“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17-18 NIV

Jesus said he had not “come to abolish the law or the Prophets” but had come to “fulfill them.” The Law Jesus is referring to is the Law of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament. Given to Moses by God, the Law of Moses includes around 600 laws which can be divided into moral laws, ceremonial laws, and judicial laws. The moral laws are the Ten Commandments and set God’s standards for morality. The ceremonial and judicial laws are the other 590 or so laws that govern the ceremonial and judicial systems of the Nation of Israel. Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law by living a perfect life and offering himself as the perfect sacrifice. He fulfilled the judicial law by taking our sins upon himself and dying in our place.  The moral laws (the Ten Commandments) reflect the nature of God. God never changes.  He is absolute. He is humanity’s moral compass, a steady guide, never-failing and always pointing us to the true north. Likewise, His moral laws never change, they are absolute and do not depend on cultural interpretation or relevancy.

Take a look at God’s moral law, the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17. Has the church of today “watered down” these laws? If so, in what ways?

Jesus says that the Laws will not disappear until heaven and earth disappear. If He were to come back today, would he find His church honoring God’s moral law?

Prayer Focus: Lord, thank you that You never change, that you are my steady guide, never failing and always pointing me to the true north. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.