What Commandments Do Christians Follow?

2007-2 Proclamation!, Dale Ratzlaff, Doctrine, New Covenant, Proclamation! Magazine Archive, The Law of God, The Sabbath

ASK THE PASTOR WITH DALE RATZLAFF | 

Q: If the Ten Commandments came in with Moses and lasted only until Christ, as you say the new covenant teaches, then what do you say guides a Christian’s conscience and behavior? It seems this argument is a defense for being free from rules and doing whatever you wish to do.  

DALE RATZLAFF

Many letters we receive express a deep fear that by teaching that the reign of law came in with Moses and lasted until Christ,1 new covenant Christians are left without any moral guide. The truth is, however, that New Covenant Christians have a much higher and better—yes, better—moral guide than the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are external. The law of Christ is internal.

First, the Christian receives the Holy Spirit when he believes, and the Spirit guides into all truth and will disclose to us things to come.2 He also gives us power to witness3 and bestows upon us one or more spiritual gifts for the up-building of the church in “one-another” ministry.4 The Spirit also seals us and gives us the guarantee of our inheritance.5 He testifies that we are children of God.6 The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.7 It is clear that the function of the Holy Spirit in the new covenant replaces the function of law in the old.8

Second, we have the law of Christ.9 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”10 Love, we are repeatedly told, is the fulfillment of the law.11

Third, not only do we have the fruit of the Spirit but the New Testament lists the deeds of the flesh that the Christian is to avoid. Note that these are “evident” to the Spirit-filled Christian and move from externals to issues of the heart.

All the moral principles—in contrast to laws—are present in the New Testament. But the motive factor is what makes the difference.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”12 

All the moral principles—in contrast to laws—are present in the New Testament. But the motive factor is what makes the difference. We do not obey to be right with God. Rather, we obey because we have been saved by grace through faith and we have a regenerated spirit living within. It is this internal witness of the Spirit that develops the various fruits of love. Christ lives out His life in ours. Thus the law of Christ is fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit.13

New covenant Christians do have a moral compass. They have the Holy Spirit, they have the law of Christ, and they have the instruction of the Epistles. These reach far past outward actions to matters of the heart. Yes, the new covenant Christian has fellowship with the indwelling Christ!14

Q: What is the difference between legalism and sanctified obedience?

A: This is an excellent question and deserves a more complete answer than space provides in this issue. I will, however, make a few comments and hopefully in some later issue provide more of an in-depth answer. Both legalism and sanctified obedience deal with two main issues: behavior and motive.

I believe legalism is any behavior that is done to earn or to keep salvation. In contrast, the New Testament makes it clear that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in the work and person of Christ.15 Anything that is added to this as a requirement of salvation would be legalism. If we do any act—even that which is commanded in clear New Testament teachings—with the motive of making ourselves more acceptable to God it would be legalism.

Sanctified obedience is not obedience that makes us right with God. Rather it is the outworking of the principles of the law of love16 that the Holy Spirit writes on the heart of a Christian. This would include all New Testament admonitions and all the moral principles behind Old Testament laws. However, we are not to apply the letter of Old Testament law but the moral principle behind the law.17 

Endnotes

  1.   Rom. 5:13, 14; Gal. 3:17, 19, 23-25. 
  2. Jn. 16:13.
  3. Acts 1:8, Eph. 3:16.
  4. 1 Cor. 12.
  5. Eph. 1:13.
  6. Rom. 8:16.
  7. Gal. 5:22-23
  8. 2 Cor. 3:2-18.
  9. 1 Cor. 9:20-21
  10. Jn. 13:34; Mk. 12:31; Jn. 15:12; Rom. 13:9; 1 Jn. 3:23; 4:21; 2 Jn. 1:5.
  11. Rom. 13:8, 10; Gal. 5:14; Jam. 2:8.
  12. Gal. 5:19-21. See also Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8.
  13. Rom. 8:1-5
  14. John 17:20-22
  15. Eph. 2:8,9; Tit. 3:5; Jn. 6:47; Rom. 3:21-28.
  16. Mt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:9, 10; Jn. 13:34, 35; 15:12,17; 1 Jn. 3:11, 4:7,10; Gal 5:14, Jam. 2:8.
  17. Rom. 7:6; Rom. 2:27, 29; 2 Cor. 3:2.
Dale Ratzlaff
Latest posts by Dale Ratzlaff (see all)

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.