The Ten Commandments are the Covenant, did you know?

[TMS]

The goal is a heart transformed from within, so His will becomes our desire, our lives reflect His kingdom, and we are prepared to live with Him forever.

He came to restore His image in us
The image of God is reflected in the law of love, the 10 commandments.

 

[tablet123]

The Bible does present the Ten Commandments as the covenant itself. In Exodus 34:28, it is written:

"So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments."

"So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 4:13, NKJV)

This clearly states that the Ten Commandments are the covenant. When we look at Jeremiah 31:31-33, we see God speaking of a new covenant, but notice what He says:

"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

This passage does not say the law itself would change. Instead, it tells us that the ten commandments that are the covenant instead of being written on stone tablets, would be written in our hearts and minds. That means the law remains the same, but its place changes, from external tablets to internal conviction. This is why we see in the Gospels of John, Matthew, Luke and Mark, Jesus teaching the commandments and magnifying them.

Now, let's connect this with the Ark of the Covenant. In Deuteronomy 10:1-5, God commanded Moses to place the two tablets of the Ten Commandments inside the Ark:


"At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make yourself an ark of wood... Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, just as the Lord commanded me.’"

This shows the special place of the Ten Commandments, inside the Ark, symbolizing their central role in the covenant. But what about the rest of the law? In Deuteronomy 31:24-26, Moses wrote the book of the law and placed it beside the Ark:


"So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: ‘Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.’”

This distinction is important. The Ten Commandments being described clearly as the Covenant were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, showing their eternal, unchanging nature as the foundation of the covenant. The rest of the law was placed beside the Ark, acting as a witness.

Now, when Jeremiah speaks of the law being written in our hearts, he is speaking of the same law, the Ten Commandments. The "new" part of the covenant is not that the law changes but that God Himself ensures it is within us, guiding us from within rather than being an exterWnal set of rules. This aligns perfectly with how Jesus upheld and fulfilled the law, always pointing back to love for God and neighbor as the foundation of obedience (Matthew 22:36-40).

So, the New Covenant is not about replacing the Ten Commandments but about making them part of who we are.

Blessings

The 10 commandments is the covenant which are spiritual laws not physical laws.

2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

If a person is led of the Spirit the law is written on their heart so they would obey the spiritual laws of God.

Which the 10 commandments are spiritual laws for they are moral laws, laws of love.

And love is the fulfilling of the law.

It has always been about obeying the spiritual laws and without that there is no salvation.

Which Paul said we do not void out law through faith but we establish the law.

Which means we live up to the law.

And Paul said the law is spiritual, holy, just, and good which are the moral laws, laws of love.

And love is the fulfilling of the law.

Which the 10 commandments are moral laws, laws of love.

There was physical laws because it was a physical covenant with physical blessings.

In the New Testament it is a spiritual covenant which we obey the spiritual laws and not the physical laws.

Col 2:14 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 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Jesus took the physical ordinances away nailing them to His cross for they had no bearing on spiritual salvation.

But He did not take away the moral laws, laws of love.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

We can receive the Spirit which gives us the power to obey the moral laws, laws of love.

Love is the fulfilling of the law which means all moral laws, laws of love have to be obeyed.

They cannot be ignored for then you do not love.

Which the 10 commandments are laws of love to not offend God and not offend people.

 

[GWH]

The Bible does present the Ten Commandments as the covenant itself. In Exodus 34:28, it is written:

"So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments."

"So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 4:13, NKJV)

This clearly states that the Ten Commandments are the covenant. When we look at Jeremiah 31:31-33, we see God speaking of a new covenant, but notice what He says:

"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

This passage does not say the law itself would change. Instead, it tells us that the ten commandments that are the covenant instead of being written on stone tablets, would be written in our hearts and minds. That means the law remains the same, but its place changes, from external tablets to internal conviction. This is why we see in the Gospels of John, Matthew, Luke and Mark, Jesus teaching the commandments and magnifying them.

Now, let's connect this with the Ark of the Covenant. In Deuteronomy 10:1-5, God commanded Moses to place the two tablets of the Ten Commandments inside the Ark:


"At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make yourself an ark of wood... Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, just as the Lord commanded me.’"

This shows the special place of the Ten Commandments, inside the Ark, symbolizing their central role in the covenant. But what about the rest of the law? In Deuteronomy 31:24-26, Moses wrote the book of the law and placed it beside the Ark:


"So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: ‘Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.’”

This distinction is important. The Ten Commandments being described clearly as the Covenant were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, showing their eternal, unchanging nature as the foundation of the covenant. The rest of the law was placed beside the Ark, acting as a witness.

Now, when Jeremiah speaks of the law being written in our hearts, he is speaking of the same law, the Ten Commandments. The "new" part of the covenant is not that the law changes but that God Himself ensures it is within us, guiding us from within rather than being an external set of rules. This aligns perfectly with how Jesus upheld and fulfilled the law, always pointing back to love for God and neighbor as the foundation of obedience (Matthew 22:36-40).

So, the New Covenant is not about replacing the Ten Commandments but about making them part of who we are.

Blessings

The Ten Commandments represent the OC or Mosaic Law.
You need to add Hebrews 7:21-10:1 to your bottom line.

 

[homwardbound]

The fulfillment of Law is Love of God for us through Son to us all, is the view God has given me to stand in. Romans 12:2
God's Love, Son for us has overcome Evil. proven once saw risen from the dead by the Disciples and Paul who was Saul in due time, born new and revealed the dispensation of God. how it all has played out from day 1
God's Mercy and Love has not ever changed from day one in the first Adam, to me at least

 

[vassal]

That's not what I know. The new covenant is the holy spirit to believers. Law written in our heart.

You say you just started to study this so I will define the covenant as God defined it in scripture, below are the clearest Old Testament verses where God Himself says that His covenant is the Ten Commandments. All verses are from the NKJV.

Exodus 34:28
“So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”
Deuteronomy 4:13
“So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.”
Deuteronomy 9:9
“When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with you…”
Deuteronomy 9:11
“At the end of forty days and forty nights the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.”
Deuteronomy 9:15
“So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire; and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.”

the covenant are the Ten Commandments, the Holy spirit given to believers places these commandments in mans hearts as the prophet Jeremiah, prophesied;


The New Covenant
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

This new covenant was brought by Jesus Himself. It is one of the main reasons He came into the world, so that our hearts could be made new and so that we could receive the Holy Spirit who teaches us, strengthens us, and helps us grow in faith and in understanding.

Jesus said during the Last Supper that His own blood was the sign of this new covenant when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Long before this, God had promised through the prophets that a time would come when His law would no longer be only on stone, but written inside the heart, for He said, “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33).
Jesus showed how this promise is fulfilled by giving the Holy Spirit to those who follow Him, because He said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26). He also said that the Spirit will guide us into all truth, for “when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Through this new covenant Jesus changes us from the inside, teaching us, correcting us, and helping us walk in a way that pleases God.

this also means to ask God for help understanding the bible before you do read.

BLessings

 

[vassal]

The Ten Commandments represent the OC or Mosaic Law.
You need to add Hebrews 7:21-10:1 to your bottom line.

The Ten Commandments are called God’s covenant in the Old Testament itself, not Moses’ invention. Jesus never set them aside but called us to keep God’s commandments from the heart.

Those verses in Hebrews (7:21 to 10:1) speak of a change in priesthood and of sacrifices that belonged to the old temple system. But they do not match what Jesus Himself taught about God’s commandments. Here is why they do not fit with His words:

Jesus never said the Ten Commandments would be set aside. Instead, He said the opposite. He taught that God’s law remains firm until heaven and earth pass away, and that anyone who breaks even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom (Matthew 5:17–19). He also told the rich young ruler that keeping the commandments was part of entering life (Matthew 19:17–19). These are clear statements that God’s moral commandments still stand.

The section in Hebrews speaks mainly about the priesthood, animal sacrifices, and ceremonies of the temple. Jesus already taught that these things would pass away because the temple itself would be destroyed, as He said in Matthew 24:2. The system of sacrifices was going to end, but Jesus never tied this to the removal of the Ten Commandments. He drew a strong line between outward ceremonies and God’s everlasting commandments of love, justice, and faithfulness. In Matthew 23:23 He said that these deeper commandments are the weightier matters of the law.

The words of Jesus also show that the new covenant does not erase God’s commandments. Instead, it writes them in the heart. He said the Holy Spirit would teach and guide us (John 14:26 and John 16:13), which agrees with God’s promise in Jeremiah 31:33 that His law would be written inside, not replaced.

So Hebrews speaks about the change from temple sacrifices to the sacrifice of Christ, but Jesus’ own words keep God’s commandments in place. Any reading that removes the Ten Commandments cannot be what Jesus taught, because His own words stand above all others.

There is also a clear warning in the law itself. In Deuteronomy 4:2 God says, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it,” and in Deuteronomy 12:32 He repeats, “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” God is saying that anyone who removes from His commandments is not speaking with His authority. Because of this, the writer of Hebrews could not be overturning the Ten Commandments. If someone used his words to teach that God’s commandments were diminished or cancelled, that teaching would not be from God, since the law itself forbids such a thing. Jesus’ words, the Father’s warnings, and the prophets together show that God’s commandments stand firm and are not to be taken away.

 

[vassal]

The 10 commandments is the covenant which are spiritual laws not physical laws.

2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

If a person is led of the Spirit the law is written on their heart so they would obey the spiritual laws of God.

Which the 10 commandments are spiritual laws for they are moral laws, laws of love.

And love is the fulfilling of the law.

It has always been about obeying the spiritual laws and without that there is no salvation.

Which Paul said we do not void out law through faith but we establish the law.

Which means we live up to the law.

And Paul said the law is spiritual, holy, just, and good which are the moral laws, laws of love.

And love is the fulfilling of the law.

Which the 10 commandments are moral laws, laws of love.

There was physical laws because it was a physical covenant with physical blessings.

In the New Testament it is a spiritual covenant which we obey the spiritual laws and not the physical laws.

Col 2:14 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 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Jesus took the physical ordinances away nailing them to His cross for they had no bearing on spiritual salvation.

But He did not take away the moral laws, laws of love.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

We can receive the Spirit which gives us the power to obey the moral laws, laws of love.

Love is the fulfilling of the law which means all moral laws, laws of love have to be obeyed.

They cannot be ignored for then you do not love.

Which the 10 commandments are laws of love to not offend God and not offend people.

The general idea that God’s commandments are moral, spiritual, and written on the heart is correct, but the explanation you gave is not fully in accordance with the Bible, because it uses Paul’s writings to redefine the Ten Commandments and to claim that ceremonies were removed through Paul. Jesus’ own words show the difference very clearly.

The Ten Commandments are called God’s covenant (Exodus 34:28 and Deuteronomy 4:13). They are not “spiritual laws” in the sense of floating ideas; they are God’s real commandments, written on stone by Him, and meant to be lived by His people in daily life.

Jesus Himself said the commandments remain. He said He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it and that not even the smallest part of God’s law will pass away until heaven and earth pass (Matthew 5:17–19). That means the Ten Commandments still stand. Importantly, Jesus the son of God also said that keeping God’s commandments is part of entering life (Matthew 19:17–19). This agrees with 1 John, which teaches that the children of God keep His commandments and walk in righteousness (1 John 3:7–10; 1 John 5:2–3).

