Although there are a number of New Testament Scriptures which say that the law has been done away with in Christ, many will ask, "What about all of the New Testament admonishments to keep the commandments? Don't these refer to the Ten Commandments?"
Let's examine the text and see what the Scriptures have to say.
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:21
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10
"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." I Corinthians 7:19
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." I John 2:3-4
"And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." I John 3:24
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." I John 5:2-3
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14
People will say, "See, God says we must keep the ten commandments!" but is that what is really being said?
Look closely at what the New Testament says about these commandments, for it gives an indication of what is being referenced. The New Testament says that if we keep "these" commandments, we will:
- Love God
- Know God
- Have His Spirit
- Have the faith & testimony of Jesus Christ
- Have eternal life.
Does keeping the ten commandments allow us to intimately "know" God? No. God Himself says that such would only become possible through the "new" covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
Does keeping the ten commandments impart to us the Spirit of God? No, the Spirit came not by the law. (Galatians 3:2-5).
Does keeping the ten commandments give one the testimony and faith of Jesus Christ? No, faith does not come by the law (Romans 4:13-17).
Does keeping the ten commandments give one salvation unto eternal life? No, eternal life does not come by the law (Matthew 19:16-21; Galatians 3:21; Hebrew 7:19).
The New Testament admonishes us to keep God's commandments.
When we keep these commandments, we will be able to love & know God, have the Spirit of God, have faith in Jesus Christ, and have eternal life.
But the Ten Commandments can produce NONE of these results.
This is because the references for us to keep God's commandments are not references to the Ten Commandments only. All that God commands are His commandments to us.
Spirit of the Law Series
The Spirit of the Law – Part 1, Are Christians Under the Law?
The Spirit of the Law – Part 2, What the New Testament Says About the Law
The Spirit of the Law – Part 3, Jesus Fulfilled the Law
The Spirit of the Law – Part 4, Christians Must Still Follow the Ten Commandments
The Spirit of the Law – Part 5, God Says “Keep My Commandments”
The Spirit of the Law – Part 6, All of God's Commandments
The Spirit of the Law – Part 7, Love, the Fulfillment of the Commandment
The Spirit of the Law – Part 8, The Law Has Been Magnified
The Spirit of the Law - A Summary
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