Two "new" commandments of Jesus Christ. Ten Commandments of God in Orthodoxy

This is the Law of God, which was revealed and transmitted to people through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah.

The Last Law of God.

Why do they say this?

Because the Lord will not give another Testament until the end of the world.

Internal Law, the law of conscience, because it is based on the internal motives of our external activity.

Then, what is the whole Law of Christ?

This is the new, final, internal law of God, the most perfect and only law of salvation.

What is the difference between the external Law given through Moses and the internal Law given through Jesus Christ?

The Law of Moses was given as a preparatory Law for one small flocked people, and the Law of Jesus Christ was given to all the peoples of the earth, who are connected among themselves into a single spiritual family of God by the priceless Blood of Christ Himself.

5.1. The Two Greatest Commandments of the New Testament

What are Christ's two greatest commandments in the New Testament?

The first commandment of the New Testament:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” ()

And the second commandment is similar to the first:

"Love your neighbor as yourself" ().

Moreover, He said: “He who hates Me also hates My Father”(). asks each of us: “Do you love Me?”, as He asked the Apostle Peter: “Simon Ionin! Do you love me"(). And the Apostle Paul says: “Whoever does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be damned.” ().

What then can be said about our love for other people?

Just as we love God through Jesus Christ, we love people through Jesus Christ.

Does our love for Jesus Christ serve as the basis of our love for God and for people?

Of course, this is so, for if we love Christ, who embodied love in Himself, then we love everyone whom He loves and for whom He died. Thus, both commandments of the New Testament oblige us to love Jesus Christ, the beloved Mediator between God and people. Without love for Him, our love for God and for people will not be complete and true.

What else does the New Testament say about love?

Truly, a lot. For example, our knowledge of God depends on our love for God, for “Whoever does not love has not known God, because there is love”(). Or more: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”(), and where there is no fear, peace reigns.

What is the visible expression of our love for God?

Prayer and doing the will of God.

How is our love for our neighbor expressed in practice?

In charity, that is, deeds of mercy, actions and thoughts, words and prayers for others in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for His sake.

5.2. About prayer

What is Christian prayer?

This is our way of contact with God, through which we express our faith, hope and love.

What types of prayers are there?

Inner Prayer

Outdoor prayer

Personal prayer

Cathedral prayer

How can you pray continuously?

You can pray continuously through mental prayer, that is, internal prayer. You can silently send up your silent prayers to God even on the road or while working, thanking Him, praising Him or calling on His help.

Why don't we say "My Father"?

Is there any other reason why we can call God our Father?

In this appeal lies the great meaning of brotherly love. Christ wants us to love one another as brothers. In addition, only those who recognize the same father can be considered brothers.

Why don't we call God "our Creator"?

Why do we say: like in heaven?

Because in heaven, Angels and Saints with all their hearts, full of joy, submit to the will of God. God's will is their will, and that makes them happy. That is why we pray for this for us on earth as well.

Fourth Prayer Request

What is the fourth petition in the Lord's Prayer?

Give us this day our daily bread.

Firstly, with this petition we express our confidence that without God's omnipotence and mercy we cannot live even a day. Secondly, realizing that we can die any day, we ask to be saved from the insane desires to accumulate wealth for life in the foreseeable future, while our neighbors can die of hunger, not even having bread to subsist. In other words, we pray to the Lord to give us exactly what we need, no more and no less.

What kind of bread are we talking about here?

This refers to both material and spiritual food, which we cannot receive without God's grace and mercy. Material bread grows on earth, but spiritual bread comes from heaven. The first is needed for the body, and the second for the soul. About material bread he said that (), and about spiritual bread He said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever."(). So, the bread we need for existence is Christ himself, and other bread is only an addition to that bread.

Fifth Prayer Request

What is the fifth petition in the Lord's Prayer?

And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors.

What desire do we express with this petition?

We ask God to help us restrain ourselves and forgive our neighbors for their sins committed against us, just as He could forgive us our sins. It was said through His mouth: “If you forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins.” ().

Sixth Prayer Request

What is the sixth petition in the Lord's Prayer?

And do not lead us into temptation.

What desire do we express with this petition?

We pray to God to remember our human weaknesses and not to send grave misfortunes upon us for the sake of our confirmation in faith and not to allow the devil to tempt us in misfortunes.

