Does the Law of the Ten Commandments have a place in the Christian life? Many professing Christians argue that the Law, in any form, has no barring on their life and that they are not required to obey it. Let us examine this Law:
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
By saying that a Christian is not required to obey the Ten Commandments, are these professing Christians saying that it is perfectly fine for a Christian to then lie, steal, cheat, or murder, because "you are not under law but under grace" (Rom. 6:14b)? Many Christians misunderstand what this verse is saying, and have been highly misinformed by their pastors and/or teachers.
Jesus was asked, "Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?" His response was this:
"The greatest and foremost commandment is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (see Matt. 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-31)
For the professing Christian who is ignorant of what Jesus is teaching with these two commandments, allow me to provide you with some understanding. These two commandments sum up the entire Ten Commandments. Not only that, but "the whole Law and the Prophets" depend on these two commandments. That is all the writings of Moses and the writings of the Prophets. The entire Old Testament! Some professing Christians will attempt to argue this fact, saying that these two commandments have nothing to do with the Ten Commandments whatsoever, so let us allow Scripture to further educate us on this issue.
"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Rom. 13:8-10)
The Apostle Paul just quoted four (4) of the Ten Commandments and said that they were summed up in the saying, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." You, professing Christian, would you care to attempt to argue further with Scripture? Would you care to deny the truth of Scripture further, for some lie that some pastor or teacher has fed you?
Love is the fulfilling of the Law. There are two commandments of love: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength; and (2) Love your neighbour as yourself. These two commandments sum up the entire Ten Commandments. The whole of the Law and the Prophets depend upon these two commandments.
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." (1 Cor. 13:4-8a)