The Ten Commandments

Paul shows the purpose and duration of the law in Gal. 3.19, “It was added... till the seed should come.” He has already explained, “The seed is Christ” (v. 16). The law, then, was designated to last only till Christ came. Paul goes on to state that “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.” (v.24) And then adds, “We are no longer under a schoolmaster” (v. 25). The law was a schoolmaster and we are no longer under that law.

There are many passages that show that the law was taken away at the cross of Christ. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” (Col. 2.14.) “There is made of necessity a change also of the law...there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect...I will make a new covenant...He is a mediator of the New Testament.” (Heb. 7.12; 7.18-19; 8.8; 9.15.) When Christ died on the cross, the Old Testament law was “taken away” so the New Testament could be established. (Heb. 10.9.)

The Ten Commandments were included in the law that was “taken away.” These Ten Commandments which were “written and engraven in stones” (Deut. 4.12-13), “the ministration of death” and “condemnation” were "done away." The "ministration of righteousness," the law of Christ, which exceeds the Ten Commandments in glory “remains” for us to obey today. (2 Cor. 3.6-11.)

All the Ten Commandments but one are repeated in principle after the death of Christ.

  1. You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me. Acts 17.23-31; Rom. 1.23-25,1 Cor. 8.4.6.

  2. You Shall Not Make For Yourself Any Carved Image. Acts 14.11-17; 1 Cor. 6.9-10; 10.7,14,19,20; 2 Cor. 6.16,17; Gal. 5.19-21; Eph. 5.3-6; Col. 3.5; 1 John 5.21; Rev. 21.8; 22.15.

  3. You Shall Not Take The Name Of The Lord Your God In Vain. James 5.12.

  4. Remember The Sabbath, To Keep It Holy. This is the only commandment not repeated after Christ's death. The Sabbath was not a day of worship in the New Testament church. The church met on the first day of the week to eat the Lord's Supper and lay by in store. (Acts 20.7; 1 Cor. 16.1-2.) Observance of the Sabbath was condemned. (Gal.4 .10-11; Col. 2.16-17.)

  5. Honor Your Father And Your Mother. Eph. 6.13; Col. 3.20.

  6. You Shall Not Kill. Rom. 13.9; 1 John 3.15; Rev. 21.8; 22.15.

  7. You Shall Not Commit Adultery. Rom. 13.9; 1 Cor. 6.13-18; Gal.5.19-21; Eph.5.3-6; Col. 3.5; 1 Thess. 4.4-7; Heb. 13.4; Rev. 21.8; 22.15.

  8. You Shall Not Steal. Rom. 13.9; 1 Cor. 6.10-1l; Eph. 4.28.

  9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbor. Rom. 13.9.

  10. You Shall Not Covet. Rom. 7.7; 13.9; 1 Cor. 6.10; Eph. 5.5; Col. 3.5; 1 Tim. 6.9-11,17; Heb. 13.5.
Do not be alarmed because the Ten Commandments have been taken away. Remember a new covenant has been made.

As we have noted, in this new covenant nine of the ten points covered by the Ten Commandments are included and enlarged upon; and they are binding, not because they were in the old covenant, but because they are in the new.

The fourth commandment is never repeated because Christians were never commanded to keep the Sabbath. The sin of breaking the Sabbath was never charged against anyone in New Testament times. Christians celebrated Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week not the coming out from Egypt on the Sabbath.