How I Became Perfect
I used to think I was a good child.
Well-mannered
Well-behaved
Helpful
Kind
Considerate
And hardly ever in trouble at school.
So when I met the 10 Commandments
I didn't expect to find much wrong
with me.
Commandment number One :
"YOU SHALL HAVE NO
OTHER GODS BEFORE ME"
This means that
God wants us to love Him more
than we love anyone, or anything else.
God wants to be more important to us
than
sport
marriage
friends
job
money
health
awards . . .
you name it.
Commandment number two:
"YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR
YOURSELF ANY GRAVEN IMAGE"
A "graven image" is
something we can make,
and then worship.
One kind of "graven image"
many people make
is a false idea of God.
God is not Santa Claus,
He doesn't live in the
He isn't stupid,
He isn't blind
Or permissive.
When people invent God they make a
god after their own imagination . . . just like a "graven image".
Commandment number three:
"YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE
NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN"
Just the slightest bit of disrespect
is enough
to break this one.
Some people, when they are angry,
or abusive, actually swear with
God's Name!
Commandment number four:
"REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY
TO KEEP IT HOLY"
For many people, Sunday is just
another day for work.
Or they use Sunday for anything but
God.
Either way, they don't respect the
day
as God intended.
Commandment number five:
"HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER"
There is no such thing as a perfect
child.
Most parents will know this.
Children never respect and honour their parents
in all things . . . so every child,
of whatever age,
has broken this commandment
at some time or other.
Commandment number six:
"YOU SHALL NOT MURDER"
Jesus said hate is much the same as
murder.
Very few people have only thoughts
of love
for everyone
all their lives.
Even the odd bit of dislike is
enough -
calling someone a name,
putting them down . . .
murder has many shades.
Commandment number seven:
"YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY"
Adultery includes dirty thoughts,
impure words,
lust
enjoying immoral things.
Commandment number eight:
"YOU SHALL NOT STEAL"
Even wanting to steal
something
is enough for God,
borrowing and never returning,
taking more than you should,
dodging tax,
petty theft
'perks'.
Who hasn't done it now and then?
Commandment number nine:
"YOU SHALL NOT LIE"
You may not tell big, obvious lies
but sometimes people tell 'half-truths'
or they don't say all they should,
or they avoid saying something . . .
or they are deliberately misleading.
Lies can come in many different
forms.
Commandment number ten:
"YOU SHALL NOT COVET"
Coveting is greediness,
wanting more than you need,
wanting the latest, largest, newest . . .
gathering and amassing,
hoarding.
Everyone is a little covetous at
times.
So now I saw that I had broken all
ten
of the Ten Commandments.
I was guilty on ten counts.
A sinner in God's sight.
Helpless, weak and hopeless.
Even if I tried really hard to be
good
I knew I could never meet the
standard set by God.
His Law was perfect - and I was not.
But God has made a way.
When Jesus, the Son of God,
died on the cross,
He paid the full penalty for my
breaking
of the Ten Commandments.
Now all I have to do is put my trust
in Jesus.
If I trust in Jesus as my Saviour,
and live for Him as my Lord,
I will be saved from the penalty of
breaking
the Ten Commandment -
everlasting death.
As soon as I become a follower of
Jesus,
God extends the perfection of His
own Son,
and covers me, with the same perfection.
How did I become perfect?
By receiving from God
all that He in His GREAT LOVE
was wanting to give.
Bible texts for your reference :
Commandment One
Jesus
said "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my
disciple" Luke 14:26 (This is hyperbole. Jesus wanted to grab our
attention by using an expression of high contrast)
Commandment Two
"You
thought that I was altogether like you; but I will reprove you" Psalm
50:21,22
"Although
they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God . . . but . . . changed the
glory of the incorruptible God into an image . . ." Romans 1:21 - 23
Commandment Three
"Understand
you senseless among the people; and you fools, when will you be wise? He who
planted the ear, shall he not hear?" Psalm 94:8
"Every
idle word that men shall speak, they will give account of it in the day of
judgement" Matthew 12:36
Commandment Four
"Bear
no burden on the sabbath day
. . . nor do any work, but hallow (respect greatly) the sabbath
day . . ." Jeremiah 17:19-27
Commandment Five
"(The
wicked) has said in his heart 'God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will
never see it" Psalm 10:11
" . . .in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by
Christ Jesus . . .' Romans 2:16
"He
reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness" Daniel
2:22
Commandment Six
"Whoever
hates his brother is a murderer" 1John 3:15
"Whoever
says 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire . . . whoever is angry with
his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgement" Matthew 5:22
Commandment Seven
"Whoever
looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in
his heart" Matthew 5:27,28
"Do
not lust after her beauty in your heart" Proverbs 6:25
Commandment Eight
"For
you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my
youth" Job 13:26
"Remember
now your Creator in the days of your youth . . ." Ecclesiastes 12:1
"Flee
also youthful lusts (desires), . . ." 2 Timothy
2:22
Commandment Nine
"Behold
you desire truth in the inward parts" Psalm 51:6
"But
the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire . . ." Revelation 21:8 (Symbolic language, but a clear implication)
Commandment Ten
"Do
not lay up (hoard) for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal . . ." Matthew 6:19-21
"And
having food and clothing, with these we shall be content" 1 Timothy 6:7,8
THE HEART
"the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked" Jeremiah 17:9
"And
the Lord saw the wickedness of Man that it was great upon the Earth, and that
every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"
Genesis 6:5
"All
our righteousness is like filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6
THE PRICE IS PAID
"Christ
has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us . .
." Galatians 3:10-14
"But
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised
for our iniquities . . ." Isaiah 53:4-6
"For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes (trusts in) Him should not perish but have everlasting life" John
3:16
While
the Ten Commandments are still a guide for my life, they no longer condemn me
to death! I will not be punished by the justice of God, although I may be
disciplined by God my heavenly Father. I am free to live for Jesus without
guilt or fear.
"Let
us go on to perfection . . ." Hebrews 6:1-3