THE TEN

COMMANDMENTS

What to do with them?

Why did God give the Law?• So high• So demanding• So unreasonable humanly speaking• That no body (no man, no woman, no boy, no

girl) has ever been able to keep them

That doesn’t sound very fair, does it?

1. The Historical books of the Bible record the failure2. The poetic books weep and mourn about that failure3. The Prophetic books preach about that failure

Even the people in the Bible could not keep it

Jesus didn’t make it any easy. His Sermon on the mountain makes it even harder

..anyone who is even angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder

..anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”Matthew 5

So what is the Purpose of the Law, seriously? Why did God give the Law? Even we know that any rule that people cannot keep is a bad rule..

This is why…

The Law indicates the STANDARDS that the Giver of the Law has for Himself

Jesus makes it clear when He says, “you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect”Matthew 5

So, the Law is the revelation of the character of God

In other words…

Only the One who is not a thief can really say “Thou shall not Steal”

Only the One who is not a liar can really say “Thou shall not bear false witness”

Only the One who is faithful can really say “Thou shall not commit adultery”

Only the One who is not greedy can really say “You shall not covet”

“Thou shall obey your parents” can only come from the Onewho said,

The Law tells us what God is like: His moral Character

When John says “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,” what exactly was the glory did John and others see?

John 1: 14

Was it the halo that artists sometime portray?

John and others might have seen the boy Jesus at play and his moral character

John and others must have witnessed the integrity of young Jesus as a carpenter

John and others must have watched Jesus while invoicing His customers for the work done

John and others must have seen Jesus while filing His tax returns

John and others have known Jesus waiting in the hot sun for the woman at the well

John 4

John and others have seen Jesus crossing the road to touch a leper

Matthew 8

John and others have seen Jesus

with children

Matthew 19

They have seen Jesus’ glory:His moral Character

“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?” challenges Jesus Himself

John 8:46

and….

God intended man to reflect His moral Character when God created man in His image

Genesis 1: 27

God wanted us to resemble and express what God is like

What would you have seen in the Garden of Eden before they sinned?

a loving husband…..a caring shepherd….a trustworthy worker, abounding in goodness and truth

Firstly,the Law tells us what God is like: His moral Character

Secondly,the Law reveals the failure of human beings

…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GodRomans 3:23

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4

In Exodus 32

• God did not learn anything new about human beings• Human beings learnt something new about themselves

It was Moses so shocked to see people breaking the Law, but not God

• we are not what we are to be• neither can we be what we are

supposed to be

The Law reveals that…

Read the following two verses..

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.

Romans 7:7

…through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Romans 3:20

But Jesus says:I did not come to abolish but to fulfil the Law.• What does He mean?• How is He going to fulfil the Law in us?

Matthew 5: 17

The MYSTERY of the New CovenantThe mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (His Character).

Colossians 1:26-29

This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. • I will put my law in their minds and write it on

their hearts. • I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Jeremiah 31:33

The MYSTERY of the New Covenant is• Just NOT re-writing of the Law • BUT re-locating of the Law

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 36:27

Not re-writing of the Law but re-locating the Law

Remember Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit?

Re-locating the Law:

John 14:15

I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Do you remember Jesus prayer:

John 17:23

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

That’s why Jesus says:

John 15:5

Under the New Covenant, all that we could do is to remain in Him and Jesus says, “I in you.” Because He is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy…apart from Him you can do nothing.

Under the New Covenant,the Ten Commandments will be Ten Promises

With Jesus in you,You shall have no other God except Him

With Jesus in you,You shall not make any idol your god

With Jesus in you,You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain

With Jesus in you,You shall not give up meeting together on Sunday, as some are in the habit of doing

Hebrews 10:25

With Jesus in you,You shall honour your father and your mother

With Jesus in you,You shall not murder but develop long-suffering

With Jesus in you,You shall not even look at a woman with lust in your eye

With Jesus in you,You shall not steal but give to the one who asks you

Matthew 5:42

With Jesus in you,You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour

With Jesus in you,You shall not covet your neighbour's things

You know what?

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8: 1-4

Don’t you trust in Him

you wretched sinner?

desperate