Christian Living

---

When the first English colonists arrived in America, they had some form of an English Bible packed away in their luggage on board the ship. It was probably the Geneva Bible which was published in 1560, since the King James Version was not published until 1611. However, regardless of which Bible they read at the time, they learned about living a godly life here on the earth. Probably, the main area of study was the Ten Commandments. It was the Ten Commandments that provided a guide to follow in order to live a holy life according to the dictates of a Holy God. Even though the Ten Commandments were written over three thousand years ago, it is still a foundational guide for individuals and nations to follow in order to live peaceably on the earth. In fact, the United States of America was established with the Ten Commandments and the Holy Bible as its foundational guide.

As the years have passed and as men’s hearts have changed from godliness to sinfulness, the acceptance of the Ten Commandments as America’s foundational base has changed, too. As a result, more and more Americans have replaced the godly concepts that are contained within the Ten Commandments with the concepts purported by post-modern day ideologies. In fact, the Ten Commandments that once were found on the walls of courthouses and schoolhouses are no more. It is not politically correct to display the Ten Commandments in public places because it may offend someone who does not accept the teachings of the Holy Bible. But, since America was founded on the principles of the Ten Commandments, logically the person who is offended by the Ten Commandments is the one that has the problem, since God expects everyone to abide by them.

As stated, the Ten Commandments provides a God-ordained, Biblically-inspired approach to face the maladies that destroy an individual and a nation. Therefore, if an individual person or a nation refuses to accept and follow the Ten Commandments, that person and that nation can only expect problems to exist. It is this truth that is destroying the United States today. In the last three decades, more and more Americans have denied the significance of the Ten Commandments. In fact, the court systems of America have mandated that the Ten Commandments be taken out of the public square. A prime example would be the case of former Alabama State Chief Justice Roy Moore who was suspended from his position for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his state courthouse. As a result of the Judge Moore scenario and many more similar cases, America’s social and economic problems have skyrocketed. Presently, Americans are facing the worst recession or maybe the beginning of a depression since the Great Depression of 1929. But, this is what should be expected when so many people in the United States, individually and collectively, place their nation’s foundational heritage and their personal godly guide to a holy and prosperous life on the back shelf of their mind and heart.

However, realistically, how could anyone be offended by the Ten Commandments, unless they are guilty of violating them? A college professor asked his students to write down in their notebook all the Ten Commandments that he or she could remember. After a short time span, the professor asked each student to tell the class the specific commandments that he or she remembered. After every student had told the class the commandments that he or she had remembered, the professor told the class why he asked them to do the assignment. He calmly proclaimed to the class that the commandments that each student did not individually remember were probably the same commandments that the students might just be violating themselves. Once again, logically, the Ten Commandments should not offend anyone, especially since God’s Commandments were written for every race, creed, nationality, and religion. Therefore, as the aforementioned college professor so aptly implied, the Ten Commandments should be followed by everyone. But, sadly, many American have chosen to disobey God’s Commandments and, as a result, America is suffering as a nation socially, politically, and economically.

What are the Ten Commandments of God and how are God’s Commandments being violated by present-day Americans? The First Commandment is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” and the Second Commandment is “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” However, Americans today have too many idols to replace the Lord God Jehovah. They waste time and money on their idols of materialism and pleasure instead of worshiping God their Creator. As a result, the gods of America cause their worshippers to get off the straight and narrow road that leads to an eternal home in Heaven. Also, these worshippers of idol gods tend to violate other commandments of God that would lead to the degradation of themselves and the degradation of society as a whole. This is the reason why the sins encompassed in America’s culture wars are going to destroy the nation from within, just like the fall of the Roman Empire, unless Americans once again return to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

However, speaking of culture wars, America is in the midst of a culture war that was caused by the failure to follow the Ten Commandments of God. As a result, Christians will have to battle forces in America that deny His very existence or that deny that the teachings in the Bible are the holy and inspired Word of God. One such force is the homosexual movement and their same-sex marriage agenda. But, Christians, based on their faith and religious beliefs, promote a lifestyle that supports heterosexual marriages and this God-ordained, Biblically-supported type of sexual orientation. Unfortunately, many people in America’s diversified and globalized society and many members of America’s three branches of government support the belief that homosexuality should be accepted as an alternative sexual orientation. Therefore, needless to say, if Christians do not win the current culture war, America will face even more chaos in a once proud and God-fearing nation.

