When God opened my mind to the truth in spring of 1966, I was shocked to learn He would one day set up a Kingdom on Earth. While my understanding of that Kingdom has grown, one thing that has all the while remained constant is that for a kingdom to exist—any kingdom!—it must have four components: leaders, territory, subjects and laws.

Lacking even one of these elements, a nation, country or kingdom—however classified—cannot function.

All-too-often vain attempts at securing the right leaders, who have the interests of a nation’s citizens at heart, consume politics. So does the subject of immigration—who is allowed and not allowed into the territory that defines how big or small the nation is.

The fourth component—law—is just as important. I encourage you to read, either online or by ordering a free hardcopy, our book The Ten Commandments – “Nailed to the Cross” or Required for Salvation? It explains God’s view of law—how important it is, and what it encompasses.

Psalm 19:7 makes a stark statement: “The law of the Lord is perfect…” It is not like man’s laws—subject to endless interpretation, debate and revision. It does not, as is the case with the United States, require hundreds of lawmakers, or nine judges over thousands of others, to render decisions. None of this is what God intended and the horrible laws and judgments themselves prove why!

This confusion was on full display when six American lawmakers sought to sow confusion and division among U.S. servicemen and women by telling them to “refuse unlawful orders.”

Absent from their counsel was any kind of explanation of what is lawful versus unlawful.

After Moses’ death, ancient Israel eventually reached a time when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). We have entered a parallel time.

God’s laws are different, not subject to debate. Jesus Christ explained the foundation of this law in Matthew 22. A Pharisee tempted Him, asking: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” (vs. 36). Christ’s answer was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (vs. 37-40).

What law was He citing? Just three chapters earlier, Jesus was asked another question: “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16).

Jesus, in turn, asked His own plain, impossible-to-misunderstand follow-up question and gave a related statement: “Why call you Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments” (vs. 17). The natural question was which commandments (vs. 18).

To remove all doubt, Jesus listed several of the 10: “You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother: and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (vs. 18-19).

While the world today does not look to the Bible for answers, there will be a time in the near future when all mankind will read and keep these 10 basic laws outlined thousands of years ago in Exodus 20.

Imagine a world where everyone understands the nature of the true God and what He expects of people on Earth. All competing, false religions would be abolished. Everyone would understand “You shall have no other gods before Me”—the first commandment.

Idols and graven images of every kind would be outlawed. This would include the thought-to-be “Christian cross,” which is not something God or Jesus Christ wants followers to venerate. Think. This was Christ’s instrument of death—not something we should look to! With all physical items of “worship” gone—across every religion—all people will understand and keep the second commandment: “You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord your God am a jealous God…”

Swearing of every form—taking God’s name in vain or lightly—will disappear (the third commandment).

All people, Christians of this world included, will come to understand the seventh-day Saturday Sabbath is God’s true day of rest. Everyone will “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”—the fourth commandment. This will be a sign not only between God and His “little flock” on Earth today, but a sign between He and all mankind in the future!

The elders in society are no longer respected. Children in great numbers no longer obey their parents. This will change. All will learn to respect and “honor their father and mother” (the fifth commandment), and live prosperous lives as a result!

The next three commandments are almost universally understood and accepted, but are far too often disobeyed! Killing will be outlawed (the sixth commandment). So will adultery and other sex-related sins (the seventh commandment). Thievery will not be permitted (the eighth commandment).

“Bearing false witness”—the ninth commandment—will no longer be allowed. Much of society today is not founded in truth. The lies that hurt others—sometimes even imprison others or otherwise destroy lives—will not be tolerated.

The culture of materialism has destroyed values in the Western world. Life is now about who can get the most—to the detriment of character. Growing numbers are never satisfied with what they have. All will learn not to covet (the 10th commandment). The apostle Paul learned this, too, explaining that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:6).

The world is oblivious to, or chooses to ignore, these 10 bedrock commands that ensure the abundant life God always intended all human beings to live. Yet you can keep these laws now—before God intervenes and enforces the way to peace, now just ahead!

As you consider reading The Ten Commandments – “Nailed to the Cross” or Required for Salvation?, and perhaps even attending God’s true Church where they are taught and kept, expand your mind and spend time imagining how different a commandment-keeping world will be!