Is it Necessary to Keep Ten Commandments?

By Dennis Edwards: 

Here's a reply I made to a young Christian man searching for answers.

Question from Jonathan,

Brother Dennis, so much that I disagree with in your post, apart from God is our salvation, but I will start off with the first mentioned. Where, in context, does Peter and Paul say pig, shellfish, shark, dog, etc. are clean to eat? When did God change His mind on this? Where is the record of it being shared with Peter or Paul? We must remember that when the word "food" is mentioned, it is actually talking about animals that God said were to be considered food/edible. Anytime "food" is said it is never meaning what the gentiles call food. Look it over and share back. Please, I tend to be a lazy reader, so help me out by keeping it in a few short paragraphs. Thanks brother. Shalom and God Bless

My response:

Sorry that you are a lazy reader. Maybe you had dyslexia when you were little and as a result you are a slow reader. But it can be overcome if you force yourself to read every day. Amen, Lord, help Jonathan to be able to read this through to the end. In Jesus' name we pray.

First read from Acts 10:1-11:18 where Peter has the vision of eating unclean food and its consequences. We see in this first reading, God sending a message to Peter asking him to eat unclean food. Peter protests saying he has never eaten anything unclean. The voice from Heaven says to him a second time,

"What God has cleansed, that call not common." [1]

We see how Peter interprets this vision in his agreement to go with the men who have come knocking at his door, men who are not Jews and whom the Jews would have little or no dealings. When Peter arrives at Cornelius' house he even explains this to Cornelius and his guests.

"And he said unto them, You know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." [2]

So here we see the interpretation by Peter of his vision of eating unclean foods. Peter is beginning to understand that the old Levitical laws no longer apply. That God had freed them from the law of Moses into the grace and truth of the law of Christ.

Now read Galatians 2:1-21.Wow, that was quite strong. Paul really lost his cool over that incident. Peter had come done from Jerusalem and was fellow-shipping with the Gentiles and I assume eating their unclean foods and was everything dandy. Until some of the Jews of the circumcision from Jerusalem , in other words those who followed Jesus but still felt it necessary to keep the law, came down to fellowship also with Peter and Paul. However, these Jews would not sit down and eat with the Gentiles. Either it was because they were Gentiles, or because of the foods they were eating was not kosher. It is not specific which, but Paul gets really upset because even Barnabas gets carried away with this false hypocritical attitude. He says,

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."[3]

In Colossians, Paul goes on to say,

"Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come."[4]

That's pretty understandable, isn't it? We are not to judge one another about these really not so important things. They may be important to our health and be good guidelines to follow, which I myself do, but they are no longer part of our religious rules.

Then in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells his disciples when he sends them out to minister,

"And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give:..... And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you."[5]

That was a pretty radical statement. Hadn't they entered into Samaria with Jesus where a mixed Jewish population lived whom the strict religious law keeping Jews would have nothing to do with? And what did Jesus do, but break all their religious customs and laws by drinking water from a vessel of a woman who was a Samaritan and an adulterous.[6] You see Jesus was more interested in reaching out and touching people with love and truth than in keeping religious laws.

Paul, following Jesus' footsteps goes on to say,

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not....Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no questions for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and you be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no questions for conscience sake....Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that which I give thanks? Whether therefore you eat, or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God."[7]

Wow, again we are told it is not necessary to follow the old Judaic laws, and we shouldn't worry about what other people are thinking.

And of course Jesus really opens our eyes to the fruitlessness of these Judaic laws for eating and cleanliness when he said,

"There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man..... Are you without understanding? Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it enters not into his heart, but into his belly, and goes out into the drought, purging all meats? ..That which comes out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man."[8]

We see Jesus was trying to open the eyes of the disciples to the spiritual truths and the hypocrisy of the letter of the law, and yet they seem to have a hard time understanding.

Paul has some similar advice for Timothy.

"Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (like today's new age religions) speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (from watching so much violence and immorality and blasphemy on TV) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, (the Catholic Church tried this one) which God created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For EVERY CREATURE of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."[9]

Paul also says,

"For the kingdom of God is not in meat or drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."[10] "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."[11]

So therefore, Jonathan, out goes the Old Levitical laws which never brought us salvation, only condemnation and were our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. 

"Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we should be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."[12]

We can find the same argument about circumcision and how it was no longer necessary because God had clearly given his Holy Spirit to the Gentiles in Acts even before they were baptized or followed any Jewish doctrines.

"And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then Peter answered, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"[13]

He we even see that baptism in water is a symbolic ritual, as the new converts had already be baptized by the Holy Spirit before Peter suggests they be baptized in water. Sometimes it's hard for us to get the point. Even John the baptist had said,

"I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes,...he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."[14]

I think this a pretty good argument that we are no longer under the old Jewish Sabbatical laws, nor eating laws, nor circumcision laws, nor any of the laws, not even the Ten commandments. It's all been thrown out. We are now called to enter into the Spirit and follow God's Spiritual law which Jesus summed up for us quite nicely when he said,

"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.... and love thy neighbor as thyself."[15] 

You see, Jonathan, if we are really saved, if we have really received Christ and understand what he has done for us on the cross, we are FREE! We are free from all those rules and are now married to another. No longer are we married to the dead law which could never save us any way, because we were unable to keep it. But we are married to Christ.

"Wherefore my brethren, you are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."[16] "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."[17]

Elsewhere, Paul writes,

"God, who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life."[18] 

Jesus has paid the debt of the law when he died on the cross and said,

"It is finished."[19]

Which is also interpreted as meaning, "The debt is paid." These were the same words the High Priest was saying as he finished killing the sacrificial lamb without blemish for the Passover Feast just as Jesus was dying on the cross.

"It is finished." 

We are no longer under the law. Jesus has freed us from the debt of the law and has paid the debt in full.

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."[20] "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."[21]

So there you have it. Following God by faith, listening to His still small voice to direct you, following loves dictates is a lot more complicated than being kosher and keeping rules which only tend to make us feel righteous in ourselves. Like Paul said,

"Who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? ...Received you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?"[22] 

Even James makes a similar point in his epistle. he says,

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."[23]

You see, it's not about keeping religious laws, but having compassion which compells us to do good works for others, especially those in need. Like Paul said,

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."[24]

We no longer have a "do not" religion, but a "do" religion. Do good, love your neighbor, give to him that asks, pray without ceasing, go into all the world. Our religion is no longer a religion of works of righteousness and the keeping of rules and regulations. Our religion is the religion of love, love for God and all mankind. The world is yearning for the truth of the gospel. The "good news" is that Jesus has paid it all and all you need is to come to Him for salvation and no more "providing you go to church on Sunday or Saturday."

The Beatles used to sing, "All you need is love." And it's true. All we need today is love. Love for God and love for others. Like Paul said,

"All the law is fulfilled in one word even this, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.[25]

Jesus said,

"On these two (loving God and loving others)  hangs all the law and the prophets."[26]

Paul said,

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loves another has fulfilled the law."[27]

What about Jesus' golden rule,

"Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."[28]

It's just that simple. It's just that wonderful! I hope you understand. Dennis

Footnotes:

[1] Acts 10:15

[2] Act 10:28

[3] Galatians 2:16

[4] Colossians 2:16

[5] Luke 10:7-8 

[6] John 4:5-28

[7] 1Corinthians 10:23-31

[8] Mark 7:15-23

[9] 1Timothy 4:1-5

[10] Romans 14:17

[11] Romans 14:14

[12] Galatians 3:24-25

[13] Acts 10:45-47

[14] Luke 3:16

[15] Matthew 22:37

[16] Romans 7:4-6

[17] Romans 8:2

[18] 2Corinthians 3:6

[19] John 19:30 

[20] Galatians 3:13 

]21] John 1:17

[22] Galatians 3:1-3

[23] James 1:27

[24] Galatians 6:2

[25] Galatians 5:14

[26] Matthew 22:40

[27] Romans 13:8

[28] Matthew 7:12