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Opinion: Following the Ten Commandments will help you live a good, peaceful life.

If you have spent time in a Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Evangelical or Charismatic church you have probably studied, read or heard the Ten Commandments.

Likely they were recommended to you. They are not recent. They go back at least 3,500 years, to the early days of the Jewish people. Every once in a while I like to reflect on them.

People who take the Ten Commandments seriously do not see them as applying only to Jewish or Christian believers. The commands are understood as the requirements that God has of all people. I would say that that is correct.


They seem to me on the one hand commands to prevent our lives from being ripped to shreds by family feuds, verbal abuse, inter- tribal violence, crime, and international conflict.

On the positive side, they are what God requires of all people in order to live a well-ordered and free life. So here they are. They are taken from an early part of the Bible, Exodus, and chapter 20.

I’ve also included some of Jesus’ comments on them. And I added a few words of my own to try to make them clear.

Number 10. Don’t be greedy for things other people have. Be content with what you have and the opportunities that are laid out in front of you. Make the best use of them you can.

Number 9. Do not tell lies about yourself or others anywhere; not at parties or in people’s homes, not in the courts or in coffee shops. Be as truthful as you possibly can be. Build your character. Be a trustworthy person.

Number 8. Do not steal. You do not want other people stealing the things you have worked for, or the valuable things people have given to you. So, do not steal, scam, defraud or rob from others either.

Number 7. Do not cheat on your husband, wife, or lifelong partner. Really, do not cheat on anyone with whom you have a relationship. This will make you a stronger person, it will make all your relationships more resilient, and it will give life to your whole family and community.

Number 6. Do not murder. It is a fearful thing to take the life of another human being. Why? Because God created each human being to be a living picture of him. But also watch out for the things that can lead to murder: hatred, anger, involvement in a gang, drugs, and alcohol abuse. Instead, try to get along with everyone.

Never take revenge. Instead, look for ways to do something good for the person against whom you hold a grudge and let go of the grudge. It can only bring harm or ruin to hang onto it.

Number 5. Respect your parents. All parents do things that can make their children not respect them. But we must find in our parents the things that are worth respecting.

Focus on them as best as you can. Try to make those things real in your own life. You will never regret it. You and your family will become strong and last longer.

Number 4. Take regular time to rest. Even God rested in the story of how he made the world (Genesis 1 and the beginning of Genesis 2 in the Bible). So be like him.

One day a week of rest is ideal and very important. If you hire people, give them a solid day of rest so they can live a proper life and be with their families too. Even give your animals a break!

Number 3. Be careful with God’s name. Don’t use it as an expletive. If you are careful with the name of God, you will become a stronger person, someone who knows that God created you and has a sound and healthy way for you to live.

Number 2. Think of God in the correct way. It is not appropriate to think of God in terms of an animal, or some other part of his created world. There is nothing and no one like him. He is a million times greater than anything we could imagine, find, build or become.

Think of God as shatteringly great. Loving, but definitely not safe. He is a Spirit of incredible power. He is eternal. And he is willing to do anything, even die, to build a relationship with you.

I don’t mean to sound casual about this. Learn the story of Jesus and discover that God did in fact die for that purpose.

Number 1. Trust God. Do not give the kind of trust God deserves to any person, or nation, celebrity or set of ideas. He is it! Look for him and his guidance for your life with all your heart, mind, soul and strength — with your entire being.

You will have many disappointments in life. But walk with God through them all. And thank him for every good thing that comes your way.

Trusting God is the greatest key to avoiding a meaningless life. It is the basis for a life that is full of significance, a life that will be great help to all the people you will meet over the years.

Well, if you are like me, you have violated every single one of the Ten Commandments. But with God there is always forgiveness. Here again, I don’t mean to sound casual.

Be honest with yourself, with other people, and with God about what you have done. God’s forgiveness is always near and worth asking for.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.