[Rick Shabi] As many in our nation search for answers to the mess our leaders have made of America, some states have enacted laws that require the public display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Who would have ever thought that the Ten Commandments would be in the news and even be the subject of discussion in presidential campaigns? But what about those Ten Commandments, are they still in effect? Does God expect us to keep those commandments in the 21st century?

Well, many might say, "Yes, those commandments are binding on us today." But are they really? The old saying, "Actions speak louder than words," can apply here. Do Americans or even churches really put stock in the Ten Commandments? For instance, the overwhelming majority of the 2 billion people who say they are Christians don't pay any attention to the fourth commandment. That commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." That's the seventh day, Saturday. Most choose to worship Him on a day He didn't endorse or sanction at all, on Sunday.

The seventh commandment says, "You shall not commit adultery." Seems like most of our nation threw that commandment away long ago. Pre-marital sex is commonplace and adultery and divorce are rampant. Alternate lifestyles and sexuality are touted, promoted, and celebrated in our society with support even from our government. So much for keeping the seventh commandment, which speaks of sex only in marriage for good reasons.

And what about the ninth? The one that talks about bearing false witness or lying. Lying is so commonplace in our world today and people and leaders are so skilled at it that most have no idea what truth is anymore. Lying is not even considered an offense or punishable. It's acceptable under free speech unless you're under oath. So, many might say they believe in the Ten Commandments, and perhaps many churches would say they believe and teach them, but do they really? What churches have stood up for the Sabbath that Jesus Christ and His true church keep? How many of those churches take a firm stand for the sanctity of the sexual relationship in marriage? And how many really speak out about lying and the prevalence of it in our society?

We see what society thinks of the commandments, but what did Jesus say? Did He nail the commandments to the cross, as some would attest? The answer is an emphatic no. Does He expect that we would keep those commandments today, even in the 21st century? The answer is an emphatic yes. He answers those very questions early in His ministry. Look at His words recorded in the Sermon on the Mount that you find in Matthew 5. There He says, "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." To fulfill them means to complete them. It means fill them up. So as Christ went on to say in the Sermon on the Mount, in the New Testament, "You are responsible for the spiritual application of those laws as well as the physical application."

That's why He says in the Sermon on the Mount, "It's not enough to just not kill your brother, you shall not even be angry with Him without a cause." That's why He also says, "It's not enough simply to avoid committing the physical act of adultery. It's a sin to even look at another woman to lust on her." And that's why He says, "Don't swear by anything at all, just to try to prove you are telling the truth." Instead, He says, "Let your yes be yes and your no, no. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." It is Satan who leads us and tempts us to break the commandments. Oh, Christ didn't do away with the law at all. He says, "Don't think that I came to do away with the law." He came to fill them up.

There is now a spiritual application in New Testament times, not just a physical application as in the Old Testament. To emphasize this, look how long He said those laws will be in effect. You find it in that same chapter of Matthew 5 in His Sermon on the Mount. There He says, "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." When is everything accomplished? He's talking about the plan of God for mankind. That's spelled out in the Bible too.

The Bible clearly teaches that Christ will return to earth. He will save the world from complete destruction and establish His kingdom that will last for 1,000 years on earth. Then the purpose for the physical earth will be complete, just as the Apostle Peter also says in his second epistle. Ultimately, the physical heavens and earth will disappear just as Christ said. But the physical earth is still here. We're living on it. Physical man is still here. Everyone listening is a physical man or woman. So by Christ's own words, those Ten Commandments are still in effect. He said that at other times during His ministry as well.

Notice to the rich man what He said when that young rich man was looking to see what he needed to do to be in the kingdom of God. To him, Christ said, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." Another time, as He was about to be arrested and then crucified, Christ gave His disciples last-minute encouragement to continue following Him, even when He was dead. He said, in John 14, "If you love me, keep my commandments." That's pretty clear, wouldn't you say? And that same Apostle John, some 60 years after Christ's crucifixion, was still, like Peter, Paul, and all the apostles, keeping and teaching those commandments.

That Apostle John, said in 1 John 5:2-3, "By this, we know that we love the children of God, when we love and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." They're not burdensome, as some say. They are the words of life. They are the words of freedom, promise, hope, and future, and the way all mankind will live when Christ returns. Need more proof? Here's what it says in the last book of the Bible, in Revelation, about the saints who will be with Christ, those who lived His way in this lifetime. In Revelation 14, it says, "Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

The Bible also says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It says that in Hebrews 13:8. Of course, if Christ kept the commandments and His apostles did, how can we even think we don't need to? So are the commandments still in effect? Absolutely. If we say we follow and love Jesus Christ, should we be following them? Absolutely. Your church may have said not necessary, and that the law is done away. They're deceiving you.

Get out your Bible and believe what Christ said, if you say you believe in Him. He gives a very strong warning to those who say they love and follow Him, but don't do what He says when He says, "Keep the commandments." Again in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7, He says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven."

"Many," He says, "will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name? Haven't we cast out demons in your name? Haven't we done many wonders in your name?'" And then Christ says, "I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'" It's great to see some in our society beginning to look to God. Great to see the Ten Commandments will be on display, but that's not enough. You need to live by them and change your life if you say you love and believe Jesus Christ.