The Ten Commandments

What Is It’s Place in SDA’s Salvation?

 Why Is it Important to Understand?

The Word of God made a stern

warning about those who are
trying to be justified by the Law
that anyone must take seriously:
2
 Galatians 5:1-4

1 
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be
circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare
to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to
obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the
law have been alienated from Christ; YOU HAVE FALLEN AWAY
FROM GRACE. 

3
 Galacia 5:1-4

1
Malaya na tayo dahil pinalaya tayo ni Cristo. Kaya magpakatatag
kayo at huwag nang paalipin pang muli!
2 
Akong si Pablo ang nagsasabi sa inyo, kapag nagpatuli kayo,
binabaliwala ninyo si Cristo. 3 Binabalaan ko ang lahat ng taong
nagpapatuli, tungkulin nilang sumunod sa buong Kautusan. 4 Kayong
nagsisikap na maging matuwid sa pamamagitan ng pagtupad sa
Kautusan, INIHIWALAY NINYO ANG INYONG SARILI KAY
CRISTO AT NAPALAYO KAYO SA KAGANDAHANG-LOOB NG
DIYOS. 

4
The Three Millerites Groups that Formed
the Seventh-Day Adventist Movement

Hiram Edson James White and Ellen White Joseph Bates

Port Gibson, New York Portland, Maine Washington, New Hampshire

SANCTUARY DOCTRINE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY SABBATH AND

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• Concurrent with the doctrinal developments of the Sanctuary
teaching of Edson, those Adventists holding this teaching and the
validity of the October 22 date began to develop the view of the
validity of the Ten Commandments and the seventh-day Sabbath
• In the early 1840’s, Rachel Oakes, a Seventh-Day Baptist challenged
an Adventist preacher Frederick Wheeler to keep all the Ten
Commandments in which the latter accepted
• In the summer of 1844, T. M. Preble, a Free Will Baptist preacher who
had become a Millerite, also accepted the Sabbath as influenced by F.
Wheeler
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• After the Great Disappointment, Preble published his Sabbath beliefs
in the summer of 1844 through the columns of a journal and in a
twelve-page pamphlet
• In March of 1845 Preble’s writings fell into the hands of Joseph Bates,
one of the three primary founders of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• Bates accepted the Sabbath and soon shared it in a meeting with
Crosier, Hahn, and Edson.
• Edson accepted it along with Crosier and Hahn. Meanwhile, they
shared their insights on the heavenly sanctuary with Bates, which he
readily accepted.
• Thus by late 1845 or early 1846 a small group of believers began to
form around the united doctrines of the ministry of Christ in the
heavenly sanctuary and the binding nature of the seventh-day
Sabbath
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• Bates, meanwhile, published a tract entitled The Seventh Day Sabbath, a
Perpetual Sign in August 1846. He was also instrumental in introducing
James White and Ellen White to the seventh-day Sabbath. Years later Ellen
White wrote that “in the autumn of 1846 she began to observe the Sabbath,
and to teach and defend it.” Thus the three founders of Seventh-day
Adventism were united on the Sabbath doctrine by the end of 1846
• Bates gave the seventh-day Sabbath a richness and prophetic meaning that
it never could have had among the Seventh Day Baptists. For the Baptists,
the seventh day was merely the correct day. But with Bates, steeped as he
was in a prophetic faith, the seventh-day Sabbath took on an eschatological
(end time) richness that was beyond the realm of Baptist understanding
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• Through a series of small books, Bates interpreted the Sabbath within
the framework of Revelation 11-14. First, he began to see connections
between the Sabbath and the sanctuary.
• As he studied the sounding of the seventh trumpet in Revelation
11:15-19 (a passage obviously having to do with the last days), Bates
was particularly drawn to verse 19: “And the temple of God was
opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his
testament.”
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Law Doctrine of SDA
• According to Bates, when the seventh angel began to sound, he proposed, the
second apartment of the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of
the covenant was spiritually revealed and people began to search the
Scriptures.
• The ark of the covenant in the earthly sanctuary, of course, contained the Ten
Commandments. Thus, through typological comparison, it was concluded that
the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary had an ark containing the
Decalogue, as did the earthly sanctuary. God’s law, of course, eventually came
to be seen as the basis for the preadvent judgment that had been underway
since October 22, 1844. On that date the second apartment had been opened
in heaven, exposing the ark of the covenant and pointing to a renewed
emphasis on God’s law.
Key Take Away
• The Sabbath and the Ten Commandments doctrine of SDA sprang from an
influence of a Sabbatarian woman, Rachel Oakes
• Joseph Bates, the key figure in inducing the other pioneers about the validity of
the Sabbath, got the idea from a journal and a pamphlet written by an early
Adventist pastor T.M. Preble, who was then influenced by F. Wheeler, who was
then influenced by Rachel Oakes
• Bates, after being influenced by the validity of Sanctuary teaching, gave the
Sabbath a prophetic meaning and end-time significance that was far beyond the
view of Baptist or other Protestant denominations
• The primary method employed in forming the Sabbath doctrine was TYPOLOICAL
COMPARISON, much the same as the method adopted by Hiram Edson and Owen
Crosier in the Sanctuary doctrine
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Ten Commandments Doctrine of SDA
Important Events that Led to the Sabbath and
the Ten Commandments Doctrine of SDA
The foundation of the Sabbatarian error, I believe, is the
idea that "the law," in all the strictness of the old letter, is
binding on Christians.

