A Very Easy Way to Remember God's Commandments
A person cannot truly define what sin is without God’s Ten Commandments. Think about that for a moment.
It’s true. The Bible defines what sin is in three basic ways:
(1) From James 4:17, if we know to do good and don't do it, it's sin. (Likewise, if we know a thing is wrong but do it anyway, it's sin.)
(2) From 1 John 5:17, sin is all unrighteousness.
(3) From 1 John 3:4, sin in lawlessness (NKJV), or similarly stated in the (KJV), sin is transgression of the Law.
If we put these together to keep "All Truth", we see that sin is the transgression of the Law...
...a Law that must also define "all righteousness", because if we break it (by doing an unrighteous thing), it is also sin.
And James (Jesus’ very own half brother!) also agrees: sin is not doing that which we know is Righteous, that is, what is right.
So which Law is it that contains "all righteousness", that if we break it, we sin (by not doing the right thing) ?
Of course it's God's Commandments, the same Law specified in James 2:10-11, Romans 7:7, Matthew 5:17-19, and elsewhere.
And surely, if one cannot even define what sin is, they won’t repent from it. And yet, repentance is the very first step by which we come to God, according to Jesus Christ.
Therefore, repentance, forgiveness, and “sinning no more” are critical on a Walk with the Lord… because our repentance isn’t true if we have no change in the Life, that is, if we’re not on the Narrow Path and moving forward, maturing in Christ, by learning and doing what Jesus teaches.
With that, this post is merely something that tries to help us keep God’s Law written in our hearts and minds, all for the good, by Love for God and others… and frankly also, by Love for ourselves.
Most people can easily remember God’s Two Most Important Commandments, listed here:
First Most Important Commandment:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." - Jesus in Mark 12:30 (NKJV)
This also relates to the first four of the Ten Commandments, regarding our relationship with God.
Second Most Important Commandment:
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Jesus in Mark 12:31 (NKJV)
This also relates to the last six of the Ten Commandments, regarding our relationship with others.
But, to help us easily remember God’s Ten Commandments, there is the acronym:
G-I-V-S-H-M-A-S-L-C.
It stands for "GIVeS Honor to the MASter Like Children", which is what we do when we keep God's Commandments.
G = a reminder of God in that we shall have no other gods before Him.
I = a reminder of "idols" in that we shall not make them or bow down to them or serve them.
V = a reminder of "vain" in that we shall not take the name of the Lord our God in vain.
S = a reminder of Sabbath in that we are to keep it, exactly as the Fourth Commandment, and all of God's Word, defines it... Holy, on the Seventh Day.
H = a reminder of "honor" in that we are to honor our parents.
M = a reminder of "murder" in that we shall not destroy life.
A = a reminder of "adultery" in that we shall not commit it, but are to keep our physical intimacies proper and within a lifelong heterosexual marriage.
S = a reminder of "stealing" in that we shall not take or withhold that which does not belong to us.
L = a reminder of "lying" in that we shall not bear false witness.
C = a reminder of "covet" in that we shall not participate in the many destructive behaviors that manifest from the root of pride, selfishness, and comparison based on this world's evil measures.
Again, that’s G-I-V-S-H-M-A-S-L-C. It stands for GIVeS Honor to the MASter Like Children.
And if one has the King James Version (KJV) or another Bible version that equates the Sixth Commandment to "you shall not kill" instead of "you shall not murder", then the acronym can simply be G-I-V-S-H-K-A-S-L-C, equating to "GIVeS Honor to the King AS Little Children."
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