The Third Commandment is “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” However, in America, everyday and throughout the day, someone is cursing God’s Holy Name. In reality, some of these same people would be quick to say “God Bless America.” But, according to the Third Commandment, God will punish those who defame His Name. As a result, how many Americans are suffering physically or economically just because they were disrespectful to the Name of the Lord God Most High? Also, could God be punishing America as a nation now just because His Name has been taken in vain by too many Americans? Of course, it is amazing that people would even think about saying God’s Name in vain, since He controls every breath that a person breathes.

In fact, two true stories can be used at this time to prove this point. First, years ago, an eighteen year old boy skipped school to go fishing. When he was returning to his car, he had to climb a hill. About half way up the hill, he had a sharp pain hit him in his chest. His immediate response, since he used profane words on a regular basis, was to take the Lord’s Name in vain. These words would be his last words on the earth. Imagine how awful it would be to die and face your c Creator immediately after cursing Him. The second story involves a man who was extremely wealthy. One quiet and clear night he went to the end of the pier located in his own personal pond. In his egotistical mind, he had made all his wealth by himself. Therefore, while standing on the pier, he raised his clinched fist to God. Then he yelled out to God that he was responsible for his success, even though the Bible clearly states that it is God who gives mankind the ability to make wealth. As a result of his disrespect to God and using His name in vain, a bolt of lightening came out of the sky, hit the boastful man, and killed him instantly. Of course, both these stories may sound far-fetched, but both stories are true and show how dangerous it would be to fall into the hands of an angry God.

The Fourth Commandment is “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Sabbath day or Sunday, as it is called in modern times, was very important to God. After He created the earth in six days, He rested on the seventh. Therefore, since a Holy God is a prime example that mankind should follow, He expects His Creation to rest on Sunday, too. However, it is almost impossible to carry out this commandment in America’s post-modern culture. Fifty years ago, it was much easier to honor the Sabbath day, since most business and factories closed on Sunday. When businesses and factories closed, it permitted the employees, as well as their employers, to attend church and worship their God. But, now many people do not have the opportunity to go to church on Sunday and worship because they have to work on God’s Day in order to make a living for themselves and their families. In fact, many Americans spend more time working on Sunday than they do worshiping God and His Son Jesus Christ. As a result, the spirituality of America as a nation has dwindled. This is evident in the reality of how Americans live during the present post-modern era. Of course, if Americans do not have jobs and if Americans have to face hard economic times, they will have the time and a renewed purpose for keeping Sunday as a Holy Day. Could this be America’s problem now?

The Fifth Commandment is “Honor thy father and mother.” If children follow the dictates of this commandment, God has promised to give them long life. However, too many children do not honor their father and mother. In fact, they are rude, disrespectful, and even harmful to their parents. They even attempt to usurp parental authority. But, worst of all, some children refuse to follow their parent’s rules and regulations which are meant to protect them. They stay out pass their parent’s curfew. They become friends with people who become an albatross around their neck and who lead them down the wrong road to life, that is, if they expect to have a long life. They curse their parents. They steal from their parents. They continually lie to their parents. Unfortunately, they even hit their parents and, at times, even murder their parents. Therefore, it is understandable why some children do not live long on the earth that God created for them. Of course, the early demise of a child makes life harder for the parents who remain behind. Needless to say, sin and the failure to follow the Ten Commandments, especially the Fifth Commandment, are to blame for the death of too many children who dishonor their parents.

