I do not believe the Law of Moses applies to everyone (or to anyone anymore).  I believe you have misunderstood me greatly.

The problem with the churches in Galatia and Corinth wasn't the 10 commandments.  Paul says who has so easily deceived you?  It was the false teachers among them. They wanted to sacrifice animals and go back to circumcision. Those things are what Christs' coming done away with. Only He could be the supreme sacrifice and works of the flesh like circumcism didn't benefit a thing pertaining to our salvation.
But that doesn't nullify the commandments. No where does it say they have been done away with. They are repeated many times in the NT.

Bonnie,

I didn't mention Galatians and Romans to defend my position about the Ten Commandments.  You isolated that quote from its context to defend against something that I was not even saying in that quote (as it is, I believe many of us do that with the Bible, but that is whole other issue).  I said those things simply to point out a possible help in defining the terms "law" and "the law."


Look again at my OP.  I believe the Bible presents the Law of Moses as including the Ten Commandments and that the entire Law as given by Moses has to be treated as a whole.  What is described in any context as being done with a part is in fact done with the whole.

I started this thread with that topic for a reason.  If it cannot be understood that the Law is a unit that is not to be divided up into parts to take or leave, then I believe it will lead to other misunderstandings.  I believe that starting off with understanding that the Law of Moses is a unit and to be treated as such can clear up some misunderstandings.

By the way, other aspects of the Law besides the Ten Commandments are quoted in the New Testament.  Does quoting something have to automatically mean it is applicable?  Is it possible that when quoting something it can be used as an example to follow in principle?

It was a schoolmaster to lead the Jews of the first century to Christ.  They had been under the Law until Christ came.  They needed to see the fulfillment of that Law in Christ so as to come to the knowledge of who He is. 

Today, it does not serve that purpose.  It doesn't even exist anymore.  We do not need the the Law of Moses to lead us to Christ. 

soterion----

I really have to disagree with you there.  It still does serve that purpose.  Even when one reads "Pilgrim's Progress" the whole book starts with a man with a huge burden on his back.  It terrifies him-- and he received the burden from reading the Word of God.  He only finds relief from the burden by going to Jesus Christ.

Even Paul states that he wouldn't have known sin if there hadn't been a Law condemning him for his actions.  A large majority of people come to Christ when convicted of their terrible burden of sin.  It isn't true of all--but many do come to Christ because they are so burdened with the realization that there is no way than can live up to what God wants and they are condemned.  How did they arrive at that conclusion?  Many read the 10 commandments and realize they have broken them left and right.  They realize their need of a Savior and come to Christ.

As I mentioned, the Bible says "The Law was added BECAUSE of transgressions"--when the Israelites (and anyone living today also) says "We will do all that is written in the Law to perform it" they will quickly find that the CANNOT KEEP IT----and will find themselves condemned by it!  And that is exactly why it was given to us!  To show us how imperfect and terrible we are at heart----how much WE NEED A SAVIOR---or we will face the horrible consequences of our actions.

This is truly the clear teaching of the New Testament.

Exod 19:5-8 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exod 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

covenant
1 : a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement  : COMPACT
2 a : a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action  b : the common-law action to recover damages for breach of such a contract
  –covenantal  adjective

The law of God does not need our agreement to stand, it stands on it’s own, as all the word of God does.  It is the covenant that requires agreement, which agreement Israel gave, entering into God’s covenant concerning His law.  All three of the biblical covenants between humanity and God, are about humanity submitting itself to the authority of God once again.  The authority which the father of humanity rejected in the garden of Eden when our first parents obeyed Lucifer instead of God.  Thus death passed upon us all. Observe the following concerning the everlasting covenant made with Abraham.  This everlasting covenant embrases both the old and new covenants.

Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Gen 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

The notion that there were no commandments before they were given to Israel is a false one.  We have just spoken of the old covenant, where Israel agreed to keep the commandments of God.  Observe the following concerning the new covenant.

Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.


Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

The new covenant is about establishing the law of God within our hearts and lives.  It is again also about bringing humanity back to the original state of willing and loving obedience to our God who is completely worthy of the same. 

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This prophecy concerning the new covenant reveals it’s purpose, the establishment of the law of God within the hearts and minds of those who would be God’s people.  This new covenant is made with the house of Israel.  Christians have been grafted into the vine, we are not a new vine.  Christians were given their name because they followed Christ.  Those Jews who rejected Christ, rejected their status as God’s people. The real nation of Israel, spiritual Israel, accepted and followed Christ.  All those who would be called Christians are really spiritual Israel, and verily the children of Abraham.  We were grafted into the vine, and that vine is, and always has been Christ.


John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Christ is the vine.  If we are to be grafted into Him, then He asks us to keep His commandments, even as He kept His Fathers commandments.  I ask you, which of the ten commandments did Christ neglect?  The answer is none.  Then as His followers, it should be our earnest desire to follow His perfect example in all things.  This would include of course, the desire to obey all ten of God’s commandments.  Of course this is not possible for mere humanity, which is why Christ came, to unite humanity with divinity, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in those who walk after the Spirit, and not the flesh.  The carnal mind, that is the mind of the flesh, is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be, for the law is spiritual.

Again, I emphasize that the ten commandments did not come to humanity through Moses, but by the mouth and finger of God Himself.

Exod 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exod 32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Deut 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

Deut 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark………
4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.

Well when Paul says not to murder, steal, lie, commit adultery I kind of get the idea that he is warning us against those things.  Do not do them for they lead to death.