Is The Law Of God Valid To Keep Under The New Covenant?

IS THE MORAL LAW OF GOD, OR TEN COMMANDMENTS, VALID TO UPHOLD IN THE NEW COVENANT?

By Bibleman​

Now that we are under the New Covenant is it still valid to uphold the moral Law of God, which is the Ten Commandments? Are the Commandments still valid under the New Covenant or have they been abolished by Christ at Calvary? If the Law of God is part of the New Covenant how does it apply to Christians today? Some churches, today, teach the Commandments of God while others claim they were nailed to the cross and abolished. Let us delve into the Word of God and learn from Christ and His followers to see if we can determine the validity and significance of the Law of God for the New Covenant Christian believer!

THE LAW OF CHRIST​

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)
And this is love, that we walk after His commandments…Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. (2 Jn. 6,9)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (Jn. 10:27)
The Law of Moses ends with Christ and in its place, under the New Covenant, is the Law of Christ. The teachings of Christ and the gospel replace the Old Testament ordinances of the Mosaic Law. Under the Law of Moses there were some 640 ordinances that were to be strictly observed. Many of these ordinances had to do with various ceremonial rituals, purification washings, and other carnal ordinances that foreshadowed the coming of Christ. The Mosaic ordinances such as the ceremonial laws, purification rituals, dietary laws, and the sacrificial Temple services of the Levitical Priesthood that foreshadowed the coming of Christ have now been nailed to His cross (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:13-17; Heb. 7-10). The Law of Moses served as a temporary guide for God’s people until the coming of Christ. Now that Christ has come we are justified through faith in Him rather than adherence to a list of works and ordinances. Faith does not exclude us from doing good works but does free us from all the dead works of the Old Covenant that have no value for the New Covenant believer (Rom. 3:1; Gal. 3:1-14; 5:1-6; Heb. 9:14). Freedom from the moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) would be license and lawlessness and to be under Law would be legalism and bondage. The Israelites and Pharisees of Christ’s day stumbled because they sought righteousness by the works of the Law through their own carnal efforts apart from Christ (Rom. 9:31,32; 10:3). Christ showed how the carnally-minded Pharisees who appeared as righteous observers of the Law, had corrupt hearts full of self-righteousness, uncleanness, hypocrisy, and iniquity (Mt. 23:25-28). Justification comes only through faith in Christ because He is the only one who can purify ones heart and life and give one a new spiritual nature that is able to walk in righteous obedience to the will of God (Mt. 7:17-23; Eph. 4:22-24). Under the New Covenant we are in-Lawed to Christ meaning that His moral Law is written in the hearts and minds of those born again. The regenerated man of God, filled with the Holy Spirit now desires to keep and uphold the Law not to be justified but because he is justified. By the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit the new man in Christ delights in serving God and is able to fulfill the righteous requirements of the moral Law by walking in love. Christ established in the New Covenant, on His sermon on the mount, the importance of keeping His moral Law, contained in the Ten Commandments (Mt. 5:19). This is why all of the Ten Commandments can be found in the New Covenant. Christ has never abrogated or nullified His moral Law. Christ delivered us not from His holy, just, and good commandments but from the Law of Moses and the curse it demanded for its disobedience (Rom. 7:12; Gal. 3:10-13). Christians are under grace rather than Law but they are still required to uphold the moral Law of God not for salvation but for their moral conduct (Rom. 6:14-16). The difference now, under the New Covenant, is that God writes His divine Laws in the hearts of His people and enables them to fulfill the righteous requirements of it by the power of His Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4).

