Weighed and Wanting: Addresses on the Ten Commandments

In Short

This book is a sequence of evangelical addresses evaluating human morality against the standards of the Ten Commandments. Dwight Lyman Moody takes each commandment in turn, applying its ancient prohibition to modern behavior, thought, and culture. Through straightforward arguments, vivid anecdotes, and scriptural analysis, he demonstrates that external obedience is insufficient when measured against the spiritual requirements of the law. The book endures as a direct, unvarnished call to self-examination, arguing that all people fall short of divine perfection and must rely entirely on faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

The Story

The book opens with the scene of King Belshazzar’s feast in Daniel, using the miraculous handwriting on the wall to introduce the central metaphor of being weighed in God's balances. Moody establishes that the Ten Commandments are not obsolete Mosaic relics, but an unyielding moral code written directly by God. He asserts that this law remains completely binding today, serving as a divine pruning knife meant to expose human sin and remove false devotions.

Beginning with the first four commandments, the argument targets improper worship. God demands wholehearted allegiance without compromise, as mixing true worship with false gods is as impossible as mixing oil and water. The text forcefully rejects visual idols, crucifixes, and sacred relics, arguing that reliance on physical images creates an unreal, dying representation rather than a living spiritual connection. Moving to the third and fourth commandments, Moody condemns profanity and the commercialization of the Sabbath, specifically criticizing Sunday newspapers, transit companies, and recreational activities for depriving workers of rest and distracting souls from spiritual growth.

The focus then shifts to human relationships. The fifth commandment establishes the home as the foundation of social order, urging children to honor their parents through genuine love and tangible respect. Moody warns that dishonoring parents brings deep personal regret and spiritual failure. Addressing the remaining prohibitions—against murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and covetousness—the text deepens the moral demand. Internal desires are weighed alongside visible actions: harbored anger is exposed as murder, lustful thoughts are condemned as adultery, and small workplace thefts are shown to corrupt character completely. The tongue is described as a destructive fire spreading slander, while covetousness is defined as a form of idolatry that can only be overcome through radical generosity and contentment.

In the final movement, the book brings the reader back to the weighing scales of divine judgment. Having examined every command, Moody concludes that no person can pass this test through self-righteous effort or moral striving alone. The entire law ultimately functions to reveal human guilt, making personal redemption through Christ's sacrifice the only path to life.

How It Unfolds

The scales are prepared Moody introduces the divine standard of judgment through Belshazzar's feast, arguing that the Ten Commandments are permanent, heavenly laws that apply to all generations.

The object and form of worship The initial addresses demand exclusive loyalty to God and forbid physical images, warning that reliance on visual symbols leads directly to spiritual idolatry.

Restoring the holy day The argument addresses Sabbath desecration, condemning Sunday trading, public transit, and casual excursions while calling believers to protect a dedicated day for worship.

Honor in the home The fifth commandment is presented as the cornerstone of society, warning that disrespect toward parents corrupts character and ruins personal spiritual effectiveness.

The heart’s hidden sins Moody examines anger, lust, and minor theft, demonstrating that God judges secret desires and internal motives just as strictly as outward crimes.

The tongue and the trap of greed The final addresses attack destructive speech and covetousness, prescribing active generosity and deep spiritual contentment as the only remedies for a selfish nature.

The final verdict The book closes by declaring that every reader is found wanting under the law, urging immediate acceptance of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The People

• Dwight Lyman Moody: The central voice and preacher, who addresses the reader directly. He wants every individual to recognize their failure under God's law and turn to spiritual redemption. He relies on personal experience, straight talk, and simple illustrations to expose moral self-deception.
• The Sinner / Reader: The primary subject being evaluated. This figure wants to maintain a respectable appearance while indulging in small compromises, but ends up confronted, stripped of self-righteousness, and urged to accept divine mercy.
• Moses: The ancient mediator who received the law on Mount Sinai. He is presented not as an originator of legal philosophy, but as a prophet delivering a perfect, heavenly code that far exceeds human wisdom.
• Dr. Dale: An English theologian cited regarding his personal experience with an engraving of Christ. He initially wants the picture to assist his devotional life, but comes to realize that visual symbols subtly turn into objects of idolatry.

In Its Own Voice

"If we let some false god come in and steal our love away from the God of heaven, we shall have no peace or power."

Moody applies the first commandment to the believer's internal life, warning against divided loyalties.

"I would to God I could pass over this commandment, but I feel that the time has come to cry aloud and spare not."

Addressing the seventh commandment, the text highlights the preacher's determination to confront uncomfortable social issues directly.

"A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use."

This proverb illustrates the destructive, persistent nature of malicious speech under the ninth commandment.

What It's Really About

The central argument of the book is that God's law is an uncompromising, spiritual mirror designed to expose human inadequacy rather than reward superficial moralism. Moody addresses the delusion of self-righteousness, showing that smooth social conduct cannot mask an unrepentant heart. Beneath the specific prohibitions against theft, lie, or Sabbath-breaking lies a single persistent question: who or what holds ultimate authority in a person's life? The text argues that every sin stems from a heart divided by worldliness, greed, or pride. Ultimately, the law acts as a diagnostic tool that reveals spiritual bankruptcy, proving that no human effort can meet divine standards without supernatural grace.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of nineteenth-century American revivalism and straightforward moral instruction will find this work compelling. The prose is clean, energetic, and completely unpretentious, delivering its message with direct authority and vivid real-world illustrations. It offers a fascinating glimpse into Victorian-era evangelical concerns, tackling then-modern developments like Sunday newspapers, streetcars, and bicycles with absolute conviction.

The primary difficulty for modern readers lies in its strict cultural rigidity and uncompromising tone. Moody treats contemporary nineteenth-century social habits as severe moral failings, leaving little room for nuanced debate or modern perspectives on religious liberty. Yet, the book's absolute clarity remains its greatest strength. What stays with the reader is Moody's insistence on absolute honesty: the unsettling challenge to look past outward respectable behavior, examine private motives, and face the scales of justice without excuse.