I was led to write this article after some comments I received about my post “Good without God?” Arguments were made that we can have moral values without God and that many people who are Atheist, agnostics or other can do good things to better society. I don’t disagree with those statements. People can do good deeds or have compassion and love others. Morals, on what are we suppose to gauge moral values? If we gauge moral standards and values on human philosophy and thinking, who determines the moral code for society to live by? One persons moral values may not be another persons moral values. One persons morals may be immoral to another. Who would set the standards for a moral society? Who would get to decide what is moral and what is not?
I believe that God Who gave the 10 commandments to Moses on mount Sinai has given mankind a set of moral values and laws which to live by. These 10 commandments are the foundation on which to build a society. God chose Israel to be a nation, to live by those commandment and to be a witness to other nations that had no moral values and did what was right in their eyes. It’s too much to get into it now, but they did some deplorable things, e.g human sacrifices, killing, raping and worshiping man-made idols. In those days those things were standard for most nations, which we would call barbaric today. These things are still happening somewhere in the world, there are still barbaric practices that go on. Just look at Rwanda and the genocide there. Absolute evil without a moral conciseness. Rwanda is not the only place in our times, let’s look at Serbia and the genocide that happened there not too long ago. Parts of Africa and the Middle East with no regards of other people’s life’s and beliefs. They kill and rape because a people group has a different faith then them. They behead people or burn them to death. Is that moral? Maybe those who brutally murder and rape think that it is within their moral standards. Many of us would not agree that those things are moral, but there are others in the world that see no problem with those things according to their moral code and ethics.
I believe that most people know at least some of the 10 commandments, believers or unbelievers. All around the world people know to one degree or another about the 10 commandments. As I stated in my previous article, the law of God is written on the hearts of man. People intrinsically know right from wrong, but many choose to ignore their heart.
Let’s take a quick look at the 10 commandments. (Short version) The 10 commandment can be found in Exodus 20.
1. “You shall have no other gods before Me.. (people invented many false gods).
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image… (idols).
3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.. (broken everyday).
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.. (a day of rest for the people).
5. “Honor your father and your mother.. ( on the decline in today’s society).
6. “You shall not murder.. (no words needed).
7. “You shall not commit adultery.. (get’s broken).
8. “You shall not steal.. (same as above).
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor… (gets broken).
10. “You shall not covet.. (people desire many of the things others have).
The first 4 commandments are directed towards God. We should honor Him and reverence Him as our Father and creator. We should not make idols and worship something that does not exist. Some people say that they don’t worship anything. If you don’t worship God, you worship something. Yourself, riches and material things, sports etc. God’s name gets used in vain everyday. Jesus has become a swear word, in the movies and society. The sabbath law for the Christian is a subject for another time.
The last 6 commandments are directed towards human relations and how we should live with one another. I firmly believe that if we would all follow those, we would not have the problems in society as we see them today.
These are the moral standards and code we as humans should live by. All of them however get broken every day and today we have thousands of laws in the books because people disobey the commandments given by God. Now, many will say that they have never murdered anyone or committed adultery or have lied etc. The religious leadership in the days of Jesus told Him that. They believed that they kept the law perfectly. Jesus didn’t think so and He actually put the 10 commandments a notch higher. People thought that they kept the laws, because physically they never murdered anybody or cheated on their wife’s. They may have kept the law outwardly, Jesus however showed them that is was and is a matter of the heart.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment….”
If someone hates another person, they have already committed murder in their heart.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery” “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
A person may not had sexual relation with another, but lusting after someone is the same as committing adultery.
These passage can be found in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus clearly shows that God looks at the heart and not the outside. If we gauge our moral laws on human understanding and reasoning instead of God’s, where would we be? We as humans cannot know the heart of our fellow-man, even our own heart is unknowable and wicked. God judges the heart of man and here is what God said about the heart of man:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:1o, 11.
God will judge according to His law and He will look at the heart. There will be a day of judgment for everybody, whether some believe it or not. Everybody will face death one day, no exceptions and stand before God.
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..” Hebrews 9:27.
Jesus narrowed those 10 commandment down to two: Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40. If we were to follow those two, we would fulfill the law to love God and not murder, steal, lie etc.
If we talk about moral values and ethics set by man or God, I rather follow the moral code set by God and not of man and human wisdom and understanding. A society that distance itself from God and His standards will ultimately fail. There is no other foundation that can be laid but God’s. If a society turns from God, wants to remove God from its life is a society doomed, sooner or later.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”Matthew 7:24-27.
Related articles
- Good without God? (media4lifeministries.com)
- Human Reasoning or God’s Standard’s? (media4lifeministries.com)
- Law Breakers (media4lifeministries.com)
- Relationship or Religion? (media4lifeministries.wordpress.com)
Media 4 Life Ministries 
There are a lot of misconceptions about God and the Ten Commandments in the world today. I agree with your site.
