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The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them
The Ten Commandments were foundational to the lives of the ancient Israelites, but many Christians don't know how the list relates to their lives today. Are they still relevant? If so, which rules still apply? What do these commands mean in light of God's grace and mercy shown in Jesus? In this book, Kevin DeYoung delivers critical truth about God's Ten Commandments as he makes clear what they are, why we should know them, and how we should apply them. Revealing the timelessness and goodness of God's ancient commands, this accessible and important book helps readers know, obey, and delight in God's law--and everything it means for their lives today.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2018
About the author
Kevin DeYoung
85 books1,079 followersKevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, right across the street from Michigan State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
June 2, 2019
Very good. Useful for answering the inevitable questions from Non-Christians about slavery and relational and gender related stuff, plus the ever present underlying Gospel message. To be honest though whenever reading Kevin DeYoung it will always be meh in my book compared to 'A Hole in Our Holiness,' and as good as this was it was no exception.
October 9, 2023
I love Kevin DeYoung’s writing and preaching. He is a blessing to me. As I was preparing to teach the Ten Commandments my eyes lighted on this book on my shelf and I am so glad I picked it up. A super quick read with so much good stuff in it. Amazing! I am excited to use this to help me teach this to my OT class. Very well done and highly recommended
May 30, 2019
Really enjoyed this book, he really bought to life how the commandments are applicable this side of the cross
May 20, 2020
Il me semble essentiel pour tout chrétien, de bien comprendre les 10commandements. Ce n'est pas seulement pour le peuple d'Israël de l'époque; comme toute la bible, ce passage des écritures est utile pour connaître Dieu et sa volonté pour nous. Elles sont non seulement utiles mais ont une portée universelle et intemporelle et doivent donc être obéis.
Et ce livre est vraiment une aide concise mais complète pour que nous puissions bien comprendre la signification de ces lois pour mieux les pratiquer au quotidien.
Dieu a donné les commandements non pas comme un moyen pour être sauvé. Dieu a donné les commandements une fois que son peuple fut sauvé, afin de former son identité, enracinée dans l'identité divine lui même. Les commandements sont une constitution et non un moyen de salut.
Et ce livre est vraiment une aide concise mais complète pour que nous puissions bien comprendre la signification de ces lois pour mieux les pratiquer au quotidien.
Dieu a donné les commandements non pas comme un moyen pour être sauvé. Dieu a donné les commandements une fois que son peuple fut sauvé, afin de former son identité, enracinée dans l'identité divine lui même. Les commandements sont une constitution et non un moyen de salut.
May 1, 2019
This book is actually really solid. Often I found myself convicted of my sins by DeYoung's exposition of the decalogue, but also encouraged by him to look unto Christ for my hope and salvation. DeYoung writes about the 10 Commandments in a way that fulfills the three fold use of the law, and specifically emphasizes how it directs us in our lives as Christian's today.
June 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It's easy and accessible, yet deep and thought-provoking.
March 7, 2022
I just finished teaching the 10 commandments to the gr 8 students in my church (we teach them the doctrinal standards of the federation, in this case, from the Heidelberg Catechism.) I've also been reading DeYoung's "The Good News We Almost Forgot" and so the two had a lot of overlap. Nevertheless, it felt like a good summary of everything I've been working through in the past little while.
Personally, I think my church community can sometimes focus too much on God's law and not enough on the grace of Jesus Christ. That's a broad statement, probably too broad, and it's hard to prove. It's just a feeling, and it changes depending on who you're with at any given time. So while I believe that God's law is still quite relevant to our lives, my own personal emphasis tends towards grace. In my final lesson, I taught (and remembered) that the law is good and that we must view it through the grace of Jesus Christ, rather than sweep it away.
Teaching through the law and reading this book, I am reminded that:
"The commandments not only show us what God wants; they show us what God is like. They say something about his honor, his worth, and his majesty. They tell us what matters to God. We can’t disdain the law without disrespecting the Lawgiver."
and
"The Ten Commandments are not instructions on how to get out of Egypt. They are rules for a free people to stay free."
and finally, something I emphasized to my students:
"...the law comes after gospel—after the good news of deliverance."
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to read this book was to hear DeYoung's teaching on the 4th commandment - the Sabbath. He comes from a tradition much like mine, and currently resides in the PCA. Their standard, the Westminster confession of faith is very specific and direct about Sabbath observance while the Heidelberg Catechism looks at it a little more broadly.
I appreciated his balanced take on it, his honest criticism of his own tradition, yet his emphasis on taking a day for rest and worship as a pattern set at creation. Even so, viewing that day as a gift, a day of "get to" instead of "have to" is how we should teach and talk about it. So often it's about duty, obligation and obedience, which has a place but was never its purpose (the sabbath was made for man...)
So, as I taught my students, and my kids, and must remind myself, God looks at the heart. Jesus transformed the commandments and made them so much deeper. It reveals that we all break God's law in countless ways, everyday. This should drive us to the cross and his grace and is therefore worthy of our attention.
Personally, I think my church community can sometimes focus too much on God's law and not enough on the grace of Jesus Christ. That's a broad statement, probably too broad, and it's hard to prove. It's just a feeling, and it changes depending on who you're with at any given time. So while I believe that God's law is still quite relevant to our lives, my own personal emphasis tends towards grace. In my final lesson, I taught (and remembered) that the law is good and that we must view it through the grace of Jesus Christ, rather than sweep it away.
Teaching through the law and reading this book, I am reminded that:
"The commandments not only show us what God wants; they show us what God is like. They say something about his honor, his worth, and his majesty. They tell us what matters to God. We can’t disdain the law without disrespecting the Lawgiver."
and
"The Ten Commandments are not instructions on how to get out of Egypt. They are rules for a free people to stay free."
and finally, something I emphasized to my students:
"...the law comes after gospel—after the good news of deliverance."
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to read this book was to hear DeYoung's teaching on the 4th commandment - the Sabbath. He comes from a tradition much like mine, and currently resides in the PCA. Their standard, the Westminster confession of faith is very specific and direct about Sabbath observance while the Heidelberg Catechism looks at it a little more broadly.
I appreciated his balanced take on it, his honest criticism of his own tradition, yet his emphasis on taking a day for rest and worship as a pattern set at creation. Even so, viewing that day as a gift, a day of "get to" instead of "have to" is how we should teach and talk about it. So often it's about duty, obligation and obedience, which has a place but was never its purpose (the sabbath was made for man...)