THE NEW COVENANT​

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them: And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Heb. 10:16,17)
The Lord terminated His Old Covenant with ancient Israel because it was ineffective. It could not forgive the sins of the people and it could not motivate and inspire them to always do what was right or be righteous (Heb. 10:1-10). God’s covenant with ancient Israel was like a marriage covenant. In this covenant Israel could not remain faithful to God because of her spiritual adultery with the false gods of the heathen nations around them. They continually broke their covenant with God and were unable to remain faithful to Him. For this reason God divorced unfaithful Israel and created a New Covenant. This New Covenant is also like a marriage contract but not with just the people of Israel but all who come to repentance (Rom. 7:4). The new bride of Christ will be spiritual Israel (also called the church) or all the born again Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ and fulfill their covenant vows to Him (Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 2:28,29; 10:12,13; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10,11). Repentance and baptism are necessary to enter into this marriage covenant with Christ (Acts 2:28). The seal (like a ring denoting ownership) of this marriage covenant to Christ with His people is the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13,14; 4:30). The terms of this New Covenant marriage contract with God is faith in Christ and submission to His Lordship. Christ is head of the church as man is the head of the family. The church is cleansed and sanctified by Christ through obedience to the word of God (Eph. 5:22-27). This cleansing process that the bride of Christ must go through is for the purpose of making them righteous and holy (Eph. 5:27). Righteousness can not be achieved by the works of the law but only thorough Christ who gives His bride the Holy Spirit and who writes His laws in the hearts of His people (Jer. 31:31; Rom. 8:1-9; Heb. 8:10). Through the regenerating power of the indwelling Holy Spirit man can overcome sin, walk in righteousness, obey the commandments, and be faithfully committed to God (Jn. 14:15,21; 15:10; Rom. 8:1-4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). This is why Christ is the mediator of a better New Covenant that is far superior to the carnal works of the old (Heb. 8:6-13). Those who remain faithful to God, wearing His righteous wedding garments that are clean and white, will eventually become part of God’s immortal family of sons and daughters in His kingdom forever (Mt. 10:22; 24:13; Rom. 8:21; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 3:14,15; Rev. 19:7,8; 21:27; 22:11)!

CHRIST MAGNIFIES HIS LAW​

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. (Isa. 42:21)
Christ did not come to abolish His moral Law for it reveals what sin is and what His moral requirements are for His people. It is just as morally wrong now to steal, kill, commit adultery, etc. as it was in the Old Testament. The Lord also did not modify, lessen, or replace the moral Law with new principles. Christ did, however, magnify His Law and make it more honorable (Mt. 5-7). He condemned the wrong desires and attitudes that can cause one to break His Law (Mt. 5:21-26; 27-28). Our blessed Savior, in magnifying the Law, showed us how important it is to perfect our character through righteous obedience (Mt. 5:20, 48). Christ never replaced His Ten Commandments with two new commandments as some teach. He was simply answering a question from a man who wanted to know what the greatest commandment was in the Law. Jesus summarized the law into its two greatest principles which are that of loving God with all your heart, soul and mind and loving ones neighbor as yourself. The first four of the commandments show us how to love God and the last six show how we are to treat our neighbors (Mt. 22:37-40). Any false notion that Christ came to abolish the commandments is a genuine work of Satan to rob God’s people of the fruits of holiness and uprightness that obedience to the moral Law produces (Jn. 10:10; Rom. 6:13-23; 1 Jn. 3:4-10). One of the characteristics of the true Christian is that they do not transgress the Law of God (1 Jn. 3:4-10: Rev. 14:12). Christ came to set us free from our transgressions against His Law rather than from the Law itself. The New Covenant is about fulfilling the Law through love from a new heart rather than from the Old Testament carnal legalistic approach (Rom. 8:7; 13:8; Eph. 6:1,2; 1 Jn. 2:7).

