Are the 10 Commandments Blocking Your Success?

When it comes to wondering if God wants to bless us in our lives, families, and careers, many of us might feel like we've seen Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments one too many times.

Christians often find themselves in the same mindset as the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai. We may think that if we follow the letter of the law, God will bless us, but if we fail in any way, we risk losing that blessing. This mindset, shaped by wrong teaching and belief, binds us to the requirements of the 10 Commandments (the Law)—a standard the Bible tells us we can never fully meet.

Now, don't get me wrong—the Law is perfect, holy, and just. But that’s exactly the problem: it's so perfect that we, as humans, can never live up to it. As Galatians 3:24 says, "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

Because the Law is perfect, only Jesus could fulfill it. He did so on our behalf, taking on our punishment, so that instead of God’s wrath, we receive an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). Once you believe in the finished work of Jesus, you are no longer under the law—you are under grace, living as God’s beloved child.

So, what does this mean for you, practically? Being under grace means that God has empowered you to succeed in everything He calls you to do. You can be confident that He has plans to bless you, to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He wants you to grow in our calling, have favor in your sphere of influence, and walk in your purpose. You don’t have to wonder if your obedience has earned God’s blessing because Jesus already earned it for you.

If you don’t receive the blessings you pray for, don’t assume God is punishing you for your sin. Sometimes pain is merely a path to victory. When things don’t go your way, trust that God may be protecting you from something that’s not in your best interest. Go back to God in prayer and seek wisdom on what you should be asking for and how God wants to fulfill the dreams He put in your heart.

You no longer have to stand at the foot of Mount Sinai, trying to earn what’s already yours. As children of God living in His Kingdom, we are called to act according to the Law simply because it is what our Father laid out as a good way to act. However, your standing as God’s child and your place in His Kingdom are in no way reliant on your ability to keep the Law. The 10 Commandments have done their job perfectly—they’ve brought you to Christ. Now, live as God calls you to live under your loving Father’s protection and guidance.