So, as I taught my students, and my kids, and must remind myself, God looks at the heart. Jesus transformed the commandments and made them so much deeper. It reveals that we all break God's law in countless ways, everyday. This should drive us to the cross and his grace and is therefore worthy of our attention.
December 18, 2020
Un ouvrage qui devrait être lu par tous. Les 10 commandements sont beaucoup trop négligés et l'enseignement sur ceux-ci est pourtant primordiale. Avec un guide d'étude très intéressant (dans les dernières pages du livre). Je le reccomande à tous.
March 22, 2019
Good teaching on something sometimes too familiar to appreciate adequately. Some chapters were more enlightening for me than others, but this was accessible and worthwhile. It made for a good discussion in our Sunday school class, too.
February 17, 2020
I think it's a very relevant book that goes well with the "Hole in Our Holiness" book by the same author and exlores the topic of righteous living according to God's standards.
Kevin is good in showing the transformation of the commandments in the New Testament and their relevancy for the church. He is always very streightforward, heartfelt and deep, but also very short. Which is good.
Kevin is good in showing the transformation of the commandments in the New Testament and their relevancy for the church. He is always very streightforward, heartfelt and deep, but also very short. Which is good.
December 27, 2020
This book was thought provoking, convicting and encouraging on the reformed view of the 10 commandments. It reads a lot like a sermon series. Overall I enjoyed his style of writing and appreciated the study guide in the back.
January 6, 2020
A good, theologically solid read on the Ten Commandments. 4/5 because I found it a bit too colloquial at times.
March 14, 2021
Great little book. Accessible and applicable. Highly recommend.
April 3, 2024
Another rock-solid book from Julia’s pope.
On page 60, he says, “Would you casually make jokes about 9/11 or Auschwitz? Of course not.” Clearly, he’s underestimated us.
On page 60, he says, “Would you casually make jokes about 9/11 or Auschwitz? Of course not.” Clearly, he’s underestimated us.
June 26, 2022
This book by Kevin DeYoung is a fantastic study of the meaning and implications of the Ten Commandments. Pastors preparing to teach a series and interested Christians alike can benefit from his humor, illustrations, contextual and Christ-centered explanation, and a ton of application thoughts. Great book. The chapter on the Sabbath was exceptional.
December 15, 2023
Solid 10 commandments overview. super easy listen as well
January 17, 2019
Kevin DeYoung has written a number of accessible level books for lay-people in the church. From topics of busyness, to holiness, to how do we find God’s will, these books have helped the church grapple with difficult areas of doctrine for today.
In his latest book on the Ten Commandments, DeYoung sets out to explain what they mean, why they matter, and why we should obey them.
Coming from a different view to the author, I was interested to read this book and see if his arguments were convincing. So let’s see if he manages to answer those three questions in this book.
What They Mean
Throughout the book Kevin explains what the different ‘words’ mean in the decalogue. He explains them from a Jewish perspective; what each would have meant to the original reader and how they would have been implemented.
From there, DeYoung turns to how Christ has ‘deepened and transformed’ the commands. He does a good job at showing how each commandment points forward to Him.
He did tend to rely a lot on the Heidelberg Catechism for getting the meaning though, which felt a little removed from the text. Of course, the catechism has ‘proof texts’ for what it says, but it would have been good to use those instead. For those from a non-confessional (or don’t realise they are confessional) position, like many in the UK, this may seem weird.
At some points he explains what different views are on what the commandments mean, but does this primarily from a Presbyterian context. Having a Lutheran, Anglican, or Baptist view may have opened the book up to a wider audience.
So in terms of answering the question ‘what they mean’, I’d say yes, he does answer it. But from a particular perspective.
Why They Matter
From there, the author turns to ask why the commandments matter. He does again a good job at explaining this from the Israelite perspective. He makes a good case that the Ten Commandments are ‘like the constitution for Israel’. This does appear to be the point of the narrative in Exodus, with the 10 words given to Israel being like the 10 words that God used to create everything.
He was also strong in showing that they all matter because they all teach us something about love for God and neighbour. As the New Testament tells us, all of Scripture is useful for teaching, so it is good to pick that up.
When explaining how this is translated to members of the New Covenant, DeYoung says: “When a piece of music is transposed, the melody stays the same, but it’s played in a different octave or a different key. That’s sort of how the Ten Commandments change from the Old Testament to the New. It’s the same score, different key. These commandments are still commandments for the church, but they have all been transposed by the coming of Christ.”
I would have liked a more thought out explanation of that idea. Kevin basically says that Jesus kept the 10 commandments, so we should. The danger with that though is remembering the timeframe Jesus lived in. He was born under the law to save those under the law (Gal 4:4). He also said that Paul endorsed them as a way for God’s people to love each other. “When we love, we fulfill the commandments, and when we obey the commandments, we are fulfilling the law of love.” Paul seems to be suggesting that love is the fulfilment of the law, not that they’re interchangeable – again something I’d have liked more on (for example, Brian Rosner’s Paul and the Law seems to suggest otherwise).
So, in terms of this question, he answers the question strongly for the Israelite context, but I would have liked some more to allow them to be eternal (e.g. when were they introduced, how all God’s words are useful for today).
Why We Should Obey Them
Moving onto the final question, DeYoung starts his book by introducing the 10 commandments as ’Ten Words that God wants all of us to follow’. He then continues this idea by stating that each command ’calls us’ to do something. The understanding seems to be that these commandments are applicable to all people at all times. From my reading of Romans 3, Galatians 3 and Hebrews 7, this does not appear to be as simple as that, so I would have liked a bit more explanation from the text.
Primarily, Kevin lists 5 main reasons why we should obey the 10 commandments today. The first of these is ‘who we are’. His argument is that the Israelites are a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, the same as Christians are today (1 Pet). The gist being that, in order to be holy, we should live God’s way (which in this case is by the 10 C’s). Strangely, the idea that the commandments were given to people saved from Egypt (as the introduction to them says) did not appear at this point. I would have appreciated that to be thrashed out, since, in context, Christians today are not rescued from Egypt, so there is an apparent discontinuity there.
