The Ten Commandents

Bobby Hughes

Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-17

Do the Ten Commandents have a place in today's Christian's Life? We as Christians are justified by our faith in Christ, not by keeping the Ten Commandents. We know the Old Testament is full of example of how God's people could just not "keep the law". That is the reason Jesus chose to pay the price for our sin once and for all. We were not then, nor will we ever be able, in our humaness, to live by God's perfect moral code. So without the blood sacrifice that Jesus paid for are our sins which we have commited and will comit in the future our life would be hopeless. Our sin debt still would be due. " Know that a man is not justified by the works of the law , but faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and not the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Galations 2:16 What does Jesus have to say about the law? Jesus was a Jew and lived by the law. He is the only human that was capable of living by the law, because His Father was the giver of the Law and set the standard. As our example of how to live, He lived the life in front of us that would glorify God and be a standard for us to work to achieve. We are to be diligently working toward righteousness, even though we will not obtain perfect righteousness until we are transformed into our spiritual bodies. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law , till all is fulfilled. Whosever therfore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men to do so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:17-19 Jesus also taught several lessons concening the law. This leads me to believe that he considered these laws important and applicable in our lives and service to Him. Lesson #1 Ye have heard that it is said by them of old "Thou shall not kill" and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement. But, I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgment. and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca (translated=empty-headed) shall be in danger of the council, but whosoever shall say thou fool (translated=morally worthless) shall be in danger of hell fire" Matt 5:21-22 Lesson #2 "Then one of them which was a lawyer asked Him a question, tempting Him and saying, Master which is the great commandent in the law? Jesus saidunto him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Lesson #3 "Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time " Thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say to you that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has commited adultery with her already in his heart." Matt 5:27-28 From these lessons it is obvious that Jeseus felt that the desire of God's heart would be for us to be able to live according to His moral code, but He knows we cannot again that why the penalty for disobedience has already been paid by Jesus. So since the payment has already been paid does that make the law or living by the law sin? Absolutely not! We are not REQUIRED to live by the law for our salvation. Works nor the law can save us! Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ can redeem us from our persistent breaking of these laws. Our faith in Christ is our only reqirment for salvation and that point is plain and simple. I believe the law however since it came from God Himself gives us of what He considers moral living. So what is the purpose of the law now that Christ has fulfilled it? I believe the main purpose of the law is to define SIN. It tells us what God considers to be sin. If He had never told us what the standards are how would we have ever known what SIN was. If we did not have a driving code we could drive anyway we wanted to without being guilty of breaking a law and therefore could never be held accountable for our actions. Imagine what a world this would be if noone knew what WRONG (SIN) was. There are several scriptures that support this purpose for the law. These are only a few: " Whosoever commiteth sin trangresseth also the law: for sin is transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid, Nay I had not known sin but by the law.