06/08/2026
The Decalogue Is Alive in the New Testament.
A common belief today is that the Ten Commandments were abolished at the cross. Yet the New Testament tells a different story.
Rather than discarding God's moral law, Jesus and the apostles reaffirmed it.
Jesus declared, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matthew 4:10), confirming the first commandment.
John warned believers, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21), while Paul reminded us that God should never be represented by images made by human hands (Acts 17:29), upholding the second commandment.
Paul also urged believers to live so that "the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed" (1 Timothy 6:1), reflecting the third commandment.
The fourth commandment is not forgotten either. Hebrews 4:4, 9–10 points back to God's rest on the seventh day and declares that "there remains... a Sabbath rest for the people of God."
Jesus Himself repeated, "Honor your father and your mother" (Matthew 19:19).
The apostles continued to teach, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness" (Romans 13:9; Matthew 19:18), and Paul concluded with "You shall not covet" (Romans 7:7).
The evidence is clear: the New Testament does not abolish the Decalogue—it confirms it.
Salvation is by grace through faith, but God's commandments remain the timeless standard of righteous living for those who love Him. As Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).
The cross did not destroy God's law; it revealed its value and Christ's sacrifice for those who had broken it.