The Enduring Relevance of the Ten Commandments for Followers of Christ

Let’s be honest – if you had a dollar for every time someone said “we’re not under the law anymore,” you’d probably be able to afford that dream house in Jerusalem. But here’s a wild thought: what if following the Ten Commandments isn’t just some outdated ritual, like using a flip phone or wearing cargo shorts?

Introduction

Picture this: Your boss hands you an employee handbook on your first day. Would you throw it in the trash and say, “Nah, I’m good – I’m under the company’s grace now”? Probably not, unless you’re particularly excited about unemployment. Yet somehow, that’s exactly the logic many use when it comes to God’s top ten list of “please don’t do this” items.

Jesus Affirmed the Commandments

You know how some people say, “Jesus came to abolish the law”? Well, that’s about as accurate as saying pizza was invented in Wisconsin. Jesus literally said:

“Don’t suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.” (Matthew 5:17-18 CEV)

I mean, how much clearer could He be? Should He have used emojis?

When a rich young ruler came asking about eternal life, Jesus didn’t say, “Oh, those old rules? Nah, we’re doing something new now.” Instead, He pointed straight to the commandments:

“The man asked, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother. Love others as much as you love yourself.'” (Matthew 19:18-19 CEV)

The New Covenant Transforms But Doesn’t Eliminate

“But wait!” you say, “What about the New Covenant?” Excellent question, hypothetical reader! The New Covenant is like getting a heart transplant. God promised:

“The Lord said: The time is coming when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah. It will be different from the agreement I made with their ancestors… This is the agreement I will make with Israel: I will write my laws on their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33 CEV)

It’s an upgrade, not a deletion. Would you delete your navigation app just because you’ve memorized the route?

Love and Law Are Inseparable

Here’s a radical thought: what if loving God and keeping His commandments go together like peanut butter and jelly? The Bible puts it this way:

“We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.” (1 John 5:3 CEV)

And Jesus Himself said:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 CEV)

It’s like telling your spouse you love them while consistently doing everything they ask you not to do. How’s that working out for everyone?

Common Objections and Biblical Responses

“We are under grace, not law”

Ah yes, the classic “grace card.” Paul’s response is basically, “Are you serious right now?”

“Does this mean that we should keep on sinning, so that God’s wonderful kindness will show up even better? No, it doesn’t!” (Romans 6:1-2 CEV)

“The Old Testament laws don’t apply to Christians”

Right, and gravity didn’t apply before Newton wrote about it. Jesus said:

“So if you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom.” (Matthew 5:19 CEV)

“Jesus gave us only two commandments”

And your smartphone only has a power button and volume controls – but there’s slightly more to it than that. When Jesus summarized the law, He said:

“Everything in the Law and the Prophets hangs on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40 CEV)

The Ten Commandments are like the detailed user manual for those two great commands.

Practical Application

Let’s get real: The Ten Commandments are like guardrails on a mountain road. Sure, you could remove them because “real drivers don’t need rails,” but is that really the hill you want to drive off of?

Consider:

• “Don’t steal” still works great in 2025 (shocking, I know)
• “Don’t bear false witness” is especially relevant in our era of “alternative facts”
• “Remember the Sabbath” might actually be more necessary now than ever (Netflix binge doesn’t count)

Conclusion

Here’s the bottom line: Grace isn’t God’s way of saying “whatever floats your boat.” Paul put it perfectly:

“Do we destroy the Law by our faith? Not at all! We make it even more powerful.” (Romans 3:31 CEV)

Think about it: if God loved you enough to send His Son to die for you, maybe, just maybe, He also knows what He’s talking about with these commandments? Just a thought.

Additional Resources

For those who love diving deeper (and who doesn’t love a good theological deep dive?):

• Early Church Fathers’ writings (warning: they agreed with everything we just said)
• Historical perspectives (spoiler: Christians have been keeping the commandments for quite a while)
• Practical applications (because “thou shalt not” actually means something in real life)

Remember Jesus’s words:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 CEV)

He didn’t add “unless you find something more interesting on TikTok.”