What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "The significance of the Ten Commandments? Are they explained individually?"
Answer
The Ten Commandments are described as a copy of God's character and as an eternal standard for morality that goes beyond mere human legislation. They encompass not only external actions but also the thoughts and intentions of the heart, with obedience to these commandments representing the fundamental duty of humanity toward God. While the documents explain the nature and significance of the law as well as details concerning the first, second, and fourth commandments, they do not contain a complete itemized list of all ten commandments.
The Ten Commandments as an Expression of God's Character
»However, when man had become completely immoral, God could not abandon him... Therefore He formulated for man a copy of His own character in a form especially adapted to the condition and needs of man as he is. This copy of God's character, this true measure of character, is expressed in the law of God, the Ten Commandments... And here is the law of God: — I AM the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I. “You shall have no other gods besides Me.” II. “You shall not make for yourself an image, nor any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the water beneath the earth: you shall not bow down to them nor serve them...”«
The Depth and Spiritual Significance of the Law
»The Holy Scripture shows that the Ten Commandments are the law of God; that they express God's will; that they concern the conscience and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart; and that obedience to these commandments is the duty that man owes to God... According to God's law, hatred is murder; desire is idolatry; thinking impure thoughts about a woman is adultery. These things are all equally immoral, equally violations of the moral law; yet no civil government attempts to punish for them.«
The Sum of the Commandments and the Significance of the Fourth
»The two great commandments, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” are everlasting obligations... Yet by doing so, they effectively acknowledge the obligation of the entire ten statutes of the Decalogue. For the two great commandments are the sum of the ten... The seal of the living God is contained in that commandment which points solely to Him Himself. This statute is none other than the fourth commandment of the Ten.«
The Unchangeability and Significance of the Sabbath
»Jesus lifted the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, and I saw the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. I was amazed when I saw the fourth commandment right in the middle of the ten statutes, surrounded by a gentle glow of light. The angel said, “It is the only one of the ten that defines the living God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.” ... Observing the Sabbath would have saved the world from idolatry.«
The Unity of the Law
»Obedience is required not only toward one statute but toward all. Whoever fails in one point is guilty of all. The ten statutes of Jehovah are like ten links of a single chain; the violation of one link breaks a link, and the chain is torn. “The law of the Lord is perfect and turns the soul.”«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
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