Imagine a household, with a father, mother, and a few children. The father and mother provide an outline of how they want their children to behave. They set up guidelines for the operation of their family that are based on the commands that God has taught them, and they establish goals for the direction they want their family to go – the direction of the kingdom. These directions (commands) of the parents are spoken of often to the children, and the parents remind each other often of their “kingdom-heading family.” Usually they are written down somewhere, posted on the fridge or in a frame on the wall, where all members of the family are able to be reminded of them, and get familiar with them. A chore list is a good example of this.
The Commandments of Christ achieve the same purpose – providing guidelines and direction for the family of God. Memorizing the commandments is a way you can make them a part of you – God’s law is written on your mind, your inward parts! The Bible Companion containing the Commandments of Christ is a handy tool that is small enough to comfortably fit into your pocket. I know a brother who carries this little book with him wherever he goes. Recently it went with him 1 km underground while working in a mine shaft. It’s a good reference source to remind yourself of your purpose in life – why you choose to live the life you do, aligning your actions to your purpose – God’s purpose. Another idea is to write these commandments in places where you will see them – we have written them on some of the frames in our beehives so while we are working we can be reminded of them and meditate on how we need to apply these commands in our life.
How can we live the commands if we aren’t familiar with them? If we’re not intimate with them?
Thanks to Tim & Victoria B. for this introduction!
This printable list contains all of the Commandments of Christ as summarized in the Bible Reading Companion. Many ecclesias read a few of these each week as part of the Memorial Service – but this is a great opportunity to make this part of your daily consuming of God’s word. We have spent the last two years memorizing the Commandments of Christ with our children but were finding that as we memorized many of them, we were struggling to keep the earlier ones fresh in our mind, as well as being able to review them all regularly. These cards can be printed off to aid you in memorizing the commandments, or also to review the ones you have already memorized.
The cards are color coded to match the 12 different sections, however if you print them black and white the color should not affect the overall use of the cards. You need to bring the file double-sided, preferably on a thicker paper (like cardstock). The idea is you use the first few words/phrase of the commandment to help spark your memory in the rest of the commandment.
Here are the printable Commandments of Christ (WORD) or (PDF) (Thanks to Lydia O. for creating these printables)
Commandments of Christ Audio Recordings
For those who are audio learners, we have recorded the commandments as audio files to play around your house or in the car. (Thanks to Tim S, Caleb O, and Mike L for recording!)
Section 3 (Concerning Brothers and Sisters)
Section 4 (Concerning the Stranger)
Section 5 (Concerning your Own Character)
Section 6 (Concerning Your Actions)
Section 7 (Concerning your Thoughts and Speech)
Section 8 (Concerning Matrimonial Relations)
Section 9 (Concerning Parents and Children)
Section 10 (Concerning Masters and Servants)
Section 11 (Concerning Disobedient Brethren)
Section 12 (Concerning the Assembly)
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
John 15:13-15