In the quest for a “holy life,” many believers find themselves caught between two sets of standards: the Ten Commandments given at Sinai and the Beatitudes given on the Mount. Often, the Beatitudes are presented as a “higher” or “softer” law for Christians. However, if you are to walk in the true liberty of the New Covenant, you must realize that both the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes were spoken to a people still under the jurisdiction of the Old Covenant.
To understand what truly applies to you, you must look through the lens of the Finished Work of the Cross.
The Purpose of Sinai: The Ministry of Death
The Ten Commandments were the foundation of the Old Covenant. While they are holy, just, and good, their purpose was not to make you holy, but to prove that you are not.
- The Mirror of Guilt: The Law was given to stop every mouth and make the whole world guilty before God.
- A Ministry of Condemnation: 2 Corinthians 3-7,9 (NKJV) explicitly calls the Law written on stones the “ministry of death” and the “ministry of condemnation.”
- The Impossible Standard: The Law demands 100% perfection, 100% of the time. If you use it as your rule of life, you are legally obligated to keep every single point or face the curse.
The Purpose of the Mount: The Impossible Grace
Many view the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) as the “New Testament Law,” but Jesus was actually preaching to a Jewish audience still under the Law. His goal was not to give them a new “to-do” list, but to raise the bar of the Law so high that even the most “righteous” Pharisee would realize their need for a Savior.
- Raising the Bar: Jesus took the external Law (“Do not murder”) and moved it to the internal heart (“Do not be angry”). He made the Law harder, not easier.
- The End of Self-Righteousness: By telling the crowd to “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect,” Jesus was stripping away their confidence in their own performance.
- A Schoolmaster’s Tool: Like the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes in their original context served to drive people to the end of themselves so they would look to the Cross.
The Finished Work: Where the Law Ends
The most important shift in human history happened at the Cross. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished,” He wasn’t just ending His physical suffering; He was ending the era of Law-based relating to God.
- Christ is the End: Romans 10-4 (NKJV) says: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
- Redeemed from the Curse: Galatians 3-13 (NKJV) tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.
- A New Agreement: You are no longer relating to God based on the “Ten” or the “Beatitudes” as rules; you are relating to Him based on the Blood of the Son.
What Actually Applies to You Today?
As a New Covenant believer, you do not live by a code written on stone or a list of “blessed are those” as requirements to get blessed. You live by the Person of Jesus Christ dwelling within you.
- Possession over Pursuit: In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” Under Grace, you don’t try to become poor in spirit to get blessed; you realize you are already “blessed with every spiritual blessing” because you are in Christ (Ephesians 1-3).
- Nature over Regulations: You don’t need a command that says “Do not steal” because your New Nature is inherently generous. The Holy Spirit writes His desires on your heart, making obedience a fruit of life rather than a work of the flesh.
- Righteousness as a Gift: Your standing with God is not based on how well you “mourn” or how “pure in heart” you can make yourself. It is based on the gift of righteousness that was credited to your account the moment you believed.
Conclusion
So, what applies to you? Neither Sinai nor the Sermon on the Mount serves as your “legal code.” You have been discharged from the Law so that you can be married to another—Jesus Christ. The Ten Commandments revealed your sin; the Beatitudes revealed your need for a Savior; but Grace reveals your identity as a perfected son. Stop trying to live by the “letter” and start reigning by the “Spirit.”
Frequently Asked Questions
If the Beatitudes were under the Law, are they useless?
Not at all! They are a beautiful description of the character of Jesus. Instead of seeing them as “rules to follow,” see them as a “prophecy of what Jesus will produce in you” as you abide in Him.
Should we still teach the Ten Commandments?
They are useful for showing an unbeliever their need for Jesus. However, for the believer, we teach Righteousness-Consciousness, which naturally fulfills the heart of the Law without the pressure of the Law.
Doesn’t Jesus say He didn’t come to abolish the Law?
He came to fulfill it. Once a contract is fulfilled, its legal claims over you are satisfied. You don’t “break” the Law; you transcend it by walking in the Spirit.
How do I know if I’m living under Law or Grace?
If your peace depends on your performance, you are under Law. If your peace depends on Christ’s performance, you are under Grace.
This article is part of a series answering difficult questions about grace and the New Covenant.