It is the goodness of God to forbid us from sin. It is the goodness of God also to describe sin for us in his moral law, so that we might know it when we see it and keep from it with all our might.

Not long ago our church studied through the Ten Commandments together. In preparation for considering this formidable and famous piece of Old Testament law, it was helpful for me to consider, or reconsider, the goodness of God in all that he does, including giving us the law.

More than just a list of do’s and don’ts, Jesus later summarizes all the law, including these “top ten,” in terms of love. So, we might well approach each commandment as an answer to this question first and foremost: how can I better love God and love my neighbor? And, like everything that God says and does in this world, it is for our good as well as his glory.

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