Are the Ten Commandments Still Relative Today?

 

 

by Barbara Latta

The young man searched for the Teacher he heard so much about. As he approached a group of men coming down the road, the man dismounted from his horse and handed the reins to the servant who accompanied him. 

Sunshine glimmered against the rings on his fingers and the finest silks of faraway lands covered his body. Even his animal was decked out in the splendor that reflected the wealth of its owner.

 He ran to kneel in front of the One who had the answers he sought. The young traveler questioned the Teacher about eternal life, but he didn’t like the answer he received.

 The rich, young ruler who came to Jesus said he had kept the Law since his youth. That statement itself revealed his lie. No one could keep it except the perfect One.

 When Jesus told the youth to sell all he had, then follow the Lord, the seeking man left saddened. His actions revealed he had other gods instead of the Lord God Jehovah—his wealth. He broke the first commandment and by breaking some, he broke all.

 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

Are the Ten Commandments still relative today? Yes, if used to show us our sin, but not if we think keeping them will save us.

The man sought eternal life which shows that the Law he thought he kept couldn’t produce life because he still knew something was missing. The Law was not given to make people right with God. It was given to show them they couldn’t reach His divine level.

What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made…Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (Galatians 3:19, 21-24)

The Law couldn’t take away sin. Jesus is the only Man who ever kept the Law perfectly. And He kept it as a Man, not as God, so that we as humans could put our trust in His actions to save us.

Because of what He did, we are offered grace. The wages of sin have always been death. In the Old Testament an animal died in place of the person. Jesus instituted the New Covenant when He took the wrath against sin and died instead of us.

Grace means we are given favor we don’t deserve.  Mercy means we don’t receive the punishment we do deserve.

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)

We looked last week at the importance of our work here on earth. This type of labor is necessary in our lives for productivity in society. Our efforts are important and useful in helping others and creating the necessary environments we need to live in.

A lot of our governmental laws were based on the instructions in the Hebraic Law. These are necessary for civil obedience and to impose penalties against harming others.

But working to keep the Ten Commandments for favor with God will always fall flat because we can’t do it. This is what causes condemnation. The devil condemns us, and our conscience condemns us. But thank God, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).

When we use works to try to reach God, we elevate our self-righteousness. And the Lord says our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Why? Because in us, without Christ, there is nothing righteous.

Are the Ten Commandments no longer relative? The Law written on stone is still the Lord’s holy standard of perfection. But its use is to draw people to realize they are sinners and need Christ. When used any other way, we fall into legalism and works mentality.

This is why so much upheaval happens when the words from Moses’ writings appear in schools and government buildings. The adversaries are convicted by what they read, and they fight to remove them.

The Law was fulfilled by the One who IS Grace so that we may be made in right standing with God. This is what the Lord means when He tells us to rest in Him. We can rest in His finished work and receive and live in our identity in Christ.

What are your thoughts? Join the conversation.

Grace means we are given favor we don’t deserve because Jesus paid for it.  Mercy means we don’t receive the punishment we do deserve because Christ was punished in our place. (click to tweet)

The Law couldn’t take away sin. Jesus is the only Man whoever kept the Law perfectly. And He kept it as a Man not as God so that we as humans could put our trust in His actions to save us. (click to tweet)