His second point is ‘who God is in himself’. This point is strong – DeYoung says ‘the law is an expression of the Lawgiver’s heart and character’. Amen. Although, in the Lord Jesus we see the Father (John 14:9), so the argument could be made that Jesus fulfils the 10 commandments in that way.
Reason three is ‘who God is to us’. Here the author helpfully reminds us that God gives us commands for our good. It is common in our world today to think that commands are inherently bad – meaning to oppress us.
This point rolls into his 4th reason – ‘where we are’. DeYoung argues that the 10 commandments are not ‘instructions to get us out of Egypt. They are rules for a free people to stay free’. Again, the argument for how we get from laws given to a nation rescued from Egypt to today was missing here.
Finally, the last reason is ‘what He has done’. We are reminded here that the commandments follow the gospel. The Bible is not advocating a view of ‘do to be saved’, but instead says ‘done, so you can do’. This is something that does need addressing in a world that thinks we must work to be saved.
So in summary, DeYoung makes some good correctives to our approach to God’s law in this question, which I am thankful for. However, I am not sure he makes as concrete a case as I would have liked for why everyone should obey them. Perhaps I am looking for a higher level book than what is here, but I feel with the recent debates in evangelical circles, this should at least have been mentioned (or further reading provided).
Perhaps, if this receives a second edition, some Q&A could be added to the back (similar to Schreiner’s 40 questions on the law). I think it would help bolster the points made in this book.
I would recommend this book to those looking for an introduction to the Reformed (presbyterian) view on the purpose of the 10 Commandments for today, but would also recommend picking up some others at the same time (perhaps Sinai and the Saints).
Thanks to Crossway for letting me have a preview of this book for reviewing.
In his latest book on the Ten Commandments, DeYoung sets out to explain what they mean, why they matter, and why we should obey them.
Coming from a different view to the author, I was interested to read this book and see if his arguments were convincing. So let’s see if he manages to answer those three questions in this book.
What They Mean
Throughout the book Kevin explains what the different ‘words’ mean in the decalogue. He explains them from a Jewish perspective; what each would have meant to the original reader and how they would have been implemented.
From there, DeYoung turns to how Christ has ‘deepened and transformed’ the commands. He does a good job at showing how each commandment points forward to Him.
He did tend to rely a lot on the Heidelberg Catechism for getting the meaning though, which felt a little removed from the text. Of course, the catechism has ‘proof texts’ for what it says, but it would have been good to use those instead. For those from a non-confessional (or don’t realise they are confessional) position, like many in the UK, this may seem weird.
At some points he explains what different views are on what the commandments mean, but does this primarily from a Presbyterian context. Having a Lutheran, Anglican, or Baptist view may have opened the book up to a wider audience.
So in terms of answering the question ‘what they mean’, I’d say yes, he does answer it. But from a particular perspective.
Why They Matter
From there, the author turns to ask why the commandments matter. He does again a good job at explaining this from the Israelite perspective. He makes a good case that the Ten Commandments are ‘like the constitution for Israel’. This does appear to be the point of the narrative in Exodus, with the 10 words given to Israel being like the 10 words that God used to create everything.
He was also strong in showing that they all matter because they all teach us something about love for God and neighbour. As the New Testament tells us, all of Scripture is useful for teaching, so it is good to pick that up.
When explaining how this is translated to members of the New Covenant, DeYoung says: “When a piece of music is transposed, the melody stays the same, but it’s played in a different octave or a different key. That’s sort of how the Ten Commandments change from the Old Testament to the New. It’s the same score, different key. These commandments are still commandments for the church, but they have all been transposed by the coming of Christ.”
I would have liked a more thought out explanation of that idea. Kevin basically says that Jesus kept the 10 commandments, so we should. The danger with that though is remembering the timeframe Jesus lived in. He was born under the law to save those under the law (Gal 4:4). He also said that Paul endorsed them as a way for God’s people to love each other. “When we love, we fulfill the commandments, and when we obey the commandments, we are fulfilling the law of love.” Paul seems to be suggesting that love is the fulfilment of the law, not that they’re interchangeable – again something I’d have liked more on (for example, Brian Rosner’s Paul and the Law seems to suggest otherwise).
So, in terms of this question, he answers the question strongly for the Israelite context, but I would have liked some more to allow them to be eternal (e.g. when were they introduced, how all God’s words are useful for today).
Why We Should Obey Them
Moving onto the final question, DeYoung starts his book by introducing the 10 commandments as ’Ten Words that God wants all of us to follow’. He then continues this idea by stating that each command ’calls us’ to do something. The understanding seems to be that these commandments are applicable to all people at all times. From my reading of Romans 3, Galatians 3 and Hebrews 7, this does not appear to be as simple as that, so I would have liked a bit more explanation from the text.
Primarily, Kevin lists 5 main reasons why we should obey the 10 commandments today. The first of these is ‘who we are’. His argument is that the Israelites are a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, the same as Christians are today (1 Pet). The gist being that, in order to be holy, we should live God’s way (which in this case is by the 10 C’s). Strangely, the idea that the commandments were given to people saved from Egypt (as the introduction to them says) did not appear at this point. I would have appreciated that to be thrashed out, since, in context, Christians today are not rescued from Egypt, so there is an apparent discontinuity there.
His second point is ‘who God is in himself’. This point is strong – DeYoung says ‘the law is an expression of the Lawgiver’s heart and character’. Amen. Although, in the Lord Jesus we see the Father (John 14:9), so the argument could be made that Jesus fulfils the 10 commandments in that way.
Reason three is ‘who God is to us’. Here the author helpfully reminds us that God gives us commands for our good. It is common in our world today to think that commands are inherently bad – meaning to oppress us.
This point rolls into his 4th reason – ‘where we are’. DeYoung argues that the 10 commandments are not ‘instructions to get us out of Egypt. They are rules for a free people to stay free’. Again, the argument for how we get from laws given to a nation rescued from Egypt to today was missing here.
Finally, the last reason is ‘what He has done’. We are reminded here that the commandments follow the gospel. The Bible is not advocating a view of ‘do to be saved’, but instead says ‘done, so you can do’. This is something that does need addressing in a world that thinks we must work to be saved.
So in summary, DeYoung makes some good correctives to our approach to God’s law in this question, which I am thankful for. However, I am not sure he makes as concrete a case as I would have liked for why everyone should obey them. Perhaps I am looking for a higher level book than what is here, but I feel with the recent debates in evangelical circles, this should at least have been mentioned (or further reading provided).