A desire to sustain the seventh-day

Sabbath has led the Adventist to this false position on the
Decalogue.
The Truth About Salvation in SDA
SALVATION = JUSTIFICATION + SANCTIFICATION

Where:
Justification  Faith in Christ
Sanctification  Perfect keeping of the 10Cs + Obedience to
Food Law + Perfect confession of sins + Sinless
perfection + Influence after death
NOTE: If you fail to just one part of Sanctification requirements, your
salvation is compromised!
Litmus Test
• What will happen to an Adventist if he failed to keep the Sabbath?
 He breaks the 10Cs (James 2), sin is the transgression of the Law, the wages of
sin is death, therefore he will lose his salvation. Investigative Judgment also puts
him into judgment of fire
• What will happen if he eats pork?
 He breaks the Law of God, sin is the transgression of the Law, the wages of sin is
death, therefore he will lose his salvation.
 EGW also maintained the breaking the Food Law is equivalent to breaking the
Ten Commandments
• What will happen if there is unconfessed sin?
 He will not be acquitted in Investigative Judgment
• What will happen if his life influence is bad?
 It has consequences in his standing in the Investigative Judgment
Official Statements
KEY POINTS:
1. It appears that when a person
believes and through the Holy
Spirit, he is born again (justified)
AND sanctified at the same time.
2. The Holy Spirit (after being
justified), gives power to live a
holy life.
3. Faith in Christ gives assurance of
salvation NOW (at the start of
believing) but can only be
sustained by abiding in Him.
THEREFORE: Salvation equates to
justification and sanctification
Sanctification’s role in Salvation

From these statements, it can nbe

concluded that Sanctification
really has an equal part as
justification in order for a believer
to be saved!
SDA’s Official Statement
KEY POINTS:
1. Embodiment of God’s Law
2. Binding upon all people in
every age
3. The standard in God’s
judgment
4. Obedience to it is fruitage of
salvation
Brief Examination of Verses Used in SDA
Fundamental Beliefs Statement
• Exo. 20:1-17 – The giving of the Ten Commandments
Verses 1 & 2 “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