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Thanks Anne, now I gotta figure out how to delete comments …just kidding. Take care and may the Lord richly bless you.
Send from Freddy’s iPhone
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Hi Freddy, I didn’t realise it wasn’t you but someone else until it happened on another Blog I was coming back to tell you when I received your reply thank you.
I’m going to the contact the International Police Communications about the harassment as WordPress Security will not respond to my last call for help even though I sent then a webshot of how someone was using my e-mail address I have also asked at least 4 times now to have communication with someone in Authority but have been ignored.
I’m sorry my problems had to cause you distress Freddy but I think that who ever is doing this intends for it to cause division so I will keep in contact and feel free to ask questions on your Blog about Freedom in Christ Jesus and I will respond, don’t worry if they seem to disagree with what I have been sharing, just be honest I will reply with Scripture.
You may like to remove the comments about this problem with comments so your blog is in order – Christian Love Anne
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I am honest, I really did not remove any comments. I’m not sure what is happening. I have not counted the numbers of comments made on my post’s. I hope that no one can just go into our dashboard. I will check my settings. Blessings, Freddy.
Send from Freddy’s iPhone
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Hi Freddy lets get back to basics you are saying that you haven’t deleted some of my comments or parts of your messages but I have copies that say you have so who is doing it ? who else has access to dashboards, posts, e-mail address our
e-mail responses and mail etc my inbox itself shows manipulation and why are they doing it ? I would prefer to believe you are honest Freddy I want to believe that about everyone but sadly I have witnessed a lot of not so Christian actions since I have been Blogging as well as deception, abuse and Slander not to mention a hacker on my Blog who deletes posts and changes my settings as well as deleting some of those I have joined up with. WordPress do not answer my e-mails unless it suites them and they give no real answers anyway I have asked to have communication with someone in Authority at least 4 times but they do not respond so now you have the full picture, what do you think is happening and why ?
Christian Love Anne
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Anne, I have not deleted one thing. What is this all about? I looked at my spam and there was nothing from you there and I have not manually removed any comments. Sorry, but I don’t see where this is going.
http://media4lifeministries.com http://facebook.com/media4life http://youtube.com/maranathachapeltv http://twitter.com/media4lifemin
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Freddy would you like me to cut and post them again – sorry please feel free to delete all my comments.
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Anne, I have not deleted anything. Thanks for your prayers.
Send from Freddy’s iPhone
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Freddy why do you keep deleting parts of your messages and my comments? I know you do because I keep a copy as you probably noticed when I have posted them again. With this one you deleted the Isaiah 55:7-9 the part you quoted was about not understanding God’s ways not the part you are now quoting which you now don’t even mention in your message or are you going to add it.1 Corinthins 2 ans other Scriptures show us that when we are Born Again and in Christ Jesus we have the mind of Christ and do understand His ways. Just to confirm the Scriptures… Of course I believe Salvation is a free gift when accepted by True heart repentance but we will show we have it as the Scriptures confirm 1John3:1-11 and many more.
Sorry Freddy I don’t play games or try to deceive, take care I will be praying for you.
Christian Love Anne.
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Anne, why would i not understand the verses from 1 Corinthians? I have read and studied them many times. I know Pentecost has come and we know all truth through the Holy Spirit that was given to us as believers. I was quoting Isaiah because that is what God declared to the once that had turned from Him.
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55: 7.
This message is still valid today for the unbelievers and backsliders. He wants them to return. Forgiveness is in Christ. God never changes, His is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His word endures forever. In Christ, Freddy.
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Freddy what would be very beneficial for you is to ponder on the verses of Scripture below and if not sure what they are saying then ask God for His wisdom don’t go by your own or some one else’s understanding or you will be in error. Isaiah is Truth and has much prophecy and it is true without the Holy Spirit we are indeed in darkness but Pentecost has now come, please read what we now know in Christ Jesus
1 Corinthians 2 1-16 ( 9-16) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with Spiritual. But the natural man received not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned. But he that is Spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? but we have the mind of Christ.
Christian Love Anne
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Thank you Oz, I appreciate your comment and kind words.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8, 9.
God and His word is the foundation of all truth and His ways are better than mans ways. …do not lean on your own understanding…Ps 3. Have a blessed weekend, Freddy.
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Thank you for boldness and heart. As I listen to those that are good at apologetics, the argument about the moral standard seems to be the basis for understanding. While every man may have the knowledge of good and evil, God, in Noah’s day, wiped man off the earth because instead leaning toward the good, and by extension some “morality”, their thoughts were only evil, and violence filled the earth. Now how about that for man being left to figure things out.