What is the difference between God's test and the devil's temptation?

The difference is truly huge. When the Lord allows us various sufferings, He does so with the intention of strengthening our virtues, just as steel is tempered in fire. The devil, on the contrary, tempts us with some kind of sin or shame with the intention of making us even worse, weaker, badder, in order, in the end, to completely lead us away from God and completely destroy us.

Seventh Prayer Request

What is the seventh petition in the Lord's Prayer?

But deliver us from evil.

What desire do we express with this petition?

We pray to God to free us from bad deeds and bad people. We seem to be praying: “Save us from bad deeds and protect us from the most dangerous enemy.”

Who is the most dangerous enemy?

Satan. All sinful thoughts and bad deeds that stem from them come from Satan. That is why with this petition we pray to the Lord, Who is light and love, to deliver us from the enemy, who in itself is darkness and hatred.

Doxology

Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me .

FAST. Keep your fast before God, and not before people. “Appear to those who fast, not before men, but before your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” ().

TAKE CARE OF YOUR SOUL. It is necessary to take care of both the body and the soul, and in different ways. The soul is different from the body, and it needs different food, different clothing and different light, for, as Jesus said: “Man cannot live by bread alone” ().

TAKE CARE OF THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR SOUL. The integrity of the soul determines strength and spiritual peace, and a divided soul means weakness and destruction, for every “a house divided... against itself cannot stand”(). The Lord also says: “no one can serve two masters... you cannot serve God and mammon” ().

CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. Good thoughts are the seed for good deeds. The Lord All-Seeing knows all our thoughts and warns that evil thoughts defile a person, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false witness.”(). Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor your thoughts and improve your soul.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR TONGUE WILL. remember, that “For every idle word that people speak, they will give an answer on the day of judgment.” ().

AVOID HYPOCRISY AND PRETENTION. Remember the words of Jesus to the disciples, and therefore to us: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be known.” ().

BELIEVE LIKE CHILDREN. Become sincere, trusting and humble, like children, for, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” ().

BE PATIENT AND STANDARD. Having endured all the hardships in fulfilling God’s commandments, you will surely save your soul, for “He who endures to the end will be saved” ().

CONTROL EXCESS in eating, drinking and other needs. “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with gluttony and drunkenness and the cares of this life.” ().

UNCONDITIONALLY BELIEVE in the omnipotence and mercy of Jesus Christ. Fear not, but believe. Remember that hope and love without firm faith are like a house without a foundation.

THANK GOD for everything. Even if the Lord has given you a small amount, if you are grateful for this too, He will multiply His gifts, just as He multiplied the five loaves.

PRAISE THE LORD. Do not seek glory from men, but praise God. The more you give, the more you will receive. Say after the Most Holy Theotokos: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” ().

5.5.2. Improving relationships with people

DO ALMS SECRETLY. “When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do... so that people may glorify them,... do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your almsgiving may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” ().

APPLY WITHOUT DELAY. “Give to those who ask you, and do not turn away from those who want to borrow from you.”(). Give everything in the name of Christ and for the sake of brotherhood.

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you.”(). There is no other way to unity with Christ and the establishment of peace and brotherhood.

DO GOOD FOR PEOPLE. How? Just as you would like people to do to you, for this is the law and the prophets (). This commandment comes after the two great commandments of Christ.

FORGIVE TO YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST. “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times a day and turns back seven times a day and says, “I repent,” forgive him.” ().

BE HUMBLE. Christ was born in a stable. Why then do we fight for the highest honors and first places? “Sit down in the last place... for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ().

HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THE SINNER. This is a way to help them improve. Ridicule and condemnation will not do him any good. Christ considered such people sick. He visited them (as, for example, Zacchaeus), ate with them, and spoke cordially with them. Therefore, He was able to restore spiritual health and human dignity to them.

MAKE RECONCILIATION WITH THE ENEMY. Before going to church or court, a Christian should try to make peace with his enemy.

CONFESS CHRIST BEFORE PEOPLE WITH COURAGE. “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His glory.” ().

BEWARE OF THE FALSE CHRIST. In the last times, the atheists and enemies of Christ will proclaim themselves or another dangerous liar to be “Christ.” Anticipating this, the Lord reminded: “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in My name, saying that it is I... do not go after them.” ().

