Laws vs Commandments

Dear Readers,

In my institute class, an interesting subject came up: the difference between the Laws of God and the Commandments of God. the example in class was Doctrine and Covenants 38:32 "Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;"

Kirtland, Ohio Temple

The commandment was a temporary action, for we are not all commanded to live in Ohio, but the laws given in the Kirtland, Ohio Temple (Law of Chastity, Law of Consecration, et cetera) are lasting laws.

From this we see that commandments are God's instructions for us to help us live His laws. For example: Noah was commanded to build an ark (Genesis 6:22), but we aren't all commanded to build arks. It was direction from God to His Prophet as to how to help the people keep His laws. In this case, it was simply living and keeping humans on the face of the earth and have animals so they could live the law of sacrifice.

Moses with the 10 Commandments from Mel Brooks' History of the World Part 1

Wherefore comes the question of the ten commandments found in Exodus 20.
1: Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.
2: Thou shalt not make unto thee graven images to serve and worship.
3: Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain.
4: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5: Honor thy father and thy mother.
6: Thou shalt not kill.
7: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8: Thou shalt not steal.
9: Thou shalt not bear false witness.
10: Thou shalt not covet.

What are these commandments there to help the people with? There is the obvious case of morality, but also to help them keep the Law of Moses. For those who are not aware, the Law of Moses consisted of rites, rituals, and rules to govern ancient Israel. They were God's lesser law to help prepare the minds and hearts of the people to accept their Messiah, Jesus Christ. In one perspective, the Law of Moses was the letter of the law, sacrificing animals in remembrance of the Passover and as atonements for the sins of the people, but it was nothing without the spirit of the law: loving God, honoring parents, refraining form murder, adultery, lies, et cetera. These commandments were set in place to help the children of Israel keep the Law of Moses not only in letter, but to help them understand and prepare for the higher law.

In a similar way, I would compare this to police officers. There are laws that we may break, like speeding. Yet, it is just as important to heed the officer's warning and instructions (the commandments). If an officer pulls you over, you pull over. If they ask to see your identification and proof of insurance, you show them. If they ask you to roll down your window, or get out of the car and put your hands behind your back, you comply. They are giving you commandments you should keep or do to help them make sure you are living the law and thereby staying safe.

It is wonderful to know that God's commandments help us live His laws, and by so doing, help to keep us safe and prepare ourselves to return to Him. Not only has discovering this helped me to have increased dedication to keeping his laws and commandments, but also those of the laws of the land. Let me know your thoughts on this subject by leaving a comment.

Love,
Jacobugoth