CHAPTER: 4

“The Ten Commandments”

The Ten Commandments are a set of moral laws given by God that apply to all people, no matter
their religion or beliefs. These rules teach values like love, respect, truth, justice, peace, and
responsibility. Even people who do not believe in God can still recognize that these values are
essential for a good and fair society.

Each commandment teaches us something important about how we should treat God and one
another. When people follow these rules, they live in harmony with others and experience true
happiness.

Application of the Ten Commandments

Each of the Ten Commandments teaches us how to live a good life by guiding our actions. They
tell us what we should do (bid) and what we should avoid (forbid). They also contain important
truths and values and encourage us to develop good habits (virtues). However, people, including
children, sometimes break these commandments in their daily lives.

CHART 2 – Application of the Ten Commanments

THE MORAL UNIVERSAL POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS SOME
LAW – TEN TRUTHS/VALUE OF THE MORAL LAW AT VIRTUES
COMMANDMENT S CONTAINED IN HOME AND SCHOOL (GOOD
S THE MORAL
COMMANDMEN HABITS)
T TO BE
DEVELOP

I. “I am the Lord Love of God Superstitious practices Faith

your God, you shall Love of Truth Fortune Telling Hope
adore me alone and Charity
love me above all” Humility
Justice
Obedience

II. "You shall use my Respect for God Profanity/Swearing Justice

name with respect” Fulfilment of vows Irreverence Humility
and oaths Blasphemies Self-control
Sacrilege

III. "Remember that Worship of God Laziness to attend worship Humility

you keep holy the Need for Work and Indifference to worship Justice
Lord's Day” Rest obligation Obedience
Lack of work ethics Laziness to Industry
do school Diligence
assignments Spirit of
Service
Fortitude

IV. “Honor your Respect for life Disrespect for superiors Charity
father and your Respect for the Disobedience to parents and Patience
mother" (and lawful dignity of man teachers Kindness
supeno and Family solidarity Unpatriotic/subversive activities Obedience
authorities)” Love of country Loyalty
Freedom Justice
Peace Patriotism

V. “You shall not Respect for life Fighting Charity

kill” Respect for the Inflicting injuries Anger/Hatred Justice
dignity of man. Gossip/abusive words Patience
Laziness Magnanimit
Drug/alcohol abuse y
Temperance
Self-control

VI. “You shall not Respect for the Viewing/reading of Temperance

commit impurity” dignity of sex pornography Purity
Vulgar, obscene conversations Modesty
Extra-marital/homosexual Self-control
relations
Self-abuse

VII. “You shall not Respect for property Stealing Justice

steal” Social justice Vandalism Self-control
Cheating on tests Truthfulness

VIII. “You shall Love of and Lying/deceiving/manipulating Justice

speak the truth and commitment to Calumnies/detractions/backbitin Truthfulness
respect the good Truth Respect for g Sincerity
name of your the dignity of man Malicious gossip Intense Discretion
neighbor” Freedom envy/jealousies Self-control
Peace Prying into personal lives
 IX. “You shall not Respect for the Viewing/reading of Temperance
consent to impure dignity of sex pornography Purity
thoughts and desires” Vulgar, obscene conversations Modesty
Extra-marital/homosexual Self-control
relations
Self-abuse

X. “You shall not Respect for property Stealing Justice

unjustly desire your Social justice Vandalism Self-control
neighbor's goods” Cheating on tests Truthfulness

At home and in school, rules are made to help children grow into responsible and kind
individuals. These rules teach self-discipline, help maintain order, and ensure that everyone
treats each other with respect. Even though children sometimes break rules, deep inside, they
know that rules are meant for their own good and the good of others.

Since every child is created in God’s image, they naturally want to do what is right, even if they
sometimes make mistakes. Parents and teachers help guide them by teaching values, discipline,
and the importance of following God’s Commandments.
Explanation of each commandments:

I. "I am the Lord your God, you shall adore me alone and love me above all"

 Meaning: Love and worship only God, and trust in the truth.
 Possible Violations:
o Superstitions: Believing in magic or supernatural powers instead of trusting in
God.
o Fortune Telling: Trying to know the future using methods like tarot cards or
crystal balls instead of trusting God.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Faith: Trusting in God.
o Hope: Believing in God’s plans.
o Charity: Loving God and others.
o Humility: Recognizing God's greatness.
o Justice: Treating everyone fairly.
o Obedience: Following God’s teachings.

Example: Instead of praying and trusting God, a person uses fortune telling to predict their
future.

II. "You shall use my name with respect"

 Meaning: Use God's name carefully and respectfully, and keep promises made in God’s
name.
 Possible Violations:
o Profanity/Swearing: Using God’s name in a careless or disrespectful way (e.g.,
saying “Oh my God” as an expression).
o Irreverence: Not showing respect when talking about God or religious things.
o Blasphemy: Speaking negatively or mocking God.
 o Sacrilege: Treating holy things carelessly (like damaging a Bible or disrespecting
a church).
 Virtues to Develop:
o Justice: Be fair and respectful to others.
o Humility: Show reverence to God.
o Self-control: Be careful with your words.

Example: Saying “Oh my God” angrily during a tough situation, instead of speaking with
respect.