REWARD ACCORDING TO YOUR DESERVES. “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”(). This means: give to the worldly authorities what belongs to the world, and to God - spiritual gifts. Just as the profile of Caesar is stamped on coins, so the human soul has the face of God.

BE SENSIBLE. “From everyone to whom much is given, much will be required.”() either in health, or in wealth, or in knowledge, or in honors. If little is given to you, then little will be required of you. God's truth is certain and perfect. It is not smart to rebel against such laws.

BE READY TO SERVE. Service is ennobled from Christ and through Christ, so voluntary servants in the name of God are the new elite. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”(). "If I am yours “The Lord and Teacher, having washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example" ().

BE READY TO SACRIFICE, not only with material things, but also with your life for the sake of Christ, Who sacrificed Himself for our eternal salvation. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”(). You can have many friends, but your closest friend should only be .

HAVE HOPE, do not lose Christian optimism in life's trials. In all troubles, misfortunes, suffering, even in torment or on the verge of death, a Christian is full of hope, for he remembers the words of Christ:

"Great is your reward in heaven" ();

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, for they are the soul can't kill" ();

“I conquered the world” ();

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” ().

And one lawyer from among them asked, tempting Him: “Teacher! What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He answered: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment, and the second is similar to it: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” The entire Law and Prophets rest on these two commandments. (Mt.22.35-40)

Translation by Sergei Avrintsev

Many people unfamiliar with the gospel believe that Christianity is a religion of moral precepts. But, firstly, some Christian thinkers refuse to call our faith a religion. After all, the very word “religion” means the connection of a person with a deity. And in Christianity we see the unity of God and man in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, secondly, moral commandments are a consequence of the most important thing in the Gospel message - the coming into the world of the Son of God. But at the same time, church commandments are priceless, because if for non-believers moral precepts are a consequence of historical and social processes, then for us their creator is the Lord God. And to the question of what is the most important thing in the moral law embedded in the human heart and in the Law that was revealed to Old Testament humanity, the Lord Himself once answered.

We see in the Gospel that people who do not accept the teachings of the Savior repeatedly try to catch the Lord in the word in order to then accuse Him. The Pharisees and Herodians send their disciples asking whether it is permissible or not to pay taxes to Caesar; the Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection of the dead, ask the Lord about some incredible story - the widow of seven dead brothers. And when the Lord, with His answer, shames the Sadducees as “ignorant of either the Scriptures or the Power of God,” the Pharisees, the ideological opponents of the Sadducees, gather together and one of them, a “legalist,” that is, an expert and interpreter of the Law, wanting to test the Lord, “tempting Him, asked , saying: Teacher! What is the greatest commandment in the law?” Of course, the lawyer does not know that he is addressing not just a teacher, but the One who gave man the Divine Law. The Old Testament contains many legal norms and definitions, but it is based, first of all, on the 10 commandments that the Lord God gave to Moses at Sinai. The Decalogue speaks about the relationship of man to God, and about the relationship of man to man. And the essence of these commandments, the essence of the whole law and everything that the prophets proclaimed, is briefly formulated in the Scripture itself, these are the words that the Lord now pronounces: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Deut. 6, 5): this is the first and greatest commandment; the second is similar to it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). And of course, it is impossible to fulfill just one of these commandments; they are closely related to each other. The Apostle John the Theologian says that we have a commandment that he who loves God should also love his neighbor. “And the one who says that he loves God but hates his neighbor is a liar. For how can you love God whom you do not see, while you hate whose brother you see?” (1Jn...)

But in order to learn to love a person, we must first of all know that it is God who loves us, that it was He, as John the Theologian speaks with surprise about himself and others, who loved us “while we were still sinners.” . God loved us so much that He gave His Son so that He would become Man and shed His Blood so that we would have eternal life. And knowing how God treats man, we ourselves can learn to love our neighbor.

Evangelist Matthew has a very negative attitude towards the Pharisees, and this is also connected with the community to which he is addressing - Christians brought up on the Old Testament and living in a hostile environment. And therefore, Matthew, conveying the teachings of Christ and talking about His deeds, draws attention precisely to the fact that Old Israel and its spiritual leaders will be rejected. Unlike Matthew, Mark, who wrote down the gospel for the Roman Christian community from the words of Peter, talking about this episode, also says that the scribe, having heard the Lord’s answer, warmly agreed with him and was praised by Him: “You are not far from the Kingdom God's." To know and accept God’s commandments with all your heart means to already be on the threshold of the Kingdom of God!

