God’s law is very concise, yet all-encompassing. The Ten Commandments as found in Exodus 20 contain about 320 words, depending on the translation, whereas a law of the European Community dealing with the import of caramel products contains 26,911 words. The problem today is with people’s attitude toward the law. There are two extremes: rejection of the law or seeking salvation through keeping the law. Neither do justice to Scripture.

Different Laws

If studied carefully, biblical statements about the law, such as those that describe the law as being abolished or those confirming the validity of the law, are not contradictory. The term “law” is used in various ways, even by the same author and within the same document. The immediate context determines which law is dealt with. Notice how Paul uses the term:

Even Moses distinguishes the uniqueness of the moral law of Ten Commandments from other laws, such as those for Israel as a nation, the ceremonial laws pointing to the life and work of the Messiah that found their fulfillment in Jesus, and various other laws. Although all of these laws ultimately came from God, they differ in scope and duration (see appendix on p. 13).

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

The New Testament upholds the continuing validity of the Decalogue.

Paul makes several indirect statements, all of which presuppose a law which is still valid: bringing about “the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles” (Rom 1:5; 15:18; 16:26); obedience toward God (e.g. Rom 6:16); the existence of sin (Rom 3:20; 7:7); and the necessity of exhorting believers to live a moral life (e.g. Rom 12:17, 19, 21; 13). Besides these, Paul also makes more direct statements maintaining that the Ten Commandments remain valid:

Importance and Functions of the Law

The Ten Commandments must have existed prior to Sinai. Cain would not have been guilty of murder without a law prohibiting the killing of another. Abraham knew God’s law (Gen 26:5), as did Israel before God gave the tables of stone to Moses (Exod 16).

Christianity defends the validity of the moral law as prohibiting idolatry, murder, lying, adultery, etc. On the other hand, many Christians reject the fourth commandment and although keeping the other nine, when pressed, declare that the Ten Commandments or, at least, certain so-called “ceremonial” aspects of them, have been abolished. The major problem is the rejection of the fourth commandment, which leads to the rejection of the others. Some people regard the law as too inconvenient and idealistic. While some reject God’s law outright, others attempt to be saved by keeping the law and thus go to the opposite extreme of overemphasizing its importance. However, Jesus had to die because the law could not be abolished (Matt 5:17; Phil 2:8).

The law has several distinct functions:

1. The nature of God’s law is love. Like the lights on airport runways which allow the pilots to touch down safely, it wants to guide us on the right and good path. It is “the law of liberty” (Jas 2:12), and we keep it because we love God.

2. The law shows us our sinfulness and condemns us. Even this function has a positive effect, because we realize our need of salvation and that we need the help of Someone else.

3. The law leads us to Jesus who saves us. As Peter Elderveld has said, “Mount Calvary is only for those who have been to Mount Sinai.”¹

4. Jesus leads us to obey the law. Whoever has been led to Jesus by the law will, by Jesus, also be led to obedience to the law. Such people will express their gratitude for salvation by keeping God’s commandments (Ps 119:70; Jer 31:33; Heb 10:16-17). According to Matthew Simpson, “the law without Gospel is dark and hopeless; the Gospel without the law is inefficient and powerless.” And, as John Mackay pointed out: “Apart from the Law, the Gospel cannot be understood or be more than mere sentimentalism. Apart from the Gospel the Law cannot escape becoming pure moralism.”

Conclusion

Law and Gospel belong together. We need both. The problem is not God’s law; rather, oftentimes, it is the attitude of rebellious human beings towards the law.

Appendix

Even the Reformers acknowledged that there are different laws and that some are still valid. For example, the distinction was already known to Melanchthon, colleague of Martin Luther, and is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith.