LESSON2

THETENCOMMANDMENTS

Youar
ewelcometoanot
heredi
ti
onofI
nsight
sfr
om God'
sWord,aBibl
estudypr
ogr
ammet
hat
i
scommit
tedtoshar
ingGod'
sWordbyall
owingt
heBibl
etospeakf
oritsel
f.

Inthisedit
ion,weconti
nuewi t
hourser
iesonTheLawofGod.Inourpreviousstudy,wenoted
from Scri
pturethatt
hekeepingoft
heCeremonialLaws(
whichwereactuall
yrelat
edt othe
sanctuaryandi t
sordi
nances)cametoanendwhenChr i
st,
theOnewhom t hoseordinances
pointedto,diedonthecrossofCal
vary
.Inthi
sstudy,
wearegoi
ngtoconsi deranotherl
awi n
Scriptur
ecalledtheTenCommandment s.

1)Someoft
hei
mpor
tantquest
ionswewi
l
lwantt
oanswerf
rom t
heev
idenceofScr
ipt
urear
e
asfol
l
ows:

A)Wer
etheTenCommandment
sgi
venonl
ytot
heJews?

B)Di
dChr
istgi
veHi
sdi
sci
plesanewcommandmentt
orepl
acet
heTenCommandment
s?

C)Di
dChr
ist
'
sdeat
hdoawaywi
tht
heTenCommandment
s?

D)Ar
etheTenCommandment
sst
il
lbi
ndi
nguponGod'
schi
l
drent
oday
?

Fri
ends,
thef
irstplaceweencount
eracomplet
esetoft
heTenCommandmentsi
nScr
ipt
urei
s
i
nExodus20:3-17.Comingri
ghtfr
om t
hefi
ngerofGodHimsel
far
ethef
oll
owi
ng
commandment s:

"
20:
3Thoushal
thav
enoot
hergodsbef
oreme.

1
20:4Thoushal
tnotmakeuntot
heeanygravenimage,oranyl
i
kenessofanythi
ngthati
sin
heavenabove,
orthati
sint
heeart
hbeneath,ort
hati
sinthewaterundert
heeart
h.

20:
5Thoushaltnotbowdownt hy
selft
othem,norservethem:forItheLORDthyGodam a
j
ealousGod,vi
sit
ingtheini
qui
tyofthefat
her
supont hechil
drenuntothethi
rdandf
our
th
generat
ionoft
hem thathateme;

20:
6Andshewi
ngmer
cyunt
othousandsoft
hem t
hatl
oveme,
andkeepmycommandment
s.

20:
7Thoushaltnott
aket
henameoftheLORDt
hyGodi
nvai
n;f
ort
heLORDwi
l
lnothol
dhi
m
gui
l
tlesst
hatt
akethhi
snameinv
ain.

20:
8Remembert
hesabbat
hday
,tokeepi
thol
y.

20:
9Si
xday
sshal
tthoul
abour
,anddoal
lthywor
k:

20:10Butt hesev
enthdayi st
hesabbat
hoftheLORDthyGod:
initt
houshaltnotdoanywork,
thou,northyson,northydaught
er,
thymanser
vant
,nort
hymaidser
vant
,northycat
tl
e,nort
hy
strangert
hatiswithi
nt hygat
es:

20:11Fori
nsi
xdayst
heLORDmadeheav enandeart
h,t
hesea,andal
lthati
nthem i
s,and
restedt
hesev
ent
hday:wher
efor
etheLORDblessedt
hesabbat
hday ,
andhall
owedit.

20:
12Honourt
hyfatherandt
hymot
her
:thatt
hyday
smaybel
ongupont
hel
andwhi
cht
he
LORDthyGodgi
veththee.

20:
13Thoushal
tnotki
l
l.

2
20:
14Thoushal
tnotcommi
tadul
ter
y.

20:
15Thoushal
tnotst
eal
.

20:
16Thoushal
tnotbearf
alsewi
tnessagai
nstt
hynei
ghbour
.

