Week 27: How can I know right from wrong?

Laws and rules are important because they help us know which behaviors are right and which ones are wrong. Parents and teachers set up rules for at home and in your classroom, while elected leaders pass laws for our community and country. God gave the nation of Israel a set of laws to live by – the Ten Commandments. These commands form the foundation for many of our laws today. This week we’ll begin a journey through God’s commands for right and wrong behavior. Are you ready?

 

Be ready to read the following passages:

Let’s start it.

Think about the rules in your family, school, and workplace. What behaviors are right and wrong in each place? What happens if you break the rules?

Let’s learn it.

The Ten Commandments are the most important laws and rules ever given because God Himself wrote them. He gave the Ten Commandments to His people to show them how to have loving relationships with Him and with each other. They are God’s rules for which attitudes and behaviors are right and which ones are wrong.

The first four commands explain how to have a right relationship with God. He is the only true God, so only He should be worshiped. His followers shouldn’t bow in worship to any kind of idol, not even an image designed to represent Him. The name of the Lord should be used reverently, not disrespectfully. And one day should be set aside from our weekly routine to rest from work and focus on Him.

The last six commandments teach us how to live unselfishly as a family and as a community. Children should honor their parents. Spouses should remain faithful to each other. We should respect one another’s life, property, and reputation. Finally, God instructs us to be content and not want what belongs to someone else.

You may think you know all about the Ten Commandments, but there’s so much to learn by examining them carefully. In the next several weeks, we’ll look at the commandments one-by-one, and see what the New Testament says about them as well. For instance, read what Jesus taught about murder in Matthew 5:21-22.

There’s an old saying, “If the sin is wrong, then the road to the sin is wrong.” So, since murder is wrong, then the feelings of anger and hate that lead to murder are wrong. You see, the Ten Commandments are more than a list of do’s and don’ts. They help us identify sinful thoughts and attitudes. Once we understand clearly what God says about what is wrong, we can replace it with behavior that is right.

Let’s discuss it.

  1. Which of the Ten Commandments are laws in our country today?
  2. Which of the Ten Commandments are not considered important by many people in our society?
  3. What happens in your family and community when these commands are obeyed versus when they are disobeyed?

 

Let’s do it.

God designed you to recognize Him as your Creator by worshiping Him alone and honoring His name. God also created your friends, family, and neighbors. You can have a loving relationship with Him by following His rules, which also makes it possible to have loving relationships with one another. That’s why God tells us what is right and what is wrong. His commands that say, “Do not,” keep us from behavior that would hurt us or others. When we obey what He tells us to do, our relationship with Him and our relationships with the people around us will grow stronger.

Will you listen carefully as we study each command? Start looking for wrong attitudes and actions that need to be corrected in your life. Which of God’s rules for right and wrong do you need to work on the most this week? The relationships in your family will be stronger as each of you develops a closer relationship with God.