After such an answer, the Pharisees no longer dare to ask the Lord anything, and then He Himself asks them, asks about Himself: “What do you think about Christ, whose son He is? They answer him: “Davidov.” But how then does David in his prophetic psalm say about Christ: “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps 109:1) How is He the son of David if he calls Him Lord? Of course, the Pharisees could not answer this question, because the fullness of the knowledge of God belongs to His Son, and to the one to whom the Son wants to reveal it - His Church. Christ is the Son of David according to His human nature, which He received from the Virgin Mary, Theotokos. And as the Son of God, Christ abides eternally, and therefore David calls Christ, who has not yet come into the world, Lord, just as in this psalm he calls God the Father Lord. The name Lord is associated with the history of the Old Testament, with the calling of Moses, who was destined to lead the Jewish people out of slavery and through whom God gave the 10 commandments. One day, when Moses was tending his father-in-law's sheep, he saw an extraordinary phenomenon - a luminous bush, burning and not being consumed. And when Moses approached, he heard the voice of God calling him to go to Egypt to the sons of Israel in order to bring them to freedom. And to Moses’ question: “What is Your Name?” God answered: “I am who I am.”

The burning bush and blackberry bush, from which God was revealed to Moses, are still shown to this day on the territory of the monastery of St. Catherine at the very foot of Mount Moriah, on the top of which Moses received the stone tablets with the 10 commandments. And the sacred name of God - Jehovah, Yahweh, I am who I am - can be understood as an indication of the fullness of Being which God possesses by His nature. This name was surrounded by such reverence that it was pronounced only once a year by the high priest, entering the sanctuary of the Jerusalem Temple with sacrificial blood. In other cases, when reading Scripture, this name was replaced by the word Adonai - Lord. And when in the third century BC the Law and the Books of the Prophets in Egyptian Alexandria began to be translated into the most common language in the Roman Empire - Greek, then the sacred name of God - Jehovah - was transferred to the title Lord. Thus, by calling Jesus Christ Lord, we testify that He is the true God Who revealed Himself in the Old Testament, led the people out of Egyptian slavery and gave the law at Sinai. And this God came into the world becoming a man, and this God teaches us how we should live. Of course, every person wants to be happy, and we see that all the law and the prophets, all the wisdom and spiritual experience of mankind testify that God will treat us the way we treat others and others - the people around us, will treat us the same way the same way we treat them. And Christ God Himself tells us that first of all we must learn to love God and love our neighbor, for this is precisely the meaning of all the Divine law given to man!

One should distinguish between the TEN OLD TESTAMENT COMMANDMENTS given by God to Moses and the entire people of Israel and the GOSPEL COMMANDMENTS OF THE HAPPINESS, of which there are nine. The 10 commandments were given to people through Moses at the dawn of the formation of religion, in order to protect them from sin, to warn them of danger, while the Christian Beatitudes, described in the Sermon on the Mount of Christ, are of a slightly different plan; they relate to more spiritual life and development. The Christian commandments are a logical continuation and in no way deny the 10 commandments. Read more about Christian commandments.

The 10 commandments of God are a law given by God in addition to his internal moral guideline - conscience. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses, and through him to all humanity on Mount Sinai, when the people of Israel were returning from captivity in Egypt to the Promised Land. The first four commandments regulate the relationship between man and God, the remaining six - the relationship between people. The Ten Commandments in the Bible are described twice: in the twentieth chapter of the book, and in the fifth chapter.

Ten Commandments of God in Russian.

How and when did God give the 10 commandments to Moses?

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai on the 50th day after the exodus from Egyptian captivity. The situation at Mount Sinai is described in the Bible:

... On the third day, when morning came, there were thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud over Mount [Sinai], and the sound of a very strong trumpet... Mount Sinai was all smoking because the Lord had descended on it in fire; and smoke rose from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook greatly; and the sound of the trumpet became stronger and stronger... ()

God inscribed the 10 commandments on stone tablets and gave them to Moses. Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for another 40 days, after which he went down to his people. The book of Deuteronomy describes that when he came down, he saw that his people were dancing around the Golden Calf, forgetting about God and breaking one of the commandments. Moses in anger broke the tablets with the inscribed commandments, but God commanded him to carve new ones to replace the old ones, on which the Lord again inscribed the 10 commandments.

