The word "law" occurs 223 times in the New Testament of the King James Version. The word "ordinances," which
means law occurs seven times.
Because of verses like Colossians 2:14 nearly the entire Christian world believes that the Ten Commandments are no longer
in effect. This verse says, "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;"
Paul says in Romans 3:31, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." A law that
is established is certainly not abolished or nailed to the cross.
So, has the law been established, or has it been nailed to the cross and abolished? Obviously there is more than one type
of law referred to in the New Testament.
God gave four different types of laws to the Israelites in the Old Testament. They were:
1. The Ten Commandments
2. The religious ceremonial laws
3. The health laws
4. The civil laws
One of the major problems with the words "law," "ordinances," and "covenant" in the New Testament is that it is often not
clear which "law" or "covenant" is being discussed. But in each case God has given us a way to know which law or covenant
is meant. Here we get into the problems of interpretation of the Bible.
A contradiction is of necessity a lie. If one thing is true and another disagrees with it, the second can not be true.
It must be a lie. Titus 1:2 tells us that God cannot lie. "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before
the world began;" Hebrews 6:18 also tells us that God cannot lie. "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible
for God to lie. . . ." And finally Numbers 23:19 tells us this also. "God is not a man, that he should lie. . . ."
Since it is impossible for God to lie, and contradictions are lies, there can be no contradictions anywhere in the Bible.
Therefore, the correct way to interpret the Bible is so that there are no contradictions in the entire Bible. When we interpret
the Bible so that there are no contradictions anywhere, we know we have it right. This is the method God has given us whereby
we might know when we have the Bible interpreted correctly.
We read many Bible verses that showed that the Sabbath commandment would be in effect forever, a perpetual covenant. God’s
Sabbath commandment, will never end.
Therefore, when we read something in the New Testament that is interpreted in such a way that claims that the Ten Commandments
are no longer in effect, we know that this interpretation is wrong. For instance, there are places in the New Testament that
talk about our not being under the law. In light of the verses we have read that say that the commandments will stand forever,
this cannot mean that the Ten Commandments have been abolished.
We will see shortly that the Ten Commandment law is God’s constitution for the government of heaven and the entire
universe. We will see that the Ten Commandments have been in effect ever since God was and will be in effect throughout all
eternity, as long as God exists.
Interpreting the Bible so that there are no contradictions anywhere will always show whether the New Testament is referring
to the Ten Commandments or not.
Let us again consider Second Timothy 3:16,17 that tells us that the entire Old Testament is applicable for us today. "All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." When this was written there
was no New Testament. This verse is telling us that all of the Old Testament is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction,
and instruction in righteousness. We cannot disregard any part of the Bible and be safe.
We are told in the clearest of language in Psalms 111:7-9 that all of God’s Ten Commandments will stand fast for
ever and ever. "The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and
ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people: he has commanded his covenant for ever: holy
and reverend is his name."
These verses tell us that God’s Ten Commandment law will stand throughout all eternity. These verses also make it
clear that the covenant that stands forever is the covenant of the Ten Commandments. This is very important, because when
the New Testament speaks of a covenant or a law that was discontinued, it cannot possibly refer to the law or covenant of
the Ten Commandments.
Furthermore, Ecclesiastes 3:14 makes it very clear that God will never change or abolish His Ten Commandments or His Sabbath
day. "I know that, whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God
does it, that men should fear before him." How could God have possibly made it any plainer than the wording in this verse?
At the end of creation week God blessed, sanctified, and made holy Saturday, the seventh day of the week. God never blessed,
sanctified, or made holy any other day of the week, and Ecclesiastes 3:14 makes it clear that God’s seventh-day Sabbath,
Saturday, will remain blessed, sanctified and holy throughout all eternity.
Many people try to twist these clear Bible texts that tell us that the Ten Commandments will stand forever by saying that
these verses are "figurative" language, or these verses are "spiritual," or that "forever" does not really mean forever, or
in some other way try to cloud the meaning. Many so-called Christians today claim that the Ten Commandments were only for
the Jews, but they are quick to say that they are not allowed to lie, murder, commit adultery, or break any other of the Ten
Commandments except the Sabbath commandment!
We saw that Jesus, Himself, tells us to live by every word out of the mouth of God in Matthew 4:4. "But he answered and
said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Directly
out of the mouth of God came the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-17. These are the ONLY verses in the Bible that God, Himself,
wrote. And God, Himself, wrote them to make us realize their importance and to make us realize that they would forever be
in effect. That is why He wrote them on tables of stone — to show their permanence.
Which verses in the Bible would you consider to be more important, the verses God, Himself, wrote or the verses someone
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17,18 that He did not come to destroy the law. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or
the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." We saw in chapter one that the earth will abide forever.
Here again in the clearest words possible Jesus tells us that He did not come to abolish the law but that the law will be
in effect for ever.
Which law is Jesus referring to? The law that will be in force throughout all eternity, the Ten
Commandments. How can Sunday-keepers claim that Jesus abolished the law, when He says plainly in these verses that
He did NOT abolish the law? Jesus fulfilled the law by perfectly obeying every one of the Ten Commandments.
We saw in First John 3:4 that sin is breaking any of the Ten Commandments. "Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law:
for sin is the transgression of the law." When Sunday-keepers throw out the Ten Commandments, they are throwing away the definition
When did God institute His Ten Commandment law? We know that Satan sinned in heaven before the earth was created, so the
Ten Commandments must have been in force then. We also know that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, so the Ten Commandments
must have been in force in the Garden of Eden. We saw in Chapter one that those who are saved will be keeping God’s
Sabbath day, Saturday, holy throughout all eternity. The Ten Commandment law is the constitution of heaven. It is the law
whereby God’s entire universe operates. If it were not, the entire universe would have the problems we have on earth
In fact, one of the main reasons God created the earth was to show to the universe what happens when people continually
break God’s law. First Corinthians 4:9 tells us: "For we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men."
The word "spectacle" is translated from the Greek word theatron, which means "theater." This present earth was created
to be the theater of the universe where God is demonstrating to all the intelligent beings in the universe what happens when
a society disobeys His law, the Ten Commandments. As the final result of the drama taking place on this earth, all of God’s
creation — men, angels, and other forms of intelligent life throughout the vast reaches of space — will thoroughly
understand that without obeying God’s law there can be no peace, for they are witnessing the trouble, misery, pain,
and death that are the natural consequences of disregarding the law of God.
Isaiah 24:4,5 is a prophecy of the trouble that occurs when the people of the earth declare that God’s
law is no longer in effect. "The earth mourns and fades away,
the world languishes .Today, the earth is the stage, the theater of the universe, where the tragic results of disobeying
God’s law are being revealed; but then, throughout all eternity, after God creates the new earth from the ashes of the
old, the Glory of the universe will be centered here. Today God rules from heaven; but after He creates the new earth, He
will make His home and His throne on the new earth. This world will be the center of God’s government and the home of
the righteous throughout eternity. Revelation 21:3 says, "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be
their God." The word "tabernacle" means tent, and it signifies the home of God on the earth with the righteous from all ages.
Yes, this world, where the great Creator God of the universe, Jesus Christ, was brutally murdered by those whom He created,
will be Christ’s throne throughout all eternity. The next verse tells us that there will be no unhappiness or problems
of any kind in this new earth. Everything will be perfect. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
And we have seen in Isaiah 66:22,23 that in God’s new earth, everyone will be keeping Saturday, God’s Sabbath
day, holy throughout all eternity.
God’s Ten Commandments, His constitution of the universe, is enshrined in His temple in heaven. Revelation 11:19
tells us that the Ark of the Covenant is in the Temple of God in Heaven. "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and
there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." The Ark of the Covenant contains the Ten Commandments. The Greek word,
diatheke, which is translated "testament" in this verse is also translated "covenant" seventeen times in the New Testament.
Most of the other English translations of the Bible say "Ark of His Covenant" in this verse.
Do Sunday-keepers believe that God’s Saturday Sabbath commandment has been deleted from the Ten Commandments on the
tables of stone in the temple of God in heaven?
Since the Ten Commandments are still in effect, they must be included in the New Testament. And they are. The following
chart lists each one of the Ten Commandments and gives the texts where it can be found. These are not the only texts that
reiterate the Ten Commandments in the New Testament.