Weren’t the Commandments done away with?
Some churches believe that the commandments no longer apply to Christians—that they were done away with. Of course, they don’t object to most of the 10 Commandments; everyone believes murder and stealing are wrong, for example. If you get right down to it, most Protestant Sunday-keeping churches really only think the Sabbath command was done away with.
But consider these New Testament passages about the 10 Commandments. Do they seem like they are abolished?
- Yehshua said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).
- Yehshua also said, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17; see verses 18-19 for confirmation Jesus was referring to the 10 Commandments).
- The apostle John said, “For this is the love of Yehueh, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
- The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12).
- Paul also wrote, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of Yehueh is what matters” (1 Corinthians 7:19).
Following Messiah’s steps
A Beliver will “follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin’” (1 Peter 2:21-22). The Bible defines sin as lawlessness—breaking Yehueh’s laws (1 John 3:4). Yehshua never broke the law, and He died to pay the penalty of our past sins so we can strive with His help to not break the law. Notice these quotes from Yehshua and Paul:
- “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11).
- “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:1-2).
What did Yehshua do? He kept the Sabbath. Observing the Sabbath was Yehshua’ custom and practice (Luke 4:16, 31). It continued to be the custom and practice of the apostles and the New Testament Church (Acts 13:14, 42, 44; 14:1; 17:2, 10; 18:4).
Yehshua never broke Yehueh’s law, even if the Pharisees accused Him and His disciples of breaking the Sabbath. His healings on the Sabbath were totally acceptable to Yehueh, though they might have gone against the extra human rules that Jewish tradition had added. Yehshua corrected them and showed that “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:12).
Yehshua should know. He was present at its creation and when it was thundered to Israel as part of the 10 Commandments, and thus He is “Master of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28).
He made the Sabbath holy.
Yehshua said the Sabbath was made for man—for the benefit of all of humanity, not just the Jews (Mark 2:27). It was created just after humanity’s first parents were created.
Isaiah 56 shows how important the Sabbath is to Yehueh and how the Sabbath is for everyone. Yah pronounces a blessing on the person “who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and keeps his hand from doing any evil” (Isaiah 56:2).
This includes people from all nations: “The sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the creator of Heaven and Earth, to serve Him, and to love the name of Yehueh Elohim, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer” (verses 6-7).
Isaiah 66:23 also describes a future time when all people will be on Yehueh’s calendar and all will be celebrating Yehueh’s holy Sabbath.
So how can anyone say the Sabbath doesn’t apply now?
