ARE 10 COMMANDMENTS STILL RELEVANT (3)?
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Can the ten commandments bring liberty? A generally accepted principle among many professing Christian churches is that all aspects of the old covenant served to point the nation of Israel to the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ; once that sacrifice was made, the entire package of old covenant laws became obsolete. According to this concept, adherence to a written code of laws, like the ten commandments, is not relevant to Christianity because Christ now writes the laws He wants to be obeyed on our hearts.
1. Broken laws
a) Which of God's commandments did Adam and Eve break? By listening to and following Satan's deception, they disobeyed the FIRST one by putting another god before the one true God. They broke the FIFTH one by dishonoring their Father (Luke 3:38). Because they stole something that was not theirs they broke the EIGHTH law. Finally, they broke the LAST of God's commands by lusting for the food, and coveting the wisdom it could bring them. Shortly after creation, the first two human beings had already transgressed four of the commands found in the decalogue!
b) In the very next chapter of Genesis, we find examples of two more laws being transgressed by Cain. In Genesis 4:8-9, we read that Cain murdered his brother Abel (breaking the SIXTH one), and then lied to God about it (breaking the NINTH one). Before the fourth chapter of the Bible comes to a close, six of the commandments have clearly been broken. What about the other four?
c) In Genesis 35:1-4, we find that Jacob's household had been breaking the SECOND Commandment by worshipping graven images. Jacob admonished them to get rid of the gods which they held in their hands (verse 4). In Leviticus 18:27, we learn that the men who lived prior to the generation with which God made the old covenant broke God's THIRD law by profaning the name of God (verse 21). The example of Joseph in Genesis 39:7-9 shows that the SEVENTH Commandment against adultery was in full force long before the old covenant. In Joseph's mind, the act of adultery was unquestionably a sin against God (verse 9).
d) To this point, clear illustrations have been given that nine of God's laws were fully in effect prior to the old covenant. The only one which has not yet been covered is the Fourth law, which is to keep the Sabbath holy. Undoubtedly, this is the most controversial of all of God's laws among Christians today. Though most will at least acknowledge that we would be better off if we kept the other nine commands, very few believe the Sabbath has any relevance to our modern world. In fact, most "Christian" organizations flatly deny this Commandment by observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh. What should our approach be? Was this law merely a part of the old covenant, or does it, as the other nine, transcend the old covenant and apply to all people of all eras?
0. Introduction
a) Can the ten commandments bring liberty? A generally accepted principle among many professing Christian churches is that all aspects of the old covenant served to point the nation of Israel to the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ; once that sacrifice was made, the entire package of old covenant laws became obsolete. According to this concept, adherence to a written code of laws, like the ten commandments, is not relevant to Christianity because Christ now writes the laws He wants to be obeyed on our hearts.
1. Broken laws
a) Which of God's commandments did Adam and Eve break? By listening to and following Satan's deception, they disobeyed the FIRST one by putting another god before the one true God. They broke the FIFTH one by dishonoring their Father (Luke 3:38). Because they stole something that was not theirs they broke the EIGHTH law. Finally, they broke the LAST of God's commands by lusting for the food, and coveting the wisdom it could bring them. Shortly after creation, the first two human beings had already transgressed four of the commands found in the decalogue!
b) In the very next chapter of Genesis, we find examples of two more laws being transgressed by Cain. In Genesis 4:8-9, we read that Cain murdered his brother Abel (breaking the SIXTH one), and then lied to God about it (breaking the NINTH one). Before the fourth chapter of the Bible comes to a close, six of the commandments have clearly been broken. What about the other four?
c) In Genesis 35:1-4, we find that Jacob's household had been breaking the SECOND Commandment by worshipping graven images. Jacob admonished them to get rid of the gods which they held in their hands (verse 4). In Leviticus 18:27, we learn that the men who lived prior to the generation with which God made the old covenant broke God's THIRD law by profaning the name of God (verse 21). The example of Joseph in Genesis 39:7-9 shows that the SEVENTH Commandment against adultery was in full force long before the old covenant. In Joseph's mind, the act of adultery was unquestionably a sin against God (verse 9).
d) To this point, clear illustrations have been given that nine of God's laws were fully in effect prior to the old covenant. The only one which has not yet been covered is the Fourth law, which is to keep the Sabbath holy. Undoubtedly, this is the most controversial of all of God's laws among Christians today. Though most will at least acknowledge that we would be better off if we kept the other nine commands, very few believe the Sabbath has any relevance to our modern world. In fact, most "Christian" organizations flatly deny this Commandment by observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh. What should our approach be? Was this law merely a part of the old covenant, or does it, as the other nine, transcend the old covenant and apply to all people of all eras?
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