided into two tables:
Commands 1–4 (Duties to God): Focus on worship, devotion, and reverence for God.
Commands 5–10 (Duties to Neighbor): Focus on respect for human authority, life, property, relationships, and truth.
The Deeper Dive: Listing the Commandments
The most common Protestant numbering of the Ten Commandments (based on the original text in Exodus 20) is as follows:
Table One: Duties Toward God (Commandments 1–4)
You shall have no other gods before me.
Significance: Commands exclusive devotion and loyalty to the one true God (Question 90).
You shall not make for yourself an idol.
Significance: Forbids worshiping God through images or elevating anything in creation (money, power, people) to the place of God.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
Significance: Demands reverence for God's character and word; forbids using His name carelessly, falsely, or in empty oaths.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Significance: Commands setting aside one day for worship and rest, affirming trust in God's provision (Question 105).
Table Two: Duties Toward Neighbor (Commandments 5–10)
Honor your father and your mother.
Significance: Establishes the foundation for all human authority and order in society, starting with the family.
You shall not murder.
Significance: Upholds the sanctity and divine image of human life (Question 115).
You shall not commit adultery.
Significance: Commands sexual purity and protects the sanctity of the covenant of marriage.
You shall not steal.
Significance: Protects the right to private property and commands honesty in all financial dealings.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Significance: Protects a person's reputation and requires absolute truthfulness in all our words (Question 113).
You shall not covet.
Significance: Forbids the sinful desire for what belongs to others, reaching into the heart and mind—showing that sin is not only an outward act, but an inward desire.
God's Assurance
God assures you that His Law is perfect and good (Psalm 19:7). It exists not to condemn the believer, but to guide the believer toward holiness and the knowledge of sin.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” — Matthew 5:17 (NIV)
You are assured that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law for you, and the Holy Spirit empowers you to keep its spirit out of love, not fear (Question 66).
Your Takeaway Thought
Do not look at the Ten Commandments as impossible obstacles; look at them as God’s loving blueprint for flourishing. Use the commandments, especially the Tenth one (coveting), to examine your heart (Question 107) and confess where you fall short. This daily honesty will keep your focus rightly placed on the grace and forgiveness found in Christ.
