Catechism Part III: The Commandments.

The Commandments

Catechist.    You said that your Godfathers and Godmothers promised for you that you would keep God’s holy Will and Commandments. To whom were these Commandments given?

Answer.    To his ancient people Israel, by the hand of his servant Moses.

Catechist.    What are these Commandments?

Answer.    The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
I. Thou shalt have none other gods but me.
II. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them.
For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and show mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandments.
III. 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.
IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God.
In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
V. Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
VI. Thou shalt do no murder.
VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.

Note that the word Sabbath is a Hebrew word meaning Rest. In the case of the Second and Fourth Commandments it shall be sufficient to memorize the first paragraph.

Catechist.    How does the Christian Church receive and teach these Commandments?

Answer.    According to their spirit and purpose, as our Lord teaches us in the Gospel.

Catechist.    What do you chiefly learn from these Commandments?

Answer.    I learn two things: my duty towards God, and my duty towards my Neighbour.

Catechist.    What is your duty towards God?

Answer.    My duty towards God is, To believe in him, to fear him, and to love him, with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strength:
To worship him, to give him thanks, to put my whole trust in him, to pray to him:
To honour his holy Name and his Word:
And to serve him truly all the days of my life.

Catechist.    Why does the Church observe Sunday as the Lord’s Day?

Answer.    Because it was on the first day of the week that our Lord rose from the dead.

Catechist.    What is your duty as a Christian on the Lord’s Day?

Answer.    To abstain from unnecessary work, and to go to church for the worship of God with his people.

Catechist.    What is your duty towards your Neighbour?

Answer.    My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as myself, and to do to all as I would they should do unto me:
To love, honour, and help my father and mother; to honour and obey the King, and all who are in authority under him; to show respect to teachers and pastors; and to be courteous to all:
To hurt nobody by word or deed; to be true and just in all my dealing; to bear no malice or hatred in my heart; to keep my hands from picking and stealing, and my tongue from evilspeaking, lying, and slandering:
To keep my body in temperance, soberness, and chastity:
Not to covet or desire other men’s goods; but to learn and labour truly to get my own living, and to do my duty in the vocation to which it shall please God to call me.

Catechist.    What new Commandment did our Lord give to his disciples?

Answer.    A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

The 10 Commandments. In case you weren't aware, that's what you're agreeing to obey when you're baptised (or what is promised by your parents/sponsors).

There's lots written about what each Commandment means in detail; I mean, that's partly what Leviticus is about, after all. But here's a short breakdown: the first four are about how we are supposed to behave in relation to God; the other six are about how we're supposed to behave in relation to other humans.

And they're summarized so neatly by Jesus when He notes the first and greatest commandment and the second (like unto the first).

But even here we have a sweet summary given of the two sets of Commandments.

Our duty in relation to God is to love Him with everything we are, to pray to Him, to worship Him and give Him thanks, to trust in Him, to honour Him, and to serve Him for our entire life. Part of this is observing the Sabbath, and I love that there's a note about why Christians observe Sunday rather than Saturday. (I was so confused when I realized how many people don't actually know this.)

Our duty in relation to other humans is to love them as we love ourselves, which involves behaving respectfully, honouring our parents and our elders, being honest and trustworthy, being kind and holding no malice in our heart, taking care of our own bodies, and working hard to sustain ourselves so that we are able to follow God's call upon our lives.

Finally, the new commandment Jesus gave us, to love one another as He has loved us. I believe that is about action, and it does in fact mean being willing to lay down one's life for another.

I think it's kind of funny and says a lot about how humans are, that not only did God have to give us ten Commandments to follow that can be summarized so neatly into two specific expectations, but all of these ten Commandments had to be expanded upon in Leviticus and then further explored in other writings later on. I don't know if it's that we keep trying to get out of having do these things or that people just want to be really clear about what's covered by which Commandment, but either way we just need things explained in minute detail. And then we still don't actually do them properly.

I guess that's why we need the cross.

Peace & Blessings.