Tag Archives: ten commandments

The Two Covenants — Part 6

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When God entered into the Old Covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai he told them that if they would obey his voice, his commandments, they would be to him “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). They agreed to the terms of the covenant, saying “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8). But the Old Covenant failed, and a new covenant was to be established to fulfill the plan of God for mankind. Why did the Old Covenant fail? What was missing? And how is what was missing in the Old Covenant accounted for in the New Covenant, so God’s purpose may be fulfilled?

And, does the replacing of the Old Covenant with the New free us, as many believe, from the obligation to obey God’s voice? His commandments?

“The Two Covenants — Part 6” audio recording by Rod Reynolds, COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

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It is believed by untold numbers of professing Christians that the law of God is a curse, and that the ten commandments were “done away” by Jesus Christ.

While voluntarily refraining from certain acts might be commendable, many in various Churches are taught and believe that there is no real obligation to keep the ten commandments. And it’s taught that the New Testament backs up this assertion.

But does a careful reading of the New Testament actually suggest that Christians are excused from any obligation to keep the ten commandments? Or, is the opposite true, does the New Testament in fact explicitly impose upon Christians the obligation to keep the ten commandments?

“The Ten Commandments in the New Testament” audio recording by Rod Reynolds, COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sabbath Questions

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Even though the Sabbath command is one of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:8-11), and is mentioned many places in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments, it is routinely neglected and ignored by most people.

It’s not unusual for people, when confronted with the idea that the Sabbath ought to be kept, to have objections or questions. This often includes even those who’ve thought of themselves as Christians for years or for a lifetime. This is not to be unexpected, given the confusion that has been sown concerning the Sabbath from various quarters, and the common disregard and outright contempt for the Sabbath that is commonplace.

Yet, there are some here and there who are willing to consider the proposition that perhaps the Sabbath ought to be taken seriously, but have questions they would like to have answers to. Perhaps you are one of those people. Or perhaps you already keep the Biblical Sabbath. If you are one of the latter, could you answer common questions that frequently come up about the matter?

In this message, we address questions that have been asked of us about the Sabbath. These are not the only questions concerning Sabbath keeping we are confronted with, but some of the most common. Perhaps they are questions that have occurred to you, or that you have been challenged by.

I hope you will find the answers given insightful and convincing. God promises, “Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant–Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:6-7).

If you are not currently a Sabbath keeper, perhaps you will find yourself asking another question, as some have, “Why not keep the Sabbath?”

“Sabbath Questions” by Rod Reynolds, COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Law Under the New Covenant

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Under the New Covenant, are the laws of God, such as the ten commandments, to be obeyed. Explore this subject from the pages of the Bible.

“Law Under the New Covenant” COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Right and Wrong: Who Decides?

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When Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States on March 4, 1861, seven states in the South had already declared their secession from the Union. Despite what you may have heard or read to the contrary, the reason for secession was the question of slavery. Lincoln stated it in his inaugural address: “One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought not to be extended. This is the only substantial dispute.”

While whether slavery should be extended or not was the immediate political issue of the moment, the contention actually went deeper. There were many abolitionists who felt that slavery such as it existed in the United States at the time was a moral wrong, an evil that should be not just limited but abolished. Many abolitionists had in fact supported the proposition in the 1840’s that states favoring the abolition of slavery should separate from the South (en.wikipedia.org, “Secession in the United States,” retrieved July 17, 2020).

There were two starkly different views, as Lincoln said, of right and wrong. Who is to decide what is right and wrong?

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