10 Commandments, The: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them

The Ten Commandments are foundational to the laws and ethics in the Old Testament, but many Christians don’t know how these words from God relate 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, the first in a trilogy explaining foundational tools for the Christian faith, Kevin DeYoung delivers critical truth about God’s Ten Commandments as he makes clear what they are, why Christians should know them, and how to apply them.

Revealing the timelessness and goodness of God’s commands, this important book helps readers know, obey, and delight in God’s law—his good law that exposes their sinfulness and helps them understand the depths of grace.

208 pages

View excerpt here.

Read our interview with Kevin DeYoung here.

“Seasoned by personal wit, shaped by years of pastoral ministry, and highly skilled in interpreting God’s Word, Kevin DeYoung is the right person to write this book. DeYoung fleshes out the Ten Commandments in a way that helps us see the wisdom of our Creator and Redeemer in directing us on our pilgrim way. I highly recommend this book!”

--- Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California; Host, White Horse Inn; author, Core Christianity

“Kevin DeYoung has emerged as one of this generation’s premier preachers and most articulate communicators. Those who know his ministry will find what they have come to expect from him in The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them. I encourage anyone searching to know God’s Word better and how it applies to the Christian life to buy this book and read it.”

--- Jason K. Allen, President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Is understanding the Ten Commandments necessary under the new covenant? A resounding yes! Thorough, accessible, relevant, and convicting, this book offers the most insightful analysis of the Ten Commandments I’ve ever read, skillfully applying them to our lives today. DeYoung beautifully marries grace and truth, leading the reader to understand the importance of obedience and the cross that makes it possible.”

--- Vaneetha Rendall Risner, author, The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering

“We know what the Ten Commandments are. But do we know why they are, and how they apply to our lives today, especially in light of Jesus? This book is a rigorous yet accessible guide to the meaning, application, and life-giving beauty of God’s commands. At a time when many people—including some Christians—want to distance themselves from the Old Testament or declare it obsolete, this book is a relevant and much-needed refresher. For parents, pastors, teachers, and leaders seeking resources to help unpack the place of the Ten Commandments for Christians today, this is essential reading.”

--- Brett McCracken, Senior Editor, The Gospel Coalition; author, Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community

“Kevin DeYoung not only relates the Ten Commandments to our contemporary context, but also relates them to their redemptive context by reminding us, ‘All of our doing is only because of what he has first done for us.’ This is living for God in response to his grace, rather than to deserve it. The result is that the Commandments serve as bread for our souls, rather than as a bribe for God’s love.”

--- Bryan Chapell, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois

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