• Ps. 40:7-8 - Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

     in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do
your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
• Matt. 22:36-40 - the great commandment in the Law
• Deut. 28:1-14 – Blessings of obedience
Brief Examination of Verses Used in SDA
Fundamental Beliefs Statement
• Matt. 5:17-20 - Christ fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (concerning
Him)
• Heb. 8:8-10 – The New Covenant, not like the Old Covenant
• John 15:7-10 – Keep Christ’s commands and abide in His love
• Eph. 2:8-10 – Salvation by grace through faith, not by works
• 1 John 5:3 - the love of God, that we keep his commandments
• Rom. 8:3-4 - requirement of the law might be fulfilled not to the flesh
but to the Spirit.
• Ps. 19:7-14 - The law of the LORD is perfect, sure, right, and pure
Questions for SDA
Where in these passages that tells that:
• the great principles of God’s Law are embodied in the Ten
Commandments?
• the Ten Commandments are binding upon all people in every age?
• believers will be judged and that the Ten Commandments will be the
standard in God’s judgment?
• salvation through grace’s fruitage is obedience to the Law or the Ten
Commandments?
Key Take Away from Chapter 20
1. The Ten Commandments is all moral precepts and binding to all
people at all times and demands to be kept perfectly
2. Transgression results to sin and affects ones salvation because it is the
standards of righteousness and judgment
3. Only those who are born again can obey it (perfectly) and obedience
is the fruit of the Spirit
4. The Ten Commandments is moral law which remains while all others
written in the books of Moses are ceremonial law which are abolished
5. There is perfect harmony between the Ten Commandments and the
Gospel
Is It True That The Ten Commandments are
All Moral Precepts?
• All the precepts are moral and binding to Christians but only so far as
repeated in the New Testament
• All throughout the New Testament, nothing is mentioned about
Sabbath that enjoins its validity of keeping for Christians
• But there are enough reasons to believe that the Sabbath is already
ABOLISHED in the Christian dispensation
 Col. 2:16-17
 2 Cor. 3:3-13
 John 5:8
 Mark 2:28
The True Nature of Sabbath
• The Sabbath is a ceremonial law and have to be revealed
• The Sabbath law says that behavior that is perfectly acceptable one
day is forbidden the next, merely because it is a different day of the
week. But God’s morality does not change with the days of the week
• God did not require the Gentiles to obey laws they did not have. They
were required to obey the law written on their hearts, but they were
not required to obey the ritual laws, for such laws have to be specially
revealed, and God revealed them only to Israel, and they applied only
to Israel.
Christ Categorizes the Sabbath as Ceremonial
• He is never recorded as giving any restrictions about the Sabbath
• Jesus compared the Sabbath to ceremonial laws
 Matt. 12:1-4 - the showbread is more important than the Sabbath
 Matt. 12:5 – Temple sacrifices are more important than the Sabbath 
 John 7:22 - Ccircumcision as more important than the Sabbath
 It should be no surprise that the Sabbath command expired at the same time as
those other three commands
• Jesus never grouped the Sabbath with moral laws, or any of the other Ten
Commandments. He always compared it to ceremonial laws
• It was an important part of the covenant God gave Israel, but it was not
given to other nations
Biblical Evidence That The Decalogue is
ABOLISHED Along with the Whole Mosaic Law
2 Corinthians 3:3-13 (KJV)
• 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ
ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
• 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the
letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
• 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was
glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of
Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
• 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Biblical Evidence That The Decalogue is
ABOLISHED Along with the Whole Mosaic Law
2 Corinthians 3:3-13 (KJV)
• 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the
ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
• 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by
reason of the glory that excelleth.
• 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which
remaineth is glorious.
• 13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
Important Note about 2 Cor. 3:3-13
• This Biblical text was not mentioned in the Chap 19 of Statement of Beliefs
• SDA Bible Commentary gave a rather ambiguous explanation. It says that
the thing done away was the ministration of dispensation, which it meant
to be ceremonial law, while the texts is unmistakably clear that what was
done away was the Ten Commandments, engraved in stones, which was
surpassed by the more glorious and forever binding New Covenant of Grace
• But it affirms that the one called the ministration of death is the Law of
God, which can be understood in SDA writings as the Ten Commandments,
but it did not explicitly mentioned it nor as the Law engraved in stones, as
what the texts is clearly referring to
Other Biblical Texts that Supports the
Abolishment of Old Law by the New Covenant
Hebrews 8:6-8 KJV
• 6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much
also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established
upon better promises.
• 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place
have been sought for the second.
• 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah:
Other Biblical Texts that Supports the
Abolishment of Old Law by the New Covenant
Hebrews 7:12, 18-19 KJV
• 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a
change also of the law.
• 18 For there is verily a disannulling [make void or set aside] of the
commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof.
• 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better
hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Will There Be Judgment (of Condemnation)
for Believers
John 5:24 ESV
• 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him
who sent me has eternal life (perfect present tense). He does not
come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (both
immediate and present tense)