20:
17Thoushaltnotcov
ett
hyneighbour'
shouse,t
houshal
tnotcovetthynei
ghbour
'swi
fe,
nor
hi
smanser v
ant
,norhismai
dser
vant,norhi
sox,norhi
sass,noranythi
ngthati
sthy
nei
ghbour
's.
"

(
Exodus20:
3-17)

Fri
ends,t
heTenCommandment s,al
soknownastheMor alLaw,
isdi
vi
dedint
otwomajor
components.Thefi
rstfouroft
hislawsummarizesourdutytoGodwhil
stt
helastsi
x
summar i
zesourdutytoourfel
lowmen.Readov ert
hisl
awonceagainandseewhethery
ou'
l
l
fi
gureouttheset
wocomponent s.

2)WERETHETENCOMMANDMENTSGI
VENONLYTOTHEJEWS?

Beloved,thereisclearevi
denceinScript
urethatpointsoutt
hef
actthatthepeopl
eofGodknew
aboutt heTenCommandment sbeforetheywer edeli
ver
edasacompl et
esetonMountSi naito
theIsraeli
tes.Eventhoughwef ir
streadaboutt heTenCommandment sinExodus20:3-17,there
aresev er
al cl
eartextsinScr
iptur
ethattell
ust hatt
heselawswereknownbyt hechi
ldrenofGod
beforeSinai.Letusconsiderthescri
pturalev
idenceinrel
ati
ont
ot hi
spoint
:

Commandment s1and2:Whil
er et
urni
ngfr
om hisuncl
eLaban,
Jacobcommandedhi sent
ire
househol
dt oputawayt
hestrangegod'st
hatwereamongthem,andbeclean(seeGenesi
s35:1
-4)
.Thisaccounttel
l
susthatJacobhadknowledgeofthef
ir
standsecondcommandment sof
theDecalogue.

3
Commandment3: Thepatr
iar
chJob,wholiv
edmanyyearsbefor
eMoses, hadaseri
ous
concer
nabouthi
schildr
entaki
ngthenameofGodi nv
ain(seeJob1:4-5).Jobknewthi
swas
wrongandsosentforhi
schil
drenandsancti
fi
edt
hem af
terthei
rfeast
ing.

Commandment4: Godcommandedt heI sr

ael
it
est oremembertheSabbat
hday .Whatthis
meansi sthatt
heIsrael
i
teshadknowl edgeoftheSabbathbeforeMountSinai
.TheBi bl
eclear
ly
reveal
sthatGodtestedthepeopl
eofI sraelontheSabbathbefor
etheyweregiventheTen
Commandment satMountSinai(seeExodus16: 23-
28).I
tisi
nter
esti
ngtol
earnt hatt
heSabbath
datesbackallt
hewayt ocreat
ionweek, andservesasamemor i
aloft
hecreat
or shi
pofGod
(seeGenesis2:1-
3).

Commandment5: Fr
om Genesi
s28,welearnthatJacobobeyedt
hev oi
ceofhisfat
herand
motherbynott
aki
ngawi f
eamongt heCanaanit
es.Esauontheotherhand,haddi
sobeyedt
his
commandf r
om hi
sparent
sanddidashepleased.Theblessi
ngsthataccompanythekeepi
ng
oft
hiscommandmentundoubtedl
ycameuponJacob.

Commandment6: Godquesti
onedCai nast othewher eabout
sofhi sbrotheraft
erhehad
mur deredAbel(
seeGenesi
s4:6-8).Cainknewhehadt ransgr
essedagai nstGod's
commandmentandaskedf oralesserpenal ty(seeGenesis4:13-15).Aft
erthefl
ood,thepeople
knewt hatmurderwasagri
evoussi n.From Genesi s9:5-6,
wer eadthis:
"5...att
hehandofman;
atthehandofev er
yman'sbrot
herwi llIrequiretheli
feofman.6Whososheddet hman'sblood,
bymanshal lhi
sbloodbeshed:forinthei mageofGodmadeheman"( Genesis9:5-
6).

Commandment7: Josephknewadul t
erywasasinagainstGod.Inhisref
usalt
osleepwit
h
Potiphar
'swi
fehemadet hefol
l
owingimpressi
vestat
ement :
"howt hencanIdothisgr
eat
wickedness,
andsi
nagainstGod?"(seeGenesi
s39:7-
9).Abimelech,ki
ngofGerer
,waswarned
byGodnott ocommitadult
erywit
hSar ah(
seeGenesi
s20: 3)
.