10 Commandments - interpretation of the commandments.

1. I am the Lord your God, and there are no other gods besides Me.

According to the first commandment, there is not and cannot be another god greater than Him. This is a postulate of monotheism. The first commandment says that everything that exists is created by God, lives in God and will return to God. God has no beginning and no end. It is impossible to comprehend it. All the power of man and nature comes from God, and there is no power outside the Lord, just as there is no wisdom outside the Lord, and there is no knowledge outside the Lord. In God is the beginning and the end, in Him is all love and kindness.

Man does not need gods except the Lord. If you have two gods, doesn’t that mean that one of them is the devil?

Thus, according to the first commandment, the following are considered sinful:

• atheism;
• superstitions and esotericism;
• polytheism;
• magic and witchcraft,
• false interpretation of religion - sects and false teachings

1. Do not make for yourself an idol or any image; do not worship them or serve them.

All power is concentrated in God. Only He can help a person if necessary. People often turn to intermediaries for help. But if God cannot help a person, are intermediaries able to do this? According to the second commandment, people and things must not be deified. This will lead to sin or illness.

In simple words, one cannot worship the Lord’s creation instead of the Lord Himself. Worshiping things is akin to paganism and idolatry. At the same time, veneration of icons does not equate to idolatry. It is believed that prayers of worship are directed to God himself, and not to the material from which the icon is made. We turn not to the image, but to the Prototype. Even in the Old Testament, images of God are described that were made at His command.

1. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

According to the third commandment, it is forbidden to mention the name of the Lord unless absolutely necessary. You can mention the name of the Lord in prayer and spiritual conversations, in requests for help. You cannot mention the Lord in idle conversations, especially in blasphemous ones. We all know that the Word has great power in the Bible. With a word, God created the world.

1. Six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh is a day of rest, which you shall dedicate to the Lord your God.

God does not forbid love, He is Love Himself, but He requires chastity.

1. Don't steal.

Disrespect for another person can result in theft of property. Any benefit is illegal if it is associated with causing any damage, including material damage, to another person.

It is considered a violation of the eighth commandment:

• appropriation of someone else's property,
• robbery or theft,
• deception in business, bribery, bribery
• all kinds of scams, fraud and fraud.

1. Don't bear false witness.

The ninth commandment tells us that we must not lie to ourselves or others. This commandment prohibits any lies, gossip and gossip.

1. Don't covet anything that belongs to others.

The tenth commandment tells us that envy and jealousy are sinful. Desire in itself is only a seed of sin that will not germinate in a bright soul. The tenth commandment is aimed at preventing the violation of the eighth commandment. Having suppressed the desire to possess someone else's, a person will never steal.

The tenth commandment is different from the previous nine; it is New Testament in nature. This commandment is not aimed at prohibiting sin, but at preventing thoughts of sin. The first 9 commandments talk about the problem as such, while the tenth talks about the root (cause) of this problem.

The Seven Deadly Sins is an Orthodox term denoting basic vices that are terrible in themselves and can lead to the emergence of other vices and violation of the commandments given by the Lord. In Catholicism, the 7 deadly sins are called the cardinal sins or root sins.

Sometimes laziness is called the seventh sin; this is typical for Orthodoxy. Modern authors write about eight sins, including laziness and despondency. The doctrine of the seven deadly sins was formed quite early (in the 2nd – 3rd centuries) among ascetic monks. Dante's Divine Comedy describes seven circles of purgatory, which correspond to the seven deadly sins.

The theory of mortal sins developed in the Middle Ages and was illuminated in the works of Thomas Aquinas. He saw in seven sins the cause of all other vices. In Russian Orthodoxy the idea began to spread in the 18th century.

The Ten Commandments of God in Orthodoxy play an extremely important role - they are the basis of the entire Christian faith and represent the entire essence of Christian law. The prophet Moses received them on Mount Sinai after, by the will of the Lord, he led the entire people of Israel out of Egypt, where they were in slavery.

