How much nicer our lives would be if we were just happy with what we have.

Isn’t it ironic that we have scads of TV shows where people get their perfectly usable kitchens, homes, bedrooms, bathrooms, whatever, remodeled, and yet there are so many in the world who don’t even have a home, let alone a perfectly good usable one. Our society is so stuck on needing bigger and better instead of just being happy with what they have. I grew up in a home with three bedrooms and one bathroom. We had nine (9) people in the family. We learned to get along really well. There were four boys in one small room, just big enough for two bunk beds, four dressers, and a space to sit down on the floor. All of us are great friends. We learned to live with what we had, and learned to be happy with it. Sure we would have loved a second or third bathroom. Believe me, we would have loved it.

My mother and wife are great examples of people who do not coveting the things of others. They often want things, but are always quick to check themselves and be happy for things that they already have.

There would be so much less greed, dishonesty, corruption and ill feelings if people would just be happy with what they have.

A great talk on this commandment is here:

Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘Thou Shalt Not Covet’,” Ensign, Mar 1990, 2

A great quote comes from a seminal talk on the Ten Commandments by President Ezra Taft Benson (Ezra Taft Benson, “America at the Crossroads,” New Era, Jul 1978, 36).

“10. Last, “Thou shalt not covet.” (Ex. 20:17.) Covetousness is one of the besetting sins of this generation, and our covetousness reaches every item forbidden in the commandments—our neighbor’s house, his wife, his help, his worldly goods, and everything that is our neighbor’s. Covetousness, plus love of idleness, lie at the root of our violation of the law of work, with all the ills that has brought. Covetousness has invaded our homes, our communities, the nations of the world. It has brought with it greed, and avarice, and ambition, and love of power. Men scheme, plan, overreach, cheat, and lie to get their neighbor’s heritage. Covetousness threatens the peace of the world today more than any other one element. But God said, “Thou shalt not covet.””

And in closing out this study of the Ten Commandments are some closing thoughts by Ezra Taft Benson from this same talk.

“These are the foundation principles upon which all civilized government and our present civilization is built. To disregard them will lead to inevitable personal character loss and ruin. To disregard them as a nation will inevitably lead that nation to destruction.”

“I remember a number of years ago when Cecil B. DeMille, the great producer of the film The Ten Commandments, was invited to accept an honorary degree from Brigham Young University. In his address to the student body, Mr. DeMille made this interesting observation. He said that men and nations cannot really break the Ten Commandments; they can only break themselves against them. How true that is!”

The commandment is to not bear false witness against thy neighbor. One questions, put to rest right here, is ‘Who is my neighbor’? Obviously, according to the parable of the good Samaritan, our neighbor is everyone else. To bear false witness, is to give wrong testimony, to lie.

A lie is a deliberately false statement. We could get into technicalities of what would constitute a lie in this or that situation, but let’s be real, here. A lie is when we don’t tell the truth. These commandments are trying to get us to act like God. (As was commanded us, see Matthew 5: 48 and 3 Nephi 12: 48) God does not lie. The manner of speaking for the Godhead (Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit) is that of truth (see Jacob 4: 13). There would be no deception, our courts would be much emptier, things would cost less for lack of law suits against doctors and business, we could trust strangers. A movie came out recently in which people only speak the truth, and apparently have to say what they are thinking, even if it is blunt and cruel. Well, the main character discovers the lie, something unthinkable. The movie is about how he uses, misuses, and abuses the lie. I didn’t see the movie, but I doubt that it ends well (rated PG-13, which means inapropriate  jokes about sex, probably some nudity, and more than likely a defunct moral outcome. All good reasons to avoid it.)

Some other thoughts and scriptures on being honest and not lying:

Proverbs 19: 22 – The poor man is better than a liar. I’m poor (relatively speaking), so I find comfort in this scripture. I try hard to be honest, so even if I’m poor, at least I’m better than a liar.

Acts 5: 4 – When you lie, it is against God.

2 Nephi 2: 18 – Lying is the language of Satan. Who wants to be like him?

2 Nephi 9: 34 – And my favorite, it’s always fun to say this scripture. A liar’s place is hell, not pushed, not shoved, not kicked, but thrust.

This commandment shows importance of personal belongings, respecting others, acknowledging the existence and rights of others (sometimes over our own rights), and manners. From childhood we are taught the importance of not stealing. When a child takes a toy from another child, the parents instruct the child that it is not OK to take from others. Yet how often do we steal time from employers, steal trust from family, and rob God of his tithes? There is much more than just material goods that can be stolen.

A great article on this commandment is found here: Richard D. Draper, “‘Thou Shalt Not Steal’,” Liahona, Oct 1998, 27. He has many points worth repeating.

“Often that is the way it is with theft—more is stolen than material goods. When someone breaks the eighth commandment, victims lose not only their peace, but also possessions that represent bits of their lives.”

It’s not just the item or thing that is stolen, but it’s the time and effort the individual put into making or caring for the thing.

“The Bible emphasizes that stealing belongs to the set of sins that includes murder, adultery, and false swearing. All of these are directly related, and theft is the common link; murder is the unlawful taking of life, adultery concerns the taking of virtue, and false swearing usually involves the taking of reputation, property, or goods.

The sentence “Thou shalt not steal” (Ex. 20:15) includes no object. Its prohibition is broad and unconditional: You shall not steal anything.”

I like how he emphasizes that the law is broad. We should not steal anything. That includes so much, even things covered in the previous commandments. It enforces the fact that there are God given rights and responsibilities.

Brother Draper suggests that this commandment teaches us at least three important principles.

1. Private ownership of property is a God given right and responsibility. God commanded Adam and Eve to eat their bread by the sweat of their own work, not through the work of anyone else.
2. God is the source of the right of private ownership, not man or the state. He is the one that dictates the laws that govern humanity.
3. Stealing is a sin against God. All divine laws originate from him, so breaking this law is a sin against God.

Draper also points out that regardless of the circumstance, stealing is still a sin.

“Stealing is a sin against our Heavenly Father even when motivated by need and poverty. The act dishonors God (see Prov. 30:9). Conversely, the honest person who chooses not to steal, even under stressful circumstances, shows trust in God. He is conscious of a covenant relationship with the Lord and chooses to sustain it.”

To take without permission, even if you’re starving or your children are starving, is still stealing, and is a sin. Ironically, just today, a co-worker used that condition (starving family) to justify being dishonest.

Stealing violates another commandment given to us by God. We were commanded to subdue the earth and have dominion over the animal kingdom, but only as we followed God’s counsel and laws. When we misuse our dominion and seek power over others, we are stealing.

“If we are wise, we will love people and use things, as our Father intended. Immorality occurs when we love things and use people. The awful idea Satan taught Cain was how to turn human life into property, how to make a child of God less than chattel.”

Draper concludes by admonishing that we need a return to the basic first law of God, that we love Him and one another.

“President Spencer W. Kimball pointed out that “honesty can be taught but not legislated. ‘There ought to be a law,’ many say when corruption raises its ugly head, and our answer is that there are laws—numerous laws which are not enforced; but our further answer is that you cannot legislate goodness and honor and honesty. There must be a return to consciousness of those values.” When people practice those values, the power of the Spirit and the force of love can do what the law cannot—overcome the greed and covetousness that lead to stealing.”

If all people were to follow this commandment, there would be less greed, less hate. Greed is the source of most stealing, I would say. When people respect others and their property, there is no thievery.

A few weeks ago, my brother-in-law was married. The sealer who performed the marriage made a comment about this commandment. He said that if this one single commandment were kept, there would not be so much evil and wrong in the world.  He said most of the problems with society can be traced back to the lack of people keeping this commandment.

Jesus, in speaking to the Nephites, takes this commandment to a higher level. He says that if you even look at another to lust after them, you have committed adultery in your heart. Not only should we not act, but we should stay away from letting those thoughts into our heart.

