10 Unique Ways to Live the Ten

Commandments Today
For Christians around the world, the Ten Commandments
revealed by the Lord in Exodus 20 stand as the foundation for
morality and righteous living. Elder L. Tom Perry taught:

“In a world where the moral compass of society is faltering, the

restored gospel of Jesus Christ never wavers, nor should its
stakes and wards, its families, or its individual members. We
must not pick and choose which commandments we think are
important to keep but acknowledge all of God’s commandments.
We must stand firm and steadfast, having perfect confidence in
the Lord’s consistency and perfect trust in His promises.”

As we consider the Ten Commandments, we might feel they don’t

have much relevance to our day-to-day lives. Most faithful Latter-
day Saints are far from crossing the lines of killing, stealing, and
cheating. However, whether a certain commandment feels more
applicable than some to our personal circumstances, pondering
each one and seeking ways to obey them more fully will bring us
closer to Jesus Christ.

We’ve come up with ten unique suggestions on how we might live

the Ten Commandments more fully.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

This commandment focuses on what we choose to worship and
why. The ancient Israelites were introduced to numerous gods
and goddesses from various religions and cultures throughout
their journeyings.

Today, we love connecting this first commandment to the

invitation given in Alma 37:36: “Let the affections of thy heart be
placed upon the Lord forever.”

Focus on building your faith through an intimate relationship with

Jesus Christ. Seek to know His character and His will. Instead of
the transactions of worship, performing rites and actions in hopes
of obtaining something, strive to worship God from a place of love
and devotion.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

While the idea of idolatry has changed forms in our modern era,
we still struggle with idols—namely, influencers, celebrities, and
other prominent voices that compete for our attention. It can be
a blessing to have ample access to a wide variety of ideas. We
can learn from one another and gain more empathy for those who
are different from us. But do we place some of these influences
before God and His teachings?

This week, go through your social media accounts and ponder on

the influencers you regularly follow and interact with. Ask who
builds your faith and expands your knowledge. Consider removing
those who do not uplift and focus your attention on Christ.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
We just need to walk down the street, listen to music, or tune
into our favorite show to hear the name of the Lord used in
painful and blasphemous ways. It is important that each of us do
what we can to support holy language and avoid inappropriate
media.

However, we can magnify this commandment when we actively

try to speak well of the Lord. Whether we talk about our Church
activities and beliefs more regularly in conversation or post
inspiring materials and thoughts online, we can help combat the
evil words against God with uplifting testimonies of our own. As
disciples of Christ, we can be braver and bolder in speaking of the
Savior and His influence on us.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

It’s never been easy to keep the Sabbath Day holy, but we
certainly have a lot of distractions today! From fun social
activities to easy access to media, it can be hard to keep our
minds and hearts focused on Christ. The more time we can
disconnect from the world and connect with God, the better.

Here’s an idea to remember the Sabbath Day: plan for it! We

often wake up on Sunday morning and just see where the day
takes us. Instead, spend some time on Saturday planning out
what you will do to make it a holier day. Set up a time to minister
to others, choose appropriate media, prep your meals, or plan
time to ponder outdoors.

By making a plan, you show the Lord that the Sabbath is

important enough to plan for and think about ahead of time.
Honour thy father and thy mother.
We all have vastly different relationships with our parents. We
may honour our parents naturally because of their great love for
us or we may have been deeply hurt by them. We may not even
know our parents or have contact with them.
Whatever your relationship is with your parents, recording their
histories and stories is one powerful way to honour them. If you
have contact with your parents, ask them questions about their
lives and record the answers. You may also want to record your
own memories about them that are significant to you. If you don’t
know your parents, write about those people who have a positive
spiritual impact on your life.
Take some time to enter this information into FamilySearch.org
or another genealogical website where it will be safe and
digitized.

Thou shalt not kill.

Now, this one might seem like a tough one to incorporate into our
lives. Most of us have no intention of harming others.

Instead, seek to minister to those who have been harmed by

violence in your communities. Consider searching for
organizations that support:
 Children who have lost guardians due to violence
 Those impacted by suicide loss
 Reducing gun violence in schools and communities
 Prison reform and support
 Victims of domestic violence

We live in a violent world and there are many different ways we

can get involved that suit our personal attitudes and passions. In
all things, seek to follow President Russel M. Nelson’s counsel:
“My call today, dear brothers and sisters, is to end conflicts that
are raging in your heart, your home, and your life. Bury any and
all inclinations to hurt others—whether those inclinations be a
temper, a sharp tongue, or a resentment for someone who has
hurt you.”

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Homes and families are broken by adultery and sexual sin every
day. One way we can purify ourselves and place sexuality in a
healthy, godly perspective is to counteract the desensitization
that’s taken place in our lives from the mass number of
sexualized media we’re exposed to.

It’s hard but try and go one week without any media at all. Focus
on not watching any television or movies. Log off social media
and try not to listen to music. The goal is to embrace stillness and
quiet, seeking to detox from the world and become more
sensitive to the spirit.

See what difference just one week will make in how you respond
to the things you normally take in.
Thou shalt not steal.

One unique way we can keep this commandment is by being

generous. Everything we have comes from the Lord. When we do
what we can to give back in abundance, we will find ourselves
more closely connected to Him. If you’re able, give more than
you normally would in a fast offering this month. If you’re unable,
look for other ways to be generous.

We often get caught up with needing to have more. We fear loss.

When we are generous, we show the Lord we have faith in His
abundance.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

There are many little ways we lie throughout our day-to-day
lives. One thing we don’t often think about is seeking help or
being open about our struggles. We shouldn’t be vulnerable with
just anyone. Boundaries are important when it comes to who we
open up to and share our hearts with.
However, we often have more people in our lives than we realize
who stand ready to help us. Ponder on who you can trust and
look for ways to be more emotionally available to them. Practice
asking for help or admitting that things have been rough.
Especially, kneel in prayer and be honest with God about all the
things you experience and feel, no matter how shameful or
embarrassed you might be.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.
Coveting isn’t just about being jealous. It’s about craving and
longing for what we don’t have and especially for what others
have. We can battle covetousness by showing gratitude. This
upcoming week, take time each day to write down all the things
you’re grateful for. Don’t worry about repeating yourself. You can
use your journal, sticky notes, or the Gospel Library app.

You may also want to consider trying to say a prayer of only

gratitude in the upcoming week.
We hope these ideas help you feel more connected and
confident in keeping the Ten Commandments. What are
some other ways you’ve lived them in your own lives?