ARE THERE NEW COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

In their zeal to get rid of the Ten Commandments, most professing Christians conclude that the New Testament's "new commandments" somehow abolished them. The Bible suggests nothing of the sort!

Christ declared, in ..."slickWindow('Matthew','5','17-19')" title="View scripture">Matthew 5:17-19, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 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. 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."

The Greek word for "fulfill" is pleroo. Its meaning depends upon the context. In this case, the translators' use of the word "fulfill" correctly fits the context. They could have also used "satisfy," "complete" or "accomplish." For example, suppose the word "end" was used for pleroo. "End" would not fit the context, because the verse would read, "...I am not come to destroy, but to end." This would be meaningless-"end" and "destroy" mean the same thing!

Another key passage is ..."slickWindow('Matthew','19','17')" title="View scripture">Matthew 19:17. Christ was asked a profound question by a wealthy nobleman: "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Christ answered, "Why call you Me good? There is none good but One, that is, God: but if you will enter into [eternal] life, keep the commandments."

Christ's New Commandment

In ..."slickWindow('John','13','34-35')" title="View scripture">John 13:34-35, Christ stated, "A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another." Christ also commanded this in ..."slickWindow('Matthew','22','ALL')" title="View scripture">Matthew 22: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (..."slickWindow('Matthew','22','37-39')" title="View scripture">vs. 37-39).

There is no hint of God's law being done away, suspended or replaced by "love" or any other religious sounding phrase.

In ..."slickWindow('Matthew','22','ALL')" title="View scripture">Matthew 22, the old standard was to love others as yourself. But in ..."slickWindow('John','13','ALL')" title="View scripture">John 13, Christ gives us a new and higher standard-to love others as He loves us.

The Ten Commandments were given to the nation of Israel as the basis of the covenant between all the Israelites and God. However, the Ten Commandments also apply to all humanity for all time. God revealed to Israel what He will ultimately reveal to the whole world. Israel was a carnal nation, not yet given God's Spirit. Thus, they could only keep the letter of the law. This was the old version of "love toward neighbor."

The new version was given on the night before Christ was crucified. He instructed His disciples, who became the original apostles and leaders of His Church. This instruction applied to His Church.

Notice ..."slickWindow('John','17','9')" title="View scripture">John 17:9, ..."slickWindow('John','17','11')" title="View scripture">11: "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me; for they are Yours...and now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those who You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are."

The older version-love toward your neighbor-is still in effect today. So are the Ten Commandments. The new command applies specifically to God's Church, not the world. The Church is the mother who nurtures those who are preparing for positions of responsibility in the kingdom of God.

The true Church has the Spirit of God and follows Christ's example (..."slickWindow('1 Peter','2','21')" title="View scripture">I Peter 2:21). Only with God's Holy Spirit can one keep this new commandment. To require someone without the Spirit of God to love someone as Christ loves him would be unreasonable and actually impossible (..."slickWindow('Romans','5','5')" title="View scripture">Rom. 5:5).

For people in the world, God considers loving your neighbor as yourself to be both reasonable and possible. When God's Spirit becomes available to all mankind, the standard will be raised.

New Commandment From John

Now read ..."slickWindow('1 John','2','7-9')" title="View scripture">I John 2:7-9: "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines. He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now."

Notice that nothing is changed as far as the Ten Commandments are concerned. Nothing is mentioned about doing away with it. Notice the phrase, "which thing is true in Him and in you." It followed the phrase, "Again, a new commandment I write unto you."

What is the thing that is "true in Christ" that is in you (brethren to whom John sent this letter)? Here is the answer: "Howbeit when it, the Spirit of truth, is come, it will guide you into all truth: for it shall not speak of itself; but whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it speak: and it will show you things to come. it shall glorify Me: for it shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are Mine: therefore said I, that it shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you" (..."slickWindow('John','16','13-15')" title="View scripture">John 16:13-15).

A careful reading of this scripture reveals that it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, that is "true in Christ." The Holy Spirit is in Christ, and in the members of God's Church. God's Spirit sets His people apart from the world-this is the key message of ..."slickWindow('1 John','2','7-9')" title="View scripture">I John 2:7-9.

In ..."slickWindow('2 John','1','5-6')" title="View scripture">II John 5-6, John stated, "And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it."

As before, this scripture does away with nothing. In fact, what John calls a new commandment still applies today. Notice the statement, "And this is love, that we walk after His commandments." This is the same as ..."slickWindow('1 John','5','3')" title="View scripture">I John 5:3: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous."

Here is how Paul summed up God's wonderful, perfect Law: "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (..."slickWindow('Romans','7','12')" title="View scripture">Rom. 7:12). We must seek God so "That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers" (..."slickWindow('1 Kings','8','58')" title="View scripture">I Kings 8:58).

What If...?

Now we consider the greatest question: What if the whole world kept the Ten Commandments? What if everyone obeyed Christ's instruction to keep this entire law?

People would no longer idolize anything or anyone, because they would put God first in their lives. God's name would no longer be misused or carelessly thrown around. Everyone would keep the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. Families would be happier because people would honor their physical parents and their spiritual Father. There would be no more hatred, killing or war. Husbands and wives would be faithful to each other, and there would be no more illegitimate births. There would be no more sexually transmitted diseases. There would be no more thefts, robberies or embezzlements. Slander, perjury, and gossip would be things of the past. People would not lust for anything that belongs to someone else.

In ..."slickWindow('Matthew','24','ALL')" title="View scripture">Matthew 24, Christ described conditions that would precede His Second Coming. ..."slickWindow('Matthew','24','12')" title="View scripture">Verse 12 describes how "iniquity [Greek: lawlessness] shall abound" and the result would be that "the love of many shall wax cold."

But the time is coming when the whole world will keep God's Law-the Ten Commandments.

God's Word Points the Way

The following quote from Mr. Armstrong sums up this booklet. It is taken from his "Personal from the Editor" in Tomorrow's World, May-June, 1970:

"The world has rejected God's Law-God's way. It has gone the way that has brought every curse on mankind. The world tomorrow will change all that. It will be ruled by God's law!

"To qualify to become a King-a ruler in the kingdom of God-you must come to really know that Law. And the whole Bible is a magnification-an elaboration of its principles. It is only those who repent of their transgressions of God's great spiritual Law-the Ten Commandments-and who surrender to and accept as Savior Jesus Christ, who can become begotten children of God. No one is a true Christian until he has received the Holy Spirit of God (..."slickWindow('Romans','8','9')" title="View scripture">Rom. 8:9). That is God's gift. It imparts the very life of God. It renews and opens the mind to comprehend spiritual knowledge. It bestows the love of God-divine, spiritual love. It imparts power. It instills faith.

"Then, once really converted-the entire direction of your life changed-you must continually overcome. There are three very tough things to overcome-your own self with the pull of human nature; the world, with its customs, false teachings, wrong ways, wrong fellowships; and the invisible yet very real devil. You must grow not only in spiritual grace, but in the knowledge of Christ-the knowledge in God's instruction book-the Holy Bible. You must study-understand it-live henceforth by its directions. It points the way-walk ye in it!"