The Ten Commandments – Basic 1 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

A commandment is a law or rule from God. It tells us what to do and what not to do, and it is given for our good. God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, written on two stone tablets (Exodus 20:1-17). They teach us to love God and to love other people.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• say what a commandment is
• tell who received the Ten Commandments from God and where
• name the Ten Commandments and give the simple meaning of each
• give reasons why God gave us commandments
• say how we can obey the commandments

What is a commandment?

A commandment is:

• A law or rule from God
• Something God tells us to do or not to do
• Very important, so we must obey
• Given for our good

Where did the commandments come from?

• God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses
• On Mount Sinai
• Written on two stone tablets
• This happened in the Old Testament
• Exodus 20:1-17

What are the Ten Commandments?

Commandment 1

“You shall have no other gods before me”

Simple meaning: Only worship God, not idols or other things

What this means for us:

• God must be first in our lives
• Don’t worship statues, money, or anything else
• Love God most
• Put nothing above God

Commandment 2

“You shall not make idols”

Simple meaning: Don’t make or worship statues or images as gods

What this means for us:

• Don’t bow down to idols
• Don’t worship created things
• Only worship the Creator (God)
• Don’t put anything in God’s place

Commandment 3

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God”

Simple meaning: Don’t use God’s name in a bad or disrespectful way

What this means for us:

• Don’t curse using God’s name
• Don’t say “Oh my God!” carelessly
• Respect God’s holy name
• Use God’s name with honour

Commandment 4

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”

Simple meaning: Set aside one day a week for God

What this means for us:

• Go to church on Sunday (or Saturday for some Christians)
• Rest and worship God
• Don’t work on God’s day
• Make it special

Commandment 5

“Honour your father and your mother”

Simple meaning: Respect and obey your parents

What this means for us:

• Obey mummy and daddy
• Speak respectfully to them
• Help them
• Take care of them when they’re old
• This is the first commandment with a promise: “so that you may live long”

Commandment 6

“You shall not murder”

Simple meaning: Don’t kill anyone

What this means for us:

• Don’t hurt or kill people
• Life is precious
• Respect everyone’s life
• Jesus also said don’t even be angry with people (Matthew 5:22)

Commandment 7

“You shall not commit adultery”

Simple meaning: Be faithful in marriage

What this means for us:

• Husbands and wives should be faithful to each other
• Don’t cheat on your spouse
• Keep marriage sacred
• For children: Respect marriage and family

Commandment 8

“You shall not steal”

Simple meaning: Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you

What this means for us:

• Don’t steal money, toys, or anything
• If something isn’t yours, don’t take it
• Return things you borrow
• Be honest

Commandment 9

“You shall not give false testimony”

Simple meaning: Don’t lie

What this means for us:

• Always tell the truth
• Don’t lie about others (gossip)
• Don’t make up stories
• Be honest in everything

Commandment 10

“You shall not covet”

Simple meaning: Don’t be jealous or want what others have

What this means for us:

• Don’t wish you had your friend’s toys
• Be happy with what you have
• Don’t be jealous
• Be content

Why did God give us commandments?

1. To show us how to live
   • The commandments are like a guidebook
   • They teach us right from wrong
   • They show God’s standard
2. To protect us
   • Rules keep us safe
   • They prevent us from hurting ourselves and others
   • God loves us and wants to protect us
3. To show us we need a Saviour
   • None of us can keep all the commandments perfectly
   • We all sin
   • This shows we need Jesus to save us
   • Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned”
4. To please God
   • When we obey, God is happy
   • Obedience shows our love for God
   • John 14:15 says “If you love me, keep my commands”
5. To have a good life
   • Following God’s rules leads to blessings
   • Deuteronomy 5:33 says obey “so that you may live and prosper”
   • Good things come from obedience
6. To live in harmony
   • When everyone follows these rules, we all get along
   • Society works better
   • There’s peace and order
7. To be holy
   • God is holy
   • He wants us to be holy too
   • 1 Peter 1:16 says “Be holy, because I am holy”
8. To know God better
   • God’s commandments reveal His character
   • We learn what God is like
   • We understand His nature

How can we remember the Ten Commandments?

The first four and the last six

First four commandments: About our relationship with GOD

1. No other gods
2. No idols
3. Don’t misuse God’s name
4. Keep the Sabbath holy

Last six commandments: About our relationship with OTHERS

5. Honour parents
6. Don’t murder
7. Don’t commit adultery
8. Don’t steal
9. Don’t lie
10. Don’t covet

Another way to remember

Think of the commandments in two groups:

• Love God (Commandments 1-4)
• Love others (Commandments 5-10)

Jesus said all the commandments can be summarised as:

1. Love God with all your heart
2. Love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40)

Can we keep all the commandments?

We can’t keep them perfectly by ourselves.

• We all sin
• We all break God’s commandments
• We need God’s help
• We need Jesus!

But we should try our best with God’s help.

How to obey the commandments

1. Ask God for help
   • Pray for strength
   • We can’t do it alone
   • Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ”
2. Read the Bible
   • Learn what God says
   • The Bible guides us
   • Psalm 119:105 says God’s Word is “a lamp to my feet”
3. Remember God’s love
   • God loves us
   • We obey because we love Him
   • God already loves us, so we do not obey to earn His love
4. When you fail, ask for forgiveness
   • We all make mistakes
   • Say sorry to God
   • He will forgive you
   • 1 John 1:9 promises forgiveness
5. Try again
   • Don’t give up
   • Keep trying to obey
   • God is patient with us

Memory verse

“If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15)

Evaluation

Choose the correct answer.

1. God gave the Ten Commandments to _____.
   • a) Noah
   • b) Moses
   • c) David
2. The fifth commandment says “Honour your _____ and _____.”
   • a) friends and toys
   • b) father and mother
   • c) dog and cat
3. “You shall not steal” means don’t _____.
   • a) share
   • b) take what isn’t yours
   • c) help
4. God gave us commandments to _____ us.
   • a) hurt
   • b) protect
   • c) confuse
5. The commandments teach us to love God and love _____.
   • a) money
   • b) others
   • c) only ourselves

Assignment

1. Try to memorise all Ten Commandments.
2. Obey the fifth commandment this week: honour your parents.
3. Write down the Ten Commandments.
4. Draw two stone tablets with the commandments.