Ignore Commandments at Your Own Risk

There once was a young man who did not believe in the Law of Gravity. “It doesn’t apply to me,” he often said. “If you believe it’s true and it makes you happy, fine. But don’t impose your intolerant values on me!”

One day this young man was in his second-floor apartment, when he heard his friends talking outside on the sidewalk. Instead of going down the stairs and out the front door, he decided to open the window and step out. He figured he would just float down to the ground to be with his friends, since the Law of Gravity did not apply to him.

The moment the young man stepped past the window sill, he plummeted straight down and slammed into the ground, breaking his leg and wrist, and dislocating his shoulder. As the ambulance drove him to the hospital, in great anguish he cried out, “It’s not fair! Why do bad things always happen to me?!”

There once was another young man who did not believe in the Law of God. “The Ten Commandments don’t apply to me,” he often said. “If you believe it’s true and it makes you happy, fine. But don’t impose your intolerant values on me!”

When this young man’s wife discovered he was romantically involved with a co-worker, she sued for divorce and kicked him out of the house. Soon after, when his boss found out he had been embezzling funds from company accounts, the young man was fired and arrested. As he was escorted to a jail cell, unable to post bond, in great anguish he cried out, “It’s not fair! Why do bad things always happen to me?!”

We all know the Law of Gravity is true. And we all know it applies to everyone and everything, no matter what anyone’s personal opinion about it might be. Not believing in the Law of Gravity does not make it go away. Although we cannot see gravity, we know it’s true because of the overwhelming evidence.

When we understand the Law of Gravity and use that knowledge to keep from being hurt, we are not having intolerant values imposed on us. We are simply being smart. We are accepting the reality of the physical laws which govern our existence.

Just like the Law of Gravity, not believing in the Law of God does not make it go away. Although we cannot see the moral law, anyone willing to look knows it is true because of the overwhelming evidence. Whenever a person lives his or her life without any moral code—such as committing adultery or embezzling from company accounts—he or she eventually plummets into a heap of heartache and pain.

When we understand the Law of God and use that knowledge to keep from being hurt, we are not having intolerant values imposed on us. We are simply being smart. We are accepting the reality of the moral laws which govern our existence. Unlike what many people think, the Ten Commandments were not designed to control us or to take away our fun. On the contrary, the Ten Commandments were designed to liberate us, and to allow us to enjoy life according to God’s wonderful plan. Ignoring God’s Law and embracing sin—lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery—may produce some short-term pleasures, but the long-term anguish and suffering will be overwhelming.

And ignoring God’s Law is the same as ignoring God. If we choose to ignore Him in this life, He will respect our decision and make sure we remain separated from Him in the next life. Being separated from God forever, and therefore filled with loneliness and despair, is the very definition of Hell.

The Law of God is just as real as the Law of Gravity. Some people claim the Law of God can be ignored. Please don’t “fall” for that.