Satan wants to destroy our ability to progress. He wants to distort and pervert the things we have that he does not. Two things Satan can not have, due to his rebellion, are a family and a body. Looking at American society now, we can see that the body and the family are under attack. People are trying hard to re-define what a family is, couching it in terms of social and personal justice and choice. Some equate the fight against the traditional definition of family with the civil rights movements of the African-Americans. Perhaps a better comparison is to equate it with the fight against Prohibition in the 1920’s. I digress… In today’s society, the family is less about mother, father and children as a unit of progression and love, it seems. People emphasize the individual and have a hard time thinking about others. A central purpose of families is to make you think about others and not yourself. Perhaps the main reason people commit adultery is because of selfishness. They think only of their own desires, wants and needs. Instead of putting forth the hard effort of working out issues with a spouse, they seek the quick and easy way out. But that only leads to more trouble.

Satan also can never have a physical body. Because of this, he does everything he can to make people misuse their bodies. Our society is so infatuated with sensual things. Just look at what our society focuses on. In the movies and T.V. there seems to always be a reference to sex, if not full out portrayal of it. Magazines and music, books and just about every form of entertainment seems to incorporate the carnal side of sex. This is just what Satan wants. If he can get people so focused on sex, if he can make it so mainstream and common place, then people will have no problem abusing it.

So what happens when this commandment is obeyed. First of all, the family remains intact. Fathers and mothers love each other and are faithful. There are numerous studies that show that children without a stable family life don’t do as well as those with a stable family. I’m sure you can pick any number of people you know and find how that is true. How many fights, wars, and deaths have been the result of breaking this commandment? Those would all be done away with. There would be no prostituting of bodies in order to make money, or in the name of “art” or entertainment. Our Hollywood stars seem more like porn stars than actors and actresses. Anyhow, a lot of good would come from keeping this commandment.

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

This is the first commandment with a promise or consequence for following it (previous ones had consequences for NOT following). If you honor your parents you will live a long life. Since it seems just about every person who has lived on the earth didn’t want to die, that’s a great blessing. Well, what does it mean to honor your parents? The footnote to honor in the LDS scriptures suggests that we must respect and value our parents. Deuteronomy 5: 12 adds that it will go well with us as well as living long.

Honoring our parents puts us in a similar frame of reference as our relationship with God. Our parents gave us our lives. Your mother gave birth to you; that took a lot of time, energy, money, and personal sacrifice. You would not exist if it weren’t for your parents. That deserves respect. Similarly, we would not exist if it weren’t for God allowing our spiritual births and providing for our physical existence through the Plan of Happiness.

If everyone were to honor their parents, there would be greater respect for others generally as well. There would be less rejection of good traditions, less teenage rebellion and rejection of good morals, more honesty, and stronger families.

Why?

What do we learn or lose by following or breaking this commandment?

It’s not that the Lord will get his feelings hurt or anything like that. I think it has more to do with us taking control of ourselves. James 1:26 and all of chapter 3 are great reminders that what we say has important consequences.

“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

“If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Speaking is an action, it is doing. It can’t be undone. And with Mormon 7:7 and 3 Nephi 27:19 in mind (only the guiltless and unclean are to dwell with God eternally and receive salvation), we see that if we can not control our language, or more specifically, if we talk bad or misuse the name of the very person who is giving us eternal life, then we do not deserve to receive the gift of Atonement from him.

If everybody were to practice control over their language, beginning with not taking the Lord’s name in vain, then there would be less harsh words, less vulgarity, less mocking of things sacred. More importantly, we would have to acknowledge our dependence and relationship with God. We would show proper respect to our God and creator by not misusing his name. Our relationship with God and with others would be better if we practiced self-control of our language. Our communication would be clearer and more accurate, there would be less misunderstanding between people, and more respect for others.

