The Role of the Commandments in the New Testament (Part 4 of Commandment Series)

I hope you were blessed by yesterday's post and were able to see how beautifully God reveals Himself in the Commandments.  Every time I stop and ponder the depth of revelation present in the Law, I am humbled by God's fierce commitment to make Himself known to us.

The Old Testament presentation of the Law is one of revelation.  Many stories in the Old Testament  show God's presence as an overwhelming force that sends most people cowering away in fear.  After God spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel, the people asked Moses to speak to them instead of God.    They preferred to have a man interact with them rather than a divine Being who was far beyond what they could comprehend in their sinful nature.

The Law (God's very essence) created a enormous divide between divinity and flesh.  Man's sinful nature in the presence of Yahweh created a sense of impending doom instead of closeness.  It highlighted the contrast between that which was whole and that which was broken.  It revealed how far humanity had drifted from the day God breathed His likeness and image into them.

Even though God revealed Himself in a mighty way through the Ten Commandments, He desired to give more to His people.  He longed for restoration.  God was not satisfied hiding behind a veil.  He wanted every willing heart to have access to His presence.  It was not enough to have a select number of priest serve as intermediaries.  He desired intimate connection with each one of His children.

Jesus came to bridge the space that exists between revelation and restoration.   He fulfilled the Law in that He was able to live out in human flesh, a life of complete trust and submission to the Father's will.   He showed humanity that trusting God's character (which we see revealed in the Law) restores the heart to God and bears rich fruit.

Once Christ fulfilled His mission here on Earth, He gave the Holy Spirit to help us achieve true heart transformation.  In my opinion, the Ten Commandments did change at the cross.  Because of Jesus and now the Holy Spirit, we have direct access to the Father.  Once the veil was torn, we no longer need to stand at a  distance.  The very presence of God is now written on our hearts.  The Living God dwells within us! The Commandments are no longer only about revelation, they are also about transformation. The Holy Spirit can now, in a way like never before, guide sinful hearts into a path of transformation and ultimately sanctification.

Let me show you how this plays out using the Ten Commandments as the framework. I have included God's character attributes for each of the commandments in parentheses (if you missed my previous post on how God's character is revealed in the law, click here)

Commandment #1 (Holy) 

When I choose God as my one and only God, I become His inheritance. 

Commandment #2 (Jealous): 

When I worship only God, I become His possession. 

Commandment #3(Sovereign): 

When I carry the name of the Lord with confidence and power, I become fruitful. 

Commandment #4 (Creator): 

When I remember the Sabbath day and allow God 

to be a creative force in my life, I become a worshiper.

Commandment #5 (Life): 

When I trust God as my Life giver and honor the parents

 He gave to me, I become obedient.

Commandment #6 (Judge): 

When I trust God as my Judge when someone has wronged me, I become merciful.

Commandment #7 (Faithful):

 When I trust in God's faithfulness to me within my marriage relationship, I become faithful. 

Commandment #8( Provider): 

When I trust God as my Provider in all areas of my life, I become generous.

Commandment #9 (Protector): 

When I trust God as my Protector, I become free. 

Commandment #10 (Blessing-giver): 

When I trust God as my Blessing-giver, I become grateful. 

I hope you can see how the Ten Commandments seamlessly flow from the Old Testament into the New.  The Law is truly eternal and unchanging because God's character is eternal and unchanging. I don't keep the Law for salvation sake.  The Law in and of itself can not save anyone.   When I try to keep the commandments in my own strength, I am missing the true essence of God.  I keep the Commandments by trusting the God I see in them. As I surrender my heart to the Spirit's transformative work in my life the fruit will grow naturally.   

 When I hear or read heated debates about grace vs. law, I think to myself, "You are both right. It's about grace. It's about Law. They are not polar opposites.  They weave together creating a beautiful picture of God." 

My post tomorrow will include a set of vows using the Ten Commandments as the backdrop. They are an invitation to enter into a trust relationship with God.  I'm excited to share them with you and hope that it will deepen your experience with our great God.

Blessings!