The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament
by United Church of God

The longest chapter in the bible is an extended praise of God’s Word and law, “Great peace have they who love your law and nothing can make them stumble,” it tell us, “I wait for your salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands, I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly” (Psa 119:165-167, NIV)

If only the whole world would view God’s law in that light! But to our shame, the Ten Commandments have been rejected as the standard of human behavior by our society. Even many who profess to follow Christ today treat them as irrelevant because they have been taught that God’s law was abolished at Christ’s death.

Yet God’s Word tells us that His law is “perfect” and His ordinances “are sure and altogether righteous” (Psa 19:7,9). Accordingly, the enthusiastic author above again affirmed, “I will always obey your law, for ever and ever” (Psa 119:44)

Many people have heard that Jesus abolished the Old Testament laws. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolished the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolished them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 5:17-19)

Again, Jesus spoke clearly and to the point, God’s law has not been abolished, and according to Christ’s own words, anyone who teaches so is directly contradicting Him and is in serious spiritual trouble.

Many assume they do not need to keep God’s law because Christ “fulfilled” it. But these people fundamentally misunderstand Christ’s clear words. The word translated fulfill in this passage means “to make full, to fill to the full” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, “Fill”), and that is exactly what Jesus did. He perfectly kept the Ten Commandments and completely filled their meaning. He showed their spiritual intent, explaining that unjustified anger equates with murder (verse 21-22), and lust is mental and emotional adultery (verse 27-28). Jesus expanded the intent of the Ten Commandments.

Jesus expects much more from us than lip service. He demands that we do as the Father has commanded, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mat 7:21).

Jesus plainly taught obedience to God’s law.