The Ten Commandments, each of the ten, are designed and issued as commands to be obeyed. They are for the nurturing and protecting of our relationships.
The first 4 Commandments are regarding our relationship with God, how to treat Him, and what to do to protect and nurture that relationship. The remaining 6 Commandments are for the safe-guarding and nurturing of our relationships with other people.
It is interesting when scripture says, "Faith, Hope, and Love, but the greatest of these is Love." (1 Corinthians 13:13) Not only is Love the only element of those three that require a relationship in which to exist, but Love is also greater than the other two, Faith and Hope.
Someone might not like being around people, but having relationships is the greatest aspect of the Christian life. A person cannot be a hermit AND be a healthy Christian. They will have to forsake one to become more of the other.
Right relationships are what the Kingdom of God is all about. For the person who avoids other people, the most important part of their personal discipleship will be to develop a genuine love, not only for God, but also for people.
How are your relationships in your life? Are you avoiding them? Please reconsider. God holds relationships to be of the utmost importance, giving us the Ten Commandments (the pinnacle of all the other commands of God) to help us nurture them.
When asked which of all the commandments is the greatest, Jesus said, "’To love the Lord your God with [your all]...’ and, ‘to love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Luke 10:27)
He is speaking of the greatest commandments which are to be observed and obeyed so as to protect that which is of the greatest value: He is speaking of relationships.
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