The Ten Commandments of God
Senior 1 · Religion and Ethics
The Ten Commandments of God
Lesson 5 of 5
18 min
On the last Saturday of every month, from 08:00 to 11:00, Rwandans aged 18 to 65 come together for umuganda, community work. At school you wear a uniform and arrive on time. On a moto, the passenger wears a helmet. All of these come from laws, rules or regulations. In this lesson you will learn the difference between them, what Christianity and Islam teach about obeying them, and why they matter.
| Term | Meaning | Example in Rwanda |
|---|---|---|
| Law | a rule made by the lawful authority of a country, which everyone must obey and which the police and courts enforce | the law that makes umuganda compulsory for adults aged 18 to 65 |
| Rule | an instruction for behaviour in a particular group or place | school rules on uniform and punctuality; family rules; the rules of football |
| Regulation | a detailed rule made by an authorised body to put a law into practice | traffic regulations on speed limits and helmets |
The highest law in Rwanda is the Constitution, adopted by referendum in 2003 and revised in 2015. Every other law must agree with it. Laws are passed by Parliament, which has two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Christians are taught to respect lawful authority: "Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God" (Romans 13:1). Peter wrote: "Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake" (1 Peter 2:13). An ordinance is a law or regulation. The prophet Jeremiah told God's people to work for the good of the city where they lived: "Seek the peace of the city … and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace." (Jeremiah 29:7)
The Qur'an says: "O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority" (Qur'an 4:59). Believers must keep their agreements: "O ye who believe! Fulfil your undertakings." (Qur'an 5:1). An undertaking is a promise or agreement. Those in authority must rule fairly: "if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly." (Qur'an 4:58)
Both faiths teach that no human law can make evil right. When the authorities ordered the apostles to stop preaching, they replied: "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29). The Prophet Muhammad taught that obedience is due only in what is right, never in wrongdoing (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). This matters in Rwanda's history: during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, some people claimed they were "only obeying orders". No order can make killing an innocent person right.
Breaking laws and rules has consequences: fines, punishment, harm to others, and loss of trust.
Question: Using one text from the Bible and one from the Qur'an, explain why a believer should obey the laws of Rwanda. (4 marks)
Model answer: Christians believe lawful authority comes from God: Romans 13:1 says "there is no authority except from God", so obeying just laws is part of obeying God (2 marks). Muslims are commanded to obey "those of you who are in authority" (Qur'an 4:59) and to fulfil their undertakings (Qur'an 5:1), so a Muslim citizen keeps the laws of the country (2 marks).
Tip
Memory hook: L-R-R from big to small. A Law is made for the whole country; a Regulation fills in the details of a law; a Rule governs one group or place, such as your school. Remember also: both faiths teach obedience to just laws, but never obedience to an order to do evil.
Distinguish between a law and a rule.
Answer: a law is made by the lawful authority of a country and binds everyone, enforced by police and courts; a rule applies to a particular group or place, such as a school or a family.
What is the highest law in Rwanda?
Answer: the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda (2003, revised in 2015).
Quote one verse from the Qur'an about obeying those in authority.
Answer: "O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority" (Qur'an 4:59).
Give three reasons why school rules are important.
Answer (any three): they keep order so learning can happen; they protect students' safety; they teach discipline and punctuality; they ensure fairness; they protect school property.
According to both faiths, is a believer ever right to refuse an order? Explain.
Answer: yes, when the order commands evil. The apostles said "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29), and the Prophet Muhammad taught that obedience is due only in what is right.
Remember
Sources and credits
