What Paul taught about the Ten Commandments

What Paul Taught about the Ten Commandments

Have you ever heard someone say that Paul teaches we are released from obedience to the Ten Commandments? Despite there being no grounds for such a belief, it is a rather popular claim. So, what do we do? How do we know it's wrong? Let's examine it closely. It doesn't take long at all when studying Paul's writings to see he actually taught us to keep the 10 commandments, not to disregard them.

Let's start in Romans chapter 3:31. And here, Paul is really beginning his righteousness by faith study that he really dives deep into in Romans four and five. Beautiful chapters, by the way. Romans four is one of my favorites.

Romans 3:31 (KJV) Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

But notice what he says here in the middle of this discussion. He doesn't say, hey, guys. It's righteousness by faith. Now we don't have to keep the law anymore. 

Folks, it has always been righteousness by faith.

In fact, if you study Paul's writings, he quotes from the Old Testament when teaching righteousness by faith. It's always been grace. But even still, Paul says, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, We establish the law. He continues this same line of thought in Romans 6:1-2. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? 

Romans 6:1-2 (KJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We'll get to what Paul defines a sin here in a minute. And here in Romans  6:11, Paul says, likewise, reckon you yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. Now according to Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10, the dead know absolutely nothing. No feeling, no thoughts, no nothing.

Romans 6:11 (KJV) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 (KJV) For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun...Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

So if a dead person can't do anything, and Paul says reckon yourselves dead to sin, how should we react to sin and temptation? And if we go over to first John chapter 3:4, the Bible says for sin is the transgression of the law. Now this is not about belief and love alone as people like to claim. It's about the 10 commandments. And you may say, well, that's John, not Paul. 

Well, this is Paul right here, in Romans 7:7. Notice is what he defines as sin. 

Romans 7:7 (KJV) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

He's not saying "I would not have known sin except first John had said thou shall believe in Jesus." 

He didn't say, "I would not have known what sin was except first John had said, you should love Jesus."

Now we should believe in Jesus. We should love Jesus. But Paul here is referring to the 10 commandments. Notice what he's referencing in Romans 7:7. 

Now here in Colossians 3:5, he does a very similar thing and classes covetousness as being idolatry.

Colossians 3:5 (KJV) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Now covetousness is forbidden by commandment number 10. Idolatry is forbidden by commandments one and two. And notice how when he says mortify your members, he also mentions the sin forbidden by the seventh commandment as well as other sins forbidden by the seventh commandment. He doesn't say mortify your members' unbelief. Although, yes, we should mortify unbelief in our hearts.

He says mortify these sins and then list sins that are violations of the 10 commandments. Now if the 10 commandments were done away with, if Paul really taught to disobey the 10 commandments or that we don't have to obey anymore, wouldn't this be a moot point? 

If Paul was really teaching the 10 commandments no longer matter, then what was the point of Colossians 3:5 and Romans 7:7? I mean, he would have had absolutely no reason to write those. The fact is, Paul was teaching that the 10 commandments still matter and those who love Jesus will be obedient.

It's not about earning salvation or anything. It's about, do you love Jesus? But let's continue. Now notice what Paul says below:

Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Now again, Paul spent several chapters in Romans explaining righteousness by faith and still said what he's saying here, just because it's righteousness by faith doesn't mean obedience is no longer necessary or required.

Notice what he says grace leads us to: "for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which god have before ordained that we should walk in them."

Now this isn't saying that we're saved by grace, but we might as well obey just to make sure. This isn't saying that obedience earns us anything. This is simply saying what the Bible already says.

Grace leads us to obedient. Why? Because we realize we have been saved by grace. We realize what Jesus has done on the cross for us, and we love him enough we want to make him happy. And to do that means obedience.

I love my wife. I want to make her happy. So I'm not going to go back to the sin of looking up websites that I have no business being on. Paul says the same thing here in Titus: 

Titus 2:11-13 (KJV) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Now, notice what is says. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness, unrighteousness. Now what is God's standard of righteousness? Notice what Psalms says:

Psalms 19:7-11 (KJV) The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Psalms 119:137-144 (KJV) Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful. My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

What is ungodliness? As we've seen in Romans 7, and Colossians 3, Paul defines that as disobedience to the 10 commandments.

Now Paul does bring in the love connection as we have been saying. It's about love. Do you love Jesus? If you do, your life is going to look like this. Love works no ill to his neighbor. Notice in Romans 13:

Romans 13:8-10 (KJV) Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. And you may be saying, see, he says love. He's not saying the 10 commandments. Well, hold on there, boss man. Because if we look at the immediate context, Paul bookends verse nine with two scriptures detailing how not breaking the Ten Commandments is a fulfillment of love, therefore fulfilling the Ten Commandments. It's a hand in glove situation, where the hand and glove cannot be separated. 

And I know there may be some here who are gonna say, well, Paul didn't list the first four commandments, so things like the Sabbath don't matter. But hold on here.

What Paul is actually doing here is he's borrowing the same exact tactic that Jesus used in his conversation with a rich young ruler because Jesus did the same thing. He says obey the commandments. The young man says which. And Jesus says commandments number five through 10, but doesn't list the first four. That doesn't mean that the first four no longer matter.

As a Christian, are you gonna build an idol that you say represents Jesus and worship that instead? Are you going to start cussing up a storm because you believe the third commandment no longer matters?

See, what Jesus did in Matthew 19 and Paul did there in Romans 13 is referencing this truth: 

1 John 4:20 (KJV) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

You see, if you don't love your neighbor, you don't love Jesus. For example, if you don't love your neighbor enough to stay away from inappropriate relationships with his wife, you don't love him or Jesus. 

Your love for God is proved as much by the commandment, love your neighbor, as by obedience to the commandment, love God. And I know somebody's going to bring this one up, so let's just cover it. A lot of people quote Romans six fourteen to say, you are not under the law, but under grace.

But what does that mean? We've already seen that grace leads us to be obedient. If you have accepted Jesus, you are not under the condemnation of the law. 

See, the complete Jewish bible actually translates this scripture the best. Paul says:

Romans 6:14 (CJB) for sin will not have authority over you because you are not under legalism, but under grace.

See, if you claim the law no longer matters and you use that to justify your disobedience, if you refuse obedience to the 10 commandments, you are under the law. You are under the condemnation of the law. Just like if you speed down the highway, you are going to be under the condemnation of the law when that police officer spots you and nails you with a ticket. I mean, be honest with me. If that police officer were to pull you over for speeding, would you say, well, officer, I'm under grace, I'm not under the law.

I'm under grace. You see how foolish that sounds now? The simple fact of the matter is that Jesus himself said it in John 14 verses 15 to 23. If we love him, we will obey him. If we don't obey him, we don't love him.

John 14:15-24 (KJV) If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Those are Jesus' words, by the way, not mine. In fact, Revelation 22:14, only those who are obedient to the 10 commandments, of course, because they love Jesus, not because they're trying to earn anything, only those will be going to heaven. Revelation 14:12 also lists obedience to the 10 commandments as one of the identifying marks of who God's end time people are. So again, if you refuse obedience to the 10 commandments when you know this truth, you're not one of God's people. 

One of the biggest problems with modern Christianity is that they love the sin they profess to hate, and they hate the savior they profess to love. Instead of being that way, let us love Jesus truly, with all our heart.