Outline the Principal Ethical Teachings in the Ten Commandments
- The Ten Commandments are a set of rules or guidelines that ultimately separate order from chaos and provide boundaries for Christians in which to live their lives. They are motivated by God’s love for humanity and, therefore, act as a more important source than just a list of rules or restrictions.
- They cannot be approached in this way, instead, what they articulate is how a person acts who follows Jesus’ example and lives by love. They do not attempt to seek perfection but rather seek to imitate Christ.
- Each commandment highlights key ethical values which should be applied in Christian life, for instance, “Though shall not kill” communicates the values of honesty, trust and justice.
Describe the Importance of these Ethical Teachings in the Life of Adherents
- Whilst the Ten Commandments explicitly state these ethical values which underpin Christian morality, in our modern society they are producers of discussion and debate. Their ‘black and white’ nature highlights the grey areas of morality in society such as, when does birth and death occur? When does life become human? This particularly pertains to issues that are recent in nature.
- This, therefore, assists Christians in questioning and understanding their moral boundaries and helps in forming and developing their ethical code.