The Ten Commandments, flowing as it were from the one source, “I am the
Lord thy God,” branch off in all directions, and penetrate all man’s
relations, guide him in his conduct towards God, towards his fellow-men
and towards himself, and teach him how to rule his thought, his speech,
and his actions. When the Almighty proclaims to us, “I am the Lord thy
God,” we willingly respond, “Thou art my God.” But this declaration
involves also duties on our part, the fulfilment of which is the
natural consequence and the verification of our response. If our words,
“Thou art my God,” come from our hearts, and are not empty sounds,
uttered merely by the lips, we must be conscious of the duties they
impose on us. These are:—
A. Duties towards God, as our Master, Creator, and Father.
B. Duties towards our fellow-men, as children of one God.
C. Duties towards ourselves, as the object of God’s Providence.