The young man said to him [Jesus], “All these I have kept.”
Matthew 19:20
Take a moment to consider where you stand in relation to the Ten Commandments. Here are three possibilities:
Some of us think we’ve climbed the wall. A man was talking with Jesus about the Ten Commandments, and he said, “I’ve kept them all!” He hadn’t murdered anyone, told any whopping lies, or raided a bank. He was a good citizen who flossed his teeth and paid his taxes, but he misunderstood the commands. They aren’t limited to actions, and if you’ve never struggled to keep them, it’s probably time to get started.
Some of us are stretched out on the wall. Maybe God’s called you to work in a hostile environment and the pressures are enormous. You’re exhausted from the struggle. The fact that you’re struggling means you are on the wall. The Heidelberg Catechism asks about the Ten Commandments:
Q: Can those converted to God obey them perfectly?
A: No. In this life, even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless… they do begin to live according to all, not only some, of God’s commandments.
Christians make a beginning of integrity, a beginning of worship, and a beginning of contentment, but it is a true beginning, and one day it will be complete.
Some of us have fallen off the wall. There was a time when you were walking with Christ, but you lost your footing. Maybe it was a workaholic lifestyle, an unresolved conflict, or a secret deception. Thank God for His mercy. If it was not for God’s mercy, you would be lost forever. But mercy’s rope held you. You are not where you used to be, but there is hope for you. Get back on the wall and start climbing.
Where do you stand?