Commandment8: Itiscl
earthatJacobhadinmi ndt
hecommandmentagainststeali
ngwhen
hediscussedhi swageswi t
hhi suncl
eLaban.From Genesi
s30:
33,wereadthefoll
owing:"
So
shal
l myrighteousnessanswerf ormeinti
met ocome, wheni
tshal
lcomeformyhi rebef
ore
thyface:ever
yonet hati
snotspeckledandspottedamongthegoat
s,andbrownamongt he
sheep,thatshallbecountedstolenwit
hme."

4
Commandment9: I
nJohn8: 44,Jesusdescri
bedSatanasal i
ar,andt hefatherofit.Chri
stmade
thi
sst atementconcer ningthedev i
lbecauseitwashim whofir
stmi srepresentedthechar act
er
ofGodbef oreunf all
enangel s,andthenthehumanr aceint
heGar denofEden( seeRevelati
on
12:
7-9; Genesi s3:1-6).Thepat r
iar
chJobal soknewaboutthiscommandmentandmadet he
fol
lowingr eferencesi nrespecttolying:
"Mylipsshal
lnotspeakwi ckedness, normyt ongue
utt
erdecei t"(Job27: 4)."Fortr
ulymywor dsshallnotbefal
se:hethati sperfectinknowledgeis
wit
ht hee"( Job36: 4).

Commandment10: From theaccountofthefal

linGenesi
s3,wear etoldt hatEvedesi r
ed
(covet
ed)t hef r
uitfr
om thetreeofknowledgeofgoodandev il
.Hercov etousnessl edherto
pluckoft hefrui
t,ateitandalsogaveuntoherhusband.BeforetheIsrael
itesgott oMountSi nai
,
Moses'f atherinlaw,Jethroadvi
sedhimt odothefoll
owing:"
Mor eoverthoushal tprovi
deoutof
allt
hepeopl eabl emen, suchasfearGod, menoftrut
h,HATINGCOVETOUSNESS; andplace
suchov erthem, tober ul
ersofthousands,andrul
ersofhundreds,r
ulersoff i
ft
ies,andr ul
ersof
tens"(
Ex odus18: 21;CapitalEmphasi
sAdded) .

Fri
ends,from t
heevidenceofScri
pturesofar,i
tiscl
earthatthepeopl eofGodknewaboutt he
TenCommandment sbef or
eMountSi nai
.TheBiblerecor
dst hefoll
owi ngtesti
monyfrom God
Himselfconcerni
ngthepatri
archAbraham: "
Abraham obeyedmyv oice,andkeptmychar ge,my
commandment s,
myst atut
es,andmyl aws"(Genesi
s26:5).Beloved,thistextmakesitcl
ear
thatAbraham hadknowledgeofGod'scommandment sorlaws.Inf act,i
twasn'tonl
yAbraham
butevenpeoplewhol iv
edbeforehim.

From 1John3: 4,wel earnthat"sinisthetr

ansgressionofthelaw."Romans4: 15makesi tcl
ear
that"wherethereisnosi n,thereisnolaw".Wit
ht hesetwobackgr oundtexts,i
tisclearthatif
Godcoul daccusepeopl eofsinbeforetheMountSi naiexperi
ence,thenitmeanst hatthere
musthav ebeeni nexi st
enceal awthatthesepeopl eknowingl
ytransgressed.Fri
ends,from the
pointswehav ereviewedsof ar,i
tbecomesv er
ycl eart
hattheTenCommandment swer enot
givenonlytotheJewi shpeopl e.Thisi
sbasical
lybecauset hepeopleofGodwhol ivedbef or
e
theJewshadknowl edgeoft heseMor all
aws.

3)DI
DCHRI
STGIVEHI
SDI
SCI
PLESANEW COMMANDMENTTOREPLACETHETEN
COMMANDMENTS?

WhenonePhar
iseeaskedChr
ist
;"Mast
er,
whi
chi
sthegr
eatcommandmenti
nthel
aw?
"

5
(Matt
hew22:36),
ourLor
dquot
edf
rom Deut
eronomy6:
5andLev
iti
cus19:
18t
orespondt
othi
s
spi
ri
tual
leaderi
nIsr
ael
:

"
22:37..
.Thoushal
tlov
etheLor
dthyGodwi
thal
lthyhear
t,andwi
thal
lthysoul
,andwi
thal
lthy
mind.

22:
38Thi
sist
hef
ir
standgr
eatcommandment
.

