Does James’ mention of some of the Ten Commandments mean we are under all of them?
Question:
My fiance is Seventh Day Adventist, and I am trying to convince him we are no longer required to observe a weekly sabbath. However, he is trying to convince me otherwise. This is putting a huge strain on our relationship. I have read through the articles on this site and I have some questions that the answer will help me explain to him better. If in the New Testament we are told to keep his commandments and in James 2 they mention a couple of the Ten Commandments, then how is it that we do not have to keep the weekly sabbath?
He also showed me in Exodus 16 how the Israelites were keeping the sabbath before the Ten Commandments were given, so therefore the sabbath command must have been implemented from the beginning. Can you provide me with an explanation?
He also talks about the Adventist church being the remnant spoken about in Revelations where they talk about keeping God's commandments. I am not too familiar with Revelations, but I do know that every mention of commandments is not always referring to the Ten Commandments, but I do not know how to explain this to him.
Answer:
"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:10-14).
James mentions two of the Ten Commandments to illustrate why we should appreciate the fact that we are not under the Old Law. Law by itself defines what is wrong and a person is condemned by the law if it is not perfectly kept. For example, if a police officer pulled you over for running a stop sign, you could plead "But officer, I've never murdered anyone," but it won't make a difference because while you didn't break one law, you did break another. Therefore, you are guilty of breaking the law. It is the same with the Law of Moses. The New Law is superior because it includes the fact that we can obtain mercy despite the fact that we break the law at times.
James' contrast of the Old and New Law does not prove the Old Law is still in effect.
Your second question was answered in Sabbath Keeping.
If he wishes to claim every mention of "commandments" refers to the Ten Commandments then he traps himself by removing his ability to ignore: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace" (Ephesians 2:14-15).
I would really recommend dating someone with whom you can agree about religion.
Response:
Thank you. Appreciate the quick response.