I am with you, God alone is the basis for morality, and my decision to follow him, gives me the freedom to walk in it.
Clearly, God is good, all the time.
Thank you Lord for giving me life through your Son, and thanks for sharing.
Your Brother
Oz
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Hi Freddy thank you for your qualification of my comment but I hope you didn’t think I was saying you lived under the Law, read again my comment, I agree with you, when we keep the two most important Commandments we are keeping all the Law. Thank you for the Video but I’m sorry I found it very hard to follow what your Pastor was sharing with the music in the background it was distracting for me but the little I did hear sounded spot on, what we also need is to have the balance that the teaching called Freedom in Christ Jesus has, but for now yes I agree with your Pastor as you can see below …thanks again Freddy.
So what does it mean to walk in Christ Jesus, how did He walk, did He sin? did He Hurt God? or did He commit idolatry by putting himself or something else first? or did He do any evil thing? no as the Scriptures tell us He walked in righteousness and when we are in Him so do we in both our words and actions..
1John3:1-11 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Christian Love Anne.
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Hi Anne, I am not living under the law, Jesus has fulfilled the law, all of the law. I am using the 10 commandments because without Christ and being born again, God will judge people by those 10. As I said in my post, not from the outside appearance but He will judge people hearts. About the church, the church is not a building, institution or denomination. The church that Jesus built are the called out once. ekklesia in the Greek. Every true believer is the church around the world. As for the physical church today, big problems, some have departed from the faith or have lost their first love. Most churches in my opinion are lukewarm. Here is a short video from my YT channel, one of my Pastors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxRhAI4sBHY
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Hi Freddy some good points but you may be accused of trying to keep the law even though you qualified that it was about Love God’s Love not fleshy love. Also it may help you to read my post about Judgment Day if you still have doubts then I’m happy to provide the Scripture to confirm it. What I would like to know is when will the Church, start to listen to God and stop Trusting in their own understanding, let me please share a few Truths with you that are not being taught in the Church today or shared by many others and as you said we do indeed need to stand up for God’s Truth, which means it is necessary to get back to the basics that were taught and lived in the early Church before it was taken over by Secularism and most Christians were Martyred.
As I shared before what people call self-righteousness has become very confused today, the Pharisees had it and lived it, they were trying to commend their own works as justification for being saved and although they studied the Scriptures they did not come to Jesus to know The Truth but depended on their own understanding, logic and wisdom sadly today if you claim the promises of Jesus your called self-righteousness
People say they believe they have been set free in Jesus Christ but they really don’t know what that means, yes we will no longer be punished for our past sins but what does Jesus say we have freedom from….
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We are to confirm we are no longer under the control of sin instead people say they will sin till they die but thy are forgiven the Scriptures do not tell us this, they tell us because we have accepted Salvation and are Born Again of God’s seed we will no longer sin…..
1John3:1-11 (9) No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been Born of God.
Freedom in Christ Jesus needs to be understood but people would rather believe in their own understanding Logic and wisdom or someone else’s and to do so they reject God’s Truth as shown in the Scriptures.
Colossians 3:4-6 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
People love themselves more then God so they go on hurting Him instead of doing what He asks them to do so they can be set free from sin, they don’t really believe He will give them the strength to overcome, yes they say it but they don’t really believe it.
2 Corinthians 1: 21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Christian Love Anne
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I started to only say “good post” because I didn’t want you think I was being knit-picky and I should have given way to the fact that you did quote that in BRIGHT YELLOW! :p I appreciate the post because I did read your previous one and the conversations that ensued so I understood where you were going.
Have a good one Freddy!
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Thanks Eugene, I quoted that verse in my post, but as you said I was concentrating on the 10 rather than focusing on the whole law/Torah. I am trying to address some of the non believers and I did not wanted it too much of an in depth Bible study. You are correct though, Christ fulfilled all the law. Thanks for your thought, blessings, Freddy.
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Thank you Adrienne. I was sitting on my patio in the morning and just conversed with God about all kinds of thoughts that went through my mind. Many times I think, what should I write about? I got my answer from the Holy Spirit to do this follow up on my previous post about “Good without God?” It’s funny in a way, if I think too much, I have a hard time coming up with something to write about. If I just sit still and listen, the Holy Spirit speaks to me. This one was just like sitting there and the thought came in my mind, The 10 commandments. That was it, the Lord put put it on my heart, I went upstairs and started writing. I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit inspires us to write and if we just get out of the way, He will lead us and directs us to write. Thanks again for your kind word, all the glory goes to Him. Blessings, Freddy.
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This is a really great post, Freddy. I could tell you really thought this through.
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Good post. The only thing I would add (but I understand your context specific to the 10) is that not only was the 10 narrowed down to two but also the whole law.
“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)
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