Various words are used in the scriptures in connection with God’s commandments, including but not limited to his laws, precepts, statutes, and judgments. While some benefit may come from attempting to impose specific definitions upon these obviously ambiguous terms, it is much more useful and correct to see all of these as overlapping variations on the same general theme.
Commandments can come in the form of precept, example, argument, or experience, all of which provide information to the end of helping you to better perceive or to persuade you to more fully follow how God would live in your place.
Precepts are prescriptive declarations of what you should or should not do, how you should or should not do it, or why you should or should not do it. An example of a preceptive commandment is: “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Examples are demonstrations of better behavior. Jesus demonstrated an example when he was baptized by John.1
Arguments are reasons shared with the intent of persuading a person to change how they think, feel, or act. The New Testament is replete with arguments from Jesus. For example, when he was attempting to persuade the Jews that he had authority from the Father to forgive sins, he healed a man, saying: “[is it easier] to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?” (Matthew 9:5)
Experiences show what is better or worse than thought by further unfolding the consequences of choice. Jesus provided countless miracles of healing to demonstrate the value of his teachings, while pronouncing judgment upon Jerusalem, foretelling its destruction to help illustrate the mistake the Jews had made in rejecting him.2
When the Lord gives us commandments, it is with the intent that we better understand and more fully acquire the aspect of his character that generates the commandment. You should do what you can to use every precept, example, argument, and experience you encounter to increase the breadth, depth, and accuracy of your understanding of how Jesus would live in your place. Try to formulate and verbalize the aspect of God’s character that would result in the commandments you observe. Enumerate hypotheses and test them. Ask questions, and seek their answers.
Footnotes
- 1. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. (Matthew 3:13-15) ↩
- 2. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke 19:41-44) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:3739) ↩