You use verses from Paul to explain which laws remain and which laws end. But Jesus had already explained this without Paul. Jesus taught that the temple ceremonies would end, because the temple would be destroyed (Matthew 24:2). These ceremonies included sacrifices, temple offerings, and priestly rituals, but Jesus never said the Ten Commandments would end. He made a strong difference between ceremonies and the moral commandments of God.

The Old Testament itself also makes this difference. The moral commandments show love to God and to people (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). The prophets said again and again that God wants obedience, mercy, justice, and righteousness more than offerings (Micah 6:8; Hosea 6:6; Isaiah 1:16–17).

So the truth is simple:

God’s moral commandments are forever.
They are holy, righteous, and good, and they show love. Jesus taught them, lived them, and told His followers to keep them. The Holy Spirit writes these same commandments on the heart.

The temple ceremonies ended because Jesus became the sacrifice.
This has nothing to do with ending the Ten Commandments.

Because of this, the main idea in the text you gave is partly correct (moral commandments remain and are written on the heart), but the reasoning is built mostly on Paul’s writings and mixes them with ideas that Jesus never taught. Jesus’ own words must come first, and they make the matter clear.

 

[Aaron56]

Every once in a while the Sabbath Keepers and the Sinai worshipers sneak in their false teaching and present it as sound doctrine. When pressed, you will find that they believe they are the only ones with God's favor.

Deuteronomy 5

Moses is about to tell the people the substance of the covenant given at Sinai to the people.

He begins:

"And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them."

So Moses is about to proclaim the statutes and judgements to the people of Israel so that they can know them and observe them.

He continues:

"The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb."

He is clear to call it a covenant. This is a binding contract between God and the people.

He continues;

"The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers..."

See that? The. Lord. did. not. make. this. covenant. with. our. fathers.
He is saying that what they received at Sinai was not what their fathers received (which included Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the patriarchs... the people at Sinai knew who their fathers were.)

Next line:

"..but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive."

So with whom was the covenant made? with us, those. who. are. here. today. all. of. us. who. are. alive.

All of us who are here in the moment, who are alive.

So then in verse 6 Moses begins to recite the terms of the covenant.

"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
‘You shall have no other gods before Me."

He starts with the 10 Commandments. Including verse 12...

"Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you."

The fathers and the patriarchs did not have this covenant that included the 10 commandments.

Some may ask, "Well then, why didn't they just murder kill and steal and do whatever they wanted to do?"

Answer: Because they believed God. God spoke to them Spirit to spirit. They knew God's character because they knew God.

Paul would write about it this way:

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear..."

What is this "spirit of bondage again to fear"? This is the covenant given at Sinai. The law at Sinai could only make slaves of the people.

So, what do believers receive?

"..but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."

This is the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ. The Spirit Himself bears witness to our spirits that we are God's children. This is God talking to us His Spirit to our spirit.

The "law of God" that is written on our hearts is NOT the Sinai law. Otherwise, you would be saying "The Law of God produces bondage through fear".

Yet, the scriptures testify that "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The law of God written on our hearts is the essence of His very nature: love. Such a person requires no writing on stone to know what to do moment to moment: God's nature is known by the spirit of man.

 

[vassal]

Every once in a while the Sabbath Keepers and the Sinai worshipers sneak in their false teaching and present it as sound doctrine. When pressed, you will find that they believe they are the only ones with God's favor.

Deuteronomy 5

Moses is about to tell the people the substance of the covenant given at Sinai to the people.

He begins:

"And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them."

So Moses is about to proclaim the statutes and judgements to the people of Israel so that they can know them and observe them.

He continues:

"The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb."

He is clear to call it a covenant. This is a binding contract between God and the people.

He continues;

"The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers..."

See that? The. Lord. did. not. make. this. covenant. with. our. fathers.
He is saying that what they received at Sinai was not what their fathers received (which included Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the patriarchs... the people at Sinai knew who their fathers were.)

Next line:

"..but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive."

So with whom was the covenant made? with us, those. who. are. here. today. all. of. us. who. are. alive.

All of us who are here in the moment, who are alive.

So then in verse 6 Moses begins to recite the terms of the covenant.

"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
‘You shall have no other gods before Me."

He starts with the 10 Commandments. Including verse 12...

"Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you."

The fathers and the patriarchs did not have this covenant that included the 10 commandments.

Some may ask, "Well then, why didn't they just murder kill and steal and do whatever they wanted to do?"

Answer: Because they believed God. God spoke to them Spirit to spirit. They knew God's character because they knew God.

Paul would write about it this way:

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear..."

What is this "spirit of bondage again to fear"? This is the covenant given at Sinai. The law at Sinai could only make slaves of the people.

So, what do believers receive?

"..but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."

This is the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ. The Spirit Himself bears witness to our spirits that we are God's children. This is God talking to us His Spirit to our spirit.

The "law of God" that is written on our hearts is NOT the Sinai law. Otherwise, you would be saying "The Law of God produces bondage through fear".

Yet, the scriptures testify that "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The law of God written on our hearts is the essence of His very nature: love. Such a person requires no writing on stone to know what to do moment to moment: God's nature is known by the spirit of man.

Once in a while a person like you comes around to teach that God’s commandments bring fear, that the Ten Commandments are obsolete, and that His covenant is only a spirit apart from obedience—falsehoods that twist God’s Word and deny His law of love.

Your message is deeply misleading and contradicts the very words of the Lord. You claim that the Sinai covenant, including the Ten Commandments, produces bondage and fear, yet Jesus Himself made it clear that not one commandment will pass away until all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–19). He never taught that God’s moral law enslaves; rather, He shows that it is the standard of righteousness and love. To say that obedience to the Ten Commandments is a “spirit of bondage” is to oppose the very nature of God’s covenant, which has always been about life and blessing for those who keep it (Deuteronomy 5:33, Deuteronomy 6:24).

You also try to claim that the patriarchs were outside God’s covenant and lived by “spirit to spirit” understanding apart from the law. This is false. God’s covenant with Abraham included obedience and faith (Genesis 26:5), and the commandments of God were known and honored even before Sinai. God’s moral law is eternal, and the Ten Commandments are not limited to a moment in Israel’s history, but they were given to show His ways and to guide His people in righteousness.

You like many others misuse Paul to say the Sinai law brings fear and bondage. Jesus Himself shows the truth: the law points to what is right, and the Spirit strengthens the heart to obey God’s commands out of love, not compulsion (John 14:15; 1 John 5:2–3). The liberty the Spirit gives is never a freedom from God’s moral law, it is freedom to live it sincerely, from the heart. The Ten Commandments are still God’s covenant, spiritual in the sense of guiding the heart, holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12, quoting the law, but the truth was taught by Jesus).

To claim that the law on stone produces fear while the Spirit produces love, as if they are opposed, is a false teaching. The law of God has always been about love toward God and neighbor (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:5). Jesus fulfilled the law and revealed it fully, and the Spirit writes it on our hearts—not to remove it, but to enable us to obey it willingly (Jeremiah 31:33; John 14:26).

Any teaching that sets God’s moral law against His Spirit is a deception. You cannot separate the Ten Commandments from God’s covenant or claim they are oppressive. God Himself declares His covenant eternal, and Jesus affirms it. To speak against this is to speak against God.

 

[GWH]

The Ten Commandments are called God’s covenant in the Old Testament itself, not Moses’ invention. Jesus never set them aside but called us to keep God’s commandments from the heart.

Those verses in Hebrews (7:21 to 10:1) speak of a change in priesthood and of sacrifices that belonged to the old temple system. But they do not match what Jesus Himself taught about God’s commandments. Here is why they do not fit with His words:

Jesus never said the Ten Commandments would be set aside. Instead, He said the opposite. He taught that God’s law remains firm until heaven and earth pass away, and that anyone who breaks even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom (Matthew 5:17–19). He also told the rich young ruler that keeping the commandments was part of entering life (Matthew 19:17–19). These are clear statements that God’s moral commandments still stand.

The section in Hebrews speaks mainly about the priesthood, animal sacrifices, and ceremonies of the temple. Jesus already taught that these things would pass away because the temple itself would be destroyed, as He said in Matthew 24:2. The system of sacrifices was going to end, but Jesus never tied this to the removal of the Ten Commandments. He drew a strong line between outward ceremonies and God’s everlasting commandments of love, justice, and faithfulness. In Matthew 23:23 He said that these deeper commandments are the weightier matters of the law.

The words of Jesus also show that the new covenant does not erase God’s commandments. Instead, it writes them in the heart. He said the Holy Spirit would teach and guide us (John 14:26 and John 16:13), which agrees with God’s promise in Jeremiah 31:33 that His law would be written inside, not replaced.

So Hebrews speaks about the change from temple sacrifices to the sacrifice of Christ, but Jesus’ own words keep God’s commandments in place. Any reading that removes the Ten Commandments cannot be what Jesus taught, because His own words stand above all others.

There is also a clear warning in the law itself. In Deuteronomy 4:2 God says, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it,” and in Deuteronomy 12:32 He repeats, “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” God is saying that anyone who removes from His commandments is not speaking with His authority. Because of this, the writer of Hebrews could not be overturning the Ten Commandments. If someone used his words to teach that God’s commandments were diminished or cancelled, that teaching would not be from God, since the law itself forbids such a thing. Jesus’ words, the Father’s warnings, and the prophets together show that God’s commandments stand firm and are not to be taken away.

In Hebrews 7:12-10:1 Jesus inspired Paul to write about a new covenant with Jesus as the high priest.
May I suggest adding the following to your bottom lines?:

"The former regulation is set aside... and Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant." (Hebrews 7:18a & 22b)

 

[Aaron56]

There is really no productive way to discuss this issue with 10 Commandment adherents: they believe they are better than the rest and that their particular type of gospel saves souls.

They lack, at their core, 1) an understanding of covenants, 2) an understanding of Sinai. What they have is spades is a superiority complex: thinking that they, alone, are favored by God.

 

[Aaron56]

As some of you know, I spent over 20 years in the behavioral health field. Over that time I got to know a lot of people who were addicted to drugs. When I was young, I thought “why is it so difficult to stop doing the drug that is destroying your life? “ What I didn’t understand was that their addiction was not only about the substance they took it was about the community they were involved in. These were people who were connected to other addicts, and so giving up their substance meant giving up their friends, their family and the community in which they felt most comfortable.

Once I realized this, I had compassion on them. Now, this didn’t make the reality of their addiction less serious, but I began to see that they needed much more than just an end to their substance of choice. They actually needed hope that if they came out of their community there would be others who accepted and loved them. The other thing I gained: I was able to speak to the impending pain of loss that they would most certainly feel after being disconnected from those with whom they have relationships.

Cults, like Seventh-day Adventists, understand this principle, and they use it against their followers. They create a religion of isolation, where, “stepping away” means eviction from an entire community. Mormons also use this principle: they will even harass, follow, and publicly disparage those who turn away from their practices. This is the reality they face if they are ever “wrong“ in their beliefs, not just a different way of understanding the Lord, but isolation from their friends, family and peers.

So, this is a call to be compassionate, to an extent, for the cult members who argue their position seemingly without fatigue. Their position means more to them than just being right religiously. It also assuages their fears of being excommunicated from their communities. This is why there is so much energy behind it: they are trying to preserve the life they have obtained.

This is good to keep in mind for those of us who understand our position in Christ is not about what we do but about who God made us to be.

 

[vassal]

There is really no productive way to discuss this issue with 10 Commandment adherents: they believe they are better than the rest and that their particular type of gospel saves souls.

They lack, at their core, 1) an understanding of covenants, 2) an understanding of Sinai. What they have is spades is a superiority complex: thinking that they, alone, are favored by God.

ok, then define the covenant as written in the bible, what is it? can you quote the bible and clear this up? do not give me a definition of covenant I know what it is but rather what it contains since it is a binding agreement between 2 parties, what are we agreeing on?

Lets see how knowledgeable you are. cant wait

 

[Me_Clay]

You say you just started to study this so I will define the covenant as God defined it in scripture, below are the clearest Old Testament verses where God Himself says that His covenant is the Ten Commandments. All verses are from the NKJV.

Exodus 34:28
“So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”
Deuteronomy 4:13
“So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.”
Deuteronomy 9:9
“When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with you…”
Deuteronomy 9:11
“At the end of forty days and forty nights the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.”
Deuteronomy 9:15
“So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire; and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.”

the covenant are the Ten Commandments, the Holy spirit given to believers places these commandments in mans hearts as the prophet Jeremiah, prophesied;


The New Covenant
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

This new covenant was brought by Jesus Himself. It is one of the main reasons He came into the world, so that our hearts could be made new and so that we could receive the Holy Spirit who teaches us, strengthens us, and helps us grow in faith and in understanding.

Jesus said during the Last Supper that His own blood was the sign of this new covenant when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Long before this, God had promised through the prophets that a time would come when His law would no longer be only on stone, but written inside the heart, for He said, “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33).
Jesus showed how this promise is fulfilled by giving the Holy Spirit to those who follow Him, because He said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26). He also said that the Spirit will guide us into all truth, for “when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Through this new covenant Jesus changes us from the inside, teaching us, correcting us, and helping us walk in a way that pleases God.

this also means to ask God for help understanding the bible before you do read.

BLessings

I did studied this "new covenant" not in depth though. When I refer to Jeremiah from your post, I found my notes and recollected it. So yay...

 

[mailmandan]

There is really no productive way to discuss this issue with 10 Commandment adherents: they believe they are better than the rest and that their particular type of gospel saves souls.

They lack, at their core, 1) an understanding of covenants, 2) an understanding of Sinai. What they have is spades is a superiority complex: thinking that they, alone, are favored by God.

I was once in a discussion with a previous member of Christian Chat who happened to be SDA and when I pointed out to him that his false gospel culminates in "salvation by grace plus law, faith plus works," he tried to deny it but his statement below in blue says it all.

The counterfeit Gospel is out there. What is the other Gospel? It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's Law (10 commandments) from the Cross. It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's 10 commandments from the plan of salvation. God’s Law has always been part of the true Gospel of Christ. The counterfeit Gospel does not have it. God's forever Law (the 10 commandments) is the foundation of both the Old and the New Covenant and the very foundation and basis of the true Gospel of Christ.

 

[pinebeach]

Gen. 3
14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

This was directed at the serpent and not the 2 humans who had fallen from God's grace. So a person will ask 'now who is this being introduced as the divider between the 'serpent's' offspring and those of the humans.

We see clearly that the enmity will be against a person. Not laws or covenants per se, but a person. A person shall be the line drawn between those who are with him and those who are of the serpent. (The dragon of Revelation)

God, who knows the beginning from the end and all the good stuff inbetween, was directly confronting the serpent with the fatal mistake made in seducing God's female creation, in the belief that what God declared 'good', was now bad. God had a plan that was to be fulfilled in sending His only Son to rectify the broken relationship between God and His human creation. That person God speaks of to the serpent, the form satan took to do his dirty work, in the garden, was that Son.

If there had never been any covenant between God and Israel, it would always have been enough to take Jesus as the Savior of all mankind, including Israel. However, a covenant was made with Israel and commandments were given, laws were given and sacrifices were to be made.

Progressing through scripture we eventually come to see that the final sacrifice is Jesus, the One promised in the garden right after the fall from God's grace. It is Jesus, was always Jesus and will always be Jesus, the final answer to sin and salvation and the ONLY name that holds forgiveness for our sin(s) and the ONLY way to God.

 

[pinebeach]

Jesus Himself made it clear that not one commandment will pass away until all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–19)

He certainly did say that in reference to His death and resurrection to be fulfilled in accordance with prophecy and the fact that He was Himself, the total and absolute fulfillment of the Decalogue as the sinless and perfect One that God had promised. God, knowing no human being could possibly meet the impossible demands of the law that He gave ( which Jesus also summed up in two commands from God) had provided the answer to the dilemma of fallen mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, Himself. God made the rules, God cursed the earth and all mankind and then delivered both through His own answer to the impossible problem. The earth continues under the burden of sin (For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Rom. 8:22) but we are provided with a new life in Jesus, free from our sin and free of the impossible ability to keep a law that would result in perfection if it were possible to be kept by humankind.

The law is still in effect for all who are without the New Covenant and sadly it would seem, for all those who attempt to secure salvation through the keeping of it.

 

[Aaron56]

I was once in a discussion with a previous member of Christian Chat who happened to be SDA and when I pointed out to him that his false gospel culminates in "salvation by grace plus law, faith plus works," he tried to deny it but his statement below in blue says it all.

The counterfeit Gospel is out there. What is the other Gospel? It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's Law (10 commandments) from the Cross. It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's 10 commandments from the plan of salvation. God’s Law has always been part of the true Gospel of Christ. The counterfeit Gospel does not have it. God's forever Law (the 10 commandments) is the foundation of both the Old and the New Covenant and the very foundation and basis of the true Gospel of Christ.

Yes. When pressed they will eventually admit they believe they are God's favorites. They'll even present their "proof texts". Worse then that, they will bring into question the salvation of all who don't think like themselves. It's a nasty cult.

 

[vassal]

I was once in a discussion with a previous member of Christian Chat who happened to be SDA and when I pointed out to him that his false gospel culminates in "salvation by grace plus law, faith plus works," he tried to deny it but his statement below in blue says it all.

The counterfeit Gospel is out there. What is the other Gospel? It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's Law (10 commandments) from the Cross. It is a Gospel that tries to separate God's 10 commandments from the plan of salvation. God’s Law has always been part of the true Gospel of Christ. The counterfeit Gospel does not have it. God's forever Law (the 10 commandments) is the foundation of both the Old and the New Covenant and the very foundation and basis of the true Gospel of Christ.

I am not SDA and not part or any denomination I adhere to the words of Christ and his teachings, can you find anything wrong with this? what label will you categorize me now? a legalist? a judaizer? so be it.

You say I follow a counterfeit gospel, but what you describe is not what I believe at all. You claim that I try to separate God’s law from the cross, but that is the opposite of what I say. I have always said what Jesus said. Jesus teaches love, obedience, faith, and repentance together. I do not preach “law without the cross,” and I do not preach “cross without obedience.” I preach exactly what Christ preached.

Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Jesus says, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).
Jesus says, “Whoever hears My sayings and does them is the wise man” (Matthew 7:24).
John says, “His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

These words join the cross, the new heart, and obedience together. I do not separate them. I repeat what the Lord Himself said.

So your accusation is false. I do not follow the gospel you describe. I follow Christ, His teachings, and His way. If Jesus ties love, faith, and obedience together, then no one has the right to call that a counterfeit gospel. That is the gospel of the King Himself.

 

[vassal]

Yes. When pressed they will eventually admit they believe they are God's favorites. They'll even present their "proof texts". Worse then that, they will bring into question the salvation of all who don't think like themselves. It's a nasty cult.

hey Araon56, still waiting for you to tell me what is the new and old covenant are and what they contain, no answer yet did you forget? I did not. please add verses to make your point.