Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts
Richard Vaughn

Today: The law was nailed to the cross. Right? (Part 1) 
Yes. The law was nailed to the cross. But which law? There were five sets of laws in effect before the cross. There were and still are natural laws, which govern the physical things such as gravity, weather, etc. There were civil laws, which govern human behavior. There were dietary laws regarding health. There was the moral law of God, the Ten Commandments. And fifth, the law of Moses, regarding religious ceremonies. 
Jesus did not nail natural law to the cross, since we still have gravity, weather, etc. Not civil law, as laws that protect citizens from the behavior of others, are needed in any civilized society. It could not have been health laws since disease usually results from transgressing health principles. 
So what did Jesus nail to the cross? Could it have been the Ten Commandments? I will  explain why, it could not have been the Ten Commandments. From last weeks article, we proved that Jesus was not only the Creator God, but that it was He who on Mt. Sinai wrote the Ten Commandments in stone with His own finger. Ex. 31:18 “And he gave unto Moses …upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” It was a reflection of the very character of God and it was not to change or be changed. Psalm 111:7,8 “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever”.  
Jesus Himself said in Mat. 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” And fulfill the righteous requirements of the law He did, leaving us a perfect example to follow. Now look at verse 18. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Jesus made it very clear about the perpetuity of the Ten Commandments. Heaven and earth have not yet passed, and they are still in effect, and God has never changed them. Now look at the fearful warning Jesus states regarding any transgressor of the law and any religious leader or lay person that dares to teach contrary to the Ten Commandments. Verse 19. “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” To be called the least in heaven means that the person will not be there.
Jesus came to save us from sin, not in sin. So what is sin? The Bible clearly defines sin in 1 John 3:4. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Paul stated the importance of the Ten Commandments in Rom. 7:7 “What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” That is  the tenth commandment. Verse 12 he states further, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” 
What does commandments keeping show? It shows that we know Him.1 John 2:3. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” But read very carefully what is in the next verse. 1 John 2:4. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Keeping them shows that we love Him. 1 John 5:2,3. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 
Keeping them receives the blessing of God. Revelation 22:14,15 “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are…whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” John said above, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar…” Revelation says liars will not have access to the tree of life.
No one will keep the Ten Commandments in order to be saved, rather they will keep them because they are saved. Saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did for us. But grace does not excuse obedience. God makes that very clear.  
Next Week:  We will clearly identify The law that was nailed to the cross. (Part 2).