To believe this claim of SDA that the believers will be judged by the Ten
Commandments, is to completely contradict this very Word of Christ!
Will There Be Judgment (of Condemnation)
for Believers
Romans 8:1 ESV
• There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus.

THEREFORE, A BELIEVERS CAN REST HIS MIND WITH GREAT JOY AND
MERRY TIDINGS THAT HE IS ASSURED OF SALVATION IN CHRIST AND
WILL NEVER BE SUBJECTED TO JUDGMENT.
Is It True That the Standard of Righteousness is
the Perfect Obedience to the 10 Commandment?
• FALSE. The New Testament did not say or implied anything like that of
any sort
• If not, then what is the believer’s standard of righteousness for
salvation?
 It is no other than but by FAITH all throughout, NEVER by Law or the Ten
Commandments
 Rom. 1:16-17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for
faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
 Rom. 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart
from the law,…22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all
who believe.
What about Sin?
• Sabbath keeping is not a law for Christians, therefore it is not a sin
 Col. 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of
an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
 The weekly Sabbath is clearly in view here, as the Holyday pertains to the
yearly Sabbaths and the new moon to the monthly Sabbaths
• Christians still commit sins and human beings are sinful in nature
 Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
• But believers are perpetually cleanse from sins in Christ
 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin
What about Obedience and Sanctification?
• OBEDIENCE is taught in the NT as faithful response to the divine
commands for sanctification but nowhere it pertains to the keeping of
the Ten Commandments
 Rom. 1:5 Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring
about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations
 Rom. 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one
act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men
 2 Cor. 10:5-6 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against
the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being
ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
• But nowhere in the New Testament that says the Ten Commandments
should be kept perfectly
Is it True That Only Those Who Are Born Again
Can Obey the Ten Commandments Perfectly?
• FALSE. All through out the New Testament, nowhere can be found
that born again Christians can obey the Ten Commandments perfectly
• Born again Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit and commanded
to walk by the Spirit
 Eph. 1:13 … believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit
 Gal. 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of
the flesh
• Perfect obedience to the Ten Commandments is not found in the
fruits of the Spirit
 Gal. 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is
no law. 
Is It True that There is Moral and Ceremonial
Law Distinction in the Bible?
• FALSE. The Bible does not make any distinction between Moral and
Ceremonial Laws, much less the way SDA arbitrarily defines it
• The truth of the matter is that SDA needs to resort to this kind of
reasoning to escape the entanglement with many verses in the New
Testament that express against the validity of the Law
• When Paul uses the word Law (Nomos in Greek) in his epistles, he
refers to the whole Mosaic Law, not just the Ten Commandments
alone
• This is even proven from the books of SDA
The “The Law” in Paul’s Epistles According
to SDA References
• Before we can understand the phrase “the works of the law,” we
first need to understand what Paul means by the word law. The
word law (nomos in Greek) is found 121 times in Paul’s letters. It
can refer to a number of different things, including God’s will for
His people, the first five books of Moses, the entire Old
Testament, or even just a general principle. However, the primary
way Paul uses it is to refer to the entire collection of God’s
commandments given to His people through Moses.
• The phrase “the works of the law” likely involves, therefore, all
the requirements found in the commandments given by God
through Moses, whether moral or ceremonial. Paul’s point is that
no matter how hard one tries to follow and obey God’s law, our
obedience never will be good enough for God to justify us, to
have us declared righteous before God. That’s because His law
requires absolute faithfulness in thought and action—not just
some of the time but all of the time, and not just for some of His
commandments but for all of them.
The “The Law” in Paul’s Epistles According
to SDA References
• The original law of circumcision
constantly referred to in this epistle,
stands in close connection with this story
of Hagar in this book of Genesis. The term
“the law” among the Jews generally
included the five hooks of Moses, thus
including the whole system, moral, ritual,
typical, and civil. This system these
Judaizing teachers desired to maintain.
Circumcision was a sign of the whole.
• We believe that so far as being obligatory
upon Christians, all was abolished except
the ten commandments and the
principles which grew out of them.
The SDA ERROR of Arbitrarily Defining as
Ten Commandments in Scripture Texts
Exposed
1. Largely the Adventists use the term, "the law," for the ten commandments
only in the following:
 The Law is perfect (Ps. 19:7-8)
 The Law is holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12)
 We establish the Law (Rom. 3:31)
 Christ magnified the Law (Isa. 42:21)
 Not the least point or the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with (Matt.
5:18)
 Christ did not abolished the Law (5:17)
 Blessed all who walk in the Law of the Lord (Ps. 119:1)
 Delight is in the Law of the Lord (Ps. 1:2)
But the CONTEXT of these verses do not intimate the exclusivity of the Ten
Commandments as being viewed but rather always the whole Mosaic Law
The SDA ERROR of Arbitrarily Defining as
