About This Video
Shawn's teaching explains that "The Law" in the Bible encompasses natural, ceremonial, judicial, and moral aspects, highlighting that all have been fulfilled or defined by Christ's work, making salvation attainable through faith rather than law. The Moral Law, or God's will regarding human conduct, remains binding on humanity but emphasizes grace over works, emphasizing that adherence to Christ's teachings supersedes all other legalistic pursuits.
The teaching emphasizes the role of the Moral Law and Ten Commandments as a reflection of human imperfection and the necessity of God's grace, while highlighting Jesus's sacrifice as the means by which believers access a righteous relationship with God, rendering ceremonial laws obsolete. It provides a mnemonic to remember the Ten Commandments, emphasizing their origin, significance, and how they were inscribed on stone, paralleling how God writes His laws on human hearts.
The teaching discusses how the moral law, encapsulated in the Ten Commandments, governs relationships with God and others, exploring how different religious traditions number and divide these commandments across two tablets. It emphasizes that the first three commandments focus on one's relationship with God, while the remaining seven address interactions among people, warning against false idols and stressing the importance of worshiping God in spirit rather than through material representations.
Taking God's name in vain is not just about using it in conversation improperly but rather claiming to speak for God without true authority, while breaking commandments like the Sabbath exposes the hypocrisy in selective observance where many fail to fully adhere to it. Additionally, the teachings of Jesus expand on the commandments by emphasizing internal intentions, highlighting that anger equates to murder and lust to adultery in one's heart, showcasing human nature's inevitability to fall short and the need for faith and grace for salvation.
Salvation cannot be achieved through adherence to the Law or the ordinances of the Gospel, as all are guilty under the Law and only justified by faith in Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us from its curse. Through His righteousness, the free gift of justification and life is granted to those who believe, transitioning us from the condemnation brought by the Law to becoming children of God by faith.
The Ten Commandments
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The Law and Its Aspects
We believe that all mankind may be saved by . . . obedience to the LAWS and ORDINANCES of the Gospel. This statement is one of the 13 Articles of Faith Joseph Smith offered and Mormonism today upholds. Last week, one of our guests – Amee – mentioned a very important biblical concept. It comes from James 2:10
In other words if you go throughout your whole life and keep all of God’s Law (which would be impossible) and the day of your deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. you broke one point of it, you would be guilty of breaking ALL OF IT!
The point is we are guilty of breaking God’s law when we sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace., which makes any and all sin equally efficacious in separating us from God. What is the Law? Is it possible to keep it? Is our keeping “some of the Law” better than not keeping any of it?
“For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
In general, the term “The Law” in the Bible refers to the whole body of Mosaic legislation. There are four “areas” or aspects of “the Law” that we might consider when we think of this passage in James.
First, there’s the Law of Nature. These verses speak of God’s Law that is written in nature. It is one way that even the savage can know that there is a God. This Law is also written on every persons heart to some extent or another. Consider Romans 2:15 as it speaks of the Gentiles. This aspect of Natural Law binds all people at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or our being influenced by the moral relations of things. Some people suggest such Law does not exist in humanity. I contend that everyone with senses has had a witness of the supernal God through nature – the nature that surrounds them AND their own heart. It is by this that they shall be judged if they have no other witness of God. And this was made possible by God’s grace!
Next we have “The Ceremonial Law” which under the Old Testament are the rites and ceremonies of worship. These were the things done that “pictured” of the coming messiah and were mandatory according to God’s will and direction. (Heb 7:9,11; 10:1; Eph 2:16). Ceremonial Law was obligatory only till Christ had finished his work then it was fulfilled by the gospel. The temple rites, the ceremony and ritual of the high priests were fulfilled in the righteousness of Jesus – His suffering, His death, and His resurrection. It was truly finished. The ceremonies abrogated, the rites fulfilled. All we now do and now are is through our faith and trust in Him. Do you think you live the ceremonial law today? You don’t. You can’t. Not even if you are Jewish! They don’t even offer sacrifice anymore because they don’t have possession of Mount Moriah. Ceremony died with Jesus on the cross. It – in and of itself – is meaningless to salvation. Part of the Ceremonial Law for the COI was for a High Priest to once a year go in through the veil and offer sacrifice in the Holy of Holies, right?
Then we have “The Judicial Law,” which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation and was often part of the Old Testament Law.
Finally, we have “The Moral Law”, which is what we are going to spend these final minutes talking about. The Moral Law is the revealed will of God regarding human conduct. It is binding on all people to the end of time. It was promulgated at Sinai.