22:
39Andt
hesecondi
sli
keunt
oit
,Thoushal
tlov
ethynei
ghbourast
hysel
f.

22:
40Ont
heset
wocommandment
shangal
lthel
awandt
hepr
ophet
s."

(
Mat
thew22:
37-
40)

Fri
ends,inanswert othisPharisee,Christsummar izedtheTenCommandmentl awi ntoit
st wo
beauti
fulcomponent s:1)ourdut yoflov etoGodand2)al ovef orourneighboursaswewoul d
l
ov eoursel
ves.Beloved,thepeopl eofancientIsraelconcentratedonhonour i
ngt hefirstf
ourof
thecommandment st othenegl ectofthelatt
ersix.Theydi dallinthei
rpowertopl easeGodbut
hadapoori nter
personal r
elat
ionshipwi thoneanot her.Duetot hisbehavi
our,t
heLor drefer
red
tothem ashypocrites(Matthew23: 23).Howcoul donel ov
eaGodhehasnotseen, y etdespise
aneighbourwhoi scloset ohim?( see1John4: 20).Thiswast hehy pocr
isyinIsr
ael whenChr i
st
walkedamongt hepeopl e.

Someofy oumi ghthavecomeacr ossthestoryoftheri

chy oungrulerwhoapproachedChri
st
wit
hav er
yi mportantquestion.ThisyoungmanaskedChr ist,"
GoodMast er,
whatgoodt hi
ng
shal
lIdo,thatImayhav eet ernall
ife?
"(Matthew19: 16)
.Christ
'sanswertohim was:"t
herei
s
nonegoodbutone, t
hatis,God: BUTI FTHOUWI LTENTERI NTOLI FE,KEEPTHE
COMMANDMENTS"( Matthew19: 17;Capit
alEmphasi sAdded).

Theri
chyoungrul
erthenaskedChri
stafol
lowupquestion:"
Which?"(
Matthew19:
18).Fri
ends,
thi
sfol
lowupquesti
on,"Whi
ch?"
,suggest
st hatt
hepeopleofanci
entI
sraelwer
ekeepingmore

6
t
hanonet ypeoflawaswenot edintheintr
oduct
ionofthi
sseries.I
nfact,wecomet oreal
ize
f
rom theensui
ngconv er
sat
ionfrom Matthew19thatChri
stperfect
lyunderst
oodthisyoung
man,andsopr oceededt
ospecifythety
peofcommandmentt hatHehadi nmi ndasfol
lows:

"19:
18..
.Thoushal
tdonomur der
,Thoushal
tnotcommi
tadul
ter
y,Thoushal
tnotst
eal
,Thou
shal
tnotbearfal
sewit
ness,

19:
19Honourt
hyf
atherandt
hymot
her
:and,
Thoushal
tlov
ethynei
ghbourast
hysel
f.
"

(
Mat
thew19:
18-
19)
.

Aswecanseef r
iends,thesearedir
ectquot
esfrom t
heTenCommandmentLaw( seeExodus
20:
12-17)
.Thus,
accor di
ngt oChri
stHimsel
f,t
herewastheneedfort
hisri
chyoungrulert
okeep
God’
sTenCommandmentl awifhewantedtohaveeter
nall
if
e.Theconversat
ionbet
ween
Chri
standthi
sri
chy oungr ul
ercont
inuedasfol
lows:

"
19:
20They
oungmansai
thunt
ohi
m,Al
ltheset
hingshav
eIkeptf
rom myy
out
hup:
whatl
ackI
y
et?

19:
21Jesussaidunt
ohim,Ift
houwil
tbeperf
ect
,goandsel
lthatt
houhast
,andgi
vet
othepoor
,
andthoushal
thavet
reasur
einheav
en:andcomeandfol
l
owme.

19:
22Butwhenthey
oungmanhear
dthatsay
ing,
hewentawaysor
rowf
ul:
forhehadgr
eat
possessi
ons.
"

(
Mat
thew19:
20-
22)

Fri
ends,ev
ent hought
hisr
ichyoungrul
erclai
medhehadobeyedalloft
heTenCommandment s,
yethecouldn'
tpartwi
thal
lhismoneyforthepoorsohecoul
dfol
l
owChr istandgai
ntheeter
nal
reward.Wi
thhiswealt
hbeingaform ofi
dolat
ryandasnar
euntohim,couldhehonest
lycl
aim

7
thather
eall
ylov
edhi
sneighbour
sast helatt
erpar
toftheDecal
ogueexpectedofhi
m?Well,
the
acti
onhetookwhenheheardChri
st'
sfinalwordst
ell
sital
l
.Hehadwealth,butdi
dn'
tcar
efor
thepoor
.

