Christians greatly differ on such topics as ways to finance the church, Sabbath observance, fasting, rituals, etc. Some say certain practices must be kept as commandments. Other equally sincere believers feel some issues are less important doctrines which are not binding commandments, but permitted things (I Cor.7:6). At times it’s a matter of YOU MUST. Other times, it’s a matter of YOU MAY. It takes prayerful discernment to spot the difference. After the Flood of Genesis, God gave mankind permission to begin eating meat (Gen.9:3). But that doesn’t make it a sin to be a vegetarian!
The one commandment which encapsulates all others is “love one another” (Rom.13:8; Gal.5:14; I John 4:7-8). Whenever Christian believers do disagree on nonessential issues, it should be in a spirit of love, rather resorting to name-calling or questioning the personal consecration of the person you’re disagreeing with. Where Scripture is unclear on specific lifestyle choices, each individual must listen to his/her sanctified conscience.
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in Him (I John 2:10).* * * If our choices in life are guided by God’s love in the light of His Word, there is much less likelihood of stumbling in our walk with the Lord.
Six of the Ten Commandments are restated under the New Covenant as being still applicable in their literal sense. Three others are strongly implied in various passages, while one commandment is not mentioned in the NT as being a duty of Christian righteousness. We are not under the Law itself (Rom.6:14), yet the Christ nature within us instinctively keeps the righteousness of these old commandments, out of love for God and neighbor. When this occurs, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are manifesting as goodness and righteousness and truth in the life of a believer (Eph.5:9). Righteous conduct is not self-effort on the believer’s part to gain favor with God, but reliance only on the life of “Christ in you, the Hope of Glory” (Col.1:27). I’ll list all Ten Commandments and comment on them.
1. THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME (EX. 20:3).
NT (IMPLIED): Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of devils (I Cor.10:21).
VERSE 22: Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
2. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE (IDOL)…ETC.(EX.20:4)
NT (RESTATED): Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (I John 5:21).
3. THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN (EX.20:7).
NT (IMPLIED): Do not they (rich oppressors) blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? (James 2:7).* * * *The clear implication here is it’s still wrong to take the Lord’s Name in vain!
2 Peter 2:1-3 foretells today’s televangelist greed, when false teachers would “bring in damnable heresies and make merchandise of you”. These thieves and robbers dishonor the blessed Name of Jesus to get rich.
4. REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY (EX.20:8).
NT: This one commandment is not restated as being required of New Covenant believers, except in its spiritual application. Literal observance of the Sabbath involves taking on a multitude of hard-to-remember ordinances of “touch not” and “handle not”, etc. (Col.2:21), which would bring the believer back under the bondage of imperfect Law-keeping. To this day Orthodox Jews won’t even push an elevator button on the Sabbath!
Christians were rebuked for immorality, swearing, and coveting the possessions of others. But no rebuke was ever given in connection with Sabbath-keeping (or fasting, for that matter). Nor did Christ mention failure to keep the Sabbath (or fast) in the first three chapters of Revelation where He rebukes sins and bad attitudes in the church. Keeping the Mosaic Sabbath Law would have been IMPOSSIBLE for Christian slaves who were expected to work every day of the week! Christian wives would have had to cross their unconverted husbands by refusing to cook special meals on that day, etc.
The Sabbath was given as a sign TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, not Gentiles (Ex.31:13). Those who claim to keep the Old Testament Sabbath should remember that ordinary activities were punishable by the death penalty on that day! Baking on Saturday (the seventh, or Sabbath, day) to get ready for Sunday dinner would have been a capital crime! It was against the Law to build a fire on the Sabbath Day (Ex.35:3). One Israelite was stoned to death for gathering firewood on the Sabbath (Num.15:32-36). What about a Christian who lives in a log cabin up in Alaska? What would be the greater sin, expecting that Alaskan to freeze to death, or stoning him for building a fire when it was fifty below outside?
In Jesus’ day Jews customarily gathered in the synagogue for worship (Luke 4:16). Jesus taught on the Sabbath Day (Luke 13:10). Jesus even healed people on the Sabbath Day, and He was criticized for it because there were six other days during which Jesus could heal people (Matt.12:10-13; Luke 13:10-16).
