The Law Then and Now

Have you heard it said the Ten Commandments are not for today?  Have you ever had the thought that Christians are not under the law?  We know the Ten Commandments (Law of God) represent the basic law God provided for Israel, but is it true that Jesus abolished the law upon his death on the cross?  “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill,” Matthew 5:17.  “Jesus did not come to change the law but to explain it”, Spurgeon.

Jesus death fulfilled all the demands of the law.  “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)…” Galations 3:13.   He became a curse for us by taking on the sin of the world and dying on a cross (tree).  What is the curse of the law?  The curse is the penalty of sin, which is death.  The law demands total obedience.  Galatians 3:10,  “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”  Man is not able to keep the law, because we are sinful people.  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) By fulfilling the Old Testament covenant, dying on a tree, he instituted a new covenant called Grace.

 

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines grace as “favor, kindness and mercy.” The biblical definition is “divine mercy and forgiveness.  To be “under grace” means to be extended mercy and forgiveness as a result of sincere repentance and desire to obey God.  I often define Grace as God giving us what we do not deserve (life); and mercy as God not giving us what we do deserve (death).  When we deserved death he sent his son to die for us, and delivery us from the penalty of sin (death).

Roman 6:14-15: “For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Many misunderstand the concept of “under the law,” which means under the penalty of the law. Notice Galatians 5:18: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Now, let us look at how Jesus explains God’s law.  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’   Matthew 22:37-38 (NET)

Jesus goes on to say, “The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:40 (NLT)

Loving the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, covers the first four of the Ten Commandments.  

#1 “You must not have any other god but me”, Exodus 20:3 (NLT)

#2 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them…:  Exodus 20:4-5 (NIV)

#3 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”  Exodus 20:7  (NIV)

#4  “You must remember to keep the Sabbath a special day.”  Exodus 20:8 (ERV)

To love your neighbor as yourself covers the last six commandments.

#5 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”  Exodus 20:12 (NIV)

#6  “You must not murder anyone.”  Exodus 20:13 (ERV)

#7  “You must not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14 (ERV)

#8  “You must not steal anything.”  Exodus 20:15 (ERV)

#9  “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  Exodus 20:16 (NKJV)

#10  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”  Exodus 20:17 (NKJV)

Make no mistake; the Ten Commandments are still valid.  If you love God with all your heart you must keep the first four commandments.  If you love your neighbor as yourself you must keep the last six commandments.  The first four relate to our relationship with God and the last six relate to our relationship with one another. The explanation that Jesus came to give us is – all the law is fulfilled in this – thou shall love.  Loving God and loving your neighbor takes the power of the Holy Spirit.  Love is a characteristic of the Kingdom.

There is a message to the overcomer,

Pastor Rosita