...On The Ten Commandments

From May 2, 2004

Comments: Of late there has been much controversy over the ten commandments being displayed in houses of government. If they have been done away with, then why is there such a fuss over whether they are displayed or not? Seems to me we are making much ado about nothing.

Answer:

Hello __________,

You have asked an excellent question. Yes, the Bible says that the 10 Commandments have been “done away” (II Corinthians 3:7-14; Colossians 2:14; etc.). So, why are people making a fuss about the 10 Commandments being removed from such public places as the courthouse in Alabama and similar places? While I do not claim to know everyone’s motivation, let me offer a couple suggestions:

1) Some folks are opposed to it because they believe we ARE still bound to the 10 Commandments, and therefore when the government removes a monument expressing the commandments, they look at it as a personal assault against God’s binding law.

2) Another reason why some could be upset is because, while they recognize the 10 Commandments are not binding on men today, they still see this as yet another assault against God, the Bible, morality, and similar things. Therefore, to remove a monument bearing the 10 Commandments is considered to be yet another “victory” for the atheists, the evolutionists, the ungodly, and those who do not respect anything of God.

Personally, I think the majority of folks you see opposing the removal of the 10 Commandments from public places are the former folks -- they still believe the 10 Commandments are binding on us. Therefore, they protest the removal of such monuments as we saw in Alabama a few months ago.

What is the answer? The only answer I know is to continue to teach and show folks that we are under the New Testament system today; and while the Old Testament is useful in teaching us valuable lessons (Romans 15:4), it has been fulfilled (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-13), and we are under a “new and living way” today (Hebrews 10:20), that “better” way (Hebrews 8:6) in Christ.

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Jarrod Jacobs