LORDSHIP OF CHRIST​

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 Jn. 2:3)
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (Jn. 15:10)
And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Lk. 6:46)
The Lordship of Christ calls believers to surrender fully to the will of God and to walk as He walked. Christ obeyed the commandments of His divine Law and fulfilled all the righteous requirements of it. If Christ is our example to follow then should we not honor and obey the Law as He did? Would Christ, our supreme Lord and King, repeal His moral Law leaving us with no Law to live by under the New Covenant? Did Christ die only to secure for us a license to sin under a lawless covenant? Absolutely not for He taught us to keep His commandments (Mt. 5:19; Lk. 6:46; Jn. 14:15, 21; 15:10). If sin is the transgression of the Law then holiness would be obedience to the Law (1 Jn. 3:4-10). Christ and His disciples have shown us in the gospel how to fulfill the Law in our own lives through love and obedience (Rom. 13:8; Eph. 6:1,2; 1 Jn. 2:7). New Covenant believers are “not without law to God, but under the law to Christ†(1 Cor. 9:21). Christians who transgress the Law, have no real desire to be righteous and holy, and can have no true fellowship with Christ (1 Jn. 3:3-10). Those who have truly come under the Lordship of Christ are all those who willingly and lovingly obey His commandments (Lk. 6:46; 1 Jn. 3:22-24; 5:1-5). The righteous, who have been born again, keep and uphold the commandments of God (Jn. 14:21; Rom. 3:31; 1 Jn. 3:22,24; 5:1-5; Rev. 14:12) They yield themselves to the Lordship of Christ, refraining from a life of sin, submitting to His will in all areas of their life (Rom. 6:12-22). The Bible says that we have a personal relationship with Christ only when we walk uprightly and keep His commandments (1 Jn. 1:6,7; 2:3-6).

THE LAW OF LIBERTY​

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said do not commit adultery, said also do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye , and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. (James 2:10-12)
James makes it clear that the Law of Liberty is the Ten Commandments (Jam. 2:10-12). If it is called the “Law of Liberty†in the New Covenant does it mean we have been liberated from having to obey it? Did Christ die so we could be given a license, called grace, to sin so that we no longer have to uphold God’s commandments? Would the Supreme Ruler and Governor of the Universe repeal His moral Law leaving Christians with no Divine Law to live by? No way! Christ is not the minister of sin (Rom. 6:14,15; Gal. 2:17). We no longer uphold the Law to be justified but because we are justified (Rom. 3:31: 1 Jn. 3:3-10). The purpose of the Law in the New Covenant is to define what sin is. It also will reveal to us the sins in our life that bring guilt and condemnation (Rom. 3:19,20; 7:7; Jam. 1:23-25). Christ died to save us from our sins and to liberate us, not from His moral Law, but from the condemnation and penalty that the Law requires for its transgression (Rom. 8:1-4; Gal. 3:13). Those who are in Christ Jesus have not been liberated from the moral Law but rather have been given a way to perfectly uphold its righteous requirements by the grace of God and the indwelling power of His Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1-4). If we do not keep the commandments of God we become transgressors of the Law who will ultimately be judged by it (Rom. 2:12; Jam. 2:12). The born again Christian is to keep the commandments of God and live a life of righteousness free from sin and lawlessness (Rom. 3:31; 1 Jn. 3:3-10, 22-24).

THE PERPETUITY AND IMMUTABILITY OF THE LAW​

The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever. (Ps. 111:7-10)
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosover shall do and teach them, the same shall be great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:19)
The character of the Law proves its significance and validity for the New Covenant. It is seen from the scriptures that the Prophets and Apostles had high regard for the Law of God (Ps. 40:8; 119:14; Jam. 1:28; 2:8; Rev. 22:14). The Prophet Isaiah proclaimed that Christ would come not to abolish the Law but to magnify it and make it more honorable (Isa. 42:2). Christ certainly did this with His magnificent sermon on the mount (Mt. 5-7). King David described God’s commandments as the eternal standard for truth and righteousness (Ps.111:7,8; 119:142, 172). The Apostle Paul, who delighted in the Law, declared that God’s commandments are holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12, 22). Paul taught that the commandments are necessary to keep and uphold (Rom. 2:13; 3:31). The atoning sacrifice of Christ proves that the moral Law is immutable and perpetual because He died to save men from its penalty. Christ also taught in the immutability and perpetuity of the commandments and that they were necessary to keep (Mt. 5:17-20; 19:17-21). Christ came not to destroy, abolish, change or modify His moral Law and commandments but to fulfill them and give each of us the ability and desire to fulfill them in our own lives through love by the power of His Holy Spirit (Mt. 5:17; Rom. 13:10). Under the New Covenant our Savior writes His Law in the hearts and minds of His spiritually-regenerated people who are then willing and able to fulfill its righteous requirements (Rom. 8:4; Heb. 8:10; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:1-5).

