One of Tony Blair’s biggest problems is rising crime rates, between this and hospital waiting lists and of course expensive petrol he could well loose the next election.

One American association called The L.L.L.L., which stands for Less Lawlessness through Less Law.

Here is a synopsise of their proposals. The only way to reduce crime rates in the USA is to make everything legal, like marijuana, then there would be a decline in arrests for those involved in this activity. The same would apply to pornography, prostitution gambling and other vices. One of their advocates says this, "As for hiring more policemen, imposing curfews, building new prisons and enlarging the judiciary these measures only deal with the symptoms of the crime wave. If we are going to have improvement we need to attack the root cause, the laws."

This may sound stupid but it is not far from many people’s philosophy. Men and woman do not like rules and regulations that in any way seem to impinge on their rights.

Can you imagine going up to watch a football game, the players have different clothing on and you don’t know who is playing for who? They play one way one moment and for another team the next, the crowd are shouting one moment, some are jumping up and down, others are sulking as they support one team then another. There seems to be no rules, no one can make sense of it. It is a complete and utter shambles.

This is ridiculous in the extreme but it underlines where society is going or wants to go. Does the following verse not describe this land of ours?

Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

We need rules to function, without rules there would be no mathematics and no physics.

Someone has said, "We have assumed that self exploration and self discovery is a prime task and any means to an end which does not violate others freedom or destroy their well being should be thought allowable and the toleration of deviant behaviour should be practised up to the limit as being both a civilised and a universal duty."

This probably sums up man’s own notions about how he should be governed today.

God has given us his blue print for living, God’s laws for living in an ungodly world. Many would say today that The Ten Commandments are obsolete. Are they not absolute?

I want in these studies to commend the commandments to you. I feel they have been long neglected for various reasons and are seen by many perhaps even some believers as being outdated and irrelevant.

Some might say we have gone passed The Ten Commandments, would it not be more true to say we haven’t caught up yet?

Eccles. 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The word ‘whole’ is not in the original, it could read , ‘this is the whole of man.’

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The whole law for the whole man. Before I look at any of the commandments there are certain fundamentals that must be laid down. I must make sure that I am not accused of being legalistic.

Although I was reading what Alan Redpath said, "The Commandments are rules laid down by one intelligent being to another. The one having the right to exercise authority over the other. If this is legalism he said blessed legalism."

We cannot say, "thy kingdom come," until our kingdom goes and the Lord is ruling in our lives.

Deut. 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers,

Specifically this verse applies to Israel, but surely it is true that nationally our land would be much better of if we had as our basis of law, the Ten Commandments.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

The commandments reveal God’s righteous character. Can you imagine the impact on family life if God’s laws were the norm? We would have children who respect parents and husbands and wives who remain faithful.

Can you see the impact on social life?

Lying, stealing and covetousness are all condemned. We live in a society that encourages much many things that the Lord condemns.

Christianity was facing a dark future in England when Queen Ann forced through parliament the Schism Act, it was designed to severely limit religious freedom. Against this backdrop Isaac watts penned that famous hymn.

"O God our help in ages past," I wonder can we as a nation truly say, our hope for years to come?

Nationally we need to return to Gods’ righteous holy standard as found in The Ten Commandments.

If one reads the word of God from Genesis through to Revelation they will discover, taking the scripture literally that God, whilst he never changes, does deal with men differently during different ages.

Augustine said, "Distinguish the ages and the scripture harmonises."

What distinguishes the ages is not their length but how God deals with mankind, these different periods are called dispensations.

I believe if you want to rightly divide the word of truth you must consider the dispensations. Perhaps one example would be the food laws of the Old Testament. These are no longer binding on us, God is dealing with us differently because we live in a different dispensation.

Most dispensationalists recognise seven dispensations in scripture. Each dispensation begins with man in a new position of privilege and responsibility each ended in mans failure.

The dispensation of innocence.

When man was placed in the Garden of Eden it ended with the fall of man.

The dispensation of conscience.

When man was governed by his own conscience. It too ended in failure as recorded in Genesis chapters six to eight. God destroyed the world with a flood.

The dispensation of human government.

We find this in Genesis nine verse eleven. It ended in failure with the tower of Babel.

The dispensation of promise.

In Genesis eleven verse ten we discover God calling Abraham out of the Ur of Chaldees. A land was promised, seed was promised and a great nation would be born out of Abraham. This dispensation ended with the failure of Israel as they murmured and disbelieved God in Egypt.

The dispensation of the law.

This commenced with the giving of The Ten Commandments. The moral and ceremonial law was the rules for governing life during that dispensation.

Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Israel claimed they would observe the law, but how they failed as D L Moody points out, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do bold and self confident language, the golden calf, the broken tablets, the neglected ordinances, the stoned messengers the rejected and crucified Christ are overwhelming evidence of their dishonouring of this vow."

The dispensation of the law ended in man’s failure yet again. Christ was rejected and crucified and thus ushered in the dispensation of grace.

The dispensation of Grace.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

This age will end with the rapture of the church and the time of God’s judgement upon the earth. Then will begin the dispensation of the kingdom. When Christ shall reign for a thousand years.

So we must admit that the dispensation of the law has ended. We are not under the law.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Primarily the law was for the Jew.

Deut. 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

The law is done away with.

