Q:
Does God still expect us to keep the Ten Commandments? Aren't they a bit out of date, since they're thousands of years old and the world is so much different today?
A:
The Ten Commandments are just as valid today as when God gave them to Moses over 3,000 years ago. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law” (Matthew 5:18).
Yes, it’s true we live in a much different world. But if anything, this means we need the Ten Commandments even more, for we live in a time of great moral and spiritual confusion. How can we know what is right or wrong? There are only two ways: either we make it up on our own–or we depend on God to show us. But God knows what is best for us, and when we reject His will for us, we end up in moral and spiritual chaos.
Have you honestly looked carefully at the Ten Commandments? (You can find them in Exodus 20:1-17.) When you do, you may be surprised just how brief they are–but also how much they cover. Don’t we all benefit when people don’t kill each other, or steal, or dishonor their marriage vows? Of course. But the issue you face isn’t just whether or not you will follow the Ten Commandments. The real issue is what place God has in your life. Have you put Him on the fringes, so to speak? Why? Instead, put God at the center of your life by committing yourself to Christ.