In my introduction to this series of blog posts, I drew attention to verses that supported my belief that the ten commandments were no longer applicable to the believer.

Verses like Romans 10:4, that I understood taught the law ended at the cross.

I hope you have noted that during our discussions in this topic, I found that the keeping of the ten commandments is a fruit of living in the Spirit, not a requirement to keep the Spirit.

Massive difference, and one which makes so much sense. But what about those earlier verses? I can’t just ignore them, or relegate them to some dustbin of irrelevance. No no no – that won’t do!

So in this epilogue, I thought I would consider the verses that helped support my erroneous thinking earlier.

So off we go.

Our next verse will be found in the book of Ephesians

Ephesians 2:12-15

remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

Paul comes right out and says it. Jesus abolished the law of commandments. But wait.

Is this the same term Jesus used in Matthew 5:17. Not quite. Matthew 5:17, Jesus says He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Different idea.

Here Paul is stating that Jesus death accomplished the reunification of the human race. (Oh how we need this today!) The Ephesian church seemed to have some division in it, and it seemed to be based on religious commands and regulations. (How common!)

And how did Jesus unify the church, but by creating one new man, one new humanity that saw the bigger picture, that saw peace as a greater good than law keeping, which tends to puff us up (at least me.)

Did you know that I fasted and prayed and memorized and preached and gave and tithed and sacrificed and…. Carl that is just silly boasting!!!

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for dropping by.

---

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.