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Presented, February 4, 2007 am

THE NINE COMMANDMENTS WE KEEP

                In Exodus 20:1-17 we find the Ten Commandments recorded.  They were given by God to the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai.  They are one of the most famous sayings in the Bible.  While many cannot name all of them, just about everyone knows that they came from God and are found in the Bible.  And multitudes believe that they apply to us today.  But do they?

It is often said by brethren that we do not keep the Ten Commandments today.  That is a true statement because we are no longer under that law.  But it is also said that nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in New Testament for us.  But have we ever taken the time to prove that?  In our lesson today we want to notice three things: 1) Why we do not keep the Ten Commandments, 2) Where are the nine that do keep, 3) What about the Sabbath?

I.                     Why we do not keep the Ten Commandments

a.              Much of the religious world today espouses the Ten Commandments. 

b.             As Christians we need to understand that we do not keep the Ten Commandments at all.  The reason is because they are a part of the Law of Moses.

                                 i.            Some try to distinguish between the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses.  They reason that we must still keep the Ten Commandments but not the Law of Moses.  They sometimes refer to the Law of Moses as the Ceremonial Law.  Many of them believe that we ought to still worship on the Sabbath.  We will have more to say about that in a few moments.

                                ii.            The New Testament shows that the Ten Commandments are NOT separate from the Law of Moses.  In scripture we find they were BOTH nailed to the cross.  Consider the following:
Ephesians 2:14-16 which speaks of “the law of commandments contained in ordinances” which was abolished “through the cross.” 
In the Law of Moses, he describes the 10 commandments as part of these ordinances - One example of this is Deuteronomy 5:1 where Moses begins to speak to Israel in his farewell address, he speaks of  “the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today…”  Beginning in vs. 6 he quotes the 10 Commandments.
Colossians 2:13-14 speaks of “the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
Also note 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 where Paul contrasts the “epistle of Christ” with that written in ink  and tables of stone.
Also note vs. 7-8 which describes the ministry of death as being “written and engraved on stones.”  That is a reference to the Ten Commandments.  The context bears this out in this verse as it speaks of Israel not being able to “look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance.”  That text is a reference to Exodus 34:29 which says, “Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.”

                              iii.            Because the Law of Moses was nailed to the cross it is no longer needed.
Galatians 3:24-25 explains that the Law was simply a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” to bring the Jews to Christ (like the Gentiles).

II.                   The nine commandments we do Keep

a.        While we do not keep the Ten Commandments because they are of the Law of Moses, we do find that nine of them are REPEATED in the New Testament and therefore we are expected to keep each of them (not because they are the Old Law, but because they are part of OUR law).

b.       We find the following commandments:

                                                   i.      Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before Me.  Note Mark 12:29-32 speaks of there being only one God and that being understood. 
1 Corinthians 8:5 says, “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),”

                                                  ii.      Exodus 20:4-6 – You shall make no graven images.  Idols were false gods as Moses wrote of them.  1 John 5:21 says we are to keep ourselves from idols. 
Acts 17:29 speaks of the fact that we ought not to think of God in terms of things shaped by mans devising.  This point is also borne out in Romans 1:22-23

                                                iii.      Exodus 20:7 – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.  Jesus continually condemned false oaths.  Consider James 5:12 where we are commanded to not swear whereby you cheapen God and His name. In addition to profanity, this is certainly a way to abuse His name. 
1 Timothy 6:1 while speaking to servants establishes the point that we ought not to blaspheme the name of God.   To blaspheme means to speak evil against.

                                                iv.      Exodus 20:8-11 – Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.  This one is NOT found in the New Testament.

                                                 v.      Exodus 20:12- Honor your father and mother.  Ephesians 6:1-2 actually quotes this verse.

                                                vi.      Exodus 20:13 – You shall not kill.  The actual word here has reference to murder.  Matthew 5:21-22 – note the warning of Jesus. 
See also Romans 13:9 repeats this and other commandments.

                                              vii.      Exodus 20:14 – You shall not commit adultery. Hebrews 13:4 – says that God will judge fornicators and adulterers.
Matthew 19:9 speaks of adultery being the only justifiable reasons for an innocent spouse to put away their guilty spouse.

                                             viii.      Exodus 20:15 – You shall not steal.  Consider Ephesians 4:28 which says to steal no longer.
1 Thessalonians 4:6 speaks of defrauding your brother.

                                                 ix.      Exodus 20:16 – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. James 4:11 says that we are NOT to speak evil of one another.  That includes bearing false witness.
Consider also Revelation 22:8 which says “all liars” shall have their part in the lake of fire.

                                                  x.      Exodus 20:17 – You shall not covet.  Hebrews 13:5 call for conduct without covetousness.  Colossians 3:5 calls it idolatry.

c.        There you have it – the 9 commandments repeated in the New Testament.  But…

III.                 What about the Sabbath? 

a.        It was a part of the Law of Moses and as such it applied only to Israel.
Deuteronomy 5:12 finds the 10 Commandments repeated TO ISRAEL.  In that text Moses notes that they were to remember that they were slaves in Egypt.  Thus it was personal for Israel.
Exodus 31:12-13 says, “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.’”
In all the Old Testament it was ONLY expected of the Children of Israel, wherever they were.

b.       Today, we do not observe the Sabbath, BUT we do observe the first day of the week (Sunday).
Acts 20:7 – we partake of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 – we lay by in store.
It was on that day that Jesus arose, Mark 16:9
The church stated on the first day of the week – Acts 2:1.  Note that Pentecost was 50 days after Passover Sabbath. 
50 days is 7 weeks (Sabbaths) + 1 day = Sunday.

Thus we can see that while we do not keep the 10 Commandments, we do keep ALL of God’s Law to us, the New Testament.  Are we satisfied to “rightly divide the word of truth”? (2 Timothy 2:15)