Fri
ends,thi
swast hekindofhy pocri
sythatourLor dwantedtofreethediscipl
es.Chri
stdecided
tochangetheperspect i
veofthedisci
plesinrel
ationtothissi
n.Andsof rom John13:34,we
readthefol
lowingclearwor dsfr
om Christ:"
34ANEW COMMANDMENTIgi veuntoyou,Thatye
l
ov eoneanother;ASIHAVELOVEDYOU, thatyealsolov
eoneanot her.35Byt hi
sshallal
lmen
knowt haty
earemydi scipl
es,i
fyehavel oveonet oanot
her"(John13:34-35;Capit
alEmphasi s
Added).

Basedont hi
st extabove,manyofGod' schildreninChr i
stendom havebeent aughtthatChrist
repl
acedt heTenCommandment swi t
haNEW LAW OFLOVEf oroneanot her.Howev erfri
ends,
theScript
ur emakesust ounderstandthatChr istdi
dnotgi vethedisci
plesanew
commandmentbutr at
heremphasi zedaquot et hatwasal r
eadyintheOl dTest ament.From
Levi
ticus19: 18,wecomeacr osst hispart
icularquotethatChr i
stemphasi zed:"..
.thoushaltlov
e
thyneighbourast hy
self
:Iam theLORD"( Lev it
icus19:18;Compar eLevi
ticus19: 18with
Matthew22: 37- 40andJohn13: 34-35).

Fri
ends,thi
stextf
rom Lev
iti
cus19:18,makesitcl
earthatChr
ist
'scommandmenttol
oveone
anotherwasnotanyt
hingnew.Infact,i
twasadi r
ectquotefr
om theOl
dTestament
;asummary
ofthelat
tersi
xcommandment sint heDecal
oguethatHispeopl
ehadneglect
ed.

Beloved, t
henewnessofChr ist
'
smessage, sotospeak,wasaboutt hemeasur eorextentofl
ove
thedisciplesweretoexhibi
tinrel
ati
ontotheirnei
ghbours.Thedisci
plesweretolove,notas
theyalreadyknewhow, butasChr i
sthasdemonst r
atedtothem.Theywer etocopyf r
om thei
r
Masteraki ndofl
ovethatwassor evol
uti
onarythati
tembr acedevenone'sbit
terenemies(Luke
6:27-
28) .Thiswascert
ainlyanewcommandment ;inthat,
itchangedtheperspect
iveofhowt he
peopleofGodwer etoviewtheirdut
ytotheirnei
ghbours.

Thusfri
ends,ourr
easoningfrom Scr
ipt
uresofarmakesitcleart
hatChr
istdi
dnotrepl
acethe
TenCommandmentwi thanewcommandment .Hisnewcommandment , sot
ospeak,act
uall
y
emphasizedonthelat
tersixcommandment softheDecaloguewhichhi
speoplehasnegl
ected
tokeep.

8
4)DI
DCHRI
ST'
SDEATHDOAWAYWI
THTHETENCOMMANDMENTS?

TheBibleiscl
earthatwhenChri
stdi
edonthecross,Hedidawaywi t
htheceremoni
all
awsof
thesanctuar
y(seeDaniel9:
27;
Matthew27:
50-51).However
,inrel
ati
ontotheTen
Commandment s,
wef i
ndnosuchhinti
nScri
ptur
e.Infact
,Chri
sthadthi
stosayconcer
ningt
he
enti
reTorahofwhichtheTenCommandmentl awisacomponent :

"
5:17Thinknott
hatIam comet
odest
royt
hel
aw,
ort
hepr
ophet
s:Iam notcomet
odest
roy
,but
t
of ul
fi
l.

5:
18Forver
il
yIsayuntoyou,Ti
llheavenandear
thpass,
onej
otoronet
it
tl
eshal
li
nnowi
se
passf
rom t
helaw,t
il
lal
lbefulf
il
led.

