Question
I am confused here. Are you saying that the TEN COMMANDMENTS are for the Jews, only?? I am relatively new to this, but I was under the assumption that the Ten Commandments are God’s laws for all the people… I can find nowhere in the Bible any directive that says Christians will worship and keep holy the first day of the week, which is Sunday.. I consider this a very important point, and would like some guidance. Any thing you can do to help clear this up for me will be much appreciated.
Answer
The Ten Commandments are given in Exodus 20. If you read the previous 19 chapters you will see that they chronicle the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian bondage by Moses as promised by God. God guides them to Mt. Sinai, where Moses receives the Law, and God writes these commandments on tablets of stone. So, the Ten Commandments were for the Jews only. However, man has always been under law. God marked Cain for killing Abel (Gen. 4:15). God destroyed all but Noah and family because man was wicked (Gen. 6:5). God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their gross immorality. These examples were before the Ten Commandments were given.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law, including the Ten Commandments, with his death on the cross. Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 So that the law is become our tutor (to bring us) unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.
Mat 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.
Col 2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. 7 For if that first (covenant) had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
Even though we are not under the Law of Moses, we are still under law. Jesus said, Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Please read all of Matthew 5 for more of Jesus’ Law. Most of the Ten Commandments are redefined by Jesus in His Law. We are under a new covenant, not the one God made with the Jews at Mt. Sinai.
Concerning the day that Christians meet to worship God and remember the sacrifice of Jesus, look at the following.
Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.
If you read the context of the passage, it should be apparent that these Christians met on the first day of week, Sunday, to take the Lord’s Supper. The following verses show that Paul also preached to them then.
What do you think?
By Larry Snell