1. Image worship was the religion of the people who were not God’s chosen, the Israelites, in the time of the Old Testament. So we must be wary to not practice the religion of the “others” in the sense that it is not the religion of Jesus Christ. Everyone that does not worship Jesus and Heavenly Father provide opposition, an alternative choice, to test and prove. We must decide not to worship idols.
2. The New Testament marks a transition in the Topical Guide where “image” goes from referring to idol worship to referring to the mold or ideal that we were modeled after and should be striving to achieve. Romans 8:29 starts it off… “conform to the image of his Son”. D&C 1:16 reminds us that everybody walks after the image of their god. That means that they seek to emulate, they strive to become like, look like, talk like, think like, act like the person, place or thing that they hold up to be ideal. Everyone does it. We pick an ideal and seek to emulate it. We do this consciously and subconsciously.

The second commandment, then is a warning for us to take a look at our ideals, to take a good look at what we think is best, because that is what we are trying to be like.

The ideal “ideal”, the best “image” to worship is, of course, our Savior Jesus Christ (who is an example of Heavenly Father). Mosiah 7:27 and Genesis 1:26 show us this. We were made in the image of God. Therefore, our makers should be our image for emulation.

Alma gives us a test to determine our progress of becoming like Christ. All of chapter 5 in Alma is a way to mark our progress, with verse 14 the sign of achievement; “have ye received his image in your countenances?”

This, again, is a commandment to bring humanity into union with each other and with our God. John 17:11, 21 is the ideal, and D&C 38:21 the consequence. When we all choose Jesus and God as our image, Satan has no power to tempt, and we choose peace.

So, how will having no other gods before God solve problems? First of all, keep in mind the second and fourth requirements. This commandment is for everybody, whether Jew, Gentile, Muslim, Christian, atheist, Buddhist, or what have you. One of the fundamental principles of this commandment is the need to focus on one great goal, and if everybody is working towards that same goal, there is a greater chance for harmony and peace. I might even suggest that we take the world as it is now. There are many different religions, we each believe in a God, yet in perhaps different terms. Following this commandment, as it applies to each individuals religion (as set forth by that individuals standard and set forth religious beliefs), will help those individuals focus on that which is most important. I’m no scholar on any religion but my own, but I think it’s safe to say, if everybody put their God first, as He and their religions truly suggest, then there would be less bickering, less immorality, less deceit, less selfishness.

Now if we apply the fourth requirement, we would ideally all recognize that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. He it was that said there shall be no other gods before me. That means we should all accept Jesus Christ as our God, and along with that our Savior. It was Jesus who created all things as directed by our Father in Heaven. It is Jesus who is the author of our salvation, through the Atonement. He, in a very real sense, is the father and God of the “born again” or “new” person that we are to become when we go through the continual process of accepting, applying, and renewing the Atonement in our lives. As we put God and Jesus first in our lives, we focus on the things they want us to do, and ultimately become like them (see Matthew 5: 48 and 3 Nephi 12: 48).

So, in summary, when we have no other gods before God, we are able to all have the same focus and intent, which helps us work together, which cuts back on the conflicts. There are many other facets to this commandment, and probably all more important than I just summarized. Below are a few quotes from modern Apostles about following the first of the ten commandments.

In order to have no other gods before God the Father, we must love Him.

James E. Faust, “‘Them That Honour Me I Will Honour’,” Liahona, Jul 2001, 53–56

In reverence for the sacred, overarching and undergirding all else is a love and respect for Deity. During most of the world’s history, mankind has labored much in idolatry, either worshiping false gods or becoming preoccupied with acquiring the material opulence of this world.

The requirement that we should love the Lord above fish, bank accounts, automobiles, fine clothing, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, or any other possession is total; it is absolute. The first commandment given unto the ancient Israelites was “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 4 The Savior Himself amplified this command when He told the lawyer who asked Him which was the greatest commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” 5

To put God first is to have faith in him.