Basics of Orthodoxy: why you should fulfill the commandments

God gave the 10 biblical commandments or Decalogue to the Jewish people during their journey from slavery to the land given by the Lord - Canaan.

Initially, the Lord Himself inscribed them on two tablets, but later they were rewritten by the hand of Moses.

The law can be divided into two parts:

• the first 4 commandments are about man’s relationship with the Lord;
• the last 5 are about the relationship between a person and his neighbors.

God's law is difficult for people with a sinful nature to obey. However, this is something that we urgently need to strive for. What is it for?

Just as the force of attraction, gravity, etc. operate, spiritual laws exist and operate. Violation of them leads to the threat of carnal and spiritual death.

People are not outraged by the existence of gravity, and they know that if you jump from a height, you can fall to your death. The same goes for prolonged immersion in water or falling into fire. Why does keeping the Lord's law cause so much outrage?

Atheists live as if the spiritual world does not exist, but this does not exempt them from the application of spiritual rules. If a person does not believe in the power of gravity, this does not mean that it does not exist and that violating it will lead to death. The same applies to the Decalogue - violation will lead first to spiritual death, and then to carnal death.

Many people view the Decalogue as a set of rules for going to heaven after death. But this is wrong, since the goal is to prove to a person that he cannot cope on his own and needs God’s help and Jesus Christ. No one can do this thoroughly on their own, but only with God's help. We all need the death of Jesus Christ and divine forgiveness with atonement. One should ask the Lord for help in fulfilling the law and pray in repentance if it has been broken.

Important! The 10 biblical commandments are necessary for anyone who considers himself a true Christian to know, because according to them he can check his life path and compare it with the one that the Lord has prepared.

Moses with the commandments given to him

God's commandments and their interpretation

The Creator wrote 10 rules on 2 stone tablets and passed them on to Moses. He remained on the mountain for another 40 days, and then went down to the people, but what he saw there was terrible - the Jews cast themselves a calf from gold and made it their god. Moses, in anger, threw the tablets to the ground and broke them.

After the people were punished, Moses went back up the mountain and wrote them down again. You should consider them all in detail for a better understanding.

First

“I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me."

What does this mean? Our Lord is the true and living God, who is one in the entire Universe and beyond. It is He who is the Creator of the whole world and all creations that live and exist by Him alone. The Christian religion is a religion of monotheism. There is no place in it for a host of gods, as there was in Greek, Roman and Persian culture.

There is only one God. All power is concentrated in the Creator, but outside of Him it simply does not exist. He is the beginning of time and its end, He is the beginning of time and the end. The movement of the sun across the sky, the movement of a drop on a leaf, the movement of an ant and the running of a leopard - in all this there is God’s hand and all this is possible only thanks to Him.

Despite the many names, the Lord is one. In Scripture He calls himself Yahweh (I Am Who I Am), Jehovah (I Will Be), God Almighty, Elohim (God), Adonai (Lord), Hosts (Lord of Hosts). But these are just characteristics, character traits. He is the source of strength, both spiritual and material, therefore only one should come to Him.

According to this sin:

• polytheism;
• magic;

Second

“You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.”

For murder, a person will suffer a terrible punishment. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that you can kill with simple words. You should watch not only your hands, but also your tongue.

Seventh

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."

The Heavenly Father created the family at the beginning of existence. His idea is a man and a woman belonging to each other. There is no room for a third.

Despite heretical traditions about Adam's second wife Lilith, God created only Adam and Eve. Therefore, husband and wife should take care of each other, love and not look/think about others.

Family is not always easy, but a person must follow the law.

Read about family in Orthodoxy:

Eighth

"Thou shalt not steal."

The most important law in the field of human relations is that you should not take something that belongs to another. This applies to both small things and some large things.

The Heavenly Father gives to everyone according to his will, so if a person steals, he shows disrespect not only for the work of his neighbor, but also for God. If he thinks that someone has more of something and this is unfair, then this also expresses disrespect and disobedience to God's will.

Ninth

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

A lie spoils everything and sooner or later it is revealed. You should not be deceitful towards others or yourself. Deception does not bring anything good, and the motives for it are almost always sinful.

The Almighty always knows the truth and sooner or later it will be revealed to people. This law allows you to preserve a person’s spiritual health.

Tenth

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or anything that your neighbor has.”

