NINTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy

 neighbour."

Although this Commandment was originally a rule to prohibit false accusations in a
court of law, the spirit of it would forbid any kind of lying. We know from other
statements in the Bible that passing along false information about others was con-
demned. Here is one from Proverbs: "These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven
are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent
blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to
mischief. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren." (Proverbs 6:16-19)

 

Mary Baker Eddy explains that these actions are forbidden even in our thoughts:

"'Thou shalt not bear false witness;' that is, thou shalt not utter a lie, either mentally

or audibly, nor cause it to be thought. Obedience to these commandments is

indispensable to health, happiness, and length of days." (Miscellaneous Writings

67:13-17)

Now, who is our "neighbor"? Don't waste your time hoping this is referring only to
those people living in your community. It is a term referring to everyone-- even
yourself or your worst enemies. You should be wary of self-deception and you should
be aware of how you speak of your enemies. To manipulate the facts about another,
making suggestive accusations, and smearing the good reputation of another, is a form
of "bearing false witness." To tell lies about our competition, or our siblings, for
example, hoping they would be punished, is breaking this Commandment.

Jesus told us to "love thy neighbour as thyself." Would we want others to tell lies
about us? Then we should not do it either, no matter how deserving they may seem to
be. Mary Baker Eddy explains her standard on this: "I hate no one; and love others
more than they can love me. As I now understand Christian Science, I would as soon
harm myself as another; since by breaking Christ's command, 'Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself,' I should lose my hope of heaven." (Miscellaneous Writings
311:18-22)

In ancient times, when the Ten Commandments were written, if anyone was found
lying in court about another, the false accuser would be given the same punishment
that would have gone to the person found guilty of the crime. There is spiritual truth
to this. If we believe in the reality of sin and evil, such that we are willing to broad-
cast it as a fact for our neighbor or our enemies, then we will sooner or later suffer
from our beliefs in the reality of sin and evil.

We can choose to be Living Monuments to the Ninth Commandment every day: we
can choose not to gossip, or to believe in it; we can choose not to slander or libel
another on purpose; we can refrain from harshly criticizing or judging others; we can
seek the positive over the negative side of situations; we can choose love over fear
and hate, no matter what the consequences may be for us; we can bear witness to our
true spiritual nature, rather than giving in to the depressing self-talk of low self-esteem.
Most of all, we can think and speak and share only the Truth -- the spiritual reality of
all things as God created them.

TENTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou shalt not covet."

This Commandment is unique in that it is a law against "thinking" a certain way,
rather than a law forbidding certain actions. This is a fit preparation for the teachings
of Jesus and for the later teachings of Christian Science. Our thinking determines our
experience. The Tenth Commandment asks us to control our thought so that our bodies
are not used as tools of evil. To covet is to have a strong desire to possess something,
usually something already owned by another. Similar forms of thinking include envy,
lust, greed, jealousy, rivalry, passions, appetites, revenge. Jesus gave this warning:
"Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the
abundance of things which he possesseth." (Luke 12:15)

Obedience to the Ninth Commandment is very important to the Christian Scientist.
Mrs. Eddy writes: "Envy, evil thinking, evil speaking, covetousness, lust, hatred,
malice, are always wrong, and will break the rule of Christian Science and prevent
its demonstration." (Miscellaneous Writings 19:1-4)

We must root out all forms of covetousness and envy as they come to us. Do you envy
others for their physical attraction or athletic abilities? Do you lust for physical
pleasure in all its myriad forms: sex, food, drink, drugs, pornography, and so forth?
Do you want to be the center of attention, have a title or position that is admired, or
own luxuries for the sake of showing them off or making a statement about your

personal wealth or importance? These things are so far off the mark! Many who have
achieved the ownership of great possessions, or those who have over-indulged in
various physical pleasures and activities, can tell you that these things do not bring
lasting happiness, satisfaction, or security.

To be a Living Monument to the Tenth Commandment, we must seek out what is
worth having. We must look to the spiritual qualities of God for lasting substance.
We must challenge the thoughts of envy and desire when they suggest themselves to
us aggressively. Mrs. Eddy tells us, "What we most need is the prayer of fervent
desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds."
(Science and Health 4:3-5)

There are countless statements in her writings that urge us to turn our thoughts to
spiritual reality, rather than materiality, to find peace and happiness. She writes:
"Happiness consists in being and in doing good; only what God gives, and what we
give ourselves and others through His tenure, confers happiness." (Message of 1902
17:22-25)

The Tenth Commandment was God's way of turning our thoughts to Him and His gifts,
rather than focusing our life and ambitions on the temporary images of the mortal
dream. Obedience to the law against coveting in our thoughts is great practice for the
commandments of Jesus found in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. We
exchange the law of the Old Testament -- that protected us from harm until we knew
better -- for the law of Love given by Jesus in the New Testament.

SCULPTING AND CARVING OUR LIVING MONUMENTS

As you may now see, there is such a grand opportunity available to us to share the
power of the Ten Commandments in our own lives, that the lack of a public display
on monuments or wall hangings may not be as important as some feel. While the
desire to remind others of these laws of God is a good one, we can get to work right
now on our own public and private display! In closing, Mary Baker Eddy has some
thoughts about our tasks as spiritual "sculptors." They are found in Science and
Health under the marginal headings "Mental sculpture" and "Perfect models":

"The sculptor turns from the marble to his model in order to perfect his conception. We
are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. What is the
model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you
accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it? Then you are haunted in your work
by vicious sculptors and hideous forms. Do you not hear from all mankind of the
imperfect model? The world is holding it before your gaze continually. The result is
that you are liable to follow those lower patterns, limit your lifework, and adopt into
your experience the angular outline and deformity of matter models.

"To remedy this, we must first turn our gaze in the right direction, and then walk that
way. We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall
never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy,
justice, health, holiness, love -- the kingdom of heaven -- reign within us, and sin,
disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.

"Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up
imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that
one perfect, producing His own models of excellence." (S&H 248:12-249:4)


Copyright 2003 Vicki Jones Cole