The Sixth Commandment is “Thou shalt not kill.” However, even before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, Adam’s son Cain slew his brother Abel in anger, possibly because of Cain’s jealousy toward his brother. Of course, many other people were killed prior to the writing of the Ten Commandments. But, obviously, God saw the need to protect men from themselves. Thus, the Sixth Commandment was included in His directives to His Creation. Needless to say, men are still violating the Sixth Commandment, since post-modern man, just like ancient man, does not value the sanctity of life. This is seen in the continued slaughter of unborn babies in America through the abortion process. Also, hundreds of murders occur every year in the large cities throughout the United States. Evidently, men and women in America permit the sins of anger, greed, and the love of money to lead them to disregard the Sixth Commandment. Therefore, as a result, God who gave the Ten Commandments to all mankind for a life-saving and a soul-saving purpose will at some point in time punish America for its sins as a nation, specifically those who violate the Sixth Commandment and kill other men and women, except for self-defense and during wartime.

The Seventh Commandment is “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Basically, the violation of this commandment has been the downfall of many American families and America’s traditional family itself. Also, it teaches America’s youth that the marriage vows are not as sacred as God intended them to be, since He requires fidelity in marriage relationships and abstinence from sex before marriage. Of course, with all the immoral cultural traits that come from the movie subculture in Hollywood, it is no wonder that many Americans show total disdain for the Seventh Commandment, since too many Americans are unfaithful to their partners and to the marriage vows that they took on their wedding day. However, God still attempts to get the attention of those who are committing adultery and other immoral, sexual activities. He wants them to make reconciliation to their marriage partners and, most definitely, He wants them to make reconciliation to Him, too. But, some serious consequences usually follow people who participate in ungodly sexual practices, such as sexually-transmitted diseases, AIDS, blindness, and even death. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Therefore, those who fail to obey the Seventh Commandment could encounter unlimited physical and emotional problems for themselves and their families. On the other hand, those who obey the Commandments of God receive the gift of eternal life.

The Eighth Commandment is “Thou shalt not steal.” The Ninth Commandment is “Thou shalt not bear false witness (lie).” Finally, the Tenth Commandment is “Thou shalt not covet.” Basically, all three of these commandments are similar in thought. They pertain to one person taking something from another person that does not belong to him or her. Unfortunately, in post-modern America, the current affairs in the corporate world and on Wall Street would be a prime example of how people violate the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments. In fact, many businesses purposely do illegal activities in order to make large profits, even if it means the average American citizen must suffer economically from their greed. However, these corporate giants apparently do not see the error of their ways, although their modernist view of relativism and situational ethics goes against the teachings of God’s Word. Therefore, these “barons of the corporate world” and their cohorts in crime have lied, stolen, and attempted to take other people’s money, which was their securities for their life now and in the future. Of course, consequences from God and even the United States government could occur very soon. But, the worst case scenario of all the current affairs in the corporate world is the number of good people who might have given in to the dictates of their bosses and violated the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments in order to keep their jobs. Needless to say, these same people could still lose their jobs. Also, the guilt that they might possibly encounter for violating their own Judeo-Christian belief system could be even more troublesome to them than losing their jobs.

In conclusion, too many people have rejected the significance of the Ten Commandments in America’s post-modern society. They view these commandments of God as a hindrance to the very society that has a governmental foundation based on a Judeo-Christian tradition. However, what would America’s society look like if the Ten Commandments of God were obeyed religiously? It would look a lot like a utopia (a perfect society) that some people have tried to create in America. There would be no: stealing, murder, rape, burglary, sexually-transmitted diseases, adultery, unethical business practices, lying, greed, vulgarity, pornography, fornication, drug addiction, alcoholism, etc. But, instead, too many Americans continually choose to defy God’s Ten Commandments and, at the same time, choose to live a life of pain and disgrace. Ultimately, their ungodly choices could very well evoke the judgments of God on themselves, their families, and their nation. God Save America!

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE