# The Ten Commandments and our relationship with God
*2015-03-02*

> Bill Young reflects on the first few of the Ten Commandments from Exodus, exploring how these laws are not burdens for slaves, but expectations for people freed by God.

## Returning to the Fundamentals

Lent is a time of stripping away the non-essential, making it the perfect time to take a look at the Decalogue—the Ten Commandments. These are the fundamentals of our faith that every child learns, but how often do we revisit them as adults? There are deep truths about ourselves awaiting discovery here.

## Commands for Free People

Before providing the list of fundamental laws, God reminds us of who issued the commandments. He is not some detached monarch, but the God who rescued us and brought us out of slavery. Therefore, these are not commands issued to slaves, but expectations issued to free people in a passionate relationship with a God who cares for them.

## The Primacy of God

The entire idea of God's law is rooted in our intimacy with Him. God makes it clear that this relationship must outweigh absolutely everything else; no other gods or things can take precedence over Him.

## Identifying Our Idols

We must ask ourselves: what or who in our lives at this moment gets between us and God? Does our self-centeredness blind us to the needs of others? Do our fears push us to cling to superficial comforts—such as drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, or other addictions—to make us feel more secure? Does a superior attitude about others' ethnicity chip away at our love for God and all God's children?

## The State of the Conscience

We should examine what has become of our conscience. Is it so cluttered, or lost in philosophical meandering, that we legitimize moral decisions simply to please ourselves? Do we bow down before the god of business and forget the Catholic principles of justice? We must consider what makes our material unions less than ideal.

*The Ten Commandments are rooted in our intimacy with God and serve as a guide for those He has freed from slavery.*