Perhaps, if this receives a second edition, some Q&A could be added to the back (similar to Schreiner’s 40 questions on the law). I think it would help bolster the points made in this book.
I would recommend this book to those looking for an introduction to the Reformed (presbyterian) view on the purpose of the 10 Commandments for today, but would also recommend picking up some others at the same time (perhaps Sinai and the Saints).
Thanks to Crossway for letting me have a preview of this book for reviewing.
October 16, 2018
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
My initial thought when I saw this book was: do we need another popular-level work on The Ten Commandments? We've got so many already, like: Ryken's Written in Stone, Horton's The Law of Perfect Freedom, Packer's Growing in Christ. We've got Douma's, Watson's and Durham's (newly republished) on the heavier end of the spectrum, too. Why bring out a new book by DeYoung? Still, I was intrigued, so I requested a copy.
Not too surprisingly, I'm glad I did. This is typical DeYoung: a strong, affectionate, orthodox take on the Law delivered in a very accessible and affable manner. He made me think, he made me reconsider a thing or two, and he reminded me of a few things I needed reminding of.
He begins this work against the framework of the secular "anything goes" point of view, where everything certainly does not go -- as much as we as a culture might rail against an external source of morality -- there are things that simply cannot be said or done. Giving us a choice between humanity's unwritten, assumed code -- or God's revealed will. DeYoung then goes on to list reasons for the study as well as the following of God's Law.
The other important groundwork comes from the midst of his very strong chapter on the First Commandment in which he describes the role of the Law for New Covenant believers. It's still applicable, still binding -- just in a different manner. I think this could've been developed more -- maybe in its own chapter, but what we got here was good. I do particularly appreciate his metaphor of transposition. The Law in the New Covenant is the same for believers as it was in the Old, it's just in a different key.
Following the introduction where he lays out his framework, DeYoung turns to consider the commandments individually. This is the bulk of -- and the heart of -- the book, with a chapter devoted to each commandment. If the book has any value, it'll be found here, and there's a lot of it to be found. I briefly considered summarizing each chapter, but why steal his thunder. Also, he's not carving out anything new here, so there's little need. What's new is his expression of the timeless truths, his way of explaining and applying them. If you want a quick summary of what he'll say about each commandment read The Heidelberg Catechism questions 92-115 or the Westminster Shorter Catechism questions 39-85, and you'll get a pretty good idea.
Instead, I'll just comment on a few highlights and a couple of problems I had (your mileage may vary). I found his comments regarding the Fourth Commandment to be helpful, but hesitant -- in his effort to not be legalistic, or overly dogmatic, he comes across as wishy-washy. I appreciated most of what he had to say about the Second Commandment, but again, he's hesitant enough in some of his application to stumble a bit. Which is not to say that the bulk of those chapters weren't good and helpful -- they were. I think he could've been more consistently so.
Conversely, the chapters on the Eighth and Tenth commandments were incredibly helpful. If you ask me, these two are where the American Church and American Christians stumble more often than we realize (or care about). Publicly, Protestants are expounding so much energy on certain applications of the Sixth and Seventh commandments that one would be tempted to think that 8-10 are concerns of the past. DeYoung doesn't let the reader think that for an instant, and if you don't come away from these chapters with a good dose of conviction of your own sin, you probably didn't read it too closely.
The chapter on the Third Commandment was invaluable also. It's far too easy for Western Christians to reduce this to "don't be a potty mouth" and far too hard for us to really get what the importance of "name of the Lord" is. DeYoung does a yeoman's job on both fronts and does a good job expounding the meaning of this commandment.
You'll never walk away from any of these chapters thinking that DeYoung is writing a hellfire and brimstone jeremiad against the Church, you, or anyone. He's sharply critical of a lot of general culture, and individual inclinations, but that's to be expected. There's conviction and inspiration both to be found in these pages -- all delivered in DeYoung's warm, almost conversational, style -- a strong blend of wit and charm with the steel in his words. I won't get into it, but his chapter on the Third Commandment contains one of the funniest anecdotes (more in the telling than the story) I've read from him. Ignoring his content for a moment, his writing style is what will keep me coming back to DeYoung's books for years to come.
I think I've said before, I'm not a big one for study/discussion questions in books -- I like to think the engaged reader doesn't need them and someone leading a discussion/study of a book will be clever enough to come up with their own. But, I'm obviously swimming against the tide on this because publishers keep printing them. That said, on the whole, this is a pretty good set of questions and would help someone who likes those kind of questions for their own use or for those using the book in Family Worship, Sunday School, or Bible Study.
In the end, my question, do we need another popular-level book on The Ten Commandments? Is answered yes: we need frequent -- constant -- reminders of the revealed will we've been called to obey, so we never stop striving for that perfection and never cease calling on the Spirit's assistance. We also need to remember how great our sin and misery are so that we constantly live lives of repentance. So bring on DeYoung's good summary. And others as well -- and we need to read them, as well as the older popular-level works. And then we need to push ourselves and read some of the less-popular level ones as well.
This is a good, short set of meditations and reflections on the perfect law, the law of liberty for a contemporary audience. It's approachable, it's warm, it's pointed, and it's Gospel-centered. It's not perfect, but it's good. It functions well as a refresher for those who need one, and a good starting point for their own study of The Ten Commandments. I'm buying a copy (at least one) for my personal library and will be encouraging my household to read it -- and anyone else who asks.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Crossway via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.
---
My initial thought when I saw this book was: do we need another popular-level work on The Ten Commandments? We've got so many already, like: Ryken's Written in Stone, Horton's The Law of Perfect Freedom, Packer's Growing in Christ. We've got Douma's, Watson's and Durham's (newly republished) on the heavier end of the spectrum, too. Why bring out a new book by DeYoung? Still, I was intrigued, so I requested a copy.
Not too surprisingly, I'm glad I did. This is typical DeYoung: a strong, affectionate, orthodox take on the Law delivered in a very accessible and affable manner. He made me think, he made me reconsider a thing or two, and he reminded me of a few things I needed reminding of.