Dallin H. Oaks, “The Atonement and Faith,” Liahona, Apr 2008, 8–13

The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without this faith, the prophet Mormon said, we are not fit to be numbered among the people of the Lord’s Church (see Moroni 7:39). The first commandment Jehovah gave to the children of Israel was “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). We should always put the Savior first. This powerful idea—that we must have faith and put the Lord first in our lives—seems simple, but in practice many find it difficult.

The scriptures teach us that faith comes by hearing the word of God (see Romans 10:17). The word of God, which comes to us by scripture, by prophetic teaching, and by personal revelation, teaches us that we are children of God the Eternal Father. It teaches us about the identity and mission of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Founded on our knowledge of those truths, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a conviction and trust that God knows us and loves us and will hear our prayers and answer them with what is best for us.

Faith in the Lord is trust in the Lord. We cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord’s will and in the Lord’s timing. As a result, no matter how strong our faith is, it cannot produce a result contrary to the will of Him in whom we have faith. Remember this when your prayers do not seem to be answered in the way or at the time you desire. The exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is always subject to the order of heaven, to the goodness and will and wisdom and timing of the Lord. When we have that kind of faith and trust in the Lord, we have true security and serenity in our lives.

We look first to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our model. Our model is not the latest popular hero of sports or entertainment. Similarly, our most precious possessions are not the expensive toys and diversions that encourage us to concentrate on what is temporary and to forget what is eternal. Our model—our first priority—is Jesus Christ. We must testify of Him and teach one another how we can apply His teachings and His example in our lives.

When servants become masters, we have other gods before us. This happens when we let them take over our time, pervert our potential and poison our minds.

Russell M. Nelson, “Living by Scriptural Guidance,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 16–18

Few find the way because they ignore the divine road map provided by the Lord. An even more serious mistake is to ignore the Maker of the map. God declared in the first of His Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 7 Yet carnal man tends to let his loyalty drift toward idols.

For example, we marvel at computers and the Internet that enable transmission of data with remarkable speed. We are truly grateful for these electronic servants. But if we let them take over our time, pervert our potential, or poison our minds with pornography, they cease being servants and become instead false gods.

The Master warned of those who “seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol.” 8

False gods can only lead to dead ends. If our journey through life is to be successful, we need to follow divine direction. The Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” 9 And the Psalmist wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” 10

Whatever a person sets their heart on, that is their god. If that god is not the same as the living God of Israel, then that person is laboring in idolatry. Spencer Kimball gives several examples of what other gods people set their hearts on. If all of a person’s effort is spent on worldly things, they miss out on the greater blessings and greater treasures that God has for them later.

Spencer W. Kimball, “The False Gods We Worship,” Tambuli, Aug 1977, 1

The Brethren constantly cry out against that which is intolerable in the sight of the Lord: against pollution of mind, body, and our surroundings; against vulgarity, stealing, lying, pride, and blasphemy; against fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and all other abuses of the sacred power to create; against murder and all that is like unto it; against all manner of desecration.

That such a cry should be necessary among a people so blessed is amazing to me. And that such things should be found even among the Saints to some degree is scarcely believable, for these are a people who are in possession of many gifts of the Spirit, who have knowledge that lets them put the eternities into perspective, who have been shown the way to eternal life.

Sadly, however, we find that to be shown the way is not necessarily to walk in it, and many have not been able to continue in faith. These have submitted themselves in one degree or another, to the enticings of Satan and his servants, and joined with those of “the world” in lives of ever-deepening idolatry.

I use the word idolatry intentionally. As I study ancient scripture, I am more and more convinced that there is significance in the fact that the commandment “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” is the first of the Ten Commandments.

Few men have ever knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages when men have fallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put in its place a hope in the “arm of flesh” (D&C 1:19) and in “gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know” (Dan. 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god doesn’t also happen to be the true and living God of Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.

It is my firm belief that when we read these scriptures and try to “liken them unto [our]selves,” as Nephi suggested (1 Ne. 19:24), we will see many parallels between the ancient worship of graven images and behavioral patterns in our very own experience.