5:19Whosoevert
hereforeshal
lbreakoneoftheseleastcommandments,andshall
teachmen
so,heshal
lbecal
ledt hel
easti
nt hekingdom ofheav
en:butwhosoev
ershalldoandteach
them,t
hesameshall becall
edgreatintheki
ngdom ofheaven.
"

(
Mat
thew5:
17-
19)

Beloved,thewor dsofChristi
nthispassagear everycl ear.Don'tev enthi
nki t
,thatIam comet o
destroythel aw, t
il
lheav
enandear t
hpass, t
heywi l
lstillbei nforce( Matt
hew5: 17-18).Manyin
Christendom t odayhavebeent aughtthataprofessionoff ait
horl oveforChristisenough.But
Christ'
swor dsi nthebookofJohn: "
Ifyelov
eme, keepmycommandment s"(John14: 15),
isa
cl
earcal lforobediencetoGod' slawifwecl ai
mt oloveHi m.Fr om John15: 10,wer eadasi mil
ar
expressionf rom Chri
st:
"Ifyekeepmycommandment s,yeshal labideinmyl ov e;
ev enasIhave
keptmyFat her '
scommandment s,andabideinhislov e."Beloved,Chr i
stexpect sust oproveour
l
ovet oHi mt hroughobediencet oHiscommandment s.

I
nf act
,theendt imepeopleofGodar edescri
bedwi t
hthefol
lowingstr
aightwords:
"Herei
sthe
pati
enceoft hesaint
s:herearetheythatkeepthecommandment sofGod,andthefai
thof
Jesus"(Revelat
ion14:12)
.Belov
ed, whentherichyoungrul
eraskedChristwhathemustdoto

9
i
nheritet
ernall
i
fe,
Christ'
sfi
r stanswert ohim was:"keepthecommandment s"(Matthew19:17)
.
Thebelovedapost
lereit
eratest hi
ssamepoi ntwitht hesebeauti
ful
words:"
Blessedarethey
thatdohiscommandment s, thattheymayhav erighttothetreeofli
fe,
andmayent erint
hrough
thegatesint
othecit
y"(Revelation22:14).

Fri
ends,t
heBibl
emakesi tcleart
hatwemustkeepGod' scommandment sifwewanttoenter
i
ntotheNewJer usal
em ci
ty.Thereasonfort
hiscondit
ionisverysi
mple;theTen
CommandmentLawi sgoingtobethestandardofGod'sjudgementfort
hehumanr ace.Well
,i
f
youneverhear
dt hi
s,t
hat'
sOK.Her eist
heev i
dence:

i
)"13Letusheartheconclusionofthewhol
emat t
er:
FEARGOD, ANDKEEPHIS
COMMANDMENTS: f
orthisi
st hewholedut
yofman.14ForGodshall
bri
ngev erywor
kint
o
j
udgment ,
withever
ysecretthing,
whetheri
tbegood,orwhet
heri
tbeevi
l
"(Ecclesi
ast
es12:13-
14;Capi
talEmphasi
sAdded) .

i
i)"10Forwhosoevershall
keepthewholel aw,andy etoff
endinonepoint,heisgui
ltyofal
l
.11
Forhethatsai
d,Donotcommi tadult
ery
, saidalso,Donotkill
.Nowifthoucommi tnoadult
ery
,
yetift
houkil
l,
thouartbecomeat r
ansgressoroft helaw.12SOSPEAKYE, ANDSODO, AS
THEYTHATSHALLBEJUDGEDBYTHELAW OFLI BERTY"(James2:10-12;Capi
tal
Emphasis
Added).

Beloved,theBibleisclear
,sospeaky e,andsodo, astheythatshallbejudgedbyt heLAW OF
LIBERTY.Youseef ri
end,contr
arytothepopul art eachingthattheTenCommandmentl awisa
yokeofbondage, t
heBi bl
emakesi tclearthatitisr at
heralawofl i
ber
tywhi chactual l
yfreesus
from theconsequencesorcondemnat ionofsi n.Iwantust or efl
ectuponourpr isonhousesf or
amoment ;whoar ethepeopleconf i
nedinourpr i
sons?Ar etheyt hosewhokeptt hel awor
thosewhobr okethem?Wel l,
theanswerIbel ievei ssimple.Thosewhobr eakthest atel
awsare
theoneswhof indthemselvesinstateprisons.Now, canwedescr i
bethesef ol
ksi npr i
sonas
freebecauset heybrokestatelaws?Wel lNO!Thosewhokeptt helawsaret heoneswhoar e
ratherfr
eefrom thebondageofpr isoncel l
s.Belov ed,iti
sinthissamesenset hatt heTen
Commandmentl awisr ef
err
edt oastheLawofLi bertyinJames2: 12.Wear eactual l
yfr
ee,and
atpeacewi thGodandourf el
lowmenwhenwekeepal lofGod'sTenCommandment s.