He begins this work against the framework of the secular "anything goes" point of view, where everything certainly does not go -- as much as we as a culture might rail against an external source of morality -- there are things that simply cannot be said or done. Giving us a choice between humanity's unwritten, assumed code -- or God's revealed will. DeYoung then goes on to list reasons for the study as well as the following of God's Law.
The other important groundwork comes from the midst of his very strong chapter on the First Commandment in which he describes the role of the Law for New Covenant believers. It's still applicable, still binding -- just in a different manner. I think this could've been developed more -- maybe in its own chapter, but what we got here was good. I do particularly appreciate his metaphor of transposition. The Law in the New Covenant is the same for believers as it was in the Old, it's just in a different key.
Following the introduction where he lays out his framework, DeYoung turns to consider the commandments individually. This is the bulk of -- and the heart of -- the book, with a chapter devoted to each commandment. If the book has any value, it'll be found here, and there's a lot of it to be found. I briefly considered summarizing each chapter, but why steal his thunder. Also, he's not carving out anything new here, so there's little need. What's new is his expression of the timeless truths, his way of explaining and applying them. If you want a quick summary of what he'll say about each commandment read The Heidelberg Catechism questions 92-115 or the Westminster Shorter Catechism questions 39-85, and you'll get a pretty good idea.
Instead, I'll just comment on a few highlights and a couple of problems I had (your mileage may vary). I found his comments regarding the Fourth Commandment to be helpful, but hesitant -- in his effort to not be legalistic, or overly dogmatic, he comes across as wishy-washy. I appreciated most of what he had to say about the Second Commandment, but again, he's hesitant enough in some of his application to stumble a bit. Which is not to say that the bulk of those chapters weren't good and helpful -- they were. I think he could've been more consistently so.
Conversely, the chapters on the Eighth and Tenth commandments were incredibly helpful. If you ask me, these two are where the American Church and American Christians stumble more often than we realize (or care about). Publicly, Protestants are expounding so much energy on certain applications of the Sixth and Seventh commandments that one would be tempted to think that 8-10 are concerns of the past. DeYoung doesn't let the reader think that for an instant, and if you don't come away from these chapters with a good dose of conviction of your own sin, you probably didn't read it too closely.
The chapter on the Third Commandment was invaluable also. It's far too easy for Western Christians to reduce this to "don't be a potty mouth" and far too hard for us to really get what the importance of "name of the Lord" is. DeYoung does a yeoman's job on both fronts and does a good job expounding the meaning of this commandment.
You'll never walk away from any of these chapters thinking that DeYoung is writing a hellfire and brimstone jeremiad against the Church, you, or anyone. He's sharply critical of a lot of general culture, and individual inclinations, but that's to be expected. There's conviction and inspiration both to be found in these pages -- all delivered in DeYoung's warm, almost conversational, style -- a strong blend of wit and charm with the steel in his words. I won't get into it, but his chapter on the Third Commandment contains one of the funniest anecdotes (more in the telling than the story) I've read from him. Ignoring his content for a moment, his writing style is what will keep me coming back to DeYoung's books for years to come.
I think I've said before, I'm not a big one for study/discussion questions in books -- I like to think the engaged reader doesn't need them and someone leading a discussion/study of a book will be clever enough to come up with their own. But, I'm obviously swimming against the tide on this because publishers keep printing them. That said, on the whole, this is a pretty good set of questions and would help someone who likes those kind of questions for their own use or for those using the book in Family Worship, Sunday School, or Bible Study.
In the end, my question, do we need another popular-level book on The Ten Commandments? Is answered yes: we need frequent -- constant -- reminders of the revealed will we've been called to obey, so we never stop striving for that perfection and never cease calling on the Spirit's assistance. We also need to remember how great our sin and misery are so that we constantly live lives of repentance. So bring on DeYoung's good summary. And others as well -- and we need to read them, as well as the older popular-level works. And then we need to push ourselves and read some of the less-popular level ones as well.
This is a good, short set of meditations and reflections on the perfect law, the law of liberty for a contemporary audience. It's approachable, it's warm, it's pointed, and it's Gospel-centered. It's not perfect, but it's good. It functions well as a refresher for those who need one, and a good starting point for their own study of The Ten Commandments. I'm buying a copy (at least one) for my personal library and will be encouraging my household to read it -- and anyone else who asks.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Crossway via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.
October 29, 2018
Ask anyone if they are familiar with the Ten Commandments and the answer will be in the affirmative. But ask that same person to recite the ten commandments by memory. The results will not be as encouraging, even among professing Christians.
Kevin DeYoung devotes his latest book, The Ten Commandments to explaining and exploring these ten imperatives. The subtitle describes the essence of the book: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them.
DeYoung carefully guides readers through each commandment, grounding his exposition in Scripture and applying his explanation to the real-world needs of contemporary people. Each chapter focuses on one commandment in particular and is set forth in a clear and understandable way.
I found The Ten Commandments to be deeply encouraging and challenging. DeYoung’s writing is engaging and draws readers from different backgrounds to one conclusion: These commandments are for today. But in the final analysis, they lead us directly to the cross of Christ. Indeed, as DeYoung writes,
“We can no longer keep the Ten Commandments rightly unless we keep them in Christ, through Christ, and with a view to the all-surpassing greatness of Christ. As new creations in Christ, the law is not only our duty but also our delight. If we want to love Christ as he deserves and as he desires, we will keep his commandments.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Kevin DeYoung devotes his latest book, The Ten Commandments to explaining and exploring these ten imperatives. The subtitle describes the essence of the book: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them.
DeYoung carefully guides readers through each commandment, grounding his exposition in Scripture and applying his explanation to the real-world needs of contemporary people. Each chapter focuses on one commandment in particular and is set forth in a clear and understandable way.
I found The Ten Commandments to be deeply encouraging and challenging. DeYoung’s writing is engaging and draws readers from different backgrounds to one conclusion: These commandments are for today. But in the final analysis, they lead us directly to the cross of Christ. Indeed, as DeYoung writes,
“We can no longer keep the Ten Commandments rightly unless we keep them in Christ, through Christ, and with a view to the all-surpassing greatness of Christ. As new creations in Christ, the law is not only our duty but also our delight. If we want to love Christ as he deserves and as he desires, we will keep his commandments.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
December 29, 2018
"Studying the Ten Commandments reveals the very heart of human rebellion: we don't like God telling us what we can and cannot do."When I was contemplating which book to choose from the Crossway Blog Review Program, somehow this book really appealed to me because of the title: The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them. Being a Christian for more than 10 years, I am very familiar with the Ten Commandments. But as Kevin DeYoung mentioned in this book, most people are ignorant of it and more people can name the seven ingredients in a Big Mac rather than recite the Ten Commandments. I am grateful that I decided to read this book because I'm definitely one of those ignorant people. I might be able to memorize most of them, but I didn't really understand the significance of it. I think this book is essential for those who are eager to perceive the Ten Commandments on a deeper level.
