The news for today is the Ten Commandments. Appropriate for a Sunday. I have long thought of the Ten C's as out-dated, old-fashioned, fuddy-duddy rules. When I was taught them as part of Chrisitan education as a child, the atmosphere was stern, strict even. Love was talked about, but I gathered that I would be loved if, and only if, I followed these rules to the limit. I internalized shame and guilt as I grew, life got bigger, and it just wasn't possible to have any fun following those silly, ancient rules. As an educated adult, I found there to be too many grey areas in the Commandments. Did adultery mean sex outside of any marriage, did it mean sex is OK with two consenting adults, what about masturbation? Was murder cold-blooded killing only? What about war, What about protecting your home and property? Was bearing false witness about going to court and lying, or was it gossiping? Who is my neighbor, anyway? Could I say a swear word if it didn't include any bad God words or curses? I also heard it preached that the Ten C's are God's way of showing us just how very rotten we are.
I got a fresh perspective on the Commandments this morning in church. The lay person giving the sermon talked about the Commandments being about God's love. I stopped doodling on the bulletin and put my head up to listen. He said God in his wisdom gave us those rules to help us be happy. That if individuals and societies followed the Ten C's, everyone would be cared for and justice would prevail and we wouldn't be so tired. Hmm....... Then why don't we?? I don't have the answer, it's just something to think about on a Sunday.
It's interesting that the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) has six hundred and some laws. Knowing this I think it is ridiculous to think we could follow all of them. I think our trying to follow all of God's laws says more about humans than it does about God. Why do humans think the way to a good relationship is to follow all the laws?
ReplyDeleteSecond, instead of worrying about God's judgment I would like to suggest that we rely on unconditional covenants (promises). God promised Abraham he would bless his descendants. Jesus said he would be with us always until the end of the age. There were no conditions to the promises.
One could contend that there are conditional promises in the Bible, and a lot of punishment and vengeance. However, there is also a lot of God going after God's lost people. There are many different images of God in the Bible, and we can choose which images we want to be in relationship with.