On the Two Great Commandments referenced by Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28) “depend all the Law and the Prophets”, at the heart of which lie the Ten Commandments that were written on tablets of stone by the finger of God on Mount Sinai. Furthermore, Christ is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” is a summary of Commandments 1 to 4, (refer Deuteronomy 6:5 which was spoken right after the second reading of the Ten Commandments) and;
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” is a summary of Commandments 5 to 10 (see Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 19:16-22).
The Ten Commandments were known and obeyed by God’s faithful people, presumably even before the Law was given at Sinai. The Ten Commandments constitute the basic moral code for humanity, as magnified and revealed in their full meaning by Jesus, and are obeyed to demonstrate the believer’s love for God and their fellow man. Sadly, many who identify as Christians today do not keep the Ten Commandments, especially the second commandment, which forbids idolatry, and the fourth commandment, to remember the seventh day Sabbath, and often teach others to disregard them as well.
Which commandments are we required to keep?In total, there are some 613 Old Testament commandments and 1,050 New Testament commandments throughout the Bible, with some being applicable to new covenant Christians and others no longer. In essence, Christians today are no longer required to keep the ceremonial laws given through Moses, which were fulfilled by Christ; however, everything else outside of this, both Old and New Testament, still applies. Among those that still apply to Christians today are the Ten Commandments, the many commandments of Christ, and the commandments dictated by the various New Testament Apostles and Prophets.
When God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He also delivered to them the Ten Commandments in magnificent fiery majesty. This Law of eternal duration was spoken by God, written by God, recorded on tablets of stone, and stored on the inside of the Ark under the mercy seat. Shortly after, the temporary ceremonial law (the law of Moses) was also delivered to Israel. It was written by Moses, recorded on parchment (paper), and stored on the outside of the Ark. This law dealt with the ceremonial rites of the Jewish sanctuary service that passed away at Christ's sacrificial death on the stake. The law of Moses included sacrifices, offerings, purifications, holy days, circumcision (a religious Jewish rite), and other rites associated with the Hebrew sanctuary service.
But I implore you not to take my word for it, but to come to your own convictions. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)
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