Commandments = Love

Why Are There Commandments? It’s All about Love.

In the scriptures, Satan is called the father of lies, because that’s what he does. He lies constantly, and he especially loves to lie about God’s commandments.

For example, Satan tells us that commandments are confining. They stifle us. They make life dull and boring. He tells us that if we obey the commandments we can’t have any fun.

Satan also tells us that the commandments aren’t really important. He’ll say that it’s okay to sin a little, as long as we don’t do anything really bad.

Don’t believe Satan’s lies! God’s commandments are important—all of them. They keep us safe and help us live life to the fullest. It’s like when you were a little kid—did your parents warn you to not touch the hot stove? The rule wasn’t to stifle you; it was to prevent you from getting hurt, which would free you to do other things that were safe. It was a sign that your parents loved you.

It’s the same with our Heavenly Father. Why does He give commandments? Because He loves us. He wants us to avoid danger and live in a way that brings us closer to Him.

Commandments are like a big “I love you” sign from Heavenly Father!

Understand Heavenly Father’s Point of View

• Is there a particular commandment that troubles you? Think about it—why would Heavenly Father give you that commandment? How will He bless you for obeying it?

• Talk with your parents. Have they had a similar experience with a commandment?

Ideas to try:

To debunk even more lies that Satan tries telling us, read the following: “Seven Lies Satan Wants You to Believe.”