Keeping the ten commandments

Can we keep the ten commandments?  Can we keep them easily? 

Firstly, is this what Jesus kept?  No.  The Jews at the time of Jesus kept (or attempted to keep) the law of Moses.  This law was given to them as part of the covenant between God and them (they were then known as the children of Israel, or Israelites).  The law contained 513 commandments, and the ten commandments were, if you like, the chapter headings.  They were also the words of the covenant, and initially written by God on two stone tablets.  A departure from what He normally did, which was to speak, and it was so…..

The first stone tablets had a short life.  They were smashed by Moses, in I suspect rage, and huge disappointment when he came down from the mountain and found them worshipping the newly made golden calf.  So up the mountain again and this time Moses had to hew the tablets himself and write the words that God dictated.  Read ALL of Exodus 34.  Don’t stop at the first verse…..

The ten commandments (the stone tablets) were not even talked about in the New Testament, except when Paul mentioned them as the ministry of death!!

But Jesus mentioned some of what we know as the ten commandments!  Yes, He did.  He also mentioned what were called the Great Commandments, and they were not of the ten.  He also gave a NEW commandment.  This was completely new and could not be found anywhere in the Old Testament.  He mentioned other things, like removing the log from your own eye before you attempted to remove the speck in your neighbour’s eye.

Jesus mentioned all these things to show that it wasn’t just enough to refrain from doing things (thou shalt not), you must make the action positive.  Show care for the unfortunate, help your neighbour etc.  He also showed that what you thought was as bad as if you actually did it (if you lusted in your heart…..)(if you hate your brother…..) Thoughts were what were making you unclean, not what you ate, not the ritual they were supposed to go through before eating.

He was showing them (and us) sinning is not just what we do, but what we ARE.  We are ALL sinners.  We were born that way, and will continue that way till we die.

UNLESS

We remember that Christ came to save sinners.  He lived a sinless life, because we can’t, and died as an innocent lamb in a sacrificial death so that we can be forgiven and atoned to God.  He has imputed us with His righteousness, so that instead of our unrighteous filthy deeds, God sees the righteousness of Christ, and through His blood we are transformed into adopted sons and daughters of God.

And what must we do?  What is our part?  Nothing but response to His wooing voice.  Just turn to Him.  He then makes us a new creation and gives us a new heart.  He has done it all.  His sacrifice…..He calls……He changes us.

So no, it is impossible to keep the ten commandments, or the law of Moses.  This is not what God wants.  He doesn’t want us to show the world how selfrighteous we are.  He wants us to uplift Christ, not the law.  He wants us to turn to Him, and He wants to see us transformed.  And then He wants to see us do HIS works, to love Him, and others, and to show others the sign of being His followers:  Sacrificial love!

Everything changed at the cross.  No longer law, but LOVE.

Through His blood.