The Ten Commandments: What's The Point?

 Note: I plan to take the next several weeks and work through each of the Ten Commandments beginning with preliminary thoughts today. Some weeks I may take a break and write about a current happening or issue in the church but for the most part this series will take priority for the next several weeks.

     For many of us, the Ten Commandments evoke images of Charlton Heston or memories from Sunday School of flannel graph tablets of stone. The TC have been the basis for parodies on "Saturday Night Live" and the basis for legal battles over their public display. Recently our church took three months to look at the TC in their full context in Exodus 19 and 20. We became gripped by the weight of these words, our knowledge of the character of God was deepened and we were repeatedly reminded of how deeply we need Christ. The Law shows us our need for a Savior. When we're ignorant of God's law we're ignorant of our need for the Gospel. I appreciate the outrage about the removal of the TC from public places, but how many Christians can even list the TC? It's been removed from many a public square but has it been removed from your Bible?

     The Church not only lacks knowledge about the TC, it also lacks a clear understanding of their role. Is the Law of God still in effect today? Didn't Christ abolish the law? Aren't we living in an age of Grace? To begin with, it's important to distinguish between the three types of the Law. Those types are 1. Ceremonial  2. Civil  3. Moral.  Ceremonial law dealt with the way Israel worshiped God in the tabernacle and later the temple. It gave regulations for religious festivals, for sacrifices and  their frequency. Christ came to earth and became the ultimate sacrifice. No longer was the blood of bulls and goats needed. His sacrifice was once for all and now our bodies are the temple. When Christ cried out "It is finished" and the veil of the temple was torn in two, observance of the ceremonial law ended.

     The civil law was given for governing Israel as a nation. Israel was a Theocracy, ruled directly by God. The civil law provided the legal code for the nation of Israel. It regulated their conduct regarding finances, war, etc. . . Today God's people are spread throughout the world, rather than gathered together as a single nation, and are now to be governed by the church. The time for observing the civil law has ended which leaves us with the moral law.

     The moral law is summed up in the TC. It's the righteous standard tied to the character of God. As one author put it, "the moral law is as eternal as God is." It is eternal, timeless, without beginning or ending, and governs all of creation for all time. In fact, God wrote the moral law in stone to convey its' timelessness. The moral law did not begin at Mt. Sinai. It was never permissible to worship another God, never permissible to steal, to murder, or to have sex with someone other than your spouse. Nor will it ever be permissible because those sinful acts are contrary to the very nature of God. Consider these words by Phillip Ryken,

"The fact that God's law expresses God's character has many implications. One is that when we break God's law we are making a direct assault on God himself. To worship another god is to deny God's sovereignty; to misuse his name is to deny his honor; to steal is to deny his providence; to lie is to deny his truthfulness; and so forth. Every violation of the law is an offense against God's holy character." 

     Because the moral law reflects the character of God it cannot pass away, which is why the New Testament never declares an end to the moral Law of God.

     Let me give you one final thought. When you read Exodus 19 and 20 you can't help but see the desperate need we have for Christ. The Israelites confidently said "all that you have spoken we will do." How long do you think it took for them to realize the impossibility of that statement? "All that you have spoken we will do---man I've gotta have Sheshbazar's tunic it would make my life complete." Oops, there goes the 10th commandment. "Look at Gershem's wife, isn't she hot?" Oops there goes the 10th commandment again. No sooner had those words passed their lips they they were building and worshiping a golden calf. Our natural/sinful inclination is to think we can save ourselves. One constant theme in world history is the false assumption by humanity that God's righteous standard is attainable through good deeds.

     The Law teaches us how to live, but it cannot transform our sinful hearts. The TC are mean to drive us to the Living Water. They are meant to reveal how desperately we need a Rescuer and how desperately we need grace.When you fully grasp the weight of the moral law and begin to comprehend the holiness of God, you start looking for help. Fortunately, there is one who has met all the requirements, the perfect "once for all sacrifice," the God-man. Are you being crushed by the Law? Are you realizing that you cannot reach God? To quote Ryken again, "there is pardon for every lawbreaker, and forgiveness for every sinner who trusts Christ."