Here we start a series of discussion about FATHER'S Ten Commandments.  Are you ready?  Surveys have shown that a huge percentage of the people polled think they will go to heaven for keeping the Ten Commandments.  When the same people were asked what those Ten Commandments were, only a tiny portion of those sampled could name even a few of them.

This being the case, it will be helpful to us to learn the Commandments and to seek their relevance in today's world.  Ready?  Good.  Here they are in full Scripture.  The Commandments are in bold type.

<sup>1Then God instructed the people as follows:

2"I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt.

3"Do not worship any other gods besides me.

4"Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. 5You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. 6But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations.

7"Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

8"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, 10but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

12"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you.

13"Do not murder.

14"Do not commit adultery.

15"Do not steal.

16"Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

17"Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns."</sup>

We now live in what is called a "Godless Society."  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Society will never be Godless, but what god are we speaking about?

The One True GOD is the One who gave us HIS heart in this Scripture above.  To follow the Ten Commandments is to become like HIM!  Salvation does not come by following them, because we cannot follow them 100 percent of the time.

Face it, you have broken them.  I have broken them.  Sometimes daily!  They are not there for the purpose of salvation.  JESUS came to do that.  The Commandments are there to do the following

1.  Reveal to us HIS Character
2.  Lead us on the right path
3.  Help us to become like HIM
4. Protect us from damage caused by allegiance with the god of this world
5.  Define sin
6.  More . . . .

So with your permission we will spend some time digging in to FATHER'S Ten Commandments.