Are the Ten Commandments irrelevant to modern life?

These 10 commandment are common to all Semetic religions(Christianity, Judaism and Islam). Christianity, the largest Abrahamic faith, claims 33% of the world's population, Islam comes second with 21%, and Judaism has 0.2%. More than half of the world population knows the Ten Commandements.

As those 10 utterances were memorialized and universalized, they provided a code of conduct that honored family, protected life, secured property, defined boundaries, enhanced trust and thereby secured the foundation for cohesive and productive social interaction. The Ten Commandments launched into human history the hypothesis that a society could be peacefully ordered under a rule of generally applicable laws rather than the forceful whim of autocrats.

RELEVANCE

The last six commandments concern how people treat others with whom they have a relationship.

Respecting parents is a tenet which is nearly universal, and doing so is not likely to result in any harm. In fact, fostering a respectful relationship between parents and their children is generally considered to be a good idea.

Of the next five commandments, four of them have been codified as laws in cultures all over the world.

Committing murder or adultery (which is not always categorized as a crime but is certainly not generally considered to be socially acceptable), stealing, or lying (specifically under oath) are all laws which keep order and maintain justice in civilized societies.

The last commandment has to do with coveting; while this is not against the law, coveting (which is more than a casual wishing for) is not a good idea because of what it can lead to if it is taken to the extreme.

Desiring someone else's possessions too much can lead to theft; lusting after an unavailable person can lead to adultery; coveting what someone else has achieved can lead to bitterness, envy, and even class or race warfare.

Coveting can lead to a general dissatisfaction with life, even if a person never acts on the desire.

America was founded on Christian principles and tenets, including the Ten Commandments, and they have served as a foundation for many of the country's laws. Following the first four commandments will help Christians maintain a faithful relationship with God; following the last six commandments will help citizens maintain basic civilities and respect in their relationships with others.

HISTORY

From the very first sin (Adam and Eve) God designed a plan to restore mankind to relationship and fellowship with himself (see purpose). This plan, given to Israel, was called a covenant. The covenant was originally given to Israel and in turn was to be shared with the whole world. The covenant was binding upon both parties (God and Israel). It could not be broken without severe consequences.

God’s covenant was a promise that His people accepted in faith believing God would do what He said. In turn, the people promised God complete devotion and dedication to Him.

God established a spoken and written (Ten Commandments) set of obligations and responsibilities the people must obey in order to demonstrate their devotion to God and separation from sin. It was through these laws that Israel could learn the character of God and the dangers of sin.

God’s chose Israel to be the messengers of God’s love for all mankind through His covenant. The Ten Commandments were a key element of the covenant God made with Israel.

Throughout the generations God chose certain people with whom to carry out His covenant. Mankind had been alienated from God because of sin. When God made a covenant He made a promise to restore (redeem) the relationship that had been lost. The covenant required three ingredients: 1) union with God, 2) mutual promises, and 3) separation from sin.

The covenant demanded a way of life that was distinct from the “fleshly way of life” (whatever feels good-do it!) toward which all humankind is prone.

Disobedience to the law symbolized a breaking of the covenant with God and brought with it severe consequences. Sin alienates mankind from God. After Adam’s sin God knew man was not capable of living a sinless life. God’s covenant with His people, was not for the purpose of eliminating sin. Sin would be ever present. Nor did God sit in the heavens waiting for His people to disobey so He could enjoy punishing them. The purpose of the covenant was to separate a people unto Himself, provide the promise and hope of salvation, and to demonstrate the need for the “new covenant” in Jesus Christ.

God, in His mercy, required sacrifices to be made for sins. The penalty for sin is death and God allowed the death of an animal as payment for the sin. The sacrifices God required were symbolic of the future sacrifice made by the Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) for sin. The practice of obedience to the law, faith in God’s promises, and sacrifice for sin demonstrated keeping God’s covenant. Though God’s people were by no means perfect, living a life in covenant brought God’s blessing and protection upon His people.

Ten Reasons the Ten Commandments Are Still Relevant - OnFaith