Modern Day Perspectives: Does our society allow us to uphold the Ten Commandments?

Most people have heard them all before. The Ten Commandments, God's covenant with us, tell us to do/not do a very specific list of things. Thou shall not kill, steal, lie, have other gods, keep false idols, use the Lord's name in vain, commit adultery, or covet thy neighbor's belongings. We should also keep the Sabath sacred and honor our parents. These things seem so simple to me, but we violate them daily. That's why I thank God for Jesus.

In our culture lying is as common as breathing. We are sarcastic, we exaggerate, we gossip, and we flat out lie to each other all the time. The Internet has allowed us to create online identities separate from our true selves, and lie to people with the click of a mouse.

People use the Lord's name in vain as a joke. It's not okay. Ever.

Honoring thy mother and thy father is one of the least upheld commandments. As I am reading the Bible I am realizing that the prayers of faithful parents can save a generation, so honoring thy mother and father is crucial.

We live in a world where stealing and killing are so commonplace we have a prison system. Stealing and killing usually occur because of another commandment being broken. Think about how many cases come through the courts because of adultery, lying, and coveting thy neighbor's home.

The celebrity culture we have has created a huge sense of idolatry. We even have a show called American Idol. Dancing with the Stars is one of the most watched shows on television. People are obsessed with celebrity culture, and the wealth, fame, and fashion that goes along with it. But people never stop to think that most celebrity marriages don't last longer than a few years and most of them have drug habits.

And commiting adultery is expected. I once had a friend tell me that she believed this particular commandment was irrelevant because dating did not exist in Bibilical times. Therefore since people date now having sex before marriage is okay with God. Our culture glamorizes adutery in the music we listen to, the movies, we watch, television, and the expecations we place on each other.

But at the end of the day, have we as Christians become so much apart of the world that we ignore the  Word? At the risk of sounding preachy, own up to your transgressions and stop trying to justify them. Also if you know better, but you're not doing better, you better.

Exodus Chapters 20-40

What I got: Take the covenant seriously

Thoughts: Moses was a man of great faith and he was not afraid to have great expectations. He went up and down Mount Sinai to hear the word of God, and he asked God questions so that he was clear on his responsibilities. Often we are taught not to question God, but questioning is fine as long as you obey. Moses steadfastly went after his blessings and the blessings of his future generations. The Lord had big plans for the Israelites and even though they sometimes faltered he did not break his covenant with them.

Questions: Has anyone built a replica of the tabernacle and tent? I think it would be cool to see all the bronze, gold, linen, and scarlet purple and blue yarn.

Looking Forward: The Book of Leviticus is next, which is the story of the Levites. They are the tribe of priests ordained by God. I think this book will be interesting, and perhaps explain some of the procedural things that happen in church.