The Bible Says!
Lesson 7
God's Law -- "Before AND After!"
In our previous lesson, we saw that neither Jesus, nor any of His disciples taught anything about the law of God being done away with or changed.
Jesus actually came to the world, not to take away the law, but to show us the real way that we may keep it; in Spirit and in truth! But many will make the argument that God's law was made for a certain time. It was made for the Jews and is not relevant after the cross. Also, many Christians believe that
the law of God was created at Mt. Sinai, when the Ten Commandments were delivered to the people through Moses. This is simply not true! We want
to show here that the precepts found in those ten commandments were in existence from the beginning of time. The purpose of this lesson is to show
what the Bible Says about the law of God: Before Mt. Sinai; And after the cross of Christ.
"before"
1. What did Cain do to his brother Abel? Genesis 4:8
2. How did God react to Cain's actions? Genesis 4:11
3. What does the Bible tell us about the condition of mankind just before God destroyed the world with the flood? Genesis 6:5
4. Why did God say that He intended to visit the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with judgment? Genesis 18:20
5. What did the brothers of Joseph conspire to do to him? Genesis 37:18
6. What does Reuben the oldest brother call this plan to kill Joseph? Genesis 42:22
7. When Joseph is later confronted with the temptation to commit adultery, what does he refer to it as? Genesis 39:9
8. What is the Bible definition of sin? 1 John 3:4
9. How does the Bible say that we know what sin is? Romans 3:20
We have looked at several situations that either are described as sin or they are punished as sin. Since the Bible definition of sin is the transgression
of God's law, we can be sure that if the Bible calls something a sin, there must be a law to define it as sin. In our society, if there were no laws, there
would be nothing to define what crime is. The same is true in the government of God.
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When Cain slew Abel, what made his action wrong? In the animal kingdom, one animal kills another to eat. Animals will kill other animals in
order to protect their territory, or their offspring. What was it that would have made it a sin for Joseph to take Potiphar's wife to himself? The
gentlest of the animals in nature, breed with any and all mates; Why should man be any different from the animals? What would make it wrong for
me to take all of your possessions, if in fact, I was bigger and stronger than you? The answer to all these questions is very simple. There is only
one thing that defines any of these wrong acts as sin. And that it the holy and eternal Ten Commandment law of God.
10. What did God provide for the hunger of the children of Israel out in the wilderness? Exodus 16:4
11. What other purpose did God have in giving them the manna? Exodus 16:4
God said that He gave them the manna as a test so that He could prove them, whether they would keep His law or not!
12. What special instructions did He give them for the sixth day of the week? Exodus 16:5
God told Moses that He would "rain bread from heaven," to feed the people. He instructed them to gather at a certain rate each day, as a test to
see if the people would keep God's law holy. Each day they were to collect the food for that day and no more. If they tried to keep the food overnight,
it would spoil and become infested with worms. On the sixth day of the week, however, they were instructed to gather twice as much manna that
there would be no gathering on the Sabbath day. On this one day each week, the manna would keep perfectly fresh and clean overnight.
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Exodus 16:20 tells us that some did not follow the express commandment of the Lord. They tried to keep it overnight, but it "bred worms and
stank." Then in verse 27 we see that some did not gather twice as much on the sixth day, but instead tried to go out to gather the manna on the
Sabbath day. They found no manna in the field on the Sabbath!
13. What did the Lord exclaim about those disobedient people? Exodus 16:28
Some might argue that it is just common sense not to steal or kill, or commit adultery. But consider the fourth commandment: "Remember the
sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8) This is absolute proof that the Ten Commandment law of God did indeed exist before the giving of the
law at Mt. Sinai.
"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." Exodus 31:18
"after"
14. What does Jesus say the two great commandments of God are? Mark 12:30-31
Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love God supremely. The second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as we
love ourselves.
15. Was this some new commandment or a change from the Old Testament? Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18
As you see, Jesus gave no new commandment. This precept of love to God and man has always been the foundation of the Ten
Commandment law of God. If you take time to read the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20, you will see that the first four
commandments deal with our relationship to God. If we truly love God supremely: we will not have other gods before Him; nor bow down and
worship graven images; nor take His holy name in vain; nor forget His holy Sabbath day. Likewise, if we truly love our neighbor as we love
ourselves: we will honor our parents; we will not kill; nor commit adultery; nor steal; nor lie; nor covet.
16. Compare the following Bible verses which show us that all the Ten Commandments are, in fact, taught in the New Testament!
First you will find the commandment as written in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 -- After that you will find the New Testament Bible verses which teach that commandment...
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#1 -- Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
#1 -- Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. --Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
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#2 -- Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
#2 -- 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. -- Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
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#3 -- Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain;
#3 -- 1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. -- Matthew 5:34-35 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. -- Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
#4 -- Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
#4 -- Hebrews 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
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#5 -- Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother:
#5 -- Matthew 15:4, 19:19, Mark 7:10, 10:19, Luke 18:20, Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and thy mother
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#6 -- Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
#6 -- Matthew 5:21, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 2:21, 13:9, James 2:11 Thou shalt not kill
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#7 -- Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
#7 -- Matthew 5:27, 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 2:22, 13:9, James 2:11 Thou shalt not commit adultery
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#8 -- Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
#8 -- Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 2:21, 13:9 Thou shalt not commit adultery
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#9 -- Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
#9 -- Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
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#10 -- Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
#10 -- Romans 7:7; 13:9 Thou shalt not covet
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17. What did Jesus say about those that love Him in John 14:15?
18. What does the final page of the Bible say in Revelation 22:14?
In the very last message of God's Holy Word, the last word, so to speak... In the last book, in the last chapter of that book, on the very last page of God's Holy Book, it says that those who keep God's commandments will be allowed into the holy city, and allowed to eat from the tree of life, which sustains our eternal life throughout eternity! How could anyone believe that the Ten Commandments have been done away with or changed in any way whatsoever???