This rule has something in common with rule 8, but it is more detailed. In the original, God speaks about a wife, about cattle, about property.

Even the mere desire to have something that is not yours is considered a sin. Desire is the seed of sin, and... If not uprooted in time, it will grow into a huge tree.

Commandments of Christ

It should be understood that the listed 10 laws and 9 Gospel commandments are different from each other, although it is necessary to fulfill them all.

The first were received by Moses from the Lord as the basis of the law for the Jews who became God's people. It was they who were created to separate the Jews from all other peoples who lived according to their own laws. Thanks to them, the Jews became a separate people of God at the dawn of the formation of religion. They were called upon not only to create a society and a state, but also to protect people from sin.

The commandments of Christ, given by him in the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7 of the Gospel of Matthew, are somewhat different.

Sermon on the Mount

They talk about the spiritual world, and almost never touch upon the carnal. Christ in them gives a definition of what a Christian soul should be, how a believer should develop in God.

Important! The commandments of Christ in no way deny the basic law (Decalogue), but on the contrary, they continue it. If the Lord forms society and relationships between people by law, then Christ speaks about the inner world of man and its formation.

Watch a video about Jesus' commandments

The 10 commandments of Christianity are the path about which Christ said: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The Son of God is the embodiment of virtues, since virtue is not a created thing, but a property of God. Every person needs their observance in order to achieve his measure, which brings him closer to God.

The commandments of God were given to the Jews on Mount Sinai after a person’s internal law began to weaken due to sinfulness, and they stopped hearing the voice of their conscience.

Basic commandments of Christianity

Humanity received the Ten Old Testament Commandments (Decalogue) through Moses - the Lord appeared to him in the Fire Bush - a bush that burned and was not consumed. This image became a prophecy about the Virgin Mary - who accepted the Divinity into herself and did not burn. The law was given on two stone tablets; God Himself inscribed the commandments on them with his finger.

Ten Commandments of Christianity (Old Testament, Exodus 20:2-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21):

1. I am the Lord your God, and there are no other gods besides Me.
2. Do not make for yourself an idol or any image; do not worship them or serve them.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Six days you shall work and do all your work, and the seventh—Sabbath—is a day of rest, which you shall dedicate to the Lord your God.
5. Honor your father and mother, may you be blessed on earth and have long life.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Don't bear false witness.
10. Don't covet anything that belongs to others.

Many people think that the main commandments of Christianity are a set of prohibitions. The Lord made man free and never encroached on this freedom. But for those who want to be with God, there are rules for how to spend their lives in accordance with the Law. It should be remembered that the Lord is the source of blessings for us, and His law is like a lamp on the path and a way not to harm oneself, since sin destroys a person and his environment.

Basic ideas of Christianity according to the commandments

Let us take a closer look at what the basic ideas of Christianity according to the commandments are.

I am the Lord your God. May you have no other gods before Me

God is the Creator of the visible and invisible worlds and the source of all strength and power. The elements move thanks to God, the seed grows because the power of God lives in it, any life is possible only in God and there is no life outside its Source. All power is the property of God, which He gives and takes away when He pleases. One should ask only from God and expect only from Him abilities, gifts, and various benefits, as from the Source of life-giving power.

God is the source of wisdom and knowledge. He shared His mind not only with man - every creature of God is endowed with its own wisdom - from a spider to a stone. A bee has a different wisdom, a tree has another. The animal senses danger, thanks to the wisdom of God, the bird flies to the very nest that it left in the fall - for the same reason.

All kindness is possible only in God. There is this kindness in everything He created. God is merciful, patient, good. Therefore, everything that is done by Him, the bottomless Source of virtue, is overflowing with kindness. If you want good for yourself and your neighbors, you need to pray to God about it. You cannot serve God, the Creator of everything, and another at the same time - in this case a person will be ruined. You must firmly decide to be faithful to your Lord, to pray to Him alone, to serve, to fear. To love Him alone, fearing to disobey, as your Father.

You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.

Do not deify the creation instead of the Creator. Whatever, whoever it is, no one should occupy this sacred place in your heart - worship of the Creator. Whether sin or fear turns a person away from his God, one must always find strength within oneself and not look for another god.