Characteristics of the Moral Law
The scriptures say: It is perfect (Psalms 19:7), perpetual (Matthew 5:17,18), holy (Romans 7:12), spiritual (Romans 7:14), and exceeding broad (Psalms 119:96). Although binding on all, we are not under it as a covenant of works (Galatians 3:17). The Jews were. We are under a covenant of Grace! And it is a mockery to try and reinstitute salvation through
Obedience to Laws and Ordinances of the Gospel
Listen! The Moral Law was given for the Children of Israel as an antecedent to the sacrifice of the Lord. And though the Ten Commandments are perfect and holy what they truly do is reveal how much is wrong with us as fallen human beings and how much we need God’s grace. Bottom–line, the ten commandments, along with the Lords extensions of them, leave every single one of to face our supreme and ugly GUILT before God.
Before we quickly walk through the Ten Commandments, I’d like to teach you an effective way to remember them. Then we’ll analyze them in terms of how they relate to us today. Okay. Now, repeat after me:
Scriptures that Reflect Our Relationship with God
Consider Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. Also, Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Matthew 27:50-51 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Now listen to this! Listen! This speaks of the Christians relationship with God regarding bloody sacrifice and the veil. Heb 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. The flesh of Jesus became once and for all the veil by which we have access to the Father! His flesh! His blood!
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Do you see the inanity of trying to follow anything ceremonial to establish your righteousness or cleanliness? Do you see how ceremonial rites, rituals, and laws ended In Jesus? Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
The Decalogue: The Ten Commandments
One rhymes with one, there is one God, have no other before Him. Two rhymes with zoo, there are statues in zoos, statues are graven images – have no graven images. Three rhymes with tree, trees have leaves, leaves have veins, thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vane. Four rhymes with door. Doors are made of wood, wood has knots, knots fall out and leave a hole, keep the Sabbath-Day holy. Five rhymes with alive. You mother and father offered you life – honor your father and mother. Six rhymes with six shooter – don’t kill. Seven rhymes with heaven, you can’t go to heaven if you commit adultery. Eight rhymes with gates, gates are made of steel, don’t steal. Nine rhymes with lions, and tigers, and bears – oh, my! – don’t bare false witness. And ten rhymes with men – don’t covet what other men (and women) have.
The Ten Commandments are also known in the Greek Septuagint as “The Decalogue,” which is a Greek term meaning “the ten words” and serve as a summary of the immutable moral law of GOD. These commandments were first given in their written form to the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai, about fifty days after they came out of Egypt. They were written by the finger of God on two tables of stone just as God has written His laws on our hearts. The first tables were broken by Moses when he brought them down and threw them to the ground. At the command of God he took up into the mount two other tables, and God wrote on them "the words that were on the first tables" (Ex 34:1). These tables were afterwards placed in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:5; 1Kings 8:9). We don’t know where they are now, but I…
The Moral Law and Its Application
The entire Moral Law is collectively referred to as "the covenant" (Deuteronomy 4:13), "the tables of the covenant" (Deuteronomy 9:9, 11; Hebrews 9:4), and "the testimony." As a side note, various numbering methods have been adopted for these commandments. The Jews regard the "Preface" as one of the commandments and combine the first and second. Roman Catholics and Lutherans also combine the first and second commandments, but divide the tenth into two to maintain the total of ten. Jews and Josephus distribute them equally across two tablets—five commands on each tablet. Conversely, Lutherans and Roman Catholics assign three commandments to the first tablet and seven to the second, whereas the Greek and Reformed Churches allocate four to the first tablet and six to the second. The Samaritans uniquely include that Gerizim is the mount of worship in the second commandment.
Relationships and Commandments
Commandments 1-3 pertain to Man’s relationship to God, while commandments 4-10 focus on mankind’s relationship with one another. Let's look into Exodus 20 to explore their relevance in contemporary life.
Examining Exodus 20
Exodus 20:1 ¶ And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
12 ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
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.
Reflect on Exodus 20: "And God spake all these words, saying…" This raises the query of whether God truly voiced all these words or if translation errors exist. Who should one trust… the Bible or the critiques of men?
Regarding the first commandment, ask yourself:
Are you guilty of having other gods before the Only true and living God? Consider what you prioritize most, what you most communicate about, and think of often. Is it the God of the Bible or… another person? A church leader? An American Idol? Drug, food, or sex? Money, houses, cars, vacations? Positions, fame, or praise of men? If it isn’t God with a capital G, then it’s a god with a lowercase g, which breaches the first commandment, making you guilty of violating the whole law, even if just once.
