The Ten Commandments are the moral law as opposed to the rituals and governing laws of the Nation of Israel.
Paul specifically referred to the 10 Commandments as the "ministration of death."
2Co 3:7 But if
the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
Which Paul elaborated on in Romans 7.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Rom 7:10 And
the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Rom 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Paul also taught that the law was not made for the righteous but rather for the unrighteous.
1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Christ is the end of the law for those who believe.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
Not that this "end of the law" makes it void. God forbid, rather the law is established by faith in the heart of the believer.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
The law is used by God to teach one the difference between right and wrong for it depicts a standard of outward righteous behaviour.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Paul teaches in verse 24 that the law is a precursor to faith. Once faith is come one is no longer under the law. This is because true righteousness is of a "faith which works by love" (Gal 5:6) for it is love which fulfills the law (Gal 5:19). Love works no ill towards one's neighbour (Rom 13:10) hence one does not need an external ruleset (the law) telling them what to do.
It is very similar as to how a parent teaches a young child. The young child, in ignorance, will yield to the base desires of the flesh. They will not want to share a toy, they will want to stick things in power sockets, they will reach for sharp knives etc.
A young child is subject to their natural passions and desires yet is ignorant in regards to the concepts of selfishness and love. This is why a young child is "naturally selfish" as opposed to being "naturally evil." The selfish state is in within the parameters of complete ignorance.
The parent will use "law" or "instruction" to teach the child the right way to go, "share with your brother," "don't touch that knife," "pick up your toys," etc. Thus the child finds themselves under the law as they grow and their reasoning ability develops.
Neither Righteousness nor unrighteousness can be upheld until the reasoning ability has developed whereby the child knows the difference between right and wrong. When the child willfully chooses to do wrong, knowing that it is wrong, is the moment they fall under condemnation and thus die spiritually.
Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For
without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For
I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Rom 7:10 And
the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Rom 7:11 For
sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Now it is important to understand, going back to my earlier points, that even though one may obey the letter of the law this is not righteousness if done apart from faith.
An individual may abide by "thou shalt not steal" which is the letter of the law from