In an age where morality is “customizable” and truth is “personal,” it’s no wonder the Ten Commandments have been reduced in many people’s minds to something like a faded museum exhibit — a dusty relic of a bygone era. We see them carved on courthouse walls, printed in old Bibles, or hanging in a grandmother’s kitchen — but living by them? That’s another story.
And yet, these laws — given by the living God to His chosen people — are just as binding, just as urgent, and just as life-saving as they were the day Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the stone tablets in his hands.
God didn’t give us the Ten Commandments because He wanted to ruin our fun or micromanage humanity. He gave them to protect us, to guide us, and to teach us how to love Him and love one another in a fallen world. They are not suggestions. They are the foundation of God’s covenant with His people — the framework for a life that leads to Heaven.
So why have we forgotten them? Why do we live in a world that scoffs at the very idea of God’s law? Why do we excuse our own behavior with phrases like “it’s not that bad” or “everyone does it”?
Let’s return to the beginning — and then let’s bring it right back to where we are today.
The Day the Law Was Given
The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, after the Lord delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Imagine the scene: the mountain wrapped in smoke, thunder rolling, the blast of a trumpet growing louder and louder, and the voice of God Himself speaking to the gathered nation of Israel.
In the Douay-Rheims Bible, Exodus records it this way:
“And the Lord spoke all these words: I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: And shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
From there, the Lord continues to give the rest of His commandments — ten laws that summarize the moral law He has written into the human heart from the beginning.
Why God Gave Us the Ten Commandments
God gave the Commandments because He loves us. That may sound like a platitude, but it’s the truth. Love without truth is sentimentality; truth without love is cruelty. The Commandments are perfect love and perfect truth together.
They are not arbitrary rules. They are spiritual laws, as real as physical laws like gravity. You can ignore them — but if you break them, there are consequences.
The first three Commandments teach us how to love God. The last seven teach us how to love our neighbor. Jesus Himself said that all the law and the prophets hang on these two great commandments: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.
And yet, somewhere between the golden calf of the Israelites and the golden Instagram feed of today’s influencers, we’ve convinced ourselves that God’s law is optional.
The First Commandment: Putting God First in a Self-Obsessed Culture
“I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange gods before me.”
Most of us would say we don’t worship “strange gods” — no carved statues, no pagan rituals. But anything you place above God in your life becomes your god.
For some, it’s career. For others, it’s money, social media followers, fitness, politics, or even family. Idolatry can be as simple as looking to a thing, a person, or an ideology to give you security, meaning, and identity — things only God can give.
In our influencer-saturated culture, we literally “follow” people as if they are spiritual leaders. We envy their curated lives and consume their every word. And we wonder why our souls feel empty.
When you put God first, everything else finds its proper place. When you put anything else first, your life eventually collapses.
The Second Commandment: Reverence for God’s Name in a World That Profanes Everything
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
We live in an age of casual profanity. God’s name — the Name above all names — is tossed around like filler in a sentence. We say “Oh my God” without a second thought. We text “OMG” as if it’s nothing.
But the Second Commandment isn’t just about swearing. It’s about treating God’s name — and God Himself — with the reverence He deserves. To take His name “in vain” means to use it carelessly, dishonestly, or in a way that strips it of its sacredness.
If we can speak God’s name without awe, it’s often a sign we’ve lost a sense of His holiness. And when that happens, our moral compass starts to drift.
The Third Commandment: The Sabbath and the Disappearance of Rest
“Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day.”
For Catholics, Sunday is the Lord’s Day — the day of Christ’s resurrection. It is a day set apart for worship, rest, and renewal.
But for many, Sunday is just another day to run errands, catch up on work, or scroll endlessly. We’ve lost the rhythm of work and rest God gave us. And when we don’t stop to worship, we start to think the world runs on our effort instead of God’s providence.
Mass isn’t optional. It’s not “if I’m not too tired” or “if the kids don’t have sports.” It’s a commandment. God knows we need it — not because He needs our hour, but because we need His grace.
The Fourth Commandment: Honoring Parents in an Age of Rebellion
“Honour thy father and thy mother.”
Honoring parents doesn’t mean approving of everything they’ve done. It means respecting the role God gave them in giving you life.
In a broader sense, this commandment extends to respecting legitimate authority — teachers, leaders, and laws that are just. We live in a culture that prizes rebellion, but God calls us to a posture of respect and obedience in the right order.
And as parents, we are called to teach our children God’s law, not just house rules. If we don’t, the world will gladly teach them its own version of “truth.”