Commandment number 2 emphasizes avoiding making or worshiping any likeness, whether in heaven above, on earth beneath, or under the water below. This provokes thought about what encompasses graven images.
In our quest to comprehend God, humans often fill knowledge gaps with images, yet God's portrayal in spirit and truth should prevail. Graven images restrict the divine to material confines instead of allowing free worship in spirit.
The True Meaning of Taking the Name of God in Vain
Either by swearing falsely or rashly by his Name, or by condemning it. Of course, it is vile to use their beautiful names in blasphemous exchanges, but saying God, Jesus, Lord in conversation is not the main thrust of taking the name of God in vain. Taking the name of God in vain is when a person says they are speaking for God and they’re not. It’s when you say He wants something that he doesn’t or He doesn’t want something that He does.
(Years ago my wife and I were new to a stake and I received a call to meet with a member of the stake presidency. TELL STORY.)
Observing the Sabbath Day
To be honest, this is a whole other show, but let me get down to brass tacks here. If you believe you are under the obligation of obeying the Sabbath-day, do you keep it?
(STORY OF major supermarket owner in Idaho)
“Why don’t you keep your stores closed on Sunday?” “Keep your members out of my stores on Sunday and I’ll shut our doors.” I find the “Sabbath-day” a wonderful exercise in sheer hypocrisy in Mormonism because although most LDS consider it a commandment, most LDS, at one time or another, have broken it to smithereens. It is either the Law or it is not! You cannot, without offending God Almighty, claim to obey the Sabbath-day and then break it willy-nilly because your son has a championship match or because you need some bread at the store. Now, I don’t believe in keeping the Sabbath because of how I understand it relative to the Lord’s day. First of all, the Sabbath day is on the last day of the week. Second, if you break it, you should be put to death. Third, it was a covenant between God and the COI. EXPLAIN
NUMBER 5
Have you ALWAYS honored your Father and Mother? Always? If you haven’t you are guilty of the whole law.
The Deeper Meaning of 'Thou Shalt Not Kill'
Oh. You haven’t killed anyone? What did Jesus say about this commandment?
Mathew 5:21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. {Raca: that is, Vain fellow}
Have you ever said “Raca” to someone? Have you ever gotten angry with them? Jesus said that getting angry places you in the same position as someone who murders another! Are you starting to get the picture of how guilty you are?
NUMBER 7
Hold onto your hats, friends. Most of the men listening have failed on this one. And more and more women in this day and age. What did Jesus say about this command?
Matthew 5:27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
This is Jesus the savior talking. He said if you have lusted after a woman you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. Do you get it? This isn’t some kind of “wink, wink you’re okay, dude” warning. Knowing human nature, he was condemning you where you stand, and making a case for your salvation – Him . . . FAITH . . . GRACE.
Exploring Commandments on Integrity
NUMBER 8
Ever stole anything in your life? Anything ever? A penny? A sneaky business deal or sale? Extra refills at the Piggly-Wiggly? Sneak into a movie theater? Share at an all you can eat buffet? If you have, you are guilty of the whole law.
NUMBER 9
Maybe you’ve obeyed this commandment. Maybe you have never accused anyone deliberately. But what about inadvertently? How about on a message board?
And, NUMBER 10.
Now maybe there are a few of you out there who think you have made it through the first nine commandments scot-free. It would be hard to believe, but let’s assume you have.
What about the tenth commandment, here?
Ever covet anything from another? Their success? Looks? Physique? House? Car? Family? Personality? Spouse?
Not one of us – especially in light of the words of Jesus – have gone
Understanding God's Moral Law
Nobody but one has ever kept it. But James said if you break any of it you are guilty of breaking all of it, right! Where does this leave you? Can you be saved by partial-sometimes-every-now and then obedience to the Law? Not ever. You are condemned from the start. Can you be saved by OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL? NEVER! EVER! It is a pernicious lie and you are fooling yourself if you have bought into this Old Testament regurgitation of the Law!
Hope from the New Testament
Let’s conclude with some hope from the New Testament that just flies in the face of all the LDS thoughts on obedience, the Law, and salvation.
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the hatred, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Justification by Faith
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.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
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.
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one,(Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.
Alright, let’s go to the phones. (801) 973-8820