The book begins by giving five answers to the each of these questions: why should we study the Ten Commandments and why should we obey them. One of the most important reasons is the fact that Jesus (in the New Testament) never meant to abolish the Ten Commandments, but he certainly transforms it (Matt. 5:17). I love how Kevin DeYoung emphasized the fact that Jesus never once violate even one of the commandments. It shows how Jesus himself honors these commandments during his lifetime and that we should follow his examples.
"As we go through these studies, we will find that the law drives us to our knees, shows us our sin, and leads us to the cross. We need forgiveness. None of us keeps these commands perfectly. At the same time however, for those who have been forgiven and know Christ, we see in both the Old and New Testament that the Ten Commandments are foundational for living an obedient life pleasing to God."
"We need to hear it again: salvation is not the reward for obedience; salvation is the reason for obedience."Another thing that I absolutely love about this book is the fact that each of the chapter titles represents each commandments in a unique way that's easier to memorize—at least for me. For example, the third commandment is titled "What's in a Name?", the fourth commandment is "Rest, Rejoice, Repeat", the sixth commandment is called "Murder, We Wrote", and so on. Needless to say, I love every single chapter in this book. I love every single part of it, actually. But in this review I'm going to share some of the chapters in which I learn the most from.
The first one is the commandment regarding Sabbath, which is titled Rest, Rejoice, Repeat. This commandment have always been a little bit confusing to me because I heard some pretty extreme stories about it. For example, during Sabbath people cannot ride an elevator so they have to take the stairs 😂. I don't know if those kinds of stories are true, but I never fully understood the meaning behind this commandment. I am glad that this book explained it really thoroughly and Kevin DeYoung stated that we must keep the fourth commandment, but the way in which we keep it has changed. The meaning of Sabbath has always been about trust. Can you trust God to make up for the 'lost' work on one day by blessing you on the other six days? Can you rest and believe that God will carry you through? And that has totally changed my mindset about this commandment. It's not just about cultural law, but to make time for rest and worship God during that time 😊.
"Perhaps 'transposed' is even a better word than 'transformed.' When a piece of music is transposed, the melody stays the same, but it's played in a different octave or a different key. That's sort of how the Ten Commandments change from the Old Testament to the new. It's the same score, different key."The second commandment that I'd like to share is the one about murder; the chapter is titled Murder, We Wrote . The commandment itself is pretty explanatory, but what I like about this chapter is because Kevin DeYoung discussed several common issues that are relevant to our culture, including: suicide, abortion, and euthanasia. He clearly states that the sixth commandment prohibits us from doing those things because it is practically murder. I think this will be a really helpful chapter for people who have been unsure about these particular issues.
The last one that I'm going to talk about is the ninth commandment about bearing false witnesses, which is titled True Witnesses . Before reading this book, I only correlate this commandment with lying. But Kevin DeYoung define it being more than just telling lies. It talks about twisting no one's words, for example not retelling a story in a way that will be advantageous to us and make other people look bad. And he talked about how this commandment also forbids gossip or slander. The writer said: "Gossip is passing along a report or a rumor that cannot be substantiated. But gossip is more than that. We also gossip when we pass along a true report unnecessarily." That's a good guideline for us to be careful of the stories we tell to other people.
"How do we begin to make progress in obeying the Ten Commandments? By turning to Christ, trusting that this Immanuel is the way, the truth, and the life; that he tells us the truth, so we listen to him and believe him; and that he is the only way to be forgiven, so that when we fall short of these commandments (and we will), we can run to him for mercy."I'm really glad I decided to read this book because I learned so much from it. I really enjoyed Kevin DeYoung's writing because it's very relatable, practical, yet also Bible-centered and full of references from Scriptures. I love how in each chapter, the writer guides us and gives us examples on how to apply these commandments in our daily lives. I definitely want to revisit this book in the future because I think I need to be reminded about these things more than just once. If you're like me and have been a bit unfamiliar with the Ten Commandments or find it difficult to understand, I really suggest you to pick this book up. It might change your life just like it has changed mine 😊.
"What do you love? What are you chasing? What do you think about in the shower, on your way to work, on the drive, or folding laundry? What is the one thing you think you need in order to be really, truly happy? If the answer is anything other than God, you're an idolater."
Read the full review here:
http://www.thebookielooker.com/2018/1...
March 19, 2019
As always, Kevin writes in a clear style that is simple and easy to grasp. This is a great and practical little study of the Ten Commandments. I heartily recommend it!
August 28, 2021
Earlier this year, I taught on the Ten Commandments. I read three books to help me prepare (DeYoung, Leithart, and Packer). While Leithart’s was the most interesting, DeYoung’s was far and away the most helpful for teaching.
DeYoung reminds me of a modern day R.C. Sproul. He is incredibly gifted at taking complex topics and making them clear and understandable to the average person. This commitment to clarity however does not equal simplicity. This book is full of thought provoking insights about the heart of the commandments and how each one is transformed (or transposed) by the coming of Christ.
While I appreciated every chapter, I found his balanced and nuanced treatment of the fourth commandment to be the best of the bunch. I highly recommend this book!
10 Quotes (one for each commandment):
I.
“Syncretism was a perennial problem in Israel. God’s people were constantly tempted to make their faith a both/and religion, when God insisted on worship as an either/or proposition: “Either you worship me alone, or you don’t worship me at all.”….The fault with God’s people has always been that little and. The Lord is fine, but we want the Lord and Baal, the Lord and Asherah, the Lord and money, the Lord and social respectability. We’re quite happy to have God in our lives, just so long as he fills only a part of our lives….But (the Lord) has no interest in being one important person among many. God cannot be worshiped rightly if he is worshiped alongside any other.”
II.
“If the first commandment is against worshiping the wrong God, the second commandment is against worshiping God in the wrong way…Most generally, the second commandment forbids self-willed worship—worshiping God as we choose rather than as he demands.”
