Why God needed to set commandments?

“Thou shall not.” If you are a Christian, you are familiar with this phrase. 

Have you ever wondered why God needs to set up rules or commandments? Did He just set them to punish people when they disobey?

For non-believers, they think that being a Christ follower is all about obeying strict rules. They believe God does not want people to enjoy life once they surrender to His authority. 

Besides, God’s commandments may sometimes be why others still do not want to know and accept Him. They fear that they will not be able to enjoy life if they need to follow God’s commandments. 

What are God’s commandments?

In the Old Testament, God has set 10 commandments for His people. 

The first four commands us to have a good relationship with God. Meanwhile, the last six are about how we deal with our relationship with one another. 

Relationship with God

In Exodus 20:2-11, the Lord emphasized that He is God who saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He noted that they should not have any other gods other than Him. 

Moreover, He commanded them not to make themselves an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath. 

Also, they should not make any images in the waters below. 

More importantly, God commanded them not to worship or bow down to these self-made images. They should not misuse the name of the Lord. 

Additionally, He commanded the Israelites to value the Sabbath day and make it holy. They can work for six days, but the seventh day is dedicated to rest in the Lord.

Relationships with one another

God commands the Israelites on how they could treat each other in Exodus 20:12-17. First, God asked His people to honor their parents so they could live long in the land that He is giving. 

Then, He commanded His people not to kill, commit adultery, steal, and make false accusations against their neighbors. 

More so, they shall not covet their neighbor’s house, wife, or even their male or female servants. They should not envy their ox or anything that belongs to their neighbors.

Jesus simplified God’s commandments

Meanwhile, in the New Testament, Jesus simplified these ten commandments into two commands. 

Mark 12:30-31 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

He simply put love as the greatest commandment of all. We must love the Lord our God, including our souls, mind, and might. Then, we must love others as we love ourselves.

Why God set commandments

So why does God need to set up commandments for us to follow? It would be difficult to obey God wholeheartedly without us understanding why.

Here are some possible answers to why God needs to set up rules. 

God of order

Imagine a home without rules and regulations. It would be a chaotic place to live so, like the world. 

1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” 

God sets His commandments to give order and peace to people. Obeying God’s commandments guides us on how we can treat Him as our Lord and how we can also treat other people.

Those who obey God’s commandments experience a more peaceful and well-organized life than those who do not.

To know what is right from wrong

We would only know what is right from wrong with rules and commandments. If it is not written, we may not realize that using God’s name for fun is wrong. 

Alternatively, we may not know that idolatry is sinful if God did not command us that worshipping other gods in any form is wrong.

Moreover, the Lord is giving us wisdom on attracting His favor by choosing what is right.

To know how to live abundantly 

God’s commandments never intend to harm us but to give us a way for a prosperous life. 

“Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” - Deuteronomy 5:33

If you try to study God’s commandments, there is nothing harmful in His rules. Those who obey His laws are the ones successful in life.  

They love and respect the Lord by loving Him completely and treating others as is written in God’s words.

For instance, a cheating husband could not have an abundant life and would always face the consequences of his disobedience.

To bring out the best in you

Those who obey God’s commandments are confident about their identity. Because they only seek God’s validation, they are not afraid to follow God’s commandments even if the world rejects them.

Furthermore, God’s commandments are guidelines for becoming a better person toward other people. 

When Jesus said we must love others as we love ourselves, obey Him. We are becoming more like Him toward other people.

For example, we become more compassionate and patient even to those who hurt us. We learn to help others in their downfall instead of judging them.

Besides, when we completely love the Lord, we are more focused on pleasing Him than pleasing ourselves and others.

To have a common foundation

When God sets His commandments, He is telling it to all His people for us to have a common foundation. There is no exception to God’s rules. 

As God redeemed the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt and Jesus Christ redeemed us out of our slavery from sin, we are now under a new law. 

We are now under God’s sovereignty and commandments, which we could use to start our new life. The law was given to become a foundation for the nation of Israel. 

There are three crucial things any nation should have. A country has to have a “common” people, land, and law or constitute. 

To experience God’s grace

Not because God sets His commandments does not mean He does not understand our weaknesses. He knows us well enough that we cannot obey Him perfectly. 

Though there would be punishments for disobedience, the beauty of God’s love is His grace for us to be forgiven. 

God’s grace is greater than our sins. 

Romans 5:20-21 says, “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

We may sometimes fail to obey God’s commandments, but God’s grace reminds us that we can try again and better this time.

To humble us

God’s commandments remind us that we are not perfect and need a savior to help us obey His will. God wants to teach us to be humble enough to surrender to His sovereignty. 

When we humble ourselves before the Lord, He will give us the power to resist temptations and obey His laws. 

The more we pursue God’s will, the more we are willing to follow and keep His commandments.