Most people consider the second commandment to deal with making or falling down before a pagan idol, but it covers all aspects of the way we worship.

The natural mind craves something physical to remind us of God, but the Second Commandment prohibits this. Any representation will fall short of the reality.

Many fail to perceive the difference between the first and second commandments. The second commandment defines the way we are to worship the true God.

Idolatry derives from worshiping the work of our hands or thoughts rather than the true God. Whatever consumes our thoughts and behavior has become our idol.

The Sabbath is a period of time God purposefully sanctified and set apart for the benefit of mankind, a time dedicated to God's spiritual creation.

God, not man, created, sanctified and memorialized the seventh day Sabbath from the time of creation, intending that man use this holy time to worship God.

At creation, God sanctified only one day, the seventh, as a day of rest. At Sinai, He again sanctified it as a holy day, tying it to creation and freedom.

The Sabbath is a special creation, a very specific period of holy time given to all of mankind, reminding us that God created and is continuing to create.

Many think the Third Commandment merely prohibits profane speech. In reality, it regulates the purity and quality of our worship of the great God.

In the the Third Commandment, God's name describes His character, attributes, and nature. If we bear God's name, we must reflect His image and His character.

The prohibition against taking God's name in vain is the least understood commandment. When we bear God's name, we are to bear His character and nature.

The fifth commandment stands at the head of the second tablet of the Decalogue, which governs our human relationships. It is critical for family and society.

To see God as accurately as possible, we must refrain from drawing a too-simple mental picture of His nature. We must be continually expanding our conception of Him.

A fundamental difference exists between images and language, and by understanding the difference, we can understand the second commandment's importance.

Made in God's image, human beings have the same drive to imagine, create, innovate, and express their designs in the works of their hands.

Many believe without really understanding why we must worship God. He demands it, is worthy of it, and without it, we will not grow into His image.

The second commandment prohibits the use of anything that represents God. This directly prohibits any likeness of Jesus Christ's person.

We tend to ignore the possibility of idolatry in our lives. But we need to do the hard thing and examine ourselves to identify any hidden idols.

Some stretch the second commandment to condemn the use of all paintings, photographs, and sculptures. Others claim only Hebrew names for God can be used.

When John talks about idols, he is going far beyond things like statues, icons, and crucifixes, but instead anything people focus on first.

Nowhere in the Bible are we told to venerate the symbol of the cross. The early church certainly did not. It was introduced into Catholic churches in AD 431.

Like a boxer, we must exert ourselves with a broad spectrum of skills to subdue our carnal bodies, mortifying the flesh with maximum self-discipline.

God commanded the Israelites to utter blessings from Mount Gerazim and curses from Mount Ebal, most of which deal with hidden sins that give rise to hypocrisy.

To guard against the world, we must be careful not to fall into idolatry, based upon limiting God to tangible objects or those things which occupy our thoughts.

The Catholic Church places great importance on Mary, to the point that many Catholics are pushing for Mary to be recognized as 'Co-Redemptrix!

To appropriate the name of God means to represent His attributes, character and nature. Our behavior must imitate Christ just as Christ revealed God the Father.

God's law will be the spiritual weights and measures in the Kingdom, but until then, we must glorify God by keeping these standards as a bright light.

Bearing our cross means our time on this earth is virtually finished, that we are willing to give up our lives, emulating the life of our Savior.