III.
“If you want a simple summary of the third commandment—a New Testament exhortation putting in positive language all that is required of us—here it is: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17). We obey the third commandment by living as Christians, by speaking and doing everything according to the family name. For when we do all that we do—and do it in Christ, for Christ, and through Christ—we show that his is the name we value, the name we love, and the name that is above all names.”
IV.
“I’ll always be thankful for the ingrained habit of going to church virtually no matter what. Are we teaching our kids that Sunday is the day we go to church or the day we try to squeeze in church? I understand that parents may draw the line in different places, but surely there are few habits more important to pass on to our children than the rock-solid routine of going to church every Sunday. It will be hard for our children to come to the conclusion that church is important for them if we raised them to think it was only a third or fourth priority for us. We may say that “Jesus is Lord” but end up showing that soccer is the real king.”
V.
“When Exodus 20:12 says, ‘Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you,’ it’s not just about living a long time. The writers of the Bible were not dumb. They lived in a real world where people died. It wasn’t like everyone who was really good lived to be one hundred years old, and everyone who was really bad died early. Living long in the land was more than just chronology. The phrase really has to do with abundant life. If you want to enjoy to the full the blessings that God has for you in the Promised Land, you’ll listen to your mom and dad.”
VI.
“Peace is always the goal, of course, but war is sometimes necessary to defend peace. The Old Testament clearly did not prohibit warfare, since God sent Israel into battle and claimed to be a warrior God who fought for them. Again, we see in Romans 13 that the duly appointed state is to be the agent of God’s wrath and to protect the innocent. As you may recall, when Jesus encountered the centurion, he did not tell him, ‘Go and sin no more—and, if you’re really going to follow me, quit being a centurion in the Roman army.’ In Acts, Cornelius (the head of a regiment) was called a God-fearer. When some soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do to repent, John did not say: ‘Resign from the evil Roman army. You can’t be a soldier and be part of the people of God.’ Instead he said, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations. Be content with your wages. Be an honest, honorable soldier,’ even in an army that often did repugnant things, as the Roman army did (see Luke 3:14). So the sixth commandment did not prohibit that sort of killing—self-defense, capital punishment, and just wars.”
VII.
“No relationship can be as intimate, sweet, life giving, and joy filled as the marital relationship, and no experience can be as intimate and powerful within that marriage relationship as sex. So, of course, the Devil is going to go after sex and marriage. We should expect confusion, misunderstanding, perversion, and pain—not because sex and marriage are bad or not worth the trouble, but precisely because they are such good gifts. God’s best gifts are the ones most apt to be twisted and perverted by the world, the flesh, and the Devil.”
VIII.
“I love this quote from R. Kent Hughes: ‘Every time I give, I declare that money does not control me. Perpetual generosity is a perpetual de-deification of money.’ Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. But the reverse is also true: where your treasure goes, your heart tends to follow. If you put all of your treasure into your stuff—your toys, your man cave, your exercise room, your car, or your house—then your heart is going to go there. If you’re having a hard time getting your heart in the right place, then send your money ahead of it. Your heart will follow. When you give generously to the church and to other kingdom-minded causes and organizations, you start finding that your heart is interested in what is happening.”
IX.
“Second, ‘twist no one’s words.’ Isn’t this easy to do? We don’t even have to try. We do it naturally. We know how to retell a story so that we’re the hero and others are the goat, where we emphasize only the really mean thing they said to us but say nothing about the hard and hurtful things we may have said. We’re masters at passing along our interpretation of the events as if it were factual. Whether we realize it or not, especially when we’re engaged in some sort of conflict, we intuitively know how to pass along information with a certain implied tone. We know how to leave out information and summarize long conversations in a way that makes us (or our side) look good and others (and their side) look bad. Don’t think that ‘spin’ is just what famous people do. We all spin.”
X.
“We covet when we want for ourselves what belongs to someone else. Coveting is more than thinking, “It’d be great to have a nice house,” or “I’d like to have a better job.” Coveting longs for someone else’s stuff to be your stuff. Coveting says, “I want their house. I want his job. If only I could have what they have, then I’d be happy.”
DeYoung reminds me of a modern day R.C. Sproul. He is incredibly gifted at taking complex topics and making them clear and understandable to the average person. This commitment to clarity however does not equal simplicity. This book is full of thought provoking insights about the heart of the commandments and how each one is transformed (or transposed) by the coming of Christ.
While I appreciated every chapter, I found his balanced and nuanced treatment of the fourth commandment to be the best of the bunch. I highly recommend this book!
10 Quotes (one for each commandment):
I.
“Syncretism was a perennial problem in Israel. God’s people were constantly tempted to make their faith a both/and religion, when God insisted on worship as an either/or proposition: “Either you worship me alone, or you don’t worship me at all.”….The fault with God’s people has always been that little and. The Lord is fine, but we want the Lord and Baal, the Lord and Asherah, the Lord and money, the Lord and social respectability. We’re quite happy to have God in our lives, just so long as he fills only a part of our lives….But (the Lord) has no interest in being one important person among many. God cannot be worshiped rightly if he is worshiped alongside any other.”
II.
“If the first commandment is against worshiping the wrong God, the second commandment is against worshiping God in the wrong way…Most generally, the second commandment forbids self-willed worship—worshiping God as we choose rather than as he demands.”
III.
“If you want a simple summary of the third commandment—a New Testament exhortation putting in positive language all that is required of us—here it is: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17). We obey the third commandment by living as Christians, by speaking and doing everything according to the family name. For when we do all that we do—and do it in Christ, for Christ, and through Christ—we show that his is the name we value, the name we love, and the name that is above all names.”
IV.
“I’ll always be thankful for the ingrained habit of going to church virtually no matter what. Are we teaching our kids that Sunday is the day we go to church or the day we try to squeeze in church? I understand that parents may draw the line in different places, but surely there are few habits more important to pass on to our children than the rock-solid routine of going to church every Sunday. It will be hard for our children to come to the conclusion that church is important for them if we raised them to think it was only a third or fourth priority for us. We may say that “Jesus is Lord” but end up showing that soccer is the real king.”
V.
