The Ten Commandments

Scripture: Exodus 20; 1 Peter 1:13–16

Where Does Right and Wrong Come From?

The Bible tells the story of how, after Moses led Israel out of Egypt, God gave them the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. These were much more than just rules. They showed God’s character and how people should live. They provided the basic principles of right and wrong—the foundation of morality. Written on stone, they served as a permanent reminder of God’s moral law.

Some people say we don’t need God to tell us what to do. They say we can decide right and wrong for ourselves! But how do we know that some things really are right and others really are wrong?

Let’s look at three clues that point to the existence of a moral law.

Clue 1: Everyone Agrees That Some Things Are Wrong

Every culture and society recognizes that lying, stealing, and murder are wrong. If morality is just a matter of opinion, why do people across cultures share these moral convictions?

Universal moral truths point to a universal moral standard: God!

Clue 2: Without God, Morality Is Just an Opinion

If there is no God, who decides what is right and what is wrong? You? Me? Your country?

Hitler certainly believed he was right! Without God as the ultimate standard, right and wrong become matters of personal preference.

Clue 3: Conscience Points to God

The Bible says that God’s law is written on human hearts (Romans 2:15). That is why even people who have never read the Bible can feel guilty when they do something wrong.

God built a sense of morality into us!

So What? What Difference Does This Make?

If God gave us a moral law, then He must be real. And if He is real, we are accountable to Him!

This means we must recognize that we have done wrong and need forgiveness. And that is why we all need Jesus!