God_9

Chapter 9

Understanding

The Ten Commandments

140. Why Is It Important For Us To Study The Ten Commandment?

There are many who believe that because the "Ten Commandments appear in the Old Testament they have not real impact on us today because the Old Testament is part of the Law and Jesus did away with the Law when He died on the Cross. That conclusion is only partly true.

A. The Law and the Ten Commandments are not one and the same. The term the "Law" is normally used to mean all of the Law that God gave to Israel through His servant Moses and consists of the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

B. Jesus did not come to destroy or abolish the Law, but to fulfill the Law. [(Matthew 5:17 NIV) "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.]

C. Jesus expanded the Law. (Example)

(Matthew 5:21-22 NIV) "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

D. He also summed the Law up into two Laws.

(Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. and the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'

E. Then He said:

(John 14:15 NIV) "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

(Matthew 5:19 NIV) Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Because God's moral laws are ageless. We live in an immoral society that has forgotten that God's moral laws never change. So, before we can keep His laws, we must know what they are and what they mean.

141. What Does God Say About The Commandments?

(Exodus 20:5-6 NIV) You shall not bow down to them [other gods] or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

142. Can We Be Saved By Keeping The Commandments?

No! Man cannot be saved just by keeping the commandments.

(Galatians 3:11 NIV) Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."

143. What Then Is The Purpose Of The Ten Commandments?

The Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law have a threefold purpose: (Also review Q. #139, Chapter 8.)

A. They act as a curb by checking, to some extent, the outbursts of sin in the world.

B. The act as a mirror by showing us our sins and our need of a Savior.

C. They act as a rule to teach Christians which works are pleasing to God.

(1 Timothy 1:9 NIV) We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

(Romans 3:20 NIV) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

(Psalms 119:9 NIV) How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

144. Is there any place in the Bible that these are called the Ten Commandments?

Yes.

Three places.

(Exodus 34:28 NIV) Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments.

(Deuteronomy 4:13 NIV) He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets.

(Deuteronomy 10:4 NIV) The LORD wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me.

NOTE OF INTEREST:

Were you aware that there are at least 3 different versions of the Ten Commandments? The Jewish, the Catholic, and the remainder of Christians each break down the 10 Commandments a little differently. See A Comparison List on the next page.

A Comparative List.

Jewish

Lutheran

Most Evangelicals

I am the Lord Your God who

Thou shalt have no other

brought you out of the land

gods before Me.

gods before me

of Egypt, the house of bondage.

You shall not recognize the

Thou shalt not take the

Thou shalt not make unto

gods of others in My presence.

name of the Lord, thy God

thee any graven image.

You shall not make yourself a

in vain.

carved image nor any likeness

of that which is in the heavens

above or on the earth below or

in the water beneath the earth.

You shall not prostrate yourself

to them nor worship them, for

I am the Lord, your God.

You shall not take the Name of

Remember the Sabbath

Thou shat not take the

the Lord, your God, in vain, for

day, to keep it holy.

name of the Lord thy God

the Lord will not absolve anyone

(Thou shalt sanctify

in vain.

who takes His name in vain.

the holy day.)

Remember the Sabbath day to

Thou shalt honor thy

Remember the sabbath

sanctify it. Six day shall you

father and thy mother,

day to keep it holy.

work and accomplish all your

that it may be well with

work; but the seventh day is

thee, and thou mayest

Sabbath to the Lord, your God;

live long on the earth.

you shall not do any work - your,

your son, your daughter, your

servant, your animal, and the

stranger within your gates - for

in six days The Lord made the

heavens and the earth, the sea

and all that is in them, and He

rested on the seventh day.

Therefore, The Lord blessed

the Sabbath day and

sanctified it.

Honor your father and your

Thou shalt not kill.

Honor thy father and

mother, so that your days

mother: that thy days

will be lengthened upon the

may be long upon the

land that the Lord, Your God,

land which the Lord thy

gives you.

God giveth thee.

You shall not murder.

Thou shalt not commit

Thou shalt not kill.

adultery.

You shall not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not commit

adultery.

You shall not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false

Thou shalt not steal.

witness against thy

neighbor.

You shall not bear false

Thou shalt not covet thy

Thou shalt not bear false

witness against your fellow.

neighbor's house.

witness against thy

neighbor.

10.

You shall not covet your

Thou shalt not covet thy

fellow's house: you shall not

neighbor's wife, nor his

neighbor's house, thou

covet your fellow's wife, or

manservant, nor his

shalt not covet thy

his man servant, his female

maidservant, nor his

neighbor's wife, nor his

servant, his ox, his donkey,

cattle, nor anything that

manservant, nor his

nor anything that belongs

is thy neighbor's.

maidservant, nor his ox,

to your fellow.

nor his ass, nor anything

that is thy neighbor's.

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