2 Cor. 3:7 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:

Lewis Chafer, "The legal commands of the mosaic system and the commands which are to govern in the kingdom are not now the guiding principles of the Christian. They have been superseded by a new and gracious rule of conduct."

God no longer deals with us as under the law but under grace.

Law brings a work to do, grace tells of a work that is done.

Law reveals sin.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Grace reveals salvation.

Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

The law is a ministry of condemnation.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Grace ministers forgiveness.

Ephes. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

The law is God prohibiting and requiring. Grace is God beseeching and bestowing.

2 Cor. 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The law curses.

Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Grace redeems from the curse.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

The law kills.

Romans 7:9-11 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. [10] And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. [11] For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Grace makes alive.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The law shuts mans mouth, grace opens every mouth to praise him.

The law puts a great and guilty distance between man and God. Grace makes guilty man nigh to God.

Ephes. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

The law lays down what man must do, the gospel lays down what Christ has done.

The law condemns the best man, grace freely justifies the worst.

Now that Christ has come the law is done away with for both cannot co exist. In this present age the law is not in force either as a basis for salvation or as a rule of the Christian’s life. Therefore the child of God is not under law as a rule of life but he is under the counsels of grace. What he does under grace is not done to secure God’s favour but because he is already accepted in the beloved.

It is important that we understand that we are not under the law but under grace. Note what someone once said, "Although the law ended as a specific rule of life it continues to be a revelation of the righteousness of God and can be studied with profit by Christians in determining the holy character of God."

In this present dispensation the law is completely cancelled as to its immediate application but continues to testify to the holiness of God and provides many spiritual lessons by application.

The purpose of the law was to provide a righteous rule of life and to bring sin into condemnation. Israel’s experience shows that moral, civic or religious law cannot save. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Christ has fulfilled the law by his perfect obedience to it and by taking upon him the penalty for broken law.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Scripture is very clear, salvation could not come by the law.

Romans 8:3 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:

Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

The law reveals mans true condition as to being helpless and hopeless. Like a mirror in which we can see our dirty faces, but the mirror is powerless to take away the dirt.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If the law given 1500 years BC could have saved then Calvary was a mistake.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Does this liberty mean then that those who have been set free are free to do what they like?

Having said so much, does that render the study of the Ten Commandments a worthless activity?

First of all what does the unbeliever think of the Ten Commandments?

• Too simplistic, much more is surely required.

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

1 Tim. 1:8-9 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

The law reveals man’s sinfulness and desperate need, no wonder he doesn’t like it.

What do the Ten Commandments mean to a believer?

Do we have to study them?

Firstly scripture has only one interpretation and many applications and whilst we are not under the law, there is one overruling principle.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

All scripture is profitable and especially scripture which reveals the holy character of God. The commandments reveal the kind of life Gods expects from one who lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.

• The law is like a compass it shows us the direction we should be going.

Do we have other gods? Do we worship idols? Do we suffer his name to be taken in vain?

The law can act as a mirror revealing our condition before God. The word of God is always profitable.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Alan Redpath said, "What Christians need is not more truth, but 100 % obedience to the truth already revealed."

Can we dispense with the Ten Commandments as irrelevant? No more than we can dispense with any portion of scripture.

Some people confuse Christian liberty with licence to do what they want.

Augustine said, "Love God, and then do what you want, that is real liberty."

Our outward profession should be backed by an inward possession of a holy life. Perhaps The Ten Commandments will reveal where we are?

The Gospel is not an easy escape from the law but God’s plan as to how the law can be fulfilled in the life of every believer.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Praise God there is no condemnation and we walk by the spirit and are no longer depending on the flesh.

Romans 8:2-3 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:

Christ has set us free from the laws demands, why?

Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So that by the power of the Holy Spirit the righteousness of the law should be revealed in us. Notice it doesn’t say ‘by us’ but ‘in us.’ It is not by self-improvement but rather by Christ replacement.

The study of the law will reveal how much of God’s righteous character is seen in us.

The commandments deal with our love for God and our relationship with each other. The vertical and horizontal relationships.

Can you picture an orchestra? Out comes the tuba player with cabbages and cauliflower growing in his instrument. The harpist has laundry hanging over the instrument, the flautist has a carrot sticking out of his flute.

Before they start each must get rid of the hindrance. .

Then they begin to play but the drummer hits the harpist on the head, the violinist pokes out the flutist’s eyes and it’s a shambles.

They must get their act together.

Then they all play different tunes and different tempos.

Then the conductor says, "This is what we are playing," and sweet music arises.

Firstly they had to be right themselves, then right with each other and have a common theme. That’s what we as believers need.

Individually, do you love the lord with all your heart and soul and mind?

Relationships, do you love your neighbour as your self?

The Ten Commandments show us the need for this and they give us a common theme. God’s Holy Standard.

Do we need to study them?

Exodus 19:10-11 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, [11] And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

There was much preparation of heart before The Commandments were given. This reveals how important they were. God was going to speak to his people.

Are we prepared for these studies? We need to be prepared to listen and prepared to apply them?

What did Christ do with the law?

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

What are we exhorted to do with Christ’s example?

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

A gentleman employed a maid for a number of years. He posted a list of her duties in the kitchen. She followed that list and was paid for her job, it was her duty.

She eventually married the gentleman, soon the list came down, but she carried on with the work. Now she obeyed him out of love.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

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