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ETERNAL
NATURE OF DECALOGUE
Was the Decalogue written for, given to, and applicable to
the Jewish nation only? Let's see how God's word answers
this question.
Scripture teaches that if there is no law, there is no
sin, for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4.)
Therefore, we know that the Decalogue existed in Heaven
when Satan chose to rebel against his Creator. Satan broke
both the 9th commandment (he bore false witness against
his Creator) and the 10th commandment (he coveted the
power and position of his Creator). Satan wanted to be
equal to God and the Son. He wanted this so much that he
staged a rebellion in heaven against his Creator and the
eternal moral law of the Creator of the universe.
Consequently, God cast Satan and his angelic followers out
of heaven into the earth. (Revelation 12.)
We know that the Decalogue was in force in the Garden of
Eden, because Adam and Eve, disobeying God, sinned and
introduced sin into nature and the human race. What was
their sin? God reserved the tree of knowledge of good and
evil unto Himself. Adam and Eve were not to eat of this
tree; it belonged to God. However, acting upon the lies of
Satan, Eve disobeyed God and stole from God by eating
fruit of the tree that God has reserved to Himself. She
gave the fruit to her husband, and he, also, ate of it.
(Genesis 3.)
The Decalogue is again confirmed when God transcribes
these ten laws onto two tablets of stone and gives them to
Moses on Mt. Sinai. (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 9:10.)
Therefore, we see that the Decalogue was in existence long
before there was a Jew. It was in force in heaven, for
Satan broke it and sinned.
CHRIST AND THE DECALOGUE
Christ confirmed the Decalogue many times and in numerous
ways. This was especially true of the fourth commandment,
the Sabbath commandment. Jesus observed that His sheep
hear His voice and follow Him. (John 21: 22; 10:27.)
He proclaimed that He had not come to destroy the law, but
to fulfill it, that is to demonstrate how it is to be
observed. In the Sermon On the Mount, Christ specifically
identifies which law He is speaking of by naming two of
the commandments, "Thou shall not kill" and "Thou shall
not commit adultery." (Matthew 5.)
It was the custom of Jesus to observe the Sabbath. He
regularly went into the synagogue and read the Scriptures;
at times, He read from the book of Isaiah, applying the
messianic prophecy to Himself. (Luke 4: 16-21: Isaiah
61:1,2.)
Christ again confirmed the eternal nature of the Decalogue
when he advised His followers that Jerusalem would be
destroyed in the future. Before the time of destruction,
He told His disciples that they should pray that their
flight from Jerusalem would not be in the winter nor on
the Sabbath day. History records that Jerusalem was
destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Roman armies; this event was,
of course, many years after the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus. (Matt. 24:20.)
When answering criticism by the Pharisees, Jesus told His
enemies that the "Sabbath was made for man..." and that
the ... "Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." (Mark
2:27,28.) Again Jesus called Himself "Lord of the
Sabbath." (Luke 6:5.)
In addition, Jesus not only read from scripture on the
Sabbath, but He also taught on the Sabbath in the house of
God. (Luke 13:10).
Many other New Testament passages could be noted that
confirm that Jesus was an observer of the Decalogue and
that He taught His followers to be observers, as well.
However enough texts have been referenced to support the
thesis that Jesus endorsed the Decalogue, including the
fourth commandment.
THE DECALOGUE AFTER THE RESURRECTION
Paul
Many Christians assume that the seventh-day Sabbath was
done away with by the apostle Paul at the time of Christ's
resurrection and that Sunday, the first day of the week,
became the Bible Sabbath.
Let us study this question by going to the primary source,
the Bible. If there had been any annulling of the
Decalogue and the fourth commandment in particular, the
Apostle Paul would obviously have know and taught this.
Therefore: Did Paul observe the Bible Sabbath?
Paul and Silas were traveling in Thessalonica, in which
there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul went into the
synagogue, as he always did, and for three Sabbaths Paul
talked with the Jews about the Scriptures. What did he
talk about? He taught that Jesus was the Christ, the
Savior of mankind, and,
thankfully, many of the Jews and Greeks believed and were
converted to Christianity. (Acts 17: 1-4.)
At another time, Paul was traveling in Greece. After
leaving Athens, he went to Corinth. Here he met Aquila and
Priscilla, who had recently moved to Corinth from Italy.
