Jesus, the Cross, and the Ten Commandments

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:1-5)

Jesus, the Cross, and the Ten Commandments

There is much confusion and controversy regarding the Ten Commandments, and that, in itself, is a whole new world religion; there are many new churches that rise and implement doctrines of devils that are not to be taken lightly. Surely, these controversies are so close to the truth that they can be very deceptive. The Bible warns of such great deception:

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect” (Matthew 24:24)

Surely the devil has something to do with such deceptive power.

First and foremost, let’s clarify the fact that the Ten Commandments were not nailed to the cross as is believed by many Catholics and Protestants alike. What is meant by “nailed to the cross” is the implication that the Law (Ten Commandments or Ceremonial Law) were done away with and that its laws do not stand, therefore they need not be followed. This cannot be more wrong. According to the Holy Scriptures the Moral Law (Ten Commandments) was written by the finger of God, anything that comes from the mouth of God is holy, therefore, when God wrote the Moral Law it became holy, thus, unchangeable, permanent, Christ came from the heavens not to destroy His own law, but to fulfill His eternal law, to bestow upon us His everlasting grace. Jesus says:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)

Be wary of the deception.

Jesus

Jesus, our Lord and savior, our great consolator gave up His life for the sake of His children; not asking whether you are a sinner or whether you are against Him, for to Him it does not matter. The matter of the fact is that He died, so that His children may have the power to endure the temptations of the world, and through His everlasting grace, all who believeth in Him will receive eternal life. God is so graceful that He gave His only son for the sake of the world:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV, John 3:16)

Notice two things in this verse: 1) God, out of His Love for His children gave His only son; and 2) Who ever believe in Him will have everlasting life. Since God gave His only son, He is therefore one to God, thereby, He is God. There is much in the Bible indicating that Jesus is God. It is important to note that Jesus came down in the flesh, as Jesus, the son of God.

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:29-33)

God chose to be born of a virgin woman named Mary (what a miracle), therefore, through Mary, He was born as a man susceptible to all of the temptations of the world; He came down in the flesh, as a man. After Jesus’ crucifixion He appeared to all of the disciples; note especially what Jesus said to Thomas:

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27)

Thomas was a man who did not believe unless he saw it with his own eyes. When the other disciples had told him of Jesus’ resurrection he did not believe unless he saw and felt Him by his own hands. The very notion that Jesus reached out His hands and asked Thomas to touch them was the impression that Jesus was in the flesh and not as a spirit. Any one who doubts that Jesus came down from the Heavens in the flesh is denying Jesus as his savior for it is important to acknowledge that Jesus lived a life susceptible to every temptation that man is exposed to; and it doesn’t end there, for Jesus proved to the world that it can be done, one can live a life without sin. But the only way that Jesus was able to resist temptation, even from satan himself, was through prayer and the word (the Bible). The Bible says that the Bible is a double edged sword; it is able to cut through the thickest stone. Therefore, seek Jesus and accept Him into your heart for there is no other bridge to God unless it’s through Jesus. All paths do not lead to God, Jesus is the bridge to God our Father.

Jesus and the Cross

Just what happened at the cross? Was the Moral Law nailed to the Cross? When Jesus endured our punishment in the instead and died for US, two major events took place: 1) The Ceremonial Law was abolished, and 2) The New Covenant was established. The sacrificial system that was employed to the Jews by God is written in the Ceremonial Law written by Moses. The Ten Commandments were NOT written in the Ceremonial Law or the Mosaic Laws, therefore they were not abolished. Also note this verse:

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:38-39)

The curtain was inside the temple where the sacrifices of the Lambs took place. Jesus died at the cross as the eternal and everlasting lamb; He is the eternal Lamb. Therefore, no sacrifices will ever be needed as Jesus already died that death for us eternally.

The old covenant and the new covenant are similar to each other, the old covenant being the Moral Law being written unto stone for the people (Israelites) to follow. But there was a problem, under the old covenant the people promised to keep the Ten Commandments under their (The Israelites) own strength; in essence the Israelites had to keep the Ten Commandments without God’s strength. Therefore, God, being Just, Mighty, and Merciful as He is, came down from His throne of the Heavens as man to forgive and die from our sins. Except this time the Moral Law was not written unto two stone tablets, but in our hearts and in our minds (See the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The following quote from Bible Readings: Bible Questions Answered explains it very well:

The Old Covenant

Question: Under the old covenant, what did the people promise?

Answer: To keep the law of God in their own strength.

Note.-Under this covenant the people promised to keep all
the Commandments of God in order to be His peculiar
people, and this without help. This was virtually a promise to
make themselves righteous. But Christ says, “Without me ye
can do nothing.” John 15:5. And the prophet Isaiah says, “All
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. The only
perfect righteousness is God’s righteousness, obtained only
through faith in Christ. (Romans 3:20-26). The only
righteousness that will ensure an entrance into the kingdom
of God is “the righteousness which is of God, the Lord says:
“Their righteousness is of me” (Isaiah 54:17); and the
prophet Jeremiah says of Christ, “This is his name whereby
he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah
23:6).

The New Covenant

Question: Under the new covenant, what does God
promise to do?

