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A Question about the Law
A question about the law, prompted by my article on the 10 Commandments in a recent Newsletter.
Paraphrased, "Do you think the law consists of the 10 Commandments only, or are the statutes, ordinances
and judgments also part of the law?"
Matthew 22:35-40, in part: Then one of them, a lawyer, asked, testing him, saying, "Master, which is the
great commandment in the law?" Yahshua said unto him, 'You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like
unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two command-ments hang all the law and the prophets.
"Now consider where these two are found in the Old Covenant: You shall love Yahweh, Deut. 6:5; you shall
love your neighbor, Lev. 19:18. Notice neither of these two verses is within the "traditional" 10 commandments
found in Exo. 20 and Deut. 5, and the one in Lev. 19:18 is found among other command-ments."
Deut. 6:6-7, "And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart, and you shall diligently
teach them unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way,
and when you lie down, and when you rise up."
"It continues on from there as to how important Yah's Word is and what all the "word" comprises,
chapters 6 to 31."
"There are three scriptures in the New Covenant I use when trying to discuss with Christian folk why the Old
Testament is still important to read. One of them is a scripture you used in your article, Matthew 5:17-19 (till
heaven and earth pass, one Yod nor one Tittle shall in no way pass from the Law till all be fulfilled.
Luke 16:19-31, the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Vs. 29, Abraham said unto him, "they have Moses and
the prophets, let them hear them."
John 5:39-47, Yahshua said, "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are
they that testify of me."
Keep in mind the New Testament Scriptures were not written when Yahshua spoke these words, so all they had for
teaching was the Old Testament. And so the scripture in Mat. 5:17 comes to support the current existence of the
Law, as the words, "destroy" and "fulfill" do not mean to do away with as you pointed out in
your study, but, "I came not to misinterpret, but to rightly interpret and restore."
Verse 46: "For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if you believe
not his writings, how shall you believe my words?" "Moses' writings were much more than just the 10
Commandments."
John 1:17, For the law was given by Moses, favor (grace) and truth came by Yahshua.
"I try to use the evangels (Yahshua's own words), instead of the Apostolic letters as much as possible, since
they (especially Paul's) can be and are used to "prove" both sides."
My answer: Thanks for writing and sharing your study. Here are some comments I have on your questions and comments.
The "two great Commandments" encompass all 10 of the "Ten Commandments." The "greatest"
of the two, "You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, mind, and soul," is explained by
the first four of the ten. They tell us how to love Him.
1) We have no "gods" before Him (in place of, beside, etc.).
2) We don't make idols, or bow down to worship them.
3) We honor His Name, not refusing to use it, thereby bringing it to nothing (in vain), or using pagan titles and
names of local deities in its stead, or mis-using it (claiming to be an obedient follower when we are not doing
what He commanded).
4) We worship Him on the day He has selected and made holy, NOT a day of our own choosing. We also refrain from
working or doing our own activities on this day, as it is a special day to be devoted to Him, exclusively.
The second Commandment like unto it, "Love your neighbor as yourself," tells us how to love and get along
with our neighbors, and is explained in the last six of the Ten Commandments.
5) We love and honor our parents by respecting them as those who brought us into the world, by caring for them
when they are old, by not committing acts that would bring shame upon our parents' (and thus our own) good name.
6) We love our neighbor by not murdering him, either physically or spiritually. Anger toward and hatred of someone
is called spiritual murder by Yahshua in Matthew 5:22.
7) We also love our neighbor by not seducing his wife or daughters. This also shows love for our mate. Adultery
and fornication spreads confusion, and is a sin against our own bodies, as well as against the adulterous partner,
and, most important, against Yahweh Himself. We are His, bought with a high price.
8) We love our neighbors by not stealing from them. In an ideal society, where everyone obeyed the 10 Commandments,
locksmiths would have to find a new line of work, and keys would be unknown.
9) We love our neighbors by not going to court and swearing falsely that they did some evil thing, or by not spreading
slanderous tales about them to others.
10) We do not covet and lust after our neighbors' goods, his or her mate, their children, or anything that is
our neighbor's.
So we see that these 10 Commandments are an expansion of the 2 Great Commandments that Yahshua spoke of. And the
rest of the law; the Statutes, Judgments, and Ordinances, are just further expansions of the 10 Commandments.
They contain religious rules for worshipping Yahweh in an acceptable manner; civil laws for dealing with our fellow
citizens; moral laws that define sin Vs righteousness.
The moral laws are immutable, and not subject to change. They have been in full force and effect since before
creation. They are the code that Yahweh Himself lives by. He expects His children to abide by them, too. He
will not save anyone who is unwilling to obey Him.
The civil laws were given to a particular people at a particular time, and for a particular purpose. Many of them
are still valid today, but changing circumstances have of necessity made a change in the application of some of
these laws.
For instance, the admonition to execute sinners for certain offenses by stoning, is not to be done today. The
"civil government" that has taken Yahweh's place ever since the time of Samuel (when the Israelites demanded
a king so they could be like the nations around them), has this responsibility now. The fact that they are not
diligent to perform this duty, is why we have the high crime rate nation-wide, where children are our oppressors.
This is also so because parents have abrogated their responsibility to teach and train their children in the moral
law.
The religious laws have also changed. Yahshua's blood sacrifice and subsequent death has made animal sacrifices
unnecessary. Since the destruction of the Temple and dissolution of the Levitical Priesthood, no rituals can be
performed, or sacrifices made. And this is as it should be. He made the supreme sacrifice, "once for all,"
Heb. 10:10.
We do not look to an earthly "high priest," as the Israelites did, but we have Yahshua as our High Priest,
eternal in the heavens, to intercede for us.
We have direct access to the Father, and do not have to go through an intermediary, as did the Israelites. We
have His Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts and minds to help us do what no one can do without it: Keep the Law
with the Spiritual intent necessary for salvation. He imparts His righteousness to us, and has written His law
in our hearts (Jer. 31:31-33 and Heb. 8:8-10).
And not only that, but we must obey in order to have access to that Spirit. (Acts 5:32) And we are his witnesses
of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom Yah hath given to them that obey him.
Without that Spirit dwelling within us, we are none of His. (Rom 8:8-10) So then they that are in the flesh
cannot please Yah. {9} But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Yah dwell in
you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of the Messiah, he is none of his. {10} And if the Messiah be in you, the
body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
The idea extant today among religionists that Yahweh's immutable, eternal moral law has somehow been disabled,
done away, repudiated as "bad," or otherwise tampered with to negate it, is ridiculous at best, and fatal
at worst, unless repented of.
Generally, those who teach that the law is "done away," claim that the 10 Commandments were "nailed
to the cross." And then, nine of the ten were brought back, they say, leaving out that old "legalistic"
4th Commandment, about the 7th day Sabbath.
Hardly anyone advocates mistreating their elderly parents, committing murder, adultery (for others, although it
seems some excuse themselves), stealing, lying and coveting. They just don't seem to want a law telling them what
they can and can't do - especially a law from the Almighty.
Truth is, it was the Catholic Church, not Yahshua, who changed the day of worship from the 7th day of the week
to the first, or Sunday. They say so themselves. In a booklet called, "Rome's Challenge, Why Do Protestants
Keep Sunday?" is reproduced a series of four editorials that appeared in the Catholic Mirror of September
2, 9, 16, and 23, 1893. The Catholic Mirror is the official voice of the papacy in America, and these articles
are a challenge to Protestants of America to explain why they keep Sunday, and also, how they keep it, since the
Bible nowhere commands it. They say Protestants are following the doctrines of their (the Roman Catholic) church,
and claiming falsely that it is commanded in the New Testament.
If you would like a copy of this booklet, write and ask for it. I have several copies, and will be glad to mail
you one. It is only 30 pages long, and can be read in just a few minutes.
The subject of just what laws from the Old Testament are in effect today, and which ones are not, is one sparked
by controversy, even among those who call themselves "True Believers." And I certainly don't claim to
have all the answers. But one thing is certain. The 10 Commandments and the rest of the moral law are eternal,
and will never pass away. They are part and parcel with Yahweh's very nature and character. He would have to
change in order for His law to change. But He says, "I am Yahweh. I change NOT." Malachi 3:6. We can
be thankful for that! HalleluYAH! ~FB
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