The Lord has blessed us as a people with a prosperity unequaled in times past. The resources that have been placed in our power are good, and necessary to do our work here on the earth. But I am afraid that many of us have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they have power over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith can stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security throughout, they hope a long and happy life. Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources in our families and quorums to build up the kingdom of God—to further the missionary effort and the genealogical and temple work; to raise our children up as fruitful servants unto the Lord; to bless others in every way, that they may also be fruitful. Instead, we expend these blessings on our own desires, and as Moroni said, “Ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not.” (Morm. 8:39.)

As the Lord himself said in our day, “They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon, the great, which shall fall.” (D&C 1:16; italics added.)

…

And so it often seems to be with people, having such a firm grasp on things of the world—that which is telestial—that no amount of urging and no degree of emergency can persuade them to let go in favor of that which is celestial. Satan gets them in his grip easily. If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.

In spite of our delight in regarding ourselves as modern, and our tendency to think we possess a sophistication that no people in the past ever had—in spite of these things, we are, on the whole, an idolatrous people—a condition most repugnant to the Lord.

Bible Dictionary, Idol. Ten different Hebrew words translated as idol. The Israelites fell into idolatry by making “images that stood for Jehovah” or worshipped a neighboring nation’s heathen god along side their worship of Jehovah, “such idolatry being some form of nature worship, which encouraged as a rule immoral practices.” We can see our society heavy into the idol worship of nature and the immoral practices that go along with that. Just think of the 1960’s hippie movements and you think about back to nature and free love. It’s as Pres Hinkley or McKonkie has said, the new morality is just the old immorality with a new name. “People speak of a new morality, which is, in fact, immorality under a new name.” [Bruce R. McConkie, devotional address at Brigham Young University on 28 January 1975].

Covetousness became the new idolatry for the Israelites, and seems to be one of the greatest forms of idolatry in today’s society.

4. Jesus is the God of the Old Testament

Why is this important? We must first remember that life is all about progression. Think, if you will, of an individual with a job. We see that they either do well and strive to improve their employment and skills, or they remain the same and stagnate. Now, just from what you have read about the individual, which do you feel is most important for that individual to do, progress or stagnate?  I would be so bold as to wager that well nigh unto everybody will agree (while understanding the modern and Western concepts of jobs) that to progress is the good thing, and to stagnate is a bad thing. One can apply this to a role as spouse, parent, student, or what have you. In any role in life, we inherently seek to improve ourselves.

We inherently (and I use inherently and not naturally to distinguish between the natural/carnal desires and those inherited from our Heavenly parent) seek to improve our situations, our demeanors, our outlook, and well, everything. One problem arrises when we have a false notion of what improvement is and an appropriate way to achieve improvement.

Anyhow, we must recognize that Jesus is the one who gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in the first place. It was Him, known at the time as Jehovah, who gave the Commandments to the people of Israel, that they might know how and for whom to look for for salvation.

A BYU and a Ricks College professor discuss the doctrine of Jesus Christ of the New Testament being the God of the Old Testament, His role as a Father, and our relationship to Him.

Keith L. Sellers, visiting professor of ancient scripture, Brigham Young University, and Victor G. Forsnes, professor of engineering, Ricks College. To better understand the Lord’s words in Isaiah 44 and 45, we must first identify who is speaking. The passage indicates that it is “the king of Israel,” the “Lord of Hosts” (Isa. 44:6)—“a just God and a Saviour” (Isa. 45:21). This is the God of the Old Testament, the Great I Am—Jehovah.

Through Latter-day scripture, we know that Jehovah was the premortal name for Jesus Christ. “Behold,” Jesus told the Nephites, “I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel.” (3 Ne. 15:5; see also D&C 38:1–4.)

Jehovah, or Jesus Christ, is known by many other names. One of these is the Son, meaning the Son of God the Father. (See 1 Ne. 11:18–21.) In 1916, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve explained that “Jesus Christ is the Son of Elohim both as spiritual and bodily offspring; that is to say, Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh.”

