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The Ten Commandments

by Henry Bechthold  
1/26/2011 / Bible Studies

The Ten Commandments contain God's moral laws that He personally established and presented to Moses on Mount Sinai. Are they still "in force" today? Has God's law been abolished or changed in the New Testament era, as is suggested by some contemporary theologians and preachers?

Since the Apostle Paul's writings are often used by those who suggest that the Ten Commandments have been abolished or changed, I'll begin by listing some scriptures written by Paul regarding God's law. Paul stated that God's law is "holy, just, good and spiritual" (Romans 7:12-14). He said that "keeping God's commandments" is what matters or counts (1st Corinthians 7:19). He declares that it is the "doers of the law" who will be justified (Romans 2:13). And, in Romans 3:31, he asks the question of whether or not we can make void the law because of our faith, and then answers it himself by saying, "God forbid" or "certainly not"! Obviously, the Apostle Paul did not think that God's law had been voided, abolished or changed.

Even more important than what the Apostle Paul has said, is what Jesus Himself said and did concerning God's law and commandments. What did Jesus do? Jesus claimed that He had kept His Father's commandments (John 15:10). And, the Bible says that we are to walk as Jesus walked (1st John 2:6). Therefore, we too should keep God's commandments.

What did Jesus say? He said that, if we love Him, we should keep His commandments (John 14:15); furthermore, He declared that, if we want to enter into life, we must keep God's commandments (Matthew 19:16-17). In fact, Jesus asks us why we would even call Him Lord, if we won't do what He says (Luke 6:46). Moreover, Jesus stated that He did not come to destroy the law, and He added that heaven and earth will pass away before any part of God's law does (Matthew 5:17-18). And, in Mark 7:6-9, Jesus proclaimed that it is "vain" (worthless) worship to set aside God's commandments and to replace them with doctrines of men.

The book of Psalms states that God's law and commandments are "truth" (Psalm 119:142; Psalm 119:151). Why would God want to abolish or change truth? Psalms also declares that the law and commandments are faithful, righteous, perfect, and help to convert the soul (Psalm 119:86; Psalm 119:172; Psalm 19:7). Why would God want to abolish or change something that is faithful, righteous and perfect, and which helps to convert souls?

The Apostle John said that keeping God's commandments is proof that we know God and love Him (1st John 2:3; 1st John 5:3). In fact, John states that anyone who says that he knows God, but does not keep His commandments, is a "liar" (1st John 2:4). And, in Revelation 14:12, John describes God's true people at the end of the world as those who have faith in Jesus, and who "keep the commandments" of God.

The Psalmist declared that he had inclined his heart to perform God's statutes "forever" (Psalm 119:112). He stated that everyone of God's righteous judgments endures "forever", or, as translated in the NIV version of the Bible, that all of God's righteous laws are "eternal" (Psalm 119:160). He added that God's testimonies have been founded "forever", or, as rendered in the NIV translation, that God has established His statutes to last "forever" (Psalm 119:152).

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 proclaims that man's whole duty is to fear God and to "keep His commandments". The Apostle James even states that we will be "judged" by the Ten Commandment law (James 2:10-12). And, it is interesting that the Bible states that it is the "wicked" who forsake God's law (Psalm 119:53). Furthermore, the Bible also declares that those who stray from God's law are "cursed" (Psalm 119:21).

In Psalm 119:111, the Psalmist stated that he had taken God's testimonies as a heritage "forever". The Hebrew word used for testimonies is "eduwth". And, according to "Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance", this Hebrew word refers to the "Ten Commandments" as being a solemn, divine charge or duty. In other words, Psalm 119:111 is literally stating that the solemn, divine charge of the Ten Commandments is a heritage "forever"!

In Psalm 119:44, the Psalmist declared that he would keep God's law continually, "forever and ever". The Hebrew word used for law in this text is "torah", which, according to Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance, especially refers to the "Decalogue" (The Ten Commandments). So, according to this scripture, the Ten Commandments were to be kept continually, "forever and ever".

God's word declares that people should be able to seek the "law" (KJV and NKJV) from the mouths of the priests, but that the priests themselves had departed from the law, and were causing the people to also stumble at the law (Malachi 2:7-8). Once again, the Hebrew word used by Malachi for law in this text is "torah". As stated in the previous paragraph, the "Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance" states that the word, torah, especially refers to the "Decalogue" (The Ten Commandments)! The priests in Malachi's day, as well as some contemporary preachers, bear the same guilt of departing from the Ten Commandments.

After documenting such clear and undeniable scriptural evidence, it is appropriate to quote the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 8:20, we're told that: "To the law and to the testimony; if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." As with the two previous texts, in this passage the word used for law is "torah", which the previously mentioned Strong's Concordance states, especially refers to the "Decalogue" (The Ten Commandments). Therefore, Isaiah is literally saying that there is "no light" in those who do not speak in accordance or agreement with the Ten Commandments.

For a more thorough study of the perpetuity of God's law, read my article titled, "The Ten Commandments", at my website address listed below.

I am an evangelical, non-denominational, Christian pastor. You can research other interesting and provocative topics at my website: http://www.godormen.com.

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