“When Exodus 20:12 says, ‘Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you,’ it’s not just about living a long time. The writers of the Bible were not dumb. They lived in a real world where people died. It wasn’t like everyone who was really good lived to be one hundred years old, and everyone who was really bad died early. Living long in the land was more than just chronology. The phrase really has to do with abundant life. If you want to enjoy to the full the blessings that God has for you in the Promised Land, you’ll listen to your mom and dad.”
VI.
“Peace is always the goal, of course, but war is sometimes necessary to defend peace. The Old Testament clearly did not prohibit warfare, since God sent Israel into battle and claimed to be a warrior God who fought for them. Again, we see in Romans 13 that the duly appointed state is to be the agent of God’s wrath and to protect the innocent. As you may recall, when Jesus encountered the centurion, he did not tell him, ‘Go and sin no more—and, if you’re really going to follow me, quit being a centurion in the Roman army.’ In Acts, Cornelius (the head of a regiment) was called a God-fearer. When some soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do to repent, John did not say: ‘Resign from the evil Roman army. You can’t be a soldier and be part of the people of God.’ Instead he said, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations. Be content with your wages. Be an honest, honorable soldier,’ even in an army that often did repugnant things, as the Roman army did (see Luke 3:14). So the sixth commandment did not prohibit that sort of killing—self-defense, capital punishment, and just wars.”
VII.
“No relationship can be as intimate, sweet, life giving, and joy filled as the marital relationship, and no experience can be as intimate and powerful within that marriage relationship as sex. So, of course, the Devil is going to go after sex and marriage. We should expect confusion, misunderstanding, perversion, and pain—not because sex and marriage are bad or not worth the trouble, but precisely because they are such good gifts. God’s best gifts are the ones most apt to be twisted and perverted by the world, the flesh, and the Devil.”
VIII.
“I love this quote from R. Kent Hughes: ‘Every time I give, I declare that money does not control me. Perpetual generosity is a perpetual de-deification of money.’ Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. But the reverse is also true: where your treasure goes, your heart tends to follow. If you put all of your treasure into your stuff—your toys, your man cave, your exercise room, your car, or your house—then your heart is going to go there. If you’re having a hard time getting your heart in the right place, then send your money ahead of it. Your heart will follow. When you give generously to the church and to other kingdom-minded causes and organizations, you start finding that your heart is interested in what is happening.”
IX.
“Second, ‘twist no one’s words.’ Isn’t this easy to do? We don’t even have to try. We do it naturally. We know how to retell a story so that we’re the hero and others are the goat, where we emphasize only the really mean thing they said to us but say nothing about the hard and hurtful things we may have said. We’re masters at passing along our interpretation of the events as if it were factual. Whether we realize it or not, especially when we’re engaged in some sort of conflict, we intuitively know how to pass along information with a certain implied tone. We know how to leave out information and summarize long conversations in a way that makes us (or our side) look good and others (and their side) look bad. Don’t think that ‘spin’ is just what famous people do. We all spin.”
X.
“We covet when we want for ourselves what belongs to someone else. Coveting is more than thinking, “It’d be great to have a nice house,” or “I’d like to have a better job.” Coveting longs for someone else’s stuff to be your stuff. Coveting says, “I want their house. I want his job. If only I could have what they have, then I’d be happy.”
January 1, 2019
I loved this book. It is my new devotional, to go through God’s Law.
The modern church today does not emphasise the law enough, and sees the law as burdensome. This is a categorical error. It’s burdensome for justification, only Christ can fulfil the demands of the law... but for our sanctification, it is glorious. Kevin DeYoung does this so well, to help to see the law as a delight, aligning with the testimony of Scripture.
It is well written and DeYoung’s insights are particularly edifying. It’s also seasoned with some humour. 10/10.
The modern church today does not emphasise the law enough, and sees the law as burdensome. This is a categorical error. It’s burdensome for justification, only Christ can fulfil the demands of the law... but for our sanctification, it is glorious. Kevin DeYoung does this so well, to help to see the law as a delight, aligning with the testimony of Scripture.
It is well written and DeYoung’s insights are particularly edifying. It’s also seasoned with some humour. 10/10.
April 21, 2020
Excellent treatment of the nature of the Decalogue, its binding nature, its applicability, and scope. Believe it or not, there's still some debate about the *extend* of applicability of some of the commandments, particularly the 2nd and 4th commandment. While I fundamentally disagree with DeYoung's blanket opposition to any image whatsoever of the Divine, I appreciated the tone with which he discussed his particular view on that regard. His argument for a looser application of the 4th commandment, though, is on point. I'd be coming back to this book from time to time for sure.
May 1, 2019
This is one of those books that, in my opinion, every Christian should read. Prior to reading this book, I confess I had a low, basic view of the ten commandments. Kevin DeYoung's biblical explanations and practical applications of each were enlightening, convicting, and encouraging. Highly recommended!
May 18, 2020
Probably the most reader-friendly treatment of the Ten Commandments that is still doctrinally sound and Christ-centered. DeYoung is a clear communicator who uses illustrations very effectively and appropriately. As a pastor, this book made me want to preach through the Ten Commandments! Highly recommended!
March 17, 2023
Good book for church members. Clear overview of the 10 commandments in a memorable way.
Deyoung takes the Reformed view on the 2nd commandment, which I was happy to see, but surprised given that his children's bible has pictures of Jesus.
Regardless, this book was a good overview, and makes for a good group study.
Deyoung takes the Reformed view on the 2nd commandment, which I was happy to see, but surprised given that his children's bible has pictures of Jesus.
Regardless, this book was a good overview, and makes for a good group study.
December 12, 2018
Kevin DeYoung continues to patch the hole in our holiness. This book is an accessible exposition of the ten words, with relevant applications, and lots of quotes from John Calvin as a bonus. Listened to the audiobook in December 2018.
March 30, 2023
Very good. Very much enjoyed the chapter on covetousness and keeping the Sabbath/Lord's Day. Also thought his arguments against pictures/paintings of Christ (even if we dont believe they are imbued with the spirit of a god like ancient world idols were) were solid.
October 16, 2023
Kind of hovering around the 4.5 star mark but I’m going with 5 because this book genuinely helped grow my love for God and His law. Makes me excited to read The Hole in Our Holiness.
Also I think I’m at the point where I’ll read pretty much anything DeYoung writes
Also I think I’m at the point where I’ll read pretty much anything DeYoung writes
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews