The Ten Commandments

IF WE’RE SAVED BY FAITH, NOT WORKS, WHY DO WE

MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?

I’d like to begin this discussion by offering a little quiz. The answers are found after the quiz, but please don’t peak.

QUIZ ON GOD’S LAW

1. How well does God want us to keep His commandments?

           a. As best we can

           b. Perfectly

2. What awaits those who do not keep His commandments?

           a. Eternal hell

           b. Nothing much

3. Can anyone keep God’s commandments as He wants them kept?
           a. Yes

           b. No

4. Where alone is there salvation from sin?
           a. By God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
           b. By the sincerity of our intentions to do good.

(ANSWERS: 1-b; 2-a; 3-b; 4-a)

Based on the truth that we are saved by faith in Jesus as our only Savior from sin and not on anything that we can do, it is obvious that no one can be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. They are God’s Law and the Bible makes it clear that the Law saves no one!

This then brings us to our question above. What’s the point of having, keeping, and teaching the Ten Commandments if they save no one? Let’s just toss them out!  No! The Ten Commandments remain critical, not only to our lives as Christians, but to life on this earth in general.

Martin Luther, after a careful and thorough study of Scripture, outlined three important uses for the Ten Commandments and, therefore, three reasons why we must continue to study and teach them.

CURB

Luther said that the first use of the Law is as a curb. He was not referring to a road-side curb, which is our modern understanding of that word. In Luther’s day a curb was the apparatus that went into a horse’s mouth (bit), by which the rider could steer and direct the horse. It was the way a horse was forced or compelled to obey his master’s commands.  Likewise, the Ten Commandments are a curb to this fallen world. It is the way that God can still force human obedience to His will (at least outward obedience). It is no coincidence that virtually all human governments base their laws on the Ten Commandments (though many would not admit it). God says murder is wrong, so does the government. God says lying is wrong, so does the government (purgury). Without God’s Law the governments of the world would have nothing upon which to build or base their laws. The world would be chaos. Therefore, so that God’s people might live in relative safety and spread His Gospel with relative ease, His Law is still at work, curbing evil and forcing people (even unbelievers) to obey.

MIRROR

Look in the mirror and you will see yourself as you are, warts, blemishes, and all. A mirror does not lie. It merely reflects who we are.  The Ten Commandments are like a mirror. In fact, this mirror function of the Law is it’s most important function. From a moral and spiritual standpoint, God’s Law shows us ourselves as we really are -- sinners! Whenever we begin to think we are good (on our own), we will begin to appreciate less and less what Jesus did for us. Carried to the extreme, one might say, “Jesus may have died for you, but not for me -- look how good I am!” Yet, once we look at ourselves through the Law (Is God first in my life? Have I hated? Coveted? Envied? etc.) we see ourselves for the sinners we are, and appreciate anew what a great thing it is that Jesus did it all for us. Likewise, how can an unbeliever be brought to faith in Jesus as his Savior from sin, unless he first sees he has sins that need saving? The Law will show him this.

GUIDE
We are saved by grace through faith. Jesus did it all! Hallelujah! “Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross for all of my sins. Now, Lord, what can I do to some- how show my gratitude?”  To this Jesus would answer, “Keep My commandments.” We teach and keep the commandments, not to be saved, but because we are saved. We are new people, changed by the Spirit in such a way that we want to please God, our Father. The commandments become our guide in living that life of faith. They show us how we might please Him who we want to please more than anything. They also enable us to live a life that shines with goodness, so that others may see us, be attracted to our high moral character, and be more open to allowing us to share with them the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.   The goal is for people to meet Christ, isn’t it? What better way to begin than by giving people a glimpse of Christ at work in
us!