The Fifth Commandment: The Sanctity of Life in a Culture of Death
“Thou shalt not kill.”
This one seems obvious — and yet, our world is drowning in violence. From abortion to euthanasia to the casual cruelty of online bullying, we’ve devalued human life at every stage.
The Fifth Commandment calls us to respect life from conception to natural death. It also forbids hatred, anger, and the kind of gossip or slander that can “kill” someone’s reputation.
When we see others as made in the image of God, it changes how we treat them — both in person and online.
The Sixth Commandment: Faithfulness in Marriage in the Age of Casual Betrayal
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
Adultery is not just “unfortunate.” It’s a direct violation of God’s law. It wounds spouses, destroys trust, shatters families, and leaves deep scars on children.
And yet, how often do we hear people justify it? “We just fell out of love.” “I needed to feel alive.” “It just happened.”
It didn’t “just happen.” It was a choice. One God explicitly told us not to make.
In a hypersexualized culture, we need to talk about fidelity — not just avoiding the physical act of adultery, but guarding our hearts and eyes from anything that draws us away from our spouse.
The Seventh Commandment: Respect for Property in the Age of Entitlement
“Thou shalt not steal.”
Stealing isn’t limited to robbing a bank. It includes cheating on taxes, pirating media, “borrowing” without returning, or taking credit for someone else’s work.
It’s about respecting what belongs to others — and remembering that all we have ultimately belongs to God.
The Eighth Commandment: Truth in the Age of Spin
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
Lying, slander, gossip, and twisting the truth — all break this commandment. In the age of social media, “false witness” happens daily in the form of misleading posts, anonymous rumors, and clickbait headlines.
We are called to be people of truth, even when it costs us.
The Ninth Commandment: Purity of Heart in the Age of Temptation
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife.”
This isn’t just about lust. It’s about guarding your heart and mind against entertaining desires that lead to sin. It’s about respecting the sacred bond of marriage — your own and others’.
The Tenth Commandment: Contentment in the Age of Comparison
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s goods.”
We live in the most comparison-driven society in history. Every scroll through Instagram is an invitation to jealousy: their house, their vacation, their perfectly lit kitchen.
Coveting is not just wanting what someone else has — it’s allowing that desire to consume you, to steal your gratitude for what God has given you.
Teaching the Commandments to Your Children
If you don’t teach your children God’s law, the world will teach them its counterfeit. The Ten Commandments are not optional life advice — they are God’s blueprint for a life that leads to eternal joy.
Make them visible in your home. Talk about them. Explain them in ways your children can understand. And most importantly, live them out.
Why We Must Return to God’s Law
A society that forgets God’s law is a society on the edge of collapse. The Ten Commandments are not chains — they are guardrails. They keep us from going over the cliff.
We don’t get to rewrite them to suit our feelings. God’s law is eternal because God Himself is eternal.
Free Printable for Your Home
To help you keep God’s commandments front and center, the Wings Not Shadows team created a beautiful Ten Commandments printable you can frame and hang in your home.
It’s completely free when you sign up for the Wings Not Shadows newsletter — and it’s my gift to you for joining me in standing for God’s truth in a world that’s forgotten it.
Let’s keep His law before our eyes — and in our hearts.
Catholic Resources on the Ten Commandments
If you’d like to go deeper into Church teaching, here are some trusted Catholic resources on the Ten Commandments:
1. Official Teachings from the Vatican
- Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Ten Commandments
The full section of the Catechism that explains the Ten Commandments in detail, rooted in Scripture and Catholic Tradition. - First Commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me
A deep dive into the first commandment and the call to put God first. - Fourth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother
The importance of family, respect for parents, and social order. - Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet
A reflection on covetous desires, envy, and detachment from materialism.
2. Catholic Commentary and Study
- Catholic News Agency – The Ten Commandments
A clear, accessible overview with explanations for each commandment. - Catholic.com – The True Ten Commandments
Explores how Catholics number the commandments and the deeper meaning behind them. - EWTN – Ten Commandments Summary
A straightforward list of each commandment, including what it commands and what it forbids.
3. Practical Resources
- USCCB – Examination of Conscience (PDF)
A printable guide structured around the Ten Commandments. Great for personal reflection or preparing for confession.
Why These Resources Matter
The Ten Commandments aren’t just “rules” from long ago — they are God’s eternal law, meant to protect us, guide us, and lead us toward holiness. These resources help us rediscover their meaning and apply them to daily life in today’s culture.
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