Ten Commandments in Scripture Texts
Exposed
2. On many occasions, Adventists also always falsely attribute the term,
“commandments," to mean the ten commandments:
 If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15)
 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love (John 15:10)
 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments (Rev.
14:12)
 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant
of her seed, which keep the commandments of God (John 12:17)
 Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc. 12:13)
 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments (1 John 5:3)
 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise (Eph.
6:2)
• Again, the CONTEXT do not mean anything like that
Is The Ten Commandments Really a Perfect
Law?
• NO
• SDA claim that the ten commandments is a perfect law, condemning
every possible sin and requiring every possible virtue
• But this is all assumption and contrary to the manifest truth
• The truth is:
 It was merely prohibitory in its nature
 The man who merely did nothing, who simply avoided crime, kept this
law
 But the Spiritual law of God, by which a Christian must live, requires him
to do and to do much
Is The Ten Commandments Really a Perfect
Law?
• Which one of the Ten Commandments condemns pride, boasting,
drunkenness, ungratefulness, love of pleasure, anger, filthy talk,
impatience, variance, selfishness, and the like?
• Which one of the Ten Commandments requires us to feed the poor, to
visit the fatherless and the widow, to suffer long and be kind, to be
gentle, meek, temperate, to pray, to repent, to go to meeting, to
forgive, and the like?
• The law of God, by which a Christian must live, requires him to do,
and to do much
Is The Ten Commandments Really a Perfect
Law?
• He must love God, love his neighbor, love his enemies, visit the widow
and the needy, suffer wrong, be patient, entertain strangers, and be
active in every good work
• It requires unceasing activity and the consecration of all our energies
to good works;
• But the Ten Commandments requires nothing but to avoid open crime
• The Decalogue alone is never called the law of God, nor the law of the
Lord, nor a perfect law, nor is it said that any one will be judged by it,
or that it is binding on Christians
The Law and the Gospel
The Gospel View
• Rom. 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin
• Rom. 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin,
but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet
• Rom. 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
• Rom. 10:4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth
• Gal. 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.
The Gospel View
• Rom 1:16-17  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek.17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, The just shall live by faith
• Gal. 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them
• Gal. 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law and we are no longer
under the Law but the Law of Christ
• Gal. 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself
• Rom. 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the
law
• Gal. 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh
The Gospel View
• Gal. 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
• Gal. 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in
time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
• 1 Tim 1:9-10 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, 10 For
whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to
sound doctrine;
Did Gospel Teach that The Law is
Established As If Made Binding to
Christians?
• NO. It was already clearly revealed that the Law, including the Ten
Commandments is already abolished in Christian dispensation
• Real meaning of Rom. 3:31
 Paul already forwarded that righteousness is by grace through faith alone
(1:16-17) but now stressing out that faith does not diminish the Law, but
emphasize its true importance in showing:
1) God’s justice – the penalty of death must be satisfied for man’s
transgression of the holy Law of God
2) God’s righteousness - by providing a payment of death through the
blood of Christ as the perfect sacrifice, which the law required for failing to
keep it (v5, v24-v25);
3) Man’s inability to obey God’s Law - fulfilling the Law’s original purpose,
which is to serve as a tutor and to lead people to Christ (Gal. 3:24)
Important Notes About Rom. 3:31
• The clear tenor of the whole chapter is showing that man is justified by faith
and not by the works of the Law
• I single verse such as this cannot be interpreted to conflict with the general and
clear tenor and many direct statements in the whole chapter, book, and the
whole New Testament, that we are not under the law but that it ceased at the
cross
• There is nothing in the text or context that says or intimates that it is the Ten
Commandments only of which Paul speaks
• Paul has argued through these three chapters that no one has ever kept the
law, neither Gentiles nor Jews
• To argue that Paul is saying that the Law should be kept is making him
contradicting himself
Can The Law and The Gospel Harmonize?
• Just like in any law of the land, when an old law is repealed by a new one,
the former cease to exist and have no more authority
• A law without penalty is a nullity or no law at all
• The Bible is very clear about the two and distinct dispensations of the Old
and New Covenants:
 John 1:17  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ.
 Rom. 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but
under grace.
 Rom. 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace
would no longer be grace
• To insist that the two Laws are both valid is like trying to mix oil with water
What Law are Christians Now Under?
• SDA claims: If the Ten Commandments is gone, then there is no law,
no sin. Indeed, then it is impossible for God to reveal his will to men,
except in those exact words, letter for letter!

