Research Paper On The Ten Commandments

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The universal beginning of all ethics could be argued to have started with the ten commandments (Barclay 11). Ethics are moral principles that govern a person 's or group 's behavior (“Ethic”). The ethics that God put in place on Mount Sinai were principles for the community to stand upon, a beginning (Massee 15). God redeemed His people from bondage and then created a covenant for universal living and ethical behavior to stand upon (Schlessinger and Vogel xvi). In the covenantal relationship, between God and the children of Israel, was one of a constitution between the overlord and His vassals. The structure of the covenant involved the prologue and then the prohibitions (Richards and Colvard). The first five of the prohibitions and commandments …show more content…

The prologue to the ten commandments and the first ethic are stated in Exodus 20:2-3 “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (King James Version). The prologue to the ten commandments is God saying that He is sovereign over all, and the first commandment expands the prologue so that there can be no other gods before Him. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus made the first commandment clearer “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (King James Version). There can be no other gods before God because it is impossible to truly serve more than one. William Barclay, one of the world’s most popular religious authors, wrote “Theology and ethics cannot be separated” (15). Theology and ethics not being able to be separated is shown by the reasoning of, that whatever god men believe in, they will then become like that god (Barclay 16). Thus, all other gods besides God are false imposters (Barclay 17). Is the modern nation of America adhering to the first commandment of the Israelite’s covenantal relationship with God? On December 7, 1997, 96% of Americans said they believed in the words, “In God We Trust” (Schlessinger and Vogel 1). Yet, the Ten Commandments cannot be constitutionally …show more content…

However, the danger starts when the images cease to become a medium and become an object of worship (Masse 34). For instance, the crucifix was created to make meditation and prayer easier, but it is now deemed as superstitious and holy (Barclay 20). Being that, superstition itself is a form of idolatry, acknowledging other gods or spirits to have power in peoples’ lives (Schlessinger and Vogel 37). Images such as the crucifix or rosary beads that are made for worship, are in essence trying to make the invisible god visible (Massee 30). Yet, as it is stated in Mark 12:30, the Lord desires His people to instead love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (King James Version). God is a jealous God and does not desire to be seen, but to be worshipped in Spirit with faith and

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