The Ten Commandments
Q22. What does this mean?
God warns that he will punish everyone who breaks these commandments. So we should fear his anger and not disobey them. But he also promises grace and every good thing to those who keep them. So we should love him, trust him, and gladly do what he says.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Psalm 103:17–18
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.”
Deuteronomy 11:26–28
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
Parent Guide
Discuss this question together
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why should we fear God's anger and not disobey his commandments?
- 2
After reading all ten commandments, can anyone actually keep them perfectly?
- 3
Where does this leave you, and why does that matter for what comes next in the catechism?
Illustration
A mirror shows you exactly what you look like. It does not fix your messy hair. It does not wash the dirt off your face. It just shows you the truth. The Ten Commandments are God's mirror. They show you every smudge and stain of sin. They were never meant to clean you up. They were meant to show you how badly you need someone who can.
Application
Take a few minutes this week to go through the Ten Commandments and honestly ask where you have failed. Do not try to fix yourself. Instead, bring those failures to God in prayer and ask him to show you the good news that comes next in the Creed. The Law has done its work. Now you are ready for the Gospel.
Read Luther’s expanded teaching
From the Large Catechism (1529)