One of the most well-known passages of the Old Testament is the 10 Commandments. Many of us learned about the 10 Commandments in Sunday school, but can you think of a time recently when you heard a sermon or received instruction on the 10 Commandments? It makes one wonder if the 10 Commandments really matter very much anymore. Are they relevant in our daily Christian life, or did Jesus, his words, and his teachings push aside the 10 Commandments and make them less significant?
In order to properly understand the 10 Commandments, it is important to be aware of their nature and purpose. While part of God's law, they are often viewed by people as a type of law of the land that exists to restrict freedoms and choices. But that is not the purpose of the 10 Commandments. They were intended to be instructions given by God to his children, just as any good parent would give instruction to their child.
And Jesus' teaching did not diminish the 10 Commandments. Instead, his instructions in the New Testament are simply an expansion of the 10 Commandments. He did not teach something better or different, he simply expanded on them while upholding them as God's law.
Another reason the 10 Commandments are important is because they are God's blueprint for how human life should be lived. They reveal insight into God's character and shows what He loves and hates. They also serve as a guide to help believers honor and glorify Him.
Obedience to the 10 Commandments is not a secondary concern for believers. Instead, it is a way of responding in action to the love God has poured out on his children. The 10 Commandments leads believers to lives of holiness and joyful obedience that enables them to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
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