Ten Commandments of God
Primary 4 · Social and Religious Studies
Ten Commandments of God
Lesson 4 of 5
14 min
Byiringiro likes Mugisha's new blue pen. When Mugisha goes out at break, Byiringiro takes it. Later, Mugisha asks, "Have you seen my pen?" "No," says Byiringiro. But the next day, Mugisha sees the pen on Byiringiro's desk. Mugisha is hurt and stops talking to him. Byiringiro feels bad inside. He has broken two commandments: "You shall not steal" and "You shall not give false testimony."
In Rwanda, Christians and Muslims live, learn and play side by side. In this unit you will read what each faith teaches, in its own words. Learning about each other's faith helps us to respect one another.
Christians and Muslims both use the word sin for breaking God's commandments: doing something God has forbidden, or refusing to do what God has commanded.
A consequence is what happens because of something you did. Breaking God's commandments brings bad consequences:
| For the person who does wrong | For other people |
|---|---|
| Feeling guilty, ashamed or afraid | They are hurt, sad or angry |
| Losing friends and people's trust | Quarrels and fights begin |
| Punishment at home, at school or by the law (for example, prison for stealing) | Families break up and communities lose their peace |
| Being separated from God | People lose what belongs to them |
Both faiths teach that God is merciful and forgives people who are truly sorry and turn away from wrong.
| In the Bible | In the Qur'an |
|---|---|
|
Turning back to Allah in sorrow is called tawbah (repentance). |
To put things right, a person should:
That is what Byiringiro did. He gave back the pen and said sorry. Mugisha forgave him, and they became friends again.
Tip
Wrong turn? Turn back! Everyone makes mistakes. Admit it, say sorry, fix it and do better.
Answer: What happens because of something you did.
Answer: Any two of: losing trust and friends, feeling guilty, punishment, the victim losing what is theirs.
Answer: That God will forgive them and cleanse them.
Answer: Repentance: turning back to Allah in sorrow for doing wrong.
Answer: Admit what you did, say sorry, repair the harm, try not to do it again.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The explanations around the scripture passages are written by Ganzaa.
Quick check
Byiringiro took Mugisha's pen, then said he had not seen it. Which two commandments did he break?
