The Ten Commandments: How the Ten Commandments Relate to the Unbelie= ver and the Christian

The Ten Comman= dments

Truths for All Ti= me

How the Ten Commandments Relate= to the Unbeliever and the Christian

1= . = The Law Has No Power to Make or Declare Sinners Righteous

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; (i.e. to justify them)

&= nbsp; Acts 13:38-39

"Therefore let it be known to you, brethren= , that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him every= one who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

Romans 3:20

becau= se by t= he works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law com= es the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 2:16

nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified= by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believ= ed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by = the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.=

In fact, it is impossible for any human to keep the <= u>entire Law of God!

(Galatians 3:10 quoting Deuteronomy 27:26; James 2:10-11)

Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the Law are u= nder a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."

James 2:10-11

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles= in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do = not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

The Law’s only answer= to sin is to forbid it and to condemn it!

The Law cannot change the h= eart of man!

2= . The Law Has Power to Condemn and Convict the Lost and to Point Th= em to Their Need of a Savior

Romans 3:19-20

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speak= s to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no fle= sh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of = sin.

Romans 5:20

The L= aw came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more

&= nbsp;

Romans 7:7

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it n= ever be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the L= aw; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."

Galatians 3:24

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead u= s to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

3= . The Law Has No Power to Condemn Christians or <= u>Curse Them with Death, the Penalty of Law-Breaking (i.e. the curse of the = Law)

&nbs= p; Romans 8:1-2

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those= who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has = set you free from the law of sin and of death.&= nbsp;

&nbs= p; Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, ha= ving become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANG= S ON A TREE"

4. = ; The Law Has No Power to Make Christians Holy Practically

(i.e= . to sanctify them)

&nbs= p; Romans 8:3-4

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was th= rough the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and= as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement= of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5. = ; The Law Points Christians to What the Aim of Their Lives

&= nbsp; Should Be: the Character of God

&= nbsp; Romans 7:12-14

So then, the Law is holy, and the command= ment is holy and righteous and good.

There= fore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather = it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by e= ffecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin wo= uld become utterly sinful. For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I = am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

&= nbsp; The Law reflects the character of God.

&= nbsp; This is true for several reasons:

= (1) = The Law is a general expression of God’= ;s will and therefore

reflects His character.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; (2) The Law is called holy, and therefore must be a reflection of God’= s

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; character.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; (3) The Law is spiritual and thus is in essence the spirit or natu= re of

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; God and thus must be a reflection His character.

Therefore the Law of God is not arbitrary, temporary,= negative, or external, but is universal, unchangeable, and ab= solute!

However, the Law, although an accurate reflection of God, is NOT a = complete reflection of God, but only a partial one.

The redemptive work of Christ and saving work of God’s grace finishes out or completes the reflection of God.

The primary purposes of the Law in regard to being principles to go= vern our lives are summed up by Jesus in Matthew 23:23

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill and cumin, yet you have neglected= the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faith. = &nb= sp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; = (HCSB)=

The same exact three primary principles of the Law are given to us by the prophet Micah in Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O man, what is g= ood; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly= , To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; (NKJV)

6. = ; The Law Pointed to Christ Who Is Perfect Righteousness and He

&= nbsp; Fulfilled the Law in His Righteous Life and Perfect Sacrifice

&= nbsp; Matthew 5:17

"Do not think that I came to abolish the La= w or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

   &nbs= p;

He came to fulfill the Mess= ianic prophesies and types or shadows of the Law.

He also came to fulfill by obedience the moral requirements of the Law.

And he came to teach the tr= ue spiritual meaning and application of it – to fill it out.

Romans 10:4

        &= nbsp;   For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyon= e who believes.

The word translated "end" means that which completes a thing, or rend= ers it perfect; also the boundary, issue, or termination of anything, the main desig= n or purpose of;

There was a threefold law of God, = which Christ may be said to be the end of; namely, judicial, ceremonial, and mora= l.

1. The judicial law was that which God by Moses delivered to the Jews, contain= ing directions for administration of their civil government. Now Christ was the= end of the law, as he has abolished it: for the Jewish polity was to continue t= ill the coming of the Messiah, and no longer, Ge 49= :10; Da 9:25.

2. The ceremonial law was that which did prescribe certain sacred rites and ceremo= nies to be observed in the external worship of God by the people of Israel. The former law had relation to them as a nation, this as they were a church. Now Christ is the end of this law, as he has abrogated it. All the ceremoni= es of that law were shadows and types of Christ; now the shadows were to cease, when once the substance was come.

3. The moral law is that holy and eternal rule of righteousness given by God to men, for the right ordering of their thoughts, words, and actions, towards = God, their neighbour, and themselves. This law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, = and is called the law of righteousness and the royal law, Ro 9:31; Jas 2:1; 1:1 Now Christ may be said to be the end of this law,

1. As he is the scope of the Law.

2. As he is the accomplishment of it.

The precepts of the law point at Christ, as he by whom they are accomplished; t= he promises of the law point at him as he by whom they are ratified; and the <= span class=3DSpellE>threatenings of the law may be said to point at him, = as he by whom they are escaped. Chr= ist was the sum of the law, as well as the substance of the gospel. =

3. As he is the righteous One who gives = his righteousness to believers.

having kept the Law in perfect obedience, Christ possesses all merit of Law-righteousne= ss, and imputes His righteousness to every one who believes in him.

   &nbs= p;        Philippians 3:8-9

More than that, I count all things to be loss in= view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may g= ain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own deriv= ed from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

7.  = ;       The Righteousness of the Law Is Fulfilled in the Christian by the

Empowering = of the Holy Spirit in Appropriating the Life of the Resurrected Christ

            Romans 8:3-4

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was th= rough the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and= as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement= of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Because the Law reflects the character of God,<= /span> and because man is made in the image of God, then the Law is intended as an ideal and the ultimate goal for every human be= ing to live out.