It has been a great series of blogs for me to work on and hope you have enjoyed it too. Today I will present the conclusion of my commentary on God’s guidelines – the Ten Commandments. I think it is a great way to approach the New Year by reviewing God’s “Quick Start” guide to Safe Passage.
For many the Ten Commandments are symbols of condemnation that point to our faults, frailties and mistakes. Some may feel so guilty that they believe God will never accept them. Others choose to reject God because they are under the impression that His laws are impossible to obey.
To the contrary, every law and guideline that the Father in Heaven relays to His people is designed to support a blessed and prosperous society. A society that loves their neighbor and is aligned with the source of life, the Almighty God, from whom everything that is good in this life originates.
“For I know the plans I have for you, ”declares the Lord,“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Self-interest, violence and death reigns by different forms, in the absence of God’s light. The Ten Commandments serve as a mirror for our souls standing in stark contrast to the sinful nature of man and evil (Satan) who’s sole purpose is to seduce and destroy.
The Ten Commandments does convict but it does not condemn. Instead it leads us to a vivid understanding of God’s love for us.
“..but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
Before a single human-being understood the gift of Jesus Christ taking the punishment for our sins, He gave His life anyway.
If we repent from our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, we are free from the burden of condemnation. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we are able to take authority over our sinful desires and live fulfilling lives that lead to eternal glory.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” – Romans 6:12-14
We are human and will continue to make mistakes, but with faith, determination and perseverance we can navigate the Safe Passage that eludes evil and leads to God’s blessing in our lives.
If you feel stuck in your struggles you may want to ask yourself this question: “Do I only hate the consequences of sin or do I hate sin itself?” If your answer is the former, ask God to instill in you a righteous anger towards sin in your personal life.
Have a blessed week.
© Casper van Tonder