The Commandments are Actions

We have some pictures of the ten commandments on our walls done for a company many years ago, they are reproductions.

On the picture demonstrating the third commandment to "not take the name of the Lord in vain", is a picture of a man walking out of church with a big Bible. He has his nose in the air, while a begging old woman is on her knees at his feet, he is piously ignoring her completely, as though she has no value, like a dog or cat. Many years ago, when the Bible was the only source for spiritual wisdom in this country, everyone understood what that commandment meant.

Since we live in a world of superficial Christianity, the people think everything is about words. If we say something then those words have power. This is new age concept that is not in Scripture.

Most of our churches have errored in teaching children not to take the Lord's name in vain through speech while neglecting the training in actions to live as evidence of what they say.

Even the word love in Hebrew is an action word, either to give or to withhold, depending on what is needed.

Words do not have power but actions do.

Our culture says "I am a good person", while they sack up with their unwed partner. They say " I am a good person", while taking from others and never giving back.
They say "I am a basically good person", those who are thieves in jail think they are good because they didn't murder. They say "I am a good person", when their life demonstrates exactly the opposite. This is the reason they are so angry when they are shown by the commandments that they are not good people and never have been. They have chosen to pretend they are good, even though in their heart of hearts they know they are not, the reason they become so angry when anyone challenges their goodness.

There are two sayings that impacted my life many years ago, because I saw people saying things about themselves that didn't seem to ring true. God showed me through His Word that no one is good and those who like to say they are, have to say in place of the reality.

Saying is not equal to being! What we say carries no weight at all unless it matches how we live. What we say can easily be refuted by the evidence of actions.

The two sayings:
"Your actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying."
"Actions speak louder than words."

If we are wanting to live for the Lord, it is better to remain silent about ourselves and just live for Christ in our actions.

Colossians 3:5-10
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

James 1:26
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."

1 John 3:18
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."