What Commandments Do Christians Follow?

Q: If the Ten Commandments came in with Moses and lasted only until Christ, as you say the new covenant teaches, then what do you say guides a Christian’s conscience and behavior? It seems this argument is a defense for being free from rules and doing whatever you wish to do.  

Many letters we receive express a deep fear that by teaching that the reign of law came in with Moses and lasted until Christ,¹ new covenant Christians are left without any moral guide. The truth is, however, that New Covenant Christians have a much higher and better—yes, better—moral guide than the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are external. The law of Christ is internal.

First, the Christian receives the Holy Spirit when he believes, and the Spirit guides into all truth and will disclose to us things to come.² He also gives us power to witness³ and bestows upon us one or more spiritual gifts for the up-building of the church in “one-another” ministry.⁴ The Spirit also seals us and gives us the guarantee of our inheritance.⁵ He testifies that we are children of God.⁶ The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.⁷ It is clear that the function of the Holy Spirit in the new covenant replaces the function of law in the old.⁸

Second, we have the law of Christ.⁹ “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”¹⁰ Love, we are repeatedly told, is the fulfillment of the law.¹¹

Third, not only do we have the fruit of the Spirit but the New Testament lists the deeds of the flesh that the Christian is to avoid. Note that these are “evident” to the Spirit-filled Christian and move from externals to issues of the heart.

All the moral principles—in contrast to laws—are present in the New Testament. But the motive factor is what makes the difference. 

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”¹² 

All the moral principles—in contrast to laws—are present in the New Testament. But the motive factor is what makes the difference. We do not obey to be right with God. Rather, we obey because we have been saved by grace through faith and we have a regenerated spirit living within. It is this internal witness of the Spirit that develops the various fruits of love. Christ lives out His life in ours. Thus the law of Christ is fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit.¹³

New covenant Christians do have a moral compass. They have the Holy Spirit, they have the law of Christ, and they have the instruction of the Epistles. These reach far past outward actions to matters of the heart. Yes, the new covenant Christian has fellowship with the indwelling Christ!¹⁴

Q: What is the difference between legalism and sanctified obedience?

A: This is an excellent question and deserves a more complete answer than space provides in this issue. I will, however, make a few comments and hopefully in some later issue provide more of an in-depth answer. Both legalism and sanctified obedience deal with two main issues: behavior and motive.

I believe legalism is any behavior that is done to earn or to keep salvation. In contrast, the New Testament makes it clear that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in the work and person of Christ.¹⁵ Anything that is added to this as a requirement of salvation would be legalism. If we do any act—even that which is commanded in clear New Testament teachings—with the motive of making ourselves more acceptable to God it would be legalism.

Sanctified obedience is not obedience that makes us right with God. Rather it is the outworking of the principles of the law of love¹⁶ that the Holy Spirit writes on the heart of a Christian. This would include all New Testament admonitions and all the moral principles behind Old Testament laws. However, we are not to apply the letter of Old Testament law but the moral principle behind the law.¹⁷ 

Endnotes

1. Rom:5:13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
   See All..., 14; Gal:3:17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
   See All..., 19, 23-25. 
2. Jn:16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
   See All....
3. Acts:1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
   See All..., Eph:3:16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
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4. 1 Cor. 12.
5. Eph:1:13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
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6. Rom:8:16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
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7. Gal:5:22-23 [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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8. 2 Cor:3:2-18 [2] Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: [3] Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. [4] And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: [5] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; [6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. [10] For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. [11] For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. [12] Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: [13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. [15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. [17] Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. [18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
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9. 1 Cor:9:20-21 [20] And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
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10. Jn:13:34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
    See All...; Mk. 12:31; Jn:15:12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
    See All...; Rom:13:9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
    See All...; 1 Jn:3:23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
    See All...; 4:21; 2 Jn:1:5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
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11. Rom:13:8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
    See All..., 10; Gal:5:14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
    See All...; Jam:2:8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
    See All....
12. Gal:5:19-21 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
    See All.... See also Eph:4:31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
    See All...; Col:3:8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
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13. Rom:8:1-5 [1] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [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.
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14. John:17:20-22 [20] Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [21] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. [22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
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15. Eph:2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
    See All...,9; Tit:3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
    See All...; Jn:6:47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
    See All...; Rom:3:21-28 [21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
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16. Mt. 22:37-40; Rom:13:9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
    See All..., 10; Jn:13:34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
    See All..., 35; 15:12,17; 1 Jn:3:11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
    See All..., 4:7,10; Gal:5:14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
    See All..., Jam:2:8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
    See All....
17. Rom:7:6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
    See All...; Rom:2:27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
    See All..., 29; 2 Cor:3:2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
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https://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/2024/03/07/what-commandments-do-christians-follow/