A Closer Look at the Ten Commandments: Commandments 6–10

Welcome to the third and final part of my series on the Ten Commandments. When we walked through the first five commandments, we see what it means to love God with our whole hearts. They shape our devotion, our priorities, and the way we make room for Him in our lives.

Now we shift to the final five, and these focus on something just as important. They show us what it looks like to love people well. These commandments create the foundation for community. They guide the way we treat family, friends, strangers, and even our own thoughts and attitudes.

So let’s go through commandments six through ten together.

When I read this, I think of physical harm, and of course, it covers that. Human life is precious to God. Every soul carries His image, and every person is important to Him.

There are so many moral and legal implications with this commandment. There are several texts in the Bible that refer to the loss of life but I’m not equipped to get into any kind of theological debate!

I see that this commandment teaches us about the value of life as a whole and how we treat one another.

Anger, frustration, resentment, bitterness, and greed are all human emotions. (My hand is raised high). They also affect how we see others and they grow quickly if left unchecked.

Sometimes I’ll think or say something in the heat of the moment, and I’m left totally shocked. Did I really think that? Did I really just say that?

Yes, yes I did.

I know that God speaks to our hearts. This commandment calls us to guard our hearts, because the way we handle our emotions influences the way we treat and react to the people around us.

What is our intention? Are we operating from a stance of negative emotion for our own selfish benefit?

Jesus taught that the heart behind harmful actions matters just as much as the actions themselves. When we refuse to feed anger and choose forgiveness, patience, and peace instead, we protect our relationships long before they break.

I believe we need to choose grace over retaliation, gentleness over rage. It’s not always easy, but this is what God’s love calls us to do.

Of all the commandments, I find that this one seems to be the one that our culture is willing to turn a blind eye to, or even normalize.

But why is that the case?

Watch enough soap operas, or even romantic comedies and you’ll see what I mean. It’s almost like there are justifications and reasons as to why it’s “ok”.

It’s not THAT big of a deal…at least it’s not AS BAD as taking someone’s life….

Unlike the other commandments, this one speaks to innate human sexual desire, something pleasing to the body. And now things start to get uncomfortable.

I recall a sermon on the topic of adultery and the congregation was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the sanctuary. Let me tell you, there were no “Hallelujahs” or “Amens” that day.

But whether or not we want to bend the rules and make it ok, or make it the central plot of a romantic comedy as to why the married female lead now deserves to be with the incredibly handsome neighbor…it’s still one of God’s commandments for us.

I’m not saying that adultery doesn’t happen. Of course it does!

As does breaking each and every one of the other commandments.

This commandment seems clear at first. Don’t take what belongs to someone else. Ok, fine.

But like the others, it goes deeper.

Stealing doesn’t only happen with objects. Maybe it looks like taking credit for something that wasn’t ours.

Maybe it looks like cutting corners at work or not giving our full effort. Maybe it’s when we waste someone’s time or ignore responsibilities that affect other people.

Or perhaps you’ve heard of an “emotional vampire”. They suck the energy out of others through manipulation, constant complaining, and criticism. Taking and taking and taking some more. It leaves those around them drained and insecure. To me, that is stealing.

If I take a glass of water from someone because I’m thirsty and I really need it, am I walking away…or am I replenishing the glass with more water?

This commandment teaches us to be honest and upright. It encourages us to be people of integrity in everything we do. Gratitude protects our hearts.

When we’re thankful for what we already have, the desire to take from others fades away.

Our words carry weight. Speaking truthfully is about choosing words that build up rather than tear down.

Perhaps you’ve never said a negative thing about the neighbor across the street because they always bring in your bin on garbage day. Or maybe you’ve never lied under oath in the court of law. Kudos to you.

Gossip. Exaggeration. Misrepresentation. Omission. These are all forms of false testimony and they create division. They damage reputations and strain relationships.

Where does it start, and where does it end? Even seemingly minor distortions can spread quickly and create wounds that are hard to heal. One “little white lie” can balloon and morph into something terrible. I speak from personal experience.

Truthfulness is a form of love. When we speak honestly, we protect those around us. We become trustworthy.

When I speak, am I protecting myself or am I honoring God? This commandment invites us to pause before we speak and consider the impact our words might have.

To covet means to yearn to possess or have something. Coveting begins when we fix our attention on what someone else has and believe it would bring us more joy than what God has already placed in our lives.

When you think about it, comparison always steals something from us. It’s so subtle, but our focus shifts from abundance to lack. It takes away our gratitude, and our ability to see the beauty in our own blessings.

God gives this commandment because He knows how comparison affects us. He wants us to be content in Him. He wants us to remember that He provides what we need.

Contentment doesn’t come from having everything we want, instead it grows from trusting God with our lives and finding joy in the present.

When we let go of comparison, we gain peace. We start noticing the blessings right in front of us.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

When I step back and look at all of the commandments together, I see something beautiful. I see a picture of love.

Every part of the commandments helps us live with more compassion, humility, and devotion. They guide us in the way we speak, how we treat others, what we value, and the condition of our hearts.

When we walk closely with Him and let His wisdom shape our decisions, these commandments are like a path toward loving God and loving others with intention and heart.

Now on that path, we will stumble, trip, and fall. But He is always there to pick us up again. Thanks be to God!