THE RULE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS​

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 Jn. 5:2,3)
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom. 8:4)
Jesus taught that unless we develop and maintain righteous conduct we will not be able to enter into His kingdom. The Christian’s rule for righteous conduct is conformity to the commandments of God (Mt. 5:19, 20). The commandments are to be obeyed and upheld by the believer because they show how he is to love God and treat his neighbor (Mt. 22:36-40). Because the Law of God is all about love it cannot be disregarded by the believer. The standard of love, set forth by God, can only be fulfilled in the life of every Christian through conformity to the commandments (Jn. 15:10; Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:14; 1 Jn. 3:10). Christians are not to be without Law to God, or lawless as some teach, but are under the Law to Christ (1 Cor. 9:21). The Law of God has not been abrogated, modified, diminished, or changed, but has been amplified to a deeper level, by Christ, for the perfecting of His saints (Mt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15). The whole gospel message is about how to fulfill the Law through love and obedience (Rom. 13:8; Eph. 6:1,2; 1 Jn. 2:7). Our supreme example to follow is Christ who loved, honored, and obeyed the Law and fulfilled all of its righteous requirements. The only way that such a high standard for righteousness can be achieved in the life of the believer is through the new birth (1 Jn. 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-5). It is the indwelling and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the redeemed that enables them to comply with the Law of God (Rom. 8:4; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:24). Only when the Law of God is written in the hearts and minds of His people can they love, honor, and obey His commandments. They will cherish the commandments more than any material thing and they will be totally committed to them as their rule of righteousness (Psalm 119). “That law is an eternal and unalterable Rule of Righteousness, which cannot be abrogated or altered in the least iota, for it is an unchanging expression of God’s immutable moral character.†(A.W. Pink, The Doctrine of Sanctification, 2006, p.163) Christ gave His life to set us free from transgression to the Law and the penalty for its transgression. Those who claim to be Christians and yet live as lawless, disobedient tyrants will not inherit the kingdom of God (Mt. 5:20; 7:21-29; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 5:5; 1 Jn. 3:4-10). The redeemed who practice obedience from a pure heart become the servants of righteousness whose fruit is holiness and everlasting life (Rom. 6:15-23; Rev. 22:14).

VERIFICATION OF THE MORAL LAW​

Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. (Isa. 8:16)
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa. 8:20)
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Rev. 14:12)
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 Jn. 2:4)
The best evidence to confirm the existence of the Ten Commandments in the New Covenant comes from the followers of Christ. The Apostles of Christ taught the commandments and upheld them in their lives. Paul taught New Testament Christian’s the importance of establishing and upholding the commandments in their personal lives for their moral conduct (Rom. 2:23; 3:31; 7:12; 13:9; 1 Cor. 7:19). He explained how obedience to the commandments produced the fruits of love and fulfilled the righteous requirements of the moral Law (Rom. 8:1-4; 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14). Paul declared that breaking the commandments dishonored God and that those who did so would be judged by the same Laws that they broke (Rom. 2:12,23). The Apostle James taught the same thing. If a Christian breaks even one of the Ten Commandments he is guilty of breaking them all. Those who transgress the moral law of God will be judged by it (Jam. 2:8-12). The Apostle John rightly showed how important it is to keep the commandments. Obedience to the commandments of God shows that we have a personal relationship with God and that we truly love God and our fellow man (Jn. 14:15,21; 1 Jn. 1-5). According to John, a Christian cannot have a true personal relationship with Christ if he transgresses the Law and does not keep the commandments (1 Jn. 2:3-6; 3:3-10). The focus for the born again Christian is to walk in love and we walk in love when we keep God’s commandments (2 Jn. 6). The example of the New Testament Christians is that they continued to keep the commandments including the seventh-day Sabbath after the death of Christ (Acts 17:2; 18:4. The moral law of God was internalized in their hearts by the Holy Spirit and firmly established in their righteous walk before God. From scripture we also see that the end-time Christian saints will those who keep the commandments of God through faith in Christ (Rev. 14:12). Obedience is absolutely essential for Christian believers to abide in Christ, be fruitful, walk in love, and be righteous and holy!

THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE​

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Rev. 22:14)
What are the fruits and blessings of obedience for the justified child of God? The Bible tells us that there are many blessings reserved for the obedient (Ps. 106:3; Jam. 1:25). In their own lives they will exhibit and abide in the fruits of love, peace, happiness, and righteousness (Ps. 119:126; Isa. 48:18; Jn. 13:17; 15:10; Gal. 5:22,23). The spiritual blessings flowing into their lives will be awesome and will include: victory over sin (1 Jn. 5:4), the promise of answered prayer (Prov. 10:24; Jn. 14:13-15; 15:1-7; 1 Jn. 3:22), a close and abiding personal relationship with Christ (Mt. 12:50; Jn. 14:21; 1 Jn. 2:3), an abundance of God’s love and favor (Prov. 12:2; Ps. 5:12; 23:6; Jn. 15:10; 1 Jn. 2:5), the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; Rom. 8:4-15; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 3:16-21; 1 Jn. 3:24), and the assurance of eternal life (Mt. 7:21; 19:17; Jn. 5:24; 8:51; Rom. 2:3; Heb. 5:9; 1 Jn. 2:17; Rev. 22:14)! The obedient in this life will be blessed with: having their daily needs met (Mt. 6:33), the ability and success to withstand all the storms and trials of life (Mt. 7:24, 25), many good things in this life (Ps. 34:10; 84:11; Prov. 13:21), the promise that all that all things will work together for their good (Rom. 8:28)! In the next life Christ promises to grant an exalted position in His kingdom to all those who obey His commandments and teach others to obey them (Mt. 5:19)! Wow! Are these not some awesome blessings? The Lord truly does richly reward all those who are committed to Him….those who serve and obey Him faithfully with all their heart, mind and soul…those who love Him and desire close fellowship with Him by walking in obedience to all of His teachings and commandments!

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEW COVENANT​

(Compare with Exodus 20:3-17)​

1. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ([Mt. 4:10]; also Mt. 22:37-38)
2. Little children keep yourselves from idols. ([1 Jn. 5:21], also 1 Cor. 6:9; 10:7,14; Eph. 5:5)
3. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. ([1 Tim. 6:1], also Mt. 5:33-34; 12:36,37)
4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. There remaineth therefore a (Sabbath) rest to the people of God. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. ([Heb. 4:4,9,11], also Mt. 28:1; Lk. 4:16; Acts 13:14,42,44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4)
5. Honor thy father and thy mother: ([Mt. 19:19]; also Mt. 15:4; Eph. 6:2)
6. Thou shalt not kill (Rom. 13:9; also Mt. 5:21-22; 19:17-18; Gal. 5:19-21; Jam. 2:10-12)
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery ([Rom. 13:9]; also Mt. 5:27-28; 19:17-18; 1 Cor. 6:9; 10:8; Eph. 5:5; Gal. 5:19-21; Jam. 2:10-12)
8. Thou shalt not steal ([Rom. 13:9]; also Mt. 19:17-18; Eph. 4:28)
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness ([Rom. 13:9]; also Mt. 19:17-18; Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:25)
10. Thou shalt not covet ([Rom. 7:7; 13:9]; also Lk. 12:15; Eph. 5:3,5)