The 10 Commandments and Our Neighbor

When God gave these commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) to us, He wanted to teach us about relationship; both with Him and with others, our neighbor. 

I chose this image because it shows the difference between the first 4 commandments, relationship with God Himself, and the last 6 which are relationship with others, our neighbor. 

So who is our neighbor, you ask? Our neighbor is all mankind.

These are the 6 commandments regarding our “neighbor”

5)  Father and mother

6)  The person we want to murder

7)  The person we commit adultery with

8)  The person from who we stole

9)  The person who we lie to

10)  Lastly, this commandment says not to covet, want what another person has 

Any time we break one of these rules, it is called sin. Any time we sin, we are not the only ones involved, but everyone in our circle, and the circle of the person on the other end. But God knew that we would not be able to keep these commandments, which is why we needed a savior.

When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment in the law, he answered, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (the first 4) This is the first and great commandment. And the second (the last 6) is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”(Matthew 22:36-40)

Please understand that God gave us these commandments, not only to learn right from wrong, but to have peace with “our neighbor.” And, if we have peace with our neighbor, and a good relationship with God, we, in turn, are at peace.