God’s Ten Commandments
Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:1-22
• I weigh from under 3 ounces to over 5,000 pounds?
• I used to be posted on a prominent wall in many schools until the practice was declared an unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution?
• I am displayed prominently in the courtroom of the same Justices who say it is illegal to display the same me in other government buildings?
• I provide wonderful life-giving opportunities as long as people follow me; but
• I am not responsible to the one who lives outside my boundaries.
• I am not designed to take the fun out of life as some people think; but
• I can be a person’s friend or foe.
• I appear in complete form only twice in the Bible but I am sprinkled generously throughout;
• I was reduced by Jesus from ten to only two.
• I am a schoolmaster to the undisciplined, a taskmaster to the unbeliever, but a channel of God’s grace to those who follow Jesus.
o Who am I?
Exodus 20:1-17 (NKJV)
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
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.
Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all ten commandments at once.
Why a Series on the Ten Commandments?
• Biblical Illiteracy: A Gallup Poll found that while 85% of Americans believe the Ten Commandments are binding, only 15% can name five. Few Christians can name where they are found in the Bible.
• Relativism: Following Einstein’s theory of relativity in 1919, people increasingly do not believe in absolutes…no absolute truth, no absolute right or wrong, no single way to be spiritually saved. Few today believe Jesus when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6)
• Compartmentalism: Mankind has always had a problem with compartmentalizing things. Sunday is for church but the rest of the week is for unbridled sin. Some say this is a crisis of ethics, but I think it is a crisis of heart.
A Working Framework for Understanding The Ten Commandments
Traditional Framework:
• Commandments 1-4 teach love for God and Commandments 5-10 teach love for other people.
• Commandments 1-4 teach the duties we owe to God and Commandments 5-10 teach our duties to other people.
• Commandments 1-4 teach reverence for God and Commandments 5-10 teach respect for other people.
(Read and explain Exodus 20:1-7) The first three commandments symbolize our vertical relationship—our relationship with God.
I will intentionally skip the fourth commandment in order to make my point.
(Read and explain Exodus 20:12-17) The last six commandments are symbolized by the horizontal part of the cross representing our relationships with people.
(Read and explain Exodus 20:8-11) These four verses are one commandment—the fourth commandment and notice that it is the longest one. The fourth commandment is symbolized by the intersection of the vertical and horizontal parts of the cross representing God's greatest desire for mankind: that we worship God together in harmony and restorative relationships.
The Function of the Ten Commandments
The Apostle Paul was perhaps the greatest writer and apologist of early Christianity, helping to form the central teachings of our faith. He was a most highly trained religious leader called a Pharisee. His job was to root out false teaching in the Jewish faith and practice. In a theocratic centered nation like Israel, a Pharisee was one of the most highly respected people. When Paul was saved and became a disciple of Jesus Christ, he became one of the greatest writers of Christianity. We must remember that Paul came directly out of Jewish roots, as did Jesus Christ. My point is that Paul made a hardwire connection between The Law and grace. The Law con be recognized as the whole Old Testament but specifically can be seen as summarized in the Ten Commandments provided through Moses. Paul’s best writing on the connection between the Law and grace is found in Romans.
Paul used the phrase “the Law” 67 times as he discussed the hardwire connection between the Law and grace. Consider some of his most important ideas about the function of the Law:
Romans 2:14-16 (NKJV) 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
1. Every human being is responsible to the Law of God and will be held accountable.
Romans 2:17-20 (NKJV) 17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.
2. The Law functions as a light to show people the way to grace.
Romans 3:20 (NKJV) Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
3. The Law helps us understand what is right and wrong. It is the core of morality or the lack thereof.
Romans 8:2-4 (NKJV) 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
4. The Law cannot save.
Romans 10:4 (NKJV) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
5. The Law leads us to our need for Jesus Christ and his grace that saves.
Romans 7:23 (NKJV) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
6. After salvation The Law begins to help us in our spiritual growth.
Romans 8:2 (NKJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
7. We have made the transition from being responsible to the Law to being responsible to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ Raised the Expectation of The Ten Commandments
Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus made the hardwire connection between the Law and Prophets with his two Great Commandments when he stated that they summarize both. Consider what I call the Ten Commandments Cross: Again, the first three commandments are symbolized by the vertical part of the cross representing an individual's relationship with God. The last six commandments are symbolized by the horizontal part of the cross representing an individual's relationship with people. However, returning to the fourth commandment, it is symbolized by the intersection of the vertical and horizontal parts of the cross representing God's greatest desire for mankind: to worship God together in harmony and restorative relationships.
