John did not say the 10 commandments (with all it's rules and regulations) under the old testament law.
5.
What are the "Commandments of God"? The whole teaching of Adventists regarding the Mark of the Beast centers on Revelation 14:12 which says that those who have the "commandments of God" do not receive the mark. Adventists claim that this passage is referring to the Ten Commandments, and Sunday-keepers cannot be keeping the Ten Commandments because the fourth commandment instructs worship on Saturday.
The best way to interpret the meaning of John's writings is to compare them with the other writings of John. The Greek word for "commandments" in Rev. 14:12 is
entole which means "an order, command, charge, precept, injunction."20 The same word is used repeatedly in the writings of John to refer to the instructions of Christ. John uses an entirely different Greek word in his writings when he refers to the Ten Commandments:
nomas. For example:
Did not Moses give you the law {
nomos}, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law {
nomos}? Why go ye about to kill me? (John 7:19; Jesus is referring to the 6th commandment "Thou shalt not kill"--Ex. 20:13) According to John, the number one commandment {
entolae} of Jesus to the Apostles was not Sabbath-worship, but for them to love one another:
A new commandment {
entolae} I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34) This is my commandment {
entolae}, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (John 15:12) Notice how John refers to the "commandments" of God in his letter:
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments {
entolas}. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments {
entolas}; and His commandments {
entolae} are not burdensome. (1 John 5:2-3) Earlier in the same letter John tells us exactly what the "commandments" of God are:
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His [God's] commandments {
entolas} and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. This is His [God's] commandment {
entolae}, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He [God] commanded {
entolaen} us. The one who keeps His [God's] commandments {
entolas} abides in Him,... (1 John 3:21-24) From this we can see that in John's writings the "commandments" of God are:
- To believe in Jesus Christ
- To love one another - https://www.nonsda.org/study8.shtml
So Jesus failed as fulfilling the law, believers are under the old testament law and salvation is based on the merits of perfectly obeying the 10 commandments from the old testament law? Typical SDA propaganda.
This statement from Jesus would come as a shock to the multitude of Israelites who had great admiration of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, for their knowledge of the law and seeming righteousness and holiness in external observance of the law, yet Jesus points out their righteousness was defective.
Paul explains in Romans 9:30-32 that even the Gentiles "who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why?
Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone."
Paul makes it clear in Romans 10:3-4, "For they (Israel) being
ignorant of God's righteousness, and
seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who BELIEVES."
We see in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector an example of those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, yet despised others. (Luke 18:9-14) We also see this today with various modern day Pharisees. The righteousness that exceeds the "righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees" (self righteousness) is the
righteousness of God which is from God by faith.
Philippians 3:9 - and be found in Him,
not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, therighteousness which is from God by faith.
Romans 3:21 - But now the
righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22
even the
righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.
Romans 4:5 - But to him who does not work but
believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom
God imputes righteousness apart from works.
Of course Jesus did and He was
without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and was born
under the law. (Galatians 4:4) The sabbath is one of the 10 commandments under the law. We are not Israelites under old testament law.
More SDA propaganda.
Since the old covenant has been made obsolete, does this leave us with no moral direction? Absolutely not. God made obsolete the old covenant to legally put into place the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6-9; Hebrews 8:6-13). The life of discipleship flows out of the new command, to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34), which Paul refers to as the "law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Love fulfills the law (Romans 13:8-10). Out of this single command comes other commands, including references for the moral aspect of 9 of the 10 commandments from the old testament law which are reiterated under the new covenant, yet the command to keep the sabbath day is
not binding on Christians under the new covenant. (Colossians 2:16-17)
Sabbath keeping with all it's rules and regulations, was part of a covenant with Israel (Exodus 16:23, 29; 31:12-18; 35:1-3; Leviticus 19:30; 23:2-3, 32; Deuteronomy 5:15; Numbers 15:32-36; 28:1-10; 29:39-40; I Chronicles. 23:30-31; II Chronicles 31:2-4; Isaiah 1:13; Amos 8:5; Nehemiah 9:13; 10:31) that is not a New Testament command for the Church.
1. You shall have no other gods before Me. - Acts 14:15
2. You shall make no idols. - 1 John 5:21
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. - 1 Timothy 6:1; James 2:7; James 5:12
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy. - Not binding on the Church - Colossians 2:16-17
5. Honor your father and your mother. - Ephesians 6:1-2
6. You shall not murder. - Romans 13:9-10; 1 John 3:15
7. You shall not commit adultery. - Romans 13:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
8. You shall not steal. - Romans 13:9-10; Ephesians 4:28
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. - Romans 13:9-10; Colossians 3:9-10
10. You shall not covet. - Romans 13:9-10; Ephesians 5:3