Ten Commandments

Ten Commandments are often referred to as the “testimony”.
The Ten Commandments are recorded in full in Exodus 20:3-17. Briefly they are as follows:

1. You shall have no other Gods before Me.
2. You shall not make unto thee any graven image.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honour your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet.

The first four deal with our love to God, and the last six deal with our love for our fellowman. They can be divided into these two sections. There is one underlying principle behind these commands – LOVE. In these commands we see a transcript of God’s character: “God is love”. At first they may appear to be a list of “don’ts, but when a Christian is motivated by love, he wants to please God and respect his fellowman.

James 2:8-12 If you really fulfill the ROYAL LAW according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall KEEP THE WHOLE LAW, AND YET STUMBLE IN ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be JUDGED BY THE LAW OF LIBERTY.

There is no virtue in keeping 9 commandments instead of ten. If a man is hanging from a great height by a chain with ten links, and only one link breaks, he falls. The strength of the chain is dependent on its weakest link. If we willingly break one of God’s commandments, we are as guilty as if we break them all. True, we are not saved by keeping the law, but this text shows we will be judged by it. If Jesus reigns within, He will give us the strength to keep it.

Psalm 111:7,8 The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. THEY STAND FAST FOREVER AND EVER, and are done in truth and uprightness.

God’s commandments are eternal.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; HERE ARE THOSE WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD and the faith of Jesus.

God’s last people on earth before the end of time are commandment keepers. There is no thought that the law is abolished, instead they establish it.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD AND KEEP
HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS IS MAN’S ALL.

John 14:15 IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

The test of love is obedience. Friend, do you love Jesus enough to obey Him? Remember, He loved you enough to die for you. His plea to you today is to keep His commandments. They are not grievous – in fact to keep them, will keep you out of trouble in this life, and bring you happiness. God’s way of willing obedience is the best way, and if Jesus is supreme in your life, He will give you the strength to keep the commandments of God.

Question of all Questions

Matthew 19:16, “And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do,, that I may have eternal life?”

Isn’t that the question of all questions? What must I do to have eternal life? That was the earnest question of this young man who came to Jesus. I don’t know of any more important question to answer than the question that the young man asked, What must I do to have eternal life?

Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 

Remember that that is the reply of the greatest person that’s ever lived, on religious matters, Jesus Himself, and He said, If you’re going to enter into life, keep the commandments.

The Sunday-keepers who preach on the subject of what must I do to be saved, I have never heard one quote the text of Jesus, and that is, “If ye enter into life, keep the commandments.” The text that they usually turn up is Paul’s statement in Acts 16, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved.” I have never heard them turn up this verse in Matthew 19. And yet this is a strange thing that the greatest authority, when it comes to eternal life, is Jesus Himself, and He is never consulted. Jesus said, “If you’ll enter into life, keep the commandments.”

If you’ll read on there’s no question as to what commandments He’s referring to. You see, there was an argument amongst the Jews as to which commandments you had to keep, the Jewish law, the old ceremonies, or the Ten Commandments. That’s why in the next verse the young man says to Him)

Verse 18. “He said unto Him, Which?”

Which Lord? The Jewish ones, traditions, or the Ten Commandments? What did Jesus say?

Verses 18:19. “Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness,
19. “Honor thy father and thy mother.”

Where’s He quoting from? The Ten Commandments. And so Jesus said, if you’ll enter into life, you keep the Ten Commandments. Remember this, that that’s the greatest authority on religious matters that ever walked this earth, Jesus Himself. He said, “Keep the commandments.”

Clean & Unclean

Act 10:9  The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

Act 10:10  And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance

Act 10:11  and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.

Act 10:12  In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.

Act 10:13  And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."

Act 10:14  But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

Act 10:15  And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common."

Act 10:16  This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Act 10:17  Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate

Act 10:18  and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

Act 10:19  And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.

Act 10:20  Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

Act 10:21  And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"

Act 10:22  And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say."

Act 10:23  So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

Act 10:24  And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Act 10:25  When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

Act 10:26  But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man."

Act 10:27  And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.

Act 10:28  And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

Act 10:29  So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."

In Acts 10, Peter's vision was about MEN. Jewish tradition was to not enter the home of a gentile because they and their home would be "unclean." The vision of the sheet with unclean items uses the same terminology that Peter uses in verse 28, proving this point: 

28) "And he (Peter) said to them (gentiles), 'You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.'" 

The whole point of the vision was that gentiles were to be included in the covenant, not to change non-food to food.

The Law Of God

It is commonly believed by many Christians today that God’s commandments were meant for those who lived in Old Testament times, and do not apply to Christians who are under grace in the New Testament. The Bible has much to say on the subject of law and grace, but even though it is true that Christians are saved by faith in Christ, nowhere does it say God’s laws are not binding upon man. Keeping the commandments is not the method of salvation, but the fruit of it. Obedience to God is the test of the genuine Christian.