RESPONSE:
• Absurd
• The whole controversy is reduced to simply this: Has God in the New
Testament, plainly and fully revealed His will to men and told them
what is right and what is wrong? ABSOLUTELY!
What Law are Christians Under?
Response (cont…):
• Is the will of God revealed through His Son in the New Testament
higher authority than the Old Testament? YES!
• The jurisdiction was fully given to Christ by the Father that separates
the Old Covenant from the New Covenant
 Hear Him (Mark 9:7)
 This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent (John 6:29)
 All things are delivered unto me of my Father (Matt 11:17)
 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18)
What Law are Christians Under?
Answer (cont…):
• Are the teachings of the New Testament to be modified to harmonize
with the letter of the law in the Old Testament, or are the precepts of
the Old Testament to be modified to harmonize with the gospel?
CERTAINLY THE LATTER!
• Christians are now under the New Covenant or the Law of Christ
• Would it not be sin to disobey the precepts of Christ? OF COURSE!
Why the Old Law then?
• It was added because of transgression (Gal. 3:19)
• It held us captive, imprisoned until the coming faith would be
revealed, that is to say closed in to a salvation that can only come by
faith (Gal. 3:23)
•  The law was our guardian until Christ came (Gal. 3:24)
• The Law is not a means to self-righteousness, but a means to self-
condemnation, sin and conviction
• The Law shows the desperate condition of man in need of a Savior
• The Law is a means to plead to God for mercy
Conclusion
• The Sabbath and Law Doctrines of SDA came about from the same
fallacious method employed in the Sanctuary Doctrine: TYPOLOGICAL
COMPARISON, not from sound and historical Biblical exegesis
• The whole Mosaic Law was already abolished and no longer binding to
Christians and is replaced by the New Covenant
• SDA’s extravagant assumptions about the Ten Commandments could
not be supported by the Bible verses if the rightful context will be
applied. Therefore, they are all FALSE ASSUMPTIONS
• There is no distinction between moral and ceremonial law as thought
in Scriptures
• It was shown that SDA is really a work-based salvation not by grace
alone as what they are claiming