After the Fall, man became weak and fickle; he often forgets the closeness of God and His care for each of his children. In moments of spiritual weakness, when sin takes over, a person turns away from God and turns to His servants - creation. But God is more merciful than His servants and you need to find the strength to return to Him and receive healing.

A person can consider his wealth, on which he has placed all his hopes and confidence, as a deity; even a family can be such a deity - when for the sake of other people, even the closest ones, God’s law is trampled underfoot. And Christ, as we know from the Gospel, said:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).

That is, it is necessary to humble ourselves in front of circumstances that seem cruel to us, and not to renounce the Creator. A person can make an idol out of power and glory if he also gives his whole heart and thoughts to it. You can create an idol from anything, even from icons. Some Christians worship not the icon itself, not the material from which the cross is made, but the image that became possible thanks to the incarnation of the Son of God.

Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain.

You cannot pronounce the name of God carelessly, casually, when you are subject to your emotions, and not to longing for God. In everyday life, we “blur” the name of God by pronouncing it irreverently. It should be pronounced only in prayerful tension, consciously, for the sake of the highest good for oneself and others.

This blurring has led to the fact that today people laugh at believers when they utter the phrase “do you want to talk about God.” This phrase has been spoken in vain many times, and the true greatness of the name of God has been devalued by people as something trivial. But this phrase carries great dignity. Inevitable harm awaits a person for whom the name of God has become banal and, at times, abusive.

Work six days and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God

The seventh day was created for prayer and communion with God. For the ancient Jews this was the Sabbath, but with the advent of the New Testament we acquired the Resurrection.

It is not true that, in imitation of the old rules, we should avoid all work on this day, but this work should be for the glory of God. For a Christian, going to church and praying on this day is a sacred duty. On this day one should rest, in imitation of the Creator: for six days He created this world, and on the seventh He rested - it is written in Genesis. This means that the seventh day is especially sanctified - it was created for thinking about eternity.

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days on earth may be long.

This is the first commandment with a promise - fulfill it, and your days on earth will be long. It is necessary to respect parents. Whatever your relationship with them, they are the ones through whom the Creator gave you life.

Those who knew God even before you were born are worthy of veneration, just like everyone who knew the Eternal Truth before you. The commandment to honor parents applies to all elders and distant ancestors.

Dont kill

Life is a priceless gift that cannot be encroached upon. Parents do not give life to a child, but only material for his body. Eternal life is contained in the spirit, which is indestructible and which God himself breathes in.

Therefore, the Lord will always seek a broken vessel if someone encroaches on someone else’s life. You cannot kill children in the womb, as this is a new life that belongs to God. On the other hand, no one can kill life completely, since the body is just a shell. But true life, as a gift from God, takes place in this shell and neither parents nor other people - no one has the right to take it away.

Don't commit adultery

Illegal relationships destroy a person. The harm that is caused to the body and soul from breaking this commandment should not be underestimated. Children must be carefully guarded against the destructive influence that this sin can have on their lives.

The loss of chastity is the loss of a whole mind, order in thoughts and life. The thoughts of people for whom fornication is the norm become superficial, unable to comprehend the depth. Over time, hatred and disgust for everything holy and righteous appear, and evil habits and bad habits take root in a person. This terrible evil is being leveled out today, but this does not make adultery and fornication cease to be a mortal sin.

Don't steal

Therefore, stolen goods will only entail greater losses for the thief. This is the Law of this world, which is always observed.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

What could be more terrible and offensive than slander? How many destinies have been destroyed due to false denunciation? One slander is enough to put an end to any reputation, any career.

Destinies turned in this way do not escape the punishing gaze of God, and denunciation will follow in an evil tongue, since this sin always has at least 3 witnesses - who was slandered, who was slandered and the Lord God.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; neither his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's

This commandment is a transition to the New Testament beatitudes - a higher moral level. Here the Lord looks at the root of sin, its cause. Sin is always born first in thought. Envy causes theft and other sins. Thus, having learned the tenth commandment, a person will be able to keep the rest.

A brief summary of the 10 basic commandments of Christianity will allow you to acquire knowledge for a healthy relationship with God. This is the minimum that any person must observe in order to live in harmony with himself, the people around him and God. If there is a recipe for happiness, a mysterious Holy Grail that gives the fullness of being, then these are the 10 commandments - as a cure for all diseases.