God's Top Ten: The 10 Commandments Today - Introduction Part 02

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good

— Romans 7:12

Last month we began a series on the 10 Commandments. We continue our introduction:

Purpose of the Ten Commandments

Before we tell what the commandments can do, here is an important point of what it cannot do: the 10 Commandments cannot save the soul. This is made clear in Romans 8:3-4:

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

It is vitally important that we know and understand this fact.

So what can the 10 Commandments do?

1.       Moral fence: Morality is very much a protective barrier that shield us, our souls, as well as our family, present or future from danger. Stay within the bounds of the fence and your spirit, soul, and even body will be protected. Stray beyond the fence and you are taking your chances. The 10 commandments, as God’s righteous and high standard, leads us to that hedge of protection.

2.       Mirror: Most people are under the illusion that they are basically good. They don’t rob banks, commit murder, are sexually responsible (most of the time), pay their bills, provide for their families, and are generally nice to people. Yet, the amazing thing of the law is that, like a mirror, it shows us what we are really like, NOT what we think we’re like. Transgression of the Law is universal (Romand 3:23) and the wages of such transgression is death (Romans 6:23). Through the commandments, we discover that we really are sinners and thus are more open to the Saviour. Using the commandments as a quiz can be a good evangelistic tool. Ray Comfort wonderfully illustrates this in Hell’s Best Kept Secret. Go through the ten commandments one-by-one and ask someone, have you kept this command, both in letter and in spirit, all of your life? If the person is honest, they will say ‘No,’ they have not kept all commandments, all their lives. This includes people raised in the church.

3.       Schoolmaster: In the liberating Epistle to the Galatians, Paul shows that the commandments cannot save but it is a tutor that leads us to the One who can, namely Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:24-25:

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

New Testament Summary

Jesus Christ wonderfully summarised the commandments in Matthew 22:36-40

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Lord not only summarises the 10 Commandments, but indeed all the law is condensed into 2 precepts:

1.       Love God

2.       Love people

You will find that the 10 Commandments do this in an amplified fashion: the first four commandments deal with how to love God, and the last six are about our dealings with people.

As New Testament believers, we should respect the law and guide our behaviour according to its precepts, knowing that it is by God’s Grace that this is made possible.

TO BE CONTINUED