Why Study the 10 Commandments?
It is easy to misinterpret the purpose of the Old Testament Law. We often default to thinking that rules exist primarily to earn salvation, but Scripture paints a completely different picture. God never intended the Law to save us. Israel was already in a covenant relationship with Him (Genesis 15) long before the Law came at Mount Sinai. As Paul clearly states, "no one is justified by the law in the sight of God" (Galatians 3:11) and "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" (Romans 3:20).
God gave the Law not as a ladder to heaven, but to serve specific divine goals:
To reveal His glory and holiness (Deuteronomy 5:22–28)
To see man’s sinfulness (Romans 7:7, 13; 1 Timothy 1:9; James 1:22–25)
To mark Israel as His chosen people (Psalm 147:19–20; Ephesians 2:11–17; Acts 15)
To give Israel a standard for godly living (Deuteronomy 4:1ff; 5:29ff)
To prepare Israel for the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:24)
To illustrate the Person and ministry of Christ (Hebrews 10:1)
To guide us into understanding God's will (Psalm 119)
Scripture uses vivid imagery to help us grasp what the Law actually is:
A Mirror: It shows us our true condition and reveals our sin (James 1:22–25).
A Yoke: It brings a burden of bondage because our weak human flesh finds it impossible to keep perfectly (Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:3).
A Tutor/Schoolmaster: It guards us and points us directly to Jesus (Galatians 3:23–4:7).
A Shadow: It offers a outline of spiritual truths, pointing forward to the reality and fulfillment found only in Christ (Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:14–17).
Understanding the limits of the Law drives us to grace. The Law cannot make anyone perfect (Hebrews 7:11–19; 10:1–2), justify us from sin (Acts 13:38–39; Romans 3:20–28), grant righteousness (Galatians 2:21), give peace to the conscience (Hebrews 9:9), or grant eternal life (Galatians 3:21). Ultimately, the Law does something far greater than saving us: it acts as a divine compass, pointing us straight to the One who can.
During this series we’ll answer three questions: 1) What was the commandment? 2) How did they observe it in the Old Testament? 3) What can we learn from it today? We invite you to join us in our studies on Sunday mornings.
You are loved.
Ray Reynolds, PhD
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