They, like Paul, were tentmakers, so Paul decided to stay
with them and work with them for a while. For a year and
one-half, while here in Corinth, every Sabbath he taught
the Jews and Greeks in the synagogue that Christ is the
Savior of mankind. However, these people would not accept
Christ; therefore, Paul left saying, "If you are lost, it
is your own fault." (Acts 18: 1-11.) Therefore, here were
seventy-eight Sabbaths on which Paul preached in one city.
Again, attending the Jerusalem Council, which addressed
the issue of whether or not non-Jews should be required to
be circumcised, Paul and Barnabas, as well as Peter,
argued against having non-Jews practice circumcision.
These Apostles taught that salvation is through faith in
Christ, not through circumcision or other former
requirements of the Ceremonial Law (Levitical Law,) which
was done away with by the Sacrifice of the Supreme Lamb,
Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary. (Ephesians 2.) At
this Council, attendance at the synagogue on the Sabbath
was confirmed. (Acts 15: 21.)
Paul and Barnabas left Cyprus and went to Antioch. Going
to the temple on the Sabbath, they preached and taught
salvation through Christ, who was raised from the dead. On
the next Sabbath, almost the entire town came to hear the
word of God preached by Paul. Apparently, many non-Jewish
people were converted. (Acts 13:13-48.)
John the Revelator
In the book of Revelation, John states that he was "in the
Spirit on the Lord's Day." (Revelation 1:10.) The question
that we need to answer here is, Which day is the Lord's
Day? The fourth commandment identifies the seventh-day as
the "Sabbath of the Lord thy God." As we learned earlier,
the apostle Mark records Jesus stating: "Therefore, the
Son of Man (Christ) is Lord also of the Sabbath." (Mark
2:28.)
Other New Testament Support for the
Decalogue
In numerous places, the New Testament clearly upholds the
living nature of the ten commandments. James teaches the
commandments not to murder and not to commit adultery.
(James 2:11.)
Again, Paul, writing to the church at Ephesus, supports
the commandment to honor one's father and mother.
(Ephesians 6:2.)
Writing to the Romans, Paul once more approves the
Decalogue by admonishing the Romans not to covet. (Romans
7:7.)
Holy women, followers of Christ, from Galilee, came to the
tomb of Christ and observed how He was laid. They then
returned home, prepared spices for the body, and rested
the "Sabbath, according to the commandment." This passage,
of course, refers to the fourth commandment, the Sabbath
commandment, of the Decalogue. (Luke 23: 55-56.)
THE FINAL QUESTIONS
Now, is there a command in the New Testament that
Christians should keep Sunday or some other day? The
answer is, NO!
Is there a command in the New Testament telling us that
the eternal Decalogue is done away with? The answer is NO.
Can there be sin if there is no law? NO. Remember, where
there is no law, there is no sin, for sin is the
transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4.)
Does faith do away with the law? NO. Faith does not make
void the law; faith established the law. (Romans 3:31.)
The law is a mirror pointing out sin in our lives, and
this knowledge drives us to the Cross of Christ for
forgiveness. We are saved by the grace of Christ!
In conclusion, we have learned that the Decalogue was
present in heaven before creation week and also during
creation week. It was present during the time of Adam and
Eve as well as during the time of Moses. The Sabbath was
kept and honored by Christ, Paul, Silas, Peter, Barnabas,
James, John the Revelator, and the other followers of
Christ.
We have learned that the Sabbath Command is present in the
New Testament. (Luke 23:56.)
We have learned that Christ's sheep know His voice and
follow Him. (John 21:22; 10:27.)
Friend, whose voice do you know? The voice of popularity
or the voice of Christ? Whose voice are you following? The
voice of popularity or the voice of Christ?
How you answer these questions and whether or not you
decide to follow truth, will, of course, influence where
you spend eternity.
My prayer for YOU is that YOU will choose to follow truth
wherever it leads, and know, when you come to die, that
you have an eternity of bliss awaiting you on resurrection
morning.
Why follow death, when Christ offers you life, a life of
peace now, and an eternal life of joy, plenty, and bliss
with Him and your loved ones throughout eternity.
PLEASE CHOOSE LIFE THIS VERY MOMENT!
Copyright 2005, Fillmer Hevener
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