III. "Remember that you keep holy the Lord's Day"

 Meaning: Dedicate time to worship God, and balance work and rest.
 Possible Violations:
o Laziness to attend worship: Skipping church or prayer.
o Indifference: Not caring about attending worship or fulfilling religious duties.
o Lack of work ethics: Not doing your homework or responsibilities because
you’re lazy.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Humility: Recognizing the importance of worship.
o Justice: Doing your part in worship and work.
o Obedience: Following God’s commands.
o Industry: Working hard.
o Diligence: Being consistent in your duties.
o Spirit of Service: Helping others and being generous.
o Fortitude: Being strong and persistent in doing what’s right.

Example: A student skips church on Sunday and avoids doing their homework, showing laziness
and indifference.

IV. "Honor your father and your mother (and lawful superiors and authorities)"

 Meaning: Respect your parents, teachers, and authority figures.

 Possible Violations:
o Disrespect: Disobeying or being rude to parents and teachers.
o Unpatriotic activities: Not respecting your country or breaking laws.
 Virtues to Develop:
 o Charity: Loving and helping your family.
o Patience: Being understanding with others.
o Kindness: Treating others with respect.
o Obedience: Listening to and respecting authority.
o Loyalty: Standing by your family and country.
o Justice: Being fair to others.
o Patriotism: Loving and respecting your country.

Example: A teenager argues with their parents and refuses to do what they ask, showing
disrespect and disobedience.

V. "You shall not kill"

 Meaning: Respect all life and treat others with dignity.

 Possible Violations:
o Violence: Fighting, bullying, or hurting others.
o Anger and Hatred: Holding grudges or wishing harm on others.
o Gossip and Abusive Words: Using harmful language.
o Drug/Alcohol Abuse: Damaging your body with unhealthy substances.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Charity: Caring for others.
o Justice: Treating everyone with fairness.
o Patience: Controlling anger.
o Magnanimity: Being generous and forgiving.
o Temperance: Avoiding excess.
o Self-control: Controlling impulses.

Example: Two students get into a fight over a disagreement, injuring each other. This breaks the
commandment of not killing or harming others.

VI. "You shall not commit impurity"

 Meaning: Respect the dignity of sexuality and be pure in your actions.

 Possible Violations:
o Pornography: Watching inappropriate content.
 o Obscene Conversations: Using vulgar or disrespectful language.
o Immoral Relations: Engaging in sexual activities outside of marriage or in ways
that are harmful.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Temperance: Practicing self-control.
o Purity: Keeping your mind and body pure.
o Modesty: Being humble in your actions and speech.
o Self-control: Controlling desires.

Example: A student watches inappropriate content on the internet or engages in harmful

conversations with friends.

VII. "You shall not steal"

 Meaning: Respect other people’s property and be honest.

 Possible Violations:
o Stealing: Taking something that doesn’t belong to you.
o Cheating: Lying on tests or assignments.
o Vandalism: Damaging someone else’s property.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Justice: Being fair and honest.
o Self-control: Resisting the temptation to take what isn’t yours.
o Truthfulness: Always telling the truth.

Example: A student steals a classmate's pencil or cheats on a test, which violates the
commandment of not stealing.

VIII. "You shall speak the truth and respect the good name of your neighbor"

 Meaning: Always tell the truth and protect the reputation of others.
 Possible Violations:
 o Lying: Deceiving others.
o Gossiping: Spreading rumors or lies.
o Malicious Gossip: Speaking ill of someone to hurt them.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Justice: Being honest and fair.
o Truthfulness: Always telling the truth.
o Sincerity: Being genuine in your words.
o Discretion: Knowing when not to speak.
o Self-control: Controlling what you say.

Example: A student tells a lie about a friend to make them look bad, which breaks the
commandment of respecting others’ reputation.

IX. "You shall not consent to impure thoughts and desires"

 Meaning: Keep your thoughts pure, especially in matters of sexuality.

 Possible Violations:
o Pornography: Viewing inappropriate material.
o Vulgar Conversations: Talking inappropriately about sex or relationships.
o Immoral Actions: Thinking or acting in ways that are not respectful of others’
dignity.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Temperance: Controlling your desires.
o Purity: Keeping your thoughts and actions pure.
o Modesty: Acting humbly and respectfully.
o Self-control: Controlling your thoughts.

Example: A student is distracted by impure thoughts and is unable to focus in class.

X. "You shall not unjustly desire your neighbor's goods"

 Meaning: Don’t be jealous of what others have; respect their property.

 Possible Violations:
o Jealousy: Wanting what others have and not being content.
o Stealing: Taking something that doesn’t belong to you.
o Vandalism: Damaging others' property out of spite.
 Virtues to Develop:
o Justice: Treating others’ belongings with respect.
o Self-control: Avoiding greed.
o Truthfulness: Being honest and content with what you have.

Example: A student is jealous of a classmate’s new shoes and tries to steal them.

By following these commandments and developing good virtues like honesty, respect, patience,
and humility, we can live in a way that honors both God and others.
The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to guide people on how to live a good and moral
life, respecting both God and others. They help us understand what is right and wrong, and
teach us how to act with kindness, fairness, and respect.

In simple words, the Ten Commandments:

1. Show us how to love and respect God: They teach us to put God first in our lives, to
worship Him, and to speak His name with respect.
2. Guide us to respect others: They tell us to treat others with kindness, honesty, and
fairness. This includes things like honoring our parents, not hurting others, and not
stealing.
3. Help us live together peacefully: By following these rules, we can create a world where
people are treated well, there is no violence or lying, and everyone can live in harmony.

In short, the Ten Commandments are rules for living a good life, being kind to others, and
showing love and respect to God. They provide a foundation for how we should behave toward
each other and towards God.