So did Jesus (or even the self-righteous Pharisees) keep the LETTER of all the Sabbath regulations as originally given by Moses? Evidently, the Sabbath underwent some changes after Moses died. Originally, the Israelites were not even supposed to leave their homes on the Sabbath Day (Exodus 16:29)! Getting all dolled up and going out to attend a worship service on the Sabbath would have been a sin in Moses’ day! People were told to stay home and rest. Period. Jesus did not sin. He might have appeared to break the letter of Moses’ Sabbath Law, but He kept the purpose of the Sabbath, which is rest. Jesus gave rest to sick people who had suffered a long time from tormenting illnesses.
Based on what he wrote (or didn’t write), the Apostle Paul appears to be ambiguous about whether Christians should observe the Sabbath.
Galatians 4:9: But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
VERSE 10: Ye observe DAYS, and months, and times, and years.* * * *Observing days would include not only the Sabbath, but imposing a law on yourself that never again will you eat on a certain day of the week because it’s set aside for fasting.
VERSE 11: I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Colossians 2:16: Let no man judge you in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
VERSE 17: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.* * * *The only Sabbath Christians must keep is “ceasing from their own works, as God did from His” (Heb. 4:9-10). Christ IS our rest (Matt.11:28). When we abide in Christ (John 15:4) we rest in His finished work (John 17:4; John 19:30).
One way a Christian factory owner could keep the spirit of this law would be to give his employees a day off to rest and be with their families, without reducing their pay! That is “loving thy neighbour as thyself”.
5. HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER…(ETC.)…(EX.20:12)
NT (RESTATED): Honour thy father and thy mother; which is the first commandment with promise; (Eph.6:2).
VERSE 3: That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
6. THOU SHALT NOT KILL (commit murder) (EX.20:13).
NT (RESTATED): Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers.
I Pet.4:15: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
I John 3:15: Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
7. THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY (EX.20:14)
NT (RESTATED): Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: (Matt.5:27)
VERSE 28: But I (Jesus) say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.* * * *Jesus doesn’t make this commandment easier to keep. He expands it beyond the simple letter of the Law. Jesus says it’s a sin to even LOOK lustfully at a woman!
I Cor.6:9: Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?....nor adulterers…..etc.
VERSE 10: …..nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal.5:19: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
VERSE 21……..they which do such things shall not enter the kingdom of God.
Hebrews 13:4: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
8. THOU SHALT NOT STEAL (EX.20:15).
NT (RESTATED): Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth (Eph.4:28).* * * * Not only is the negative (do not steal) restated, the positive side of that commandment is emphasized under the New Covenant!
9. THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR (EX.20:16).
NT (IMPLIED):Even so must their wives be grave, NOT SLANDERERS, sober, faithful in all things.
James 4:11: Speak not evil of one another, brethren…etc.(James 4:11).* * * Bearing false witness (lying about someone else) would be one aspect of speaking evil of another!
Rev.21:8: But the fearful, and unbelieving,….., and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone”: which is the second death.
10. THOU SHALT NOT COVET….ETC. (EX.20:17).
NT (RESTATED): But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints (Eph.5:3).
Hebrews 13:5: Let your conversation (behavior) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he (God) hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Living godly in the light of those ways of love is a MUST for Christians to live by each day, every day. If you love your neighbor you will not even WANT to slander him, steal his wife, or take his life. If you love God you will not want to worship idols or disrespect His Holy Name. Unless persecution results from such godly living, no one’s physical or emotional health ever suffers from putting these things into practice. They are a MUST, not just a MAY.
Author Resource:-
Patricia Backora has been filled with the Holy Spirit since 1970. She believes in the nine Gifts of the Spirit, and the imminent return of Christ. Patricia’s articles address problems and spiritual needs in the Christian church. She believes that the rightly divided Word of God (2 Tim.2:15) must be the final authority.
http://banpreachergreed.tripod.comhttp://kingdomage.tripod.com
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.christian-article-bank.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites