In the modern church,there is a problem that the emphasis is placed on the Ten Commandments, while the teaching of Jesus Christ is neglected and pushed into the background.
Let's figure out what is more important and relevant for Christ's disciples: the Ten Commandments or Christ's teaching, for example, the Sermon on the Mount.
The first thing to understand is by which word or by which commandments people will be judged on the last day.
Here is what Jesus Christ says about this:
John 12:47 "If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words;the very words I have spoken will condemn them on the last day.
49 For I did not speak on my own,but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
We see that God the Father Himself was speaking through Christ.
Hebrews 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
That is, God Himself spoke through Christ and He gave us commandments through Christ which are relevant for us and given to be fulfilled, although some claim that the commandments of the Sermon on the Mount are impossible to fulfill and were given only to show us how incapable we are of keeping them and to reveal our sinfulness. But God Himself through Christ said something completely different.
Matthew 5:19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Do you think God was speaking about the commandments of the Law of Moses?
Many are mistaken in thinking so.In fact, God through Christ is speaking about the commandments from the teaching of Jesus Christ, which lead those who fulfill them to perfection, whereas the law, as it is written:
"...the law made nothing perfect; but a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." (Hebrews 7:19)
When the apostle says a better hope is introduced, he is saying that the Law of Moses was set aside and instead God gave teaching through Christ. As it is written: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17).
Truth was given through Christ, and God's saving grace operates only through the Savior Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 7:18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless.
Colossians 2:14 ...having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
The Law of Moses did not lead to perfection or purity of heart because the commandments given in the Law of Moses only controlled a person's external behavior in the flesh. That is, the commandments of the Law of Moses can be called carnal because they did not affect a person's spirit or cleanse a person's spirit or heart.
God Himself perfected the law through Christ and set aside commandments that did not lead to perfection and had no power in the fight against the consequences of the fall.
Hebrews 9:10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
Galatians 6:12-13 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised.The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
There are commandments concerning the flesh, or carnal commandments, and there are commandments concerning the spirit or heart, that is, spiritual commandments.
Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated examples of these commandments and pointed out their difference.
Here is an example of a carnal commandment or one pertaining to the flesh:
Matthew 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’"
That is, a person was not to commit adultery externally, in the flesh. But this commandment did not restrict what was happening in his spirit. A person could have lust in his heart, and the commandment would not condemn him for it; he could have any sinful thoughts and fantasies.
The commandment given by Christ is more perfect because it points to what is in a person's heart,because sin dwells in the heart, and God wants His children to be pure in heart and not have sin in their heart, as it is written: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8). That is, only those whose heart is pure, without sin, will see God.
Jesus gives a commandment leading to purity of heart so that there is no lust of adultery in the heart.
Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
From this example, we can understand how much more important and profound Christ's teaching is than the Ten Commandments.
Jesus Himself teaches us that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes, that is, of those people who very scrupulously kept the Law of Moses, and even more so the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. And if our righteousness is at the level of the Pharisees' righteousness, we will not enter the kingdom of God.
Our righteousness will surpass their righteousness only if we have a heart pure from sin.
Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The church's teaching should be based on what Jesus Christ taught, not on the Law of Moses, so that believers may purify their hearts and enter the kingdom of God.
Matthew 23:25-28 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee!First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.
28 In the same way,on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
Jesus Christ rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy because in their external behavior, in the flesh, they kept the commandments of the law, but in their heart or spirit they were full of sin: they committed adultery in their heart, hated (thus murdering in their heart), envied (thus stealing in their heart), and so on.
God wants to see our pure hearts, therefore He gave teaching that leads to purity of heart and abolished that which did not lead to perfection and into the kingdom of God.
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