God's Laws (12)

The Ten Commandments are divided into two parts. The first five belong to God and the second five belong to man. Analysis of the first five commandments, as recorded in Exodus 20:3-12, shows that God reserves the right to judge the first five commandments for himself.

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.……. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

All except the first have a statement that God will deal with all offences against them. God will punish and he will bless. He will work out the consequence of breaking these five commands in history, or on the day of judgement.

These commandments are relevant to how we live, but we are only accountable to God for our obedience to them. We are not accountable to other men for them, so judges are not required to deal with loving God, false worship, honouring our parents, blasphemy or keeping the Sabbath. (Sabbath breaking ceased being a crime when Jesus gave us our true rest - Heb 4:1-11).

Judges must not attempt to enforce these laws.