How Do The 10 Commandments Map Onto Our Lives Today?

I am reading through the Bible doing a 5-day plan (it’s available in our Dwell app) that takes me through the Bible and spends time each of the days in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. I really do enjoy it! This week I covered the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20.
 
Can you recall each of the 10 Commandments?

For a refresher, here they are:

1. Do not have other gods besides Me.
2. Do not make an idol for yourself.
3. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not give false testimony (i.e. do not lie).
10. Do not covet.
11. 
    

As I read through them again I was reminded how relevant they are for us today. But I am afraid that we don’t always think about how this looks in our lives.
 
Then I looked at some notes I have in the margin of my Bible that I got from David Powlison a number of years ago. I think they get to the heart of the commandments in today’s vernacular.

Try these out:

1. Do not have other gods besides Me = Betrayal & treason – don’t betray Him
2. Do not make an idol for yourself = Lies, misrepresentations of others, character defamation. (No substitutes for the real thing!)
3. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God = Hypocrisy. (Mouthing God-talk but living a contradiction.)
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy = Laziness, workaholism or a harsh taskmaster. (Not trusting the Lord for your time.)
5. Honor your father and mother = Stubbornness, rebellion, backtalk.
6. Do not murder = Physical abuse – not just anger.
7. Do not commit adultery = Sexual betrayal or abuse. (Not protecting others but using them.)
8. Do not steal = Cheating and stealing.
9. Do not give false testimony (i.e. do not lie) = Slander and/or gossip.
10. Do not covet = Entitlement and greed. (Don’t organize your life around “I want. I want. I want.”)

How do these look to you in light of that explanation? For me, the look really practical and causes more introspection. I want to be conformed to the Lord’s ways as I am sure you do as well. What I love with this is that it acts as a mirror for me to do a heart check.
 
I hope this is an encouragement to look in the “mirror” here as well. I imagine, like it did for me, He pointed out places where I need to surrender (and confess) to Him. And that is a very good thing!
 
Join me in taking a look in the mirror of God’s word, each of us drawing closer to Jesus as the Spirit sanctifies us to be more and more in His image.
 
Held By His Abundant Grace,
 
 
 Pastor John