Answer: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write
it in their hearts.”

Note.-The new covenant is an arrangement for
bringing man again into harmony with the
divine will, and placing him where he can keep
God’s law. Its “better promises” bring
forgiveness of sins, grave to renew the heart,
power to obey the Law of God. The dissolution
of the old covenant and the making of the new
in no wise abrogated the law of God.

When Jesus was asked which of the commandments was above all he replied:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

Jesus basically summed up all Ten Commandments into two simple ones which are Love God above all, this translates to the first four commandments which in essence all deal with how to love and worship God (see Exodus 20). Love thy neighbor is the second commandment which translates to the last six commandments which deal with how to respect and love they neighbor (Exodus 20). In essence, Jesus summed up all the Ten Commandments into one word, LOVE. If you love and place God above all, you will not worship other gods, break His Sabbath or use His name in vain; if you love your neighbor you will not take your neighbors’ wife for yourself, you will not covet his possessions, and you will not kill your neighbor. The Moral Law is a guide, a guide to a moral living, and a happy life in Christ. Just “Think of how our society would be radically changed if all of us live by the principles of God’s Ten Commandments” (Finely, 6). Mark Finley says:

“All genuine obedience comes from the motive of love. Obedience is a response to His incredible sacrifice on Calvary” (5).

Do not let Jesus’ sacrifice be in vain, for He shed His blood for your sake, for the sake of your sins, therefore love Him who created all things, and gave you life, and show mercy upon you, that all who come to accept Jesus in their heart will inherit eternal life.

The Ten Commandments

“When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God”. (Exodus 31:18)

The Lord thy God took the Jews out of Egypt because to Him they were special, because, while everyone in the world were worshipping idols and graven images, the Israelites were worshipping the true God of the Heavens. After several years roaming in the desert, God gave the Israelites two tablet stones written by His own finger, He gave them Moral Laws so that they may live an everlasting life in God our savior. Why do you suppose God gave the Moral Law? According to Proverbs 3:1-2:

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”

God doesn’t do anything unless it’s for a good reason. The Moral Law gives us wisdom unto what is sin and what is not sin. It is a guide into a spiritual life with God; with it, you will live a life of prosperity and wisdom. The Moral Law was not given without a reason (also know that the Moral Law has existed since the beginning of time, read the Book of Genesis), for by the law we become conscience to sin. We would not have known what sin was unless it was through the law; the Moral Law is a guide unto a spiritual life in Christ. The apostle Paul advises:

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” (Romans 3:20)

“What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet.” (Romans 7:7)

Since the Moral Law is a guide into a spiritual life in Christ, where are we thereby judged?

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom…” (James: 2:12)

Interestingly, the prophet James says: “the law that gives freedom.” Never think that by living a life away from God’s principles that you are in any way free of all the things of the world, for in reality, you are chained unto the sins of the world; “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,” the Moral Law cuts the chains that bind us unto sin and truly frees us from the temptations of the world and the deepest and most darkest part of your heart. Heed this warning:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

“He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” (Proverbs 28:26)

The Book of Proverbs warns us that the conscience of our hearts is evil, that the only way to salvation is to be wise, and the only way that one can be wise is through the Moral Law. Therefore, by loving the law you become wise; therefore heed not unto thy conscience, but unto the word of the Lord, it is then that you are wise; keen unto the word of the Lord. Remember what God said to the Israelites:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2)

We ARE in the land of Egypt, and a land of sin, through the Moral Law, we are brought out of Egypt, and into the light and out of darkness, and unto the presence of God. The Moral Law frees us from the bondage of sin.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are the rules in which God almighty bestowed upon us so that we humans, as childish as we may be, will follow so that we may live a long and lasting life in Christ. Just picture for an example the foundation of the United States of America. This country was founded upon the very freedom in which many Christians will eventually have to seek and fight for: Freedom of religion (Separation of the church and state). Our amendments was based upon the Moral Law, therefore, if we the people, follow what the Amendments dignify, then we as Americans will live a long and lasting life without sin. What do you think God did? God gave us guidelines by which we may thereby obey (out of our own will) so that we as Christians can live a long and everlasting life in Christ.

Romans 13:10 says: “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” By loving the Law you are thereby loving God, and in Loving God you are fulfilling the Law out of your obedience unto God, for God does not force you into loving Him but gives you the freedom to love Him out of your own free will. God’s character is righteous:

“The character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature of His law…Such a law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author.” (The Law of Liberty, 12)

“Obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love” (The Law of Liberty, 30).

Conclusion

Jesus would not and did not come down from His Heavenly kingdom to abolish the law, for there is no advantage or love in doing so. Jesus came from His Heavenly throne on a mission to save us sinful humans because of satan’s rebellion in heaven. It was God’s plan all along to come down from the heavens and liberate us from sin, for He new that in our own strength we are incapable and feeble to withstand the temptations of sin. Give God all the Glory for His wonderful love and mercy.

What’s Coming Up
If God is perfect, and everything that is of God is perfect, than how has sin come into existence. In our next section we will discuss the controversy of the origins of sin in a sinless world and how sin was created.