The Law is bigger than 10 commandments
Before we get too far, let us establish the fact that what we know as the 10 commandments is actually a condensed version of (according to studies) more than six hundred laws that were given at Mt Sinai, and guess what? Israel was expected to keep all of them – without fail. Therefore it does injustice to the Bible when a certain group makes much of the commandments in complete ignorance of the whole Law as it was given. As we highlighted last time that it is evident to our own hearts that we cannot be saved by keeping these laws because we have failed to keep them. We face the same problem even with a summarized version of the commandments “you shall love the Lord with all your mind...and you shall love your neighbour as yourself”. Salvation is therefore by faith in Christ alone apart from the works of the law, so says Paul. Through faith in Christ we get to be counted as having kept the whole law without fail. He gives us His righteousness through His Cross-work (2 Cor 5:17). This is the great news of the Gospel message!
Shall we then live by the commandments after we are saved by faith?
Scripture describes salvation as being born again into new creatures, transferred from darkness to light, adopted into heavenly sonship and indwelt by the Spirit of Christ Himself. When such a wonderful thing happens to an individual, surely their way of living (lifestyle & conduct) also changes, does it not? Therefore, to believers, it is no longer just a matter of “are you keeping the commandments?” but it is something far more than that: are you pleasing the Lord with every fibre of your being? As the writer of Hebrews reveals that the law was in former times written on stone but now He has written it inside our hearts (Heb 8:10). The 10 commandments are a very low standard to them that are indwelt by the Almighty Himself. This is better explained this way:
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through 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 - Romans 8:4
That means the Spirit of Christ who is inside every believer, enables them to live their lives in pleasing to God by their bodies, mouths and thinking. There are some who pervert this by saying that since the Christian faith is all of grace, it doesn’t matter how godless you live. That is not Christianity at all. That is, according to Jude 1:4, using the grace of God as an excuse for sensuality. It is true that we are not under the covenant of the law but under grace, however, that grace “trains us to deny ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:13).
What is the law of Christ?
We divorced the law and got married to Christ our new husband (Rom 7:3-4). We were once under the Tutor (law), but now we are under Christ the headmaster Himself (Gal 3:24-26). This all means that the Christian life is all about pleasing our Saviour, not rule keeping. It is to hate what He hates and to be zealous about what He is zealous about. This introduces us to these words, “If you love Me, keep My commandments (Joh 14:15)” or “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 Joh 2:4)”. Notice it doesn’t say, “10 commandments” as some immediately assume but it says, “His Commandments”. We must always distinguish between the commandments of the Law of Moses and the commandments of the law of Christ. Check this out…
To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 1 Corinthians 9:20-21
Notice that the good Apostle mentioned the word “law” 4 times in verse 20 and 5 times in verse 21 to emphasise the difference between them that are under the Law of Moses and him as a believer who is under the law of Christ. The law of Christ is therefore that which believers indwelt by the Spirit must do to please their Saviour who has saved them, unlike the Law of Moses that Israel was supposed to keep in order to be saved. The Law of Moses says do (obey) this and I will save you, while the law of Christ says it has been done for you in Christ, you have been saved, now obey.
Conclusion. Yes we are not obligated to keep the 10 commandments to attain salvation, yet when we become saved through faith in Christ, we do not by any means become lawless but we submit our lives to that which pleases our Saviour. I will leave you with your Bibles open to 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 as you prayerfully study this issue further. Siyabonga.
Sinothi Ncube
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