There’s been a lot of talk about the Ten Commandments and whether it should be required that a copy be posted in public school classrooms. By my quick research, four states – Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas – have passed laws required public schools to display the Ten Commandments.
Alabama, which has a long history of battles over the Ten Commandments, mandates public schools display the Ten Commandments in fifth through 12 grades “where U.S. history is taught,’’ as well as common areas “subject to the availability of donations for posters or framed documents.” That’s an interesting caveat, don’t you think?
Louisiana’s House Bill 71 requires poster-size displays in classrooms, emphasizing the historical significance of the Ten Commandments in American law and education. That fits within the historical context of this country, where for the first couple hundred years or so of public education, the Ten Commandments were commonly displayed or taught as part of moral or civic education, as opposed to explicit religious instruction.
Frankly, I don’t want public school teachers engaged in religious instruction. But I do see the value of using the Ten Commandment in public schools as a historical basis for law, particularly in Western Civilization and the United States in particular. It’s nearly impossible to separate the two, such was the Judea-Christian influence on our leaders (whether they were actually “Christians” or not).
However, I also understand the objection. It’s impossible to separate the Ten Commandments from the faith which produced them, simply because even if you say they were authored by Moses, you have to say Moses believed he was given these words by God.
As a Christian, if I were in a majority Muslim or Hindu or Rastafarian or Zen culture, I would prefer not to have texts from those faiths posted for my child to see every day, even if they were strictly used in a historical context (I would have no problem with them being taught in a historical context; in fact, in my 1970s public school our English teacher did include texts from other religions, as well as the Bible, for purposes of styles of literature).
Still, there have been things taught to my children by teachers and professors that I disagree with – at least, disagree with the interpretation given by those teachers that often have nothing to do with religion – and it has led to good discussions with my kids. Such discussions should be part of raising children and teaching them what I believe to be important, ultimately allowing them to decide for themselves.
I also believe Christians are no longer under the law, that Jesus fulfilled the law and we come to God by faith, not by our attempts to keep the law. For me, as I read the Bible, I see plenty of other “commandments” that I would like to see emphasized.
But while saying that, it's interesting to note that the New Testament, or New Covenant as it’s sometimes called, include some commands that are tougher than the original Law of Moses. It’s not just don’t commit adultery, it’s don’t lust; it’s not enough to just not murder, we’re told not to hate.
It seems Jesus was more interested in our internal thoughts and desires, knowing that those are what led to most of our significant outward action.
The New Testament doesn’t free us from commands. They don’t sound quite as harsh, but they are just as tough. Things like “Do not let your hearts be troubled” or “Be completely humble and gentle” and ‘’be self-controlled” and “rejoice in the Lord always.” We don’t necessarily think of worrying or not being gentle or failing to rejoice in the Lord as sins, but these are things we’re “told” (which sounds gentler than “commanded”) to do.
I admit I don’t treat being joyful as a Biblical command. But nobody argues with Jesus’ command to “love one another.” Why do we so casually read through commands to be joyful as if these are somehow just suggestions or good ideas? Paul says it multiple times – “Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!” (Philippians 3:1); “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4); and another of one of those short verses, “Rejoice always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Actually, Paul gives us another “10 Commandments” in 1 Thessalonians that I number this way:
1. Comfort and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
2. Respect all leaders (verses 12-13)
3. Warn the unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the week, be patient with one another (verse 14)
4. Treat everyone with kindness (verse 15)
5. Rejoice always (verse 16)
6. Pray without ceasing (verse 17)
7. Give thanks (verse 18)
8. Do not quench the Spirit (verse 19)
9. Test all teachings (verse 20-21)
10. Avoid evil (verse 22).
I’m commanded to do these things, even if we don’t like to think of them as “commandments.”
These things don’t come naturally to me. I have to remind myself. I need to, as it says in Deuteronomy 6, “… talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” These “commands” aren’t for just when I feel like it, or for special occasions; they are supposed to be part of every moment of my life.
It takes energy. And there are days when I don’t feel particularly joyful.
But then, just because there are clouds in the sky doesn’t mean the sun isn’t shining behind them.
These don’t seem to be suggestions. I need to quit thinking of them as such.
I was listening to some old old contemporary Christian music, by Andre Crouch. He has a song which says, “Somebody told me about the joy they have. Somebody told me that in their sorry, they could be glad. Then they told me they were blind but now they see. I didn’t think it could be until it happened to me.
“You won’t believe that it’s true until it happens to you.”
