The Purpose Of The Ten Commandments

In 1636, the General Court of Massachusetts argued that the laws of the colony be “agreeable to the Word of God,” reflecting the sentiment of the founders that all law had its source in God. Later John Adams wrote, “As much as I love, esteem and admire the Greeks, I believe the Hebrews have done more to enlighten and civilize the world. Moses did more than all of their legislators and philosophers.”

The significance of the Ten Commandments and their influence on American culture can be observed from the White Plains (NY) Reporter, dated September 19, 1929:

No man in more than two thousand years has been able to improve upon the Ten Commandments as the rule of life. To no other origin than to Divine Revelation can they be ascribed. Man constantly improves upon his own handiwork. There never will be a need for an Eleventh Commandment. The Ten contain all there is to guide human conduct in the proper channels.

What Are The Ten Commandments?

You shall hav no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Honor your father and your mother.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony.

You shall not covet.

In Hebrew, the Ten Commandments are literally the “Ten Words” (ăśeret haddĕbārîm).

The Greek translation of “Ten Words” is deka logoi, from which we get the English word “Decalogue.”

The Ten Commandments were given 3 months after the Israelites had miraculously left Egypt through the parting of the Red Sea.

The Ten Commandments are first given verbally Exodus 20:1-17.

The Ten Commandments are then written by God’s on stone tablets and given to Moses in Exodus 24. These are the ones Moses breaks

The Ten Commandments are given a third time Exodus 34, this time Moses chisels out two stone tablets as instructed by God and God once again writes the commandments on these tablets.

The Ten Commandments were to be kept in the Ark of the Covenant Exodus 25.

There are 613 Laws listed in the Old Testament and they are essentially summarized by these 10.

The Ten Commandments are broken into 2 categories. 1-4 are dealing with man’s relationship with God, while 6-10 are dealing with man’s relationship to others.

9 of the 10 commandments are repeated in the New Testament.

What The Ten Commandments Don’t Do.

They are Not a Lucky Charm.

Keeping the Ten Commandments won’t get you to heaven.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We Cannot be Justified by the Law

Galatians 2:16 (NASB95)

nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

The Ten Commandments Don’t Expire

Luke 21:33 (NASB95)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Doug Van Pelt, Author of Heaven’s Metal Magazine interviewed several Rock stars asking them to speak their mind on faith.

Sammy Hagar on Jesus and the Ten Commandments

Sammy Hagar is a singer, song writer, who had a very successful solo carrier but also sang with bands Montrose, and Van Halen.

After stating that Jesus Christ was “one of the greatest men that ever walked the earth,” rocker Sammy Hagar was then asked: “What do you think about the claims of Christ to be the Way, the Truth and the Life – No one comes to the Father but by Me?”

Hagar replied, “I think that’s something man made up – I’m not sure, though I can’t say in my heart that I believe that, but I also can’t say that I know for a fact that it’s wrong. I think it’s just been misinterpreted and taken out of context … I really interpret that as Christ saying, ‘The way I preach life, is you don’t hurt another, you don’t kill …’ you know, the Ten Commandments. Let’s use those for the example. I believe that He’s saying, ‘This is the way to God.’ You don’t have to go through Him, and use Him, like He’s saying, ‘I’m the egotist,’ or ‘I’m the vehicle.’ He’s teaching. ‘If you don’t obey these rules, you will not go to heaven, and not be in touch with God.’”

Hagar continues, “I think too much emphasis on the Man Himself, and if He were walking around here today, He would go, ‘Hey man, don’t be looking at Me. I can’t save you. Only you can save you. And He made it pretty easy on us. Those rules are so simple, The Ten Commandments … Anybody in their right mind could live by those rules. I think that’s all Christ was really trying to do.”

Source:

Doug Van Pelt, Rock Stars on God: 20 Artists Speak Their Minds About Faith, (Relevant Books, 2004), pp. 43-44

No so fast Sammy… the Ten Commandments are not easy and no not anyone can live by them.

What The Ten Commandments Do.

They show us we cannot follow perfectly obey them.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NASB95)

Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

The Law shows us what sin is.

Romans 7:7 (NASB95)

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Because of the Laws standards, no one is without sin.

Romans 3:23 (NASB95)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The Law teaches us we are in need of the Savior.

Galatians 3:24 (NASB95)

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

The Ten Commandments Point Us To Christ!

Christ fulfilled the Law.

Matthew 5:17 (NASB95)

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

Because of Christ we are not under the Law but under Grace.

Galatians 3:23–25 (NASB95)

But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

If we are no longer under the Law then why study the 10 commandments?

We have seen the Ten Commandments will not save

We have seen the Ten Commandments show us our sin

We have seen the Ten Commandments point us to Christ

We have seen the Ten Commandments have been fulfilled by Christ perfect life.

Why the Study them ?

Even though we saved by Grace, it does not give us a license to sin.

Romans 6:1–2 (NASB95)

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Keeping the Ten Commandments is a way for us as believers to show our love for God and others.

John 14:15 (NASB95)

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Thankfully right after Jesus made the statement “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments, He also says this in verse 16.

John 14:16 (NASB95)

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

It is impossible for us to keep just one of the commandments in our own strength, but through the help of the Holy Spirit we can live lives pleasing to God.

Will we do this perfectly? No…

1 John 1:9 (NASB95)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Purpose of the Ten Commandments

The purpose is twofold

For the Unbeliever, it is clear evidence of their inability to follow God’s holy standards and shows them they are a sinner and need a Savior.

Romans 3:10–12 (NASB95)

as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;

All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

For the Christian, it gives us lessons or guidelines to Holy Living

1 Peter 1:16 (NASB95)

because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

My challenge to us in the coming weeks is to show how the 10 Commandments are just as relevant for holy living today as the day they were given.

As believers who want to be pleasing and loving to our Savior, my hope is to stimulate our thinking and to look honestly into our lives asking God to reveal sin in our lives so that we may become more like Him.

Philippians 2:5 (NASB95)

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

The difference is we are saved by Christ who completely fulfilled the law…

Having the attitude of Christ is to become more like Christ.

Studying the Ten Commandments will give us principles to right living as we strive to become more like Christ each and every day.

Let’s Pray.