LOVE FOR GOD….LOVE FOR MANKIND
The question has been asked time and time before, and even today the question is still being asked, ‘Is the Ten Commandments still binding upon us today”? Let me re-phrase the question, “Is the Law of God binding upon us today?” Yet, still allow me to redirect that same question, “Is the love of God and love of mankind binding upon us today?”
he 10 Commandments" src="http://www.endtimeministry.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/10.jpg" alt="The 10 Commandments reveal the character of God" width="318" height="479" />The beautiful aspect of the scriptures, the word of God, is that it answers all the questions relating to our biblical queries. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus in His sermon on the Mount of Olives said “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” He also stated in Matthew 5:18 “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” This is heavy stuff… in Deuteronomy 4:12, 13 it says, (and this is Moses talking to the children of Israel) “And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.”
We see therefore that God did give the Ten Commandments to mankind. It, the Ten Commandments, was such a special message from Him, that God himself wrote it with His own finger. In Deuteronomy 9:10 it says “And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount “… It further states in Romans 7:12 “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just, and good.” Psalm 19:7 also says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.”
But is there such a thing as a perfect Law that is still binding? Everything that comes from God is perfect. The Law, which we are thinking about, came from Him….”in a very real sense the Law of God is a manifestation of the nature of the Lord. It could be no more imperfect than He is”—The Augsburg Sunday_School Teacher (Lutheran, August 1937, vol.63. no 8.p.483.
While some organizations teach that the Law of God is the whole Bible and what is written therein, we must hold high the teachings that God’s Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It was written by Him, and through the ages it is known as THE TEN COMMAMDMENTS; THE LAW; THE DECALOGUE.
God’s Law is from everlasting to everlasting, he never changed it so why should man change it. The fact that He engraved His Law in stone shows how eternal God wants His Law to be. In Matthew15: 3 it says Jesus ask the question “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Quickly, He answered that question in Matthew 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. Again in 1 John 2:4 it is ask, can one know God and keep not His commandments? The answer…, “ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
The book of James, written long after Jesus’ time, speaks clearly about transgressing any one of the Laws of God. In James 2:10,11 it states, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” My friend, God’s Law is eternal, true, just, its everlasting, He never changed it. We should not.
“The Ten Commandments are not ten different laws; they are one law. If I am being held up in the air with a chain with ten links and I break one of them, down I come, just as surely as if I break the whole ten. If I am forbidden to go out of an enclosure, it makes no difference at what point I break through”—D.L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting (1898 ed.), p.119. Keeping God’s commandments Holy is our life long duty, it sums up our love to God and our love to our fellowmen.
In John 14:21 it says “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me….”
“Today many quote Romans 6:14 as saying that we are under a “dispensation of grace” because Christ nailed the commandments to the cross. They claim that obedience to the commandments is legalism and that those who keep the commandments of God “minimize “ Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. It is a strange belief considering the emphasis Jesus placed upon obedience to the commandments during His last hours with His disciples. The Law of God is eternal and unchanging. Breaking the Law brought death upon humanity. Jesus would not set aside the basis of God’s government, but He would save us from transgression’s penalty. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk as He walked” (1John 2:3-6). How did Jesus walk? He tells us: “The Father has not left me me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29). “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love (John 15:10). He says, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and your Law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin [breaking the Law] that grace [His unmerited favor to us] may abound? Certainly not” (Romans 6:1,2). “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not” (Romans 6:15). If there is no law to break, there is no need of grace. By violating the law, we place ourselves under condemnation. Only when we repent and ask forgiveness through the merit of Christ’s shed blood can He impart grace to us. His grace does not give us license to continue sinning.” ‘Something To Talk About’.’Growing Up In The Word’ Bible Class. Elder Dudley Thorne. SDA Church, Brooklyn, NY.
GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE BINDING UPON US.
WHAT WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS?
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”
“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. …”Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days” (Colossians 2:14-16).
Note in Deut 4:13—–Ten Commandments written on stone tables. Could not be blotted out.
Note in Exodus 32:16—-Written by God’s finger.
The inspired writings in Colossians 2:14-17, tells not of the ten-commandment law, but of the handwriting of ordinances, written by Moses in a book, giving rules for the yearly shadow feast, and Sabbaths, and the appropriate meat and drink offerings that went with them.. There is nothing about meats and drinks in the Ten Commandments.
MORAL LAW OF GOD | CEREMONIAL LAW OF MOSES |
Spoken by God…Deut 4:12, 13 | Spoken by Moses……Lev 1:1, 2; Neh 9:14 |
“Royal Law”….. James 2:8 | “Law…contained in ordinances” Eph 2:15 |
Written by God….Ex 24:12 | Written by Moses…..Deut 31:9 |
Written on stone…Deut 10:1-4 | The “handwriting of ordinances” Col 2:14 |
Placed in the Ark..Deut 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9 | Placed at side of Ark…. Deut 31:26 |
Called the “testimony”… Ex 40:20 | Called “book of the law”…Deut 31:26 |
Called law of God…Ps 1:2; Ps 119:1 | Called law of Moses..Mal 4:4; Acts 15:5 |
Last Forever…. Ps 111:7,8 | Ended at the cross..Col 2:14; Heb 9:10-11 |
Points out sin…1 John 3:4; Rom 7:7 | Pointed to sacrifice of Christ.. Col 2:14-17 |
Not abolished by Christ.. Matt 5:17 | Was abolished by Christ…Eph 2:15 |
Magnified by Christ…Isa 42:21 | Nailed to the cross by Christ.. Col 2:14 |
Is holy, just and good…. Rom 7:12 | Shadow of good things to come.. Heb 10:1 |
God’s Law is from everlasting to everlasting. The Ten Commandments is holy, just and good. It was written by God for special people just like YOU. Show Him your love and obedience by keeping ALL of His commandments. …”now I know”.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
May the good Lord lead you in the right direction as you continue to faithfully study His word so that you may be ready when He comes.
WE HAVE SHOWN THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS GOD’S LAW
If there is no LAW then there is no SIN
If there is no SIN then there is no GRACE
If there is no GRACE then there is no CHRIST
If there is no CHRIST then there is no CALVARY, no CROSS, no shed BLOOD
If there is no CALVARY then there is no BIRTH
Therefore friends, the Ten Commandments was not nailed to the cross, was not abolished, neither was it “done away with”, on the contrary, Christ came to show us how to uphold the Law, by showing your love to God and to mankind. Believe and thou shall be saved.
The final conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan is soon to end. The battle that is being fought for the souls of men is soon to end. The Bible mentions of various signs and belief to indicate the few who survive that great controversy. One is written in Revelation 14:12, Jesus says of His triumphant flock “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ.
May God continue to bless you as you show Him your love through obedience to All His Ten Commandments.
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