Are the Ten Commandments Still Relevant? - Matthew 5

Matthew 5 - The Fulfillment of the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus takes a break from ministry and takes the disciples aside to teach them more about God's kingdom.  The disciples were Jewish and they had known the Law of Moses, but Jesus is going to teach them the true purpose and essence of the Law.  The Law generally means the Ten Commandments, which is widely regarded by most people as a standard for morals and knowing the difference between right and wrong.  It would be easy to argue that life would be pretty darn good if people just used the Ten Commandments as their guide for life.  

But we know that we cannot keep the Law as by nature we are sinners. So if anything, the Law reveals our need for Christ.  Importantly Jesus teaches he did not come abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.  Just be cause we are saved by grace through faith doesn't mean the law is not a guide for our new life in Christ.  But the main point of Jesus' teaching today is that there is a big difference between the "letter of the Law" and the "Spirit of the Law".  Jesus gives some examples.

He says, "You have heard it said, do not murder; but I say if anyone calls a person a fool and is angry with them has committed murder in their hearts."  Wow, that sounds harsh!  I don't Jesus is literally saying if you get really angry at someone that you have committed murder.  He is pointing out the Spirit of the law which is that when we are angry with someone and call them terrible names, we are killing their Spirit. Note the word "fool" was one of the worst things you could say about someone in Jesus' day.  We all remember being called a horrible name and it we still may remember it today.  

Jesus uses another example with lust.  He says, "You have heard it said, do not commit adultery but I say if you lust after a woman you have committed adultery in your heart."  Again Jesus isn't being literal here, but saying if you are continually lusting after women (or men) it is going to change your heart condition.  Many people who are addicted to lust are sad and depressed, and have a lot of trouble connecting with people of the opposite sex. 

So what does this mean for us?  

Jesus seemingly sets an impossible standard for us to follow today.  We get angry, we lust, we disobey the spirit of the Law in many ways.  In some ways the purpose of the Law is to show us we could never measure up to the true Spirit of the Law.  But the Good News today is that Jesus came to fulfill the Law.  What we could never do Jesus did for us!  You and I are saved by grace not by works.  If we could be justified by the Law then Christ died for nothing.  But Christ did not die for nothing, he died for you and me.  As we receive Christ, and are filled with His Holy Spirit, we can fulfill the Law of Love as He lives through us.  And this way we will become the salt of the earth and the light of the world!