Are the Ten Commandment important? Does God really want us to keep them?

[ambassador]

It is probable that the great majority of church members in America today carry few convictions against breaking at least one of the Ten Commandments. A very insidious doctrine has been developed in both Catholic and Protestant theology which has tended to minimize the authority of God's great moral law. It has led many to look lightly upon transgression and has made sin to appear unobjectionable. In fact, sin has lost its horror for multitudes and has become an acceptable mode of life for both youth and adults. Witness the current trends in lifestyle which support this view. Is loving God just enough? If so why, what has God said in his word? Is grace sufficient?

[I, Brian]

I seem to recall a passage where Jesus states that there are only two commandments - love God and your neighbour.

[ambassador]

It is certainly true that Jesus laid down two great laws of love as a summary of all the law, but did He give the idea that these were new in point of time? The fact is that He was quoting directly from the Old Testament when He gave those new commandments. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Leviticus 19:18. Certainly, those penetrating spiritual principles had been forgotten by the legalists of Christ's day, and they were new to them in relation to their life and practice. But they were not intended by Jesus to take the place of the Ten Commandments.

[ambassador]

When the lawyer asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment in the law, he received the answer: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40. Notice that these two love commandments simply summed up "all the law and the prophets." They all hang upon these two principles of love. Christ was saying that love is the fulfilling of the law just as Paul repeated it later in Romans 13:10. If one loves Christ supremely with heart, soul, and mind, he will obey the first four commandments that have to do with our duty to God. He will not take God's name in vain, worship other gods, etc. If one loves his neighbor as himself, he will obey the last six commandments which relate to our duty to our fellow men. He will not be able to steal from his neighbor, lie about him, etc. Love will lead to obeying or fulfilling all the law.

[shepard]

One of the strongest texts in the Bible on this subject is found in 1 John 2:4. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." The beloved John summed it up in these words: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:3.

[Quahom1]

...And the two commandments that Jesus gave simply encompass the original ten (or the original 7 noahidic Laws plus three). If one can keep the two that Jesus gave, then one keeps all the commandments. But Jesus' commandments also imply things that are not commandments, but just as important...like forgiveness, faith, and hope, because He knew it would be impossible for us to keep the actual commandments, so in trying to keep the rest, we apply balm to the wounds we cause or are caused.

Ah, what a smart man, that Jesus...

v/r

Q

[lunamoth]

Right, Q. I guess I've come to think of keeping the commandments as part of the fruit of the Spirit. They are an outflowing, rather than a box to confine us or a gallows to hang us.

lunamoth

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Right, Q. I guess I've come to think of keeping the commandments as part of the fruit of the Spirit. They are an outflowing, rather than a box to confine us or a gallows to hang us.

lunamoth

Yes, that is their purpose exactly. It's good to think outside the "box"

v/r

Q

[Paultoo]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Right, Q. I guess I've come to think of keeping the commandments as part of the fruit of the Spirit. They are an outflowing, rather than a box to confine us or a gallows to hang us.

lunamoth

Nothing, absolutely nothing! that God has ever,will ever tell us humans to do that is "box confining or a "gallows to hang us".

All of God's commandments, which is every and all commands from God to humanity, including the ten commandments; including dietary laws; including health laws; including social laws; including civil laws; including salvation laws eg; "You must believe on Jesus to be saved"; eg; "no man can go directly to Jesus Father, God except first going through Jesus"; eg;"he that believeth and is baptized..only such humans will be saved"; because "he that believeth not will be damned"; eg; "if you love me you must keep all my commandments";eg;"come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest"; eg other commandments; "take my yoke upon you and learn of me"...other commandments include "you must love the Lord with all your heart"; "you must love your neighbor as you love yourself".

God completes it all by saying "My Commandments are not grevious" 1 John 5:3.




Paultoo

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Paultoo

...God completes it all by saying "My Commandments are not grevious" 1 John 5:3.
Paultoo

Why didn't you say so in the first place?

v/r

Q

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by Paultoo

Nothing, absolutely nothing! that God has ever,will ever tell us humans to do that is "box confining or a "gallows to hang us".

Paultoo

Sadly, sadly, this is not the impression I would get reading the Christian forums lately. I've seen a huge emphasis on judgement, condemnation, sin and death for those who fail to "believe" in a certain way. Seems like we keep forgetting that God wants us in a loving relationship with Him and with each other.

In a way, the commandments are a blueprint for that loving relationship.

peace,
lunamoth

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Right, Q. I guess I've come to think of keeping the commandments as part of the fruit of the Spirit. They are an outflowing, rather than a box to confine us or a gallows to hang us.

lunamoth

I love that, lunamoth. This is how I think as well. We must remember that, in its Jewish roots, the Law was:

1. Not the ten commandments. It was the 613 rules. We Christians seem to forget that all the time, and I don't know a Christian that has yet to follow these 613 rules as the Jews try to.

2. Not a condemnation of people. The Jewish God is both forgiving and just. Perfection was not required, but righteousness. There is a difference, and there were righteous and good people before Jesus, and so presumably there are some of these folks now.

3. For the Jews. I am a Gentile, so I was only bound by the 7 rules for my people.

Just my 2 c.

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

I love that, lunamoth. This is how I think as well. We must remember that, in its Jewish roots, the Law was:

1. Not the ten commandments. It was the 613 rules. We Christians seem to forget that all the time, and I don't know a Christian that has yet to follow these 613 rules as the Jews try to.

2. Not a condemnation of people. The Jewish God is both forgiving and just. Perfection was not required, but righteousness. There is a difference, and there were righteous and good people before Jesus, and so presumably there are some of these folks now.

3. For the Jews. I am a Gentile, so I was only bound by the 7 rules for my people.

Just my 2 c.

Great points path of one. And God's justice is not in opposition to His forgiveness; it is in opposition to man's injustice.

lunamoth

[Dor]

Yes Jesus did say there 2 commandments above all.
Matthew 22:
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

But did he also said in Mark 10
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

And in Matthew 5
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

And he expounded on a couple of them also in Matthew 5
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, F10 shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart

The question about if we are under the law or should follow the 10 commandments is both no/yes. No to being under the law and yes to following the commandments.

Luke16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Hebrews8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Galatians3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;
John1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Galatians5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
So we can see we are not under the law.
Romans6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
John14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

So it seems to me that while we are not under the laws because of the grace of the Lord, he does wish for us to keep all of the commandments not just the 10.

[Faithfulservant]

lunas post brought this verse to my mind.

2 Peter 1:5-9 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

So it starts with faith - virtue - knowledge - self control - perserverance - godliness - brotherly kindness - LOVE

Thank you luna..