They went on to declare that because of this unique relationship with God the Father, “Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in power and authority. This is true of Christ in His preexistent, antemortal, or unembodied state, in the which He was known as Jehovah,” as well as in mortality and today in his resurrected state. “The Father placed His name upon the Son,” the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve continued, “and Jesus Christ spoke and ministered in and through the Father’s name; and so far as power, authority and Godship are concerned His words and acts were and are those of the Father.” (In James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75), 5:27, 31–32.)

Invested with this kind of authority, Jehovah can rightly speak to Israel as though he were the Father in matters involving their learning, understanding, and salvation. He was thus invested with the power of the Father in creating the earth and in his role as the Messiah—the Christ, the Anointed One—in performing the infinite and eternal atonement. He embodies the fulness of the Father’s power, and in his role as the Mediator speaks and acts for the Father.

Jehovah also speaks properly and authoritatively as the Father in his role as (1) the Creator—the Father of the heavens and the earth—and (2) the Father of all who accept the gospel covenant and take upon themselves his name, whereby they are “born again” as his sons and daughters and adopted into his family. (See Messages of the First Presidency, 5:26–34.)

Keeping in mind, then, that though the Father and the Son are separate beings, the Son, by divine investiture of authority, can speak as though he were God the Father—and, in fact, in certain of his roles is a Father…

Keith L. Sellers and Victor G. Forsnes, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Dec. 1989, 52–53

Again, when we realize that Jesus Christ is the one who presented the Ten Commandments to Moses, we realize that these laws will and can put us on the path to accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and put us on the path to eternal life. In fact, following these laws puts us on a path to solve all of our problems, even all of the problems in the world. And they are part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Participation and patients is required.

In order for the Ten Commandments to solve all of the problems in the world, they must be actively applied by all individuals, each and every day. This also requires an understanding that solutions will not come instantly, but will require time. Dieter Uchtdorf explains these principles while talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ generally, but they also apply to the Ten Commandments.

When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us. The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent.

Faith and repentance lead to the purifying waters of baptism, where we covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and walk in His footsteps.

To uphold us in the desire to lead a purified and holy life, we are endowed with the baptism of fire—the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, a heavenly Comforter who accompanies and guides us as we walk in the path of righteousness.

The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more we extend ourselves to others. We become peacemakers in our homes and families, we help our fellowmen everywhere, and we reach out in merciful acts of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and long-suffering patience.

These are the first steps along the true way of life and fulfillment. This is the peaceable way of the follower of Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, it is not a quick fix or an overnight cure.

A friend of mine recently wrote to me, confiding that he was having a difficult time keeping his testimony strong and vibrant. He asked for counsel.

I wrote back to him and lovingly suggested a few specific things he could do that would align his life more closely with the teachings of the restored gospel. To my surprise, I heard back from him only a week later. The essence of his letter was this: “I tried what you suggested. It didn’t work. What else have you got?”

Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.

Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon. When Alma compared the word of God to a seed, he explained that the seed grows into a fruit-bearing tree gradually, as a result of our “faith, and [our] diligence, and patience, and long-suffering.” It’s true that some blessings come right away: soon after we plant the seed in our hearts, it begins to swell and sprout and grow, and by this we know that the seed is good. From the very moment we set foot upon the pathway of discipleship, seen and unseen blessings from God begin to attend us.

But we cannot receive the fulness of those blessings if we “neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment.”

Knowing that the seed is good is not enough. We must “nourish it with great care, that it may get root.” Only then can we partake of the fruit that is “sweet above all that is sweet, and . . . pure above all that is pure” and “feast upon this fruit even until [we] are filled, that [we] hunger not, neither shall [we] thirst.”

Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.

It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.

Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach.

As each person participates in practicing the Ten Commandments, there will cease to be large issues, there will be peace in the world. This will take time. Perhaps years and decades. It will come as soon as all people accept and live the way of life dictated by the laws of God.