The Ten Commandments

As we draw nearer to the return of our Lord and Saviour we find more and more Christians embracing the thought of not having to obey the Ten Commandments. The number of reasons given are varied and noticeably on the increase. And those teaching against God's law are not even consistent on why they say that the only thing in the Bible that God personally wrote and spoke is abolished. In the last few years they have being forcibly removed from public places, schools and government institutions. One might ask who would gain from this. It is our adversary that desires to see pornography, violence and crime accepted as normality on television, movies and the internet. But why would any true Christian with the love of God in their heart desire to see this magnificent law abolished that God personally wrote that reveals what sin is? (Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4) Unless one wants to be able to murder, steal or sleep with their neighbour's wife, then why should this law that is a reflection of the character of God be a problem?

Strangely enough, some who say the law is abolished also say we are not able to take the Lord's name in vain or murder etc, so why then are they so determined to say the law is gone? If you do not want to be able to murder someone, then why would you have a problem with the law that says you shall not murder? If you go through the Commandments one by one with such a person you will normally find that the only reason they are trying to do away with the law is to avoid the fourth commandment. With that being the case, why do some have an issue with just this one law and do whatever they can to avoid this holy day which simply involves the worship of God, fellowship and rest?

Below are just a few of the common reasons quoted by those who say the law is abolished and you will notice that most of these reasons boil down to avoiding a day of rest and worship. What is the significance of this day and could it really be important to God? Could Satan be behind all the objections and why there is no consistent reason and why many of them even contradict each other?

You hear many Christians say that we are not under law but grace but Paul asks should we continue in sin because we are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14-15) In the strongest possible words he answers, “God forbid!” In verse 16 he says that we either choose to continue breaking the law which he says is to “sin unto death” or obey the law which is “obedience unto righteousness.” If you ask those teaching grace and not law if we can break the law, many of them say that grace means you only have to obey nine commandments. Clearly that makes no sense at all. See also Romans 6:1-2.

Romans 3:28 is also often quoted that says a man is justified with the deeds of the law, and without reading further one could understand this confusing some Christians. But if you read through to the conclusion of this chapter Paul asks in Romans 3:31 if the law is made void through faith. Again he responds in the strongest possible words, “God forbid! We uphold the law.” We cannot be justified by keeping the law because we are not perfect and hence if we were relying on keeping the law to be justified we would fail. It is by faith that the repentant sinner presents to God Christ’s merits and the Lord then credits to his account the obedience and righteousness of His Son who kept the law perfectly.

Others say that God's law was abolished with the New Covenant but the Bible says no such thing. (Hebrews 8:6-10) God said he found fault with the Old Covenant but He did not say the problem was with His law. God in fact said that the problem was with the people in that they would not keep His law. (Hebrews 8:8-9) In the Old Covenant His law was written on tables of stone and so it was external and not part of their thinking and motives. So in the New Covenant God said that He would write His law in our hearts and minds so we could internalize His law and be eager to love and obey it. (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 8:10) God never said in this passage that His law had changed either. He did not say some of my laws but said my laws as in all of them and hence again there was no change to His law.

Matthew 22:36-40 is also quoted where Jesus outsmarts a Pharisee by quoting the two greatest commandments. The first being to love God with all your heart, might and soul and the second to love your neighbour as yourself. If you ask does this mean you can break the law, it again seems you still have to obey nine of them and only the fourth does not apply. However, in this passage we find Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 from the Old Testament. This verse is just seventeen verses after the second reading of the Ten Commandments where no one can dispute that all ten were relevant. And since Jesus is quoting this verse from the Old Testament then He is still applying all ten. Jesus also confirms this by stating that all the law hangs on these two hence no laws have been abolished here either.

Colossians 2:14 is also quoted saying the law was nailed to the cross. A law was nailed to the cross and Paul tells us that it was the ordinances which is the Mosaic law and not the moral law. The only thing nailed to the cross was the law of sacrifices which Christ replaced by becoming our final perfect sacrifice. Colossians 2:16 reveals that these ordinances had meat and drink (offerings), holy days, new moons and sabbath days. All these things belonged to the sacrificial law, confirmed by Ezekiel 45:17 which is the perfect parallel to Colossians 2:16. Sabbath days is plural because there were seven sabbath days in the sacrificial law such as Passover sabbath, the Day of Atonement and five others which are all associated with sin. Luke 1:6 which is before the cross also reveals that the ordinances are not the same as the Commandments and are separate. Some modern translations say food and drink in Colossians 2:16 instead of meat and drink and the word “offering” was left out by the translators in error as we often find in various translations. Hence part of the confusion is because some think this verse refers to laws about what we can eat and drink but this comes with one very serious problem. These modern translations got it wrong as there is no such thing as unclean drinks in the Bible anywhere! It should read meat and drink offerings.

So many scriptures are quoted to not obey the Decalogue but all are misunderstood or even deliberately abused by those led astray by our adversary. Jesus said that if possible even the elect would be deceived and that is often the case. (Matthew 24:24) God will never condone deliberate attempts to prove His law is abolished or wilful unrepented sin. (Hebrews 10:26-29) The Bible tells us that in the end times many will no longer endure sound doctrine but will have itching ears and will turn from the truth in favour of fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) It is our responsibility to seek out the truth and be like the Berean Christians who studied the Word daily to see if what they were told was true. (Acts 17:11)

The law is about loving obedience

Jesus quoting from the second of the Ten Commandments said, “If you love me, keep my Commandments.” John 14:15
And He also said, “If you keep my Commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's Commandments, and abide in his love.” John 15:10

Obeying the law is meaningful only when it flows from a genuine desire to do so; an expression of loving obedience rather than mere obligation.This path is not an option for those who seek to share in God’s eternal kingdom. As Jesus reveals in the following verses, many will choose the wide gate and fail to enter the kingdom. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV

Is He talking about Christians? Absolutely! These verses reveal that He is referring to Christians, and even though they are professing to bo so, Jesus says He will say that He never knew them! What were these Christians doing or not doing to be denied by our Lord Jesus Christ? They were not keeping His law! Note what Jesus says seven verses later. “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV

These Christians professed to know and follow Jesus and even did miracles in His name. And yet Jesus said that He never knew them. And all because they did not love Him and others enough to keep His Commandments. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:4

Our love for God and others has no value if it is not genuine. True obedience to God’s law comes from a sincere heart. But if keeping the law is done reluctantly or as mere duty, it becomes nothing more than works, and works alone cannot bring us into the kingdom. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments: and his Commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3

One cannot afford to get this wrong if we desire to spend eternity with God and His Son.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his Commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

The following is the most detailed web site you will find on the Ten Commandments answering every question and covering every reason given to try and justify not keeping the law.