Someti
mes,If
indi
tstr
angetobeli
evethatsomeofGod'
schi
ldrenargueagai
nsttheper
pet
uit
y
ofGod'
slawwhil
etheythemsel
vesseem tohonourt
hemaj
orit
yifnotall
oftheTen

10
Commandment s.Toanyonewhocl ai
mst hatt
heTenCommandmentl awisnotsti
l
l bi
ndi
ng,my
simplequesti
ontosuchaf ell
owi sthis: whi
choneoftheTenCommandment sareyounot
keepi
ng?Beginf r
om thefi
rstcommandmentandst ar
tticki
ngthem oneaft
ertheother
.
Chancesar et
hatyouwillbesurprisedt hatyouar
eactuall
ykeepingal
mostalloft
hem ifnotthe
enti
reten.Sothequesti
onis;ifyouarekeepi ngal
lorthemaj or
it
yoftheTenCommandment s,
thenwhyt hesharpar
gumentagai nstt heTenCommandmentl aw?

Beloved,i
fyoudoanext ensi
vestudyonthissubj
ect,
youar egoingtofi
ndoutthatt
hemain
reasonwhyt herei
salotofcontr
ov er
syovertheper
petuit
yoft heTenCommandmentl awis
becauseoft heSabbat
hCommandment( seeExodus20:8-11).ManyinChri
stendom t
oday
fai
thful
lykeepnineofGod'sTenCommandment sanddisregardtheonl
ycommandmentwhi ch
i
ronical
lybeginswit
hthewor d'
REMEMBER' (
seeExodus20: 8)
.

Tojust
ifythei
rkeepi ngofSundayi nst
eadoft heSabbat h,manyofGod' schil
drenent eri
ntothe
danger
ousgr oundsofar guingagainsttheper petuit
yofGod' sTenCommandmentl aw.Ift
hese
fol
kshadonl yknownwhohadbr oughtaboutt hechangeoft hespur iousSabbath( Sunday)they
arenowkeepi ng,theywil
lthinkt
wi ceaboutt heiracti
ons.Fort hebookofDani elpresentst
he
fol
lowi
ngi ncr
edibletrut
hconcerningt hetr
ueant i
chri
stpowerofBi bleprophecy:"Andhe( the
anti
chr
ist)shallspeakgreatwordsagai nstthemostHi gh, andshal lwearoutt hesai nt
softhe
mostHigh, ANDTHI NKTOCHANGETI MESANDLAWS: andt heyshal lbegi
venintohi shand
unti
lati
meandt i
mesandt hedividingoftime"( Daniel7:25;Capi t
al EmphasisAdded) .

Friends, fr
om thi
st exti
nt hebookofDani el
,wel earnclearl
ythatiti
stheant i
christpowerthat
will thi
nktochangeGod' sti
mesandl aw.Chr i
st'
spositioninrelat
iontoGod’ slawwascl ear:
"Thi nknotthatIcamet odest roythelawort hepr ophets"(Matthew5:17).Beloved,youwi l
l
sear cht heBibl
efrom Genesist oRevelation,andy ouwi l
lnotfi
ndanyplacewher eGodnow
aut horizedHispeopl et
hatHedoesnotr equirethem tokeept heTenCommandment s.AsIhave
stat edearli
er,i
tistheant i
chr
istpowert hathasat tempt edtochangeGod' sTenCommandment
l
awandnotChr i
storanyofHi sapostles.(Foradet ai
l
edst udyont heAntichri
stpowerofBi bl
e
prophecy ,r
equestforourseriesdubbed: TheFi nalEvent sofBibl
eProphecyt hroughanyofour
What sAppnumber satt heendoft hisstudy )

Bel
oved,f
rom whatwehaverevi
ewedsof
arf
rom Scr
ipt
urei
nthi
sst
udy
,wecanmaket
he
fol
l
owingval
idbibl
i
calconcl
usi
ons:

11
i
)TheTenCommandmentl
awwasnotgiv
entoonl
ytheJews.I
tisauni
ver
sal
mor
all
awwhi
ch
pr
ecedesev
enAbr
aham,t
hefat
heroft
heJews.

i
i)Chr
istdi
dnotgi
veHi
sdi
sci
plesanewcommandmentwhi
chcamet
orepl
acet
heTen
Commandments.

i
i
i)TheTenCommandmentl awwasnotabol
i
shedbyChri
storanyoft
heapost
les.Rat
her
,iti
s
t
heanti
chr
istpowert
hathasatt
empt
edtochangetheLawofGod.

i
v )TheTenCommandmentlawissti
l
lbindi
nguponallofGod'speopl
et oday
.TheScript
ure
reveal
sthatGod'
sendti
mepeoplewil
lbeapeopl
ewhowi l
lhaveasavingfait
hinJesusand
alsokeepall
oftheTenCommandments(seeRevel
ati
on12:17;Revel
ation14:12)
.

v
)TheTenCommandmentl
awwi
l
lbet
hest
andar
dofGod'
sjudgement(
seeJames2:
8-10)
.

Bel
oved,Iknowthatitisnotbychancethatyoucameacr
ossthismater
ial
.Youhavebeenl
ed
bytheSpir
itofGodtogot hroughthi
sstudy.I
tismyhumblepray
ert
hattheHolySpi
ri
twil
lhel
p
youtomakeadeci si
ont ojoi
ntheranksoftheendti
mepeopleofGodwhoobeyallofGod'
s
TenCommandment sincl
udingtheSabbath.

Exhort
ati
on:
Concerni
ngt
heTenCommandmentl
aw,
wer
eadt
hef
oll
owi
ngbeaut
if
ulwor
dsof
l
ifefr
om Scr
ipt
ure:

i
)"7Theworksofhi
shandsarev
eri
tyandjudgment
;ALLHI
SCOMMANDMENTSARESURE.8
THEYSTANDFASTFOREVERANDEVER, andaredonei
ntr
uthandupr
ight
ness"(
Psal
m 111:
7-
8;Capi
tal
Emphasi
sAdded).

i
i)"7THELAW OFTHELORDI SPERFECT,convert
ingt
hesoul:thetesti
monyoft heLORDis
sure,
maki
ngwisethesi
mple.8Thestatut
esoftheLORDar er
ight,rej
oici
ngtheheart:
the
commandmentoftheLORDispure,
enli
ghteni
ngtheeyes.9Thef earoftheLORDi scl
ean,
enduri
ngf
orever
:thej
udgmentsoftheLORDaretrueandri
ghteousal t
ogether
.10Mor etobe

12
desi
redaretheyt
hangol
d,y
ea,thanmuchf i
negold:sweet
eral
sothanhoneyandt
he
honeycomb.11MOREOVERBYTHEM I STHYSERVANTWARNED: ANDINKEEPINGOFTHEM
THEREI SGREATREWARD"(Psalm 19:
7-11;
Capi
talEmphasisAdded)
.

i
ii
)"Butwhosolooket
hint
othePERFECTLAW OFLI
BERTY,
andcontinuet
htherei
n,hebei
ngnot
aforget
ful
hearer,
butadoeroft
hework,
thi
smanshal
lbeblessedi
nhisdeed"(James1:
25;
Capit
alEmphasisAdded)
.

Inournextstudy ,wewi l
lconsiderthetopic:TheTenCommandment sv er
sust heCeremonial
Laws.Iknowsomeofy oumayst i
l
lbest r
uggl i
ngwiththediff
erencebetweent heTen
Commandment sandt heCer emonialLaws.Ibel i
evethi
supcomi ngstudywil
l helptoclearour
mindsont hisissue.TheBi bleStudyreferencesforthi
sstudyar eMatthew5:17, Ephesi
ans2:15,
Deuteronomy4: 12-13,Levi
ticus1:1-3,Deuteronomy10:5,Deuteronomy31:26, Exodus24:12and
Colossians2:14.Pleasedowel ltogot hrought hesepassagesbeforethenextst udyisrel
eased.

St
aybl
essedandkeepshi
ningf
orKi
ngJesus.

Mar
anat
ha!

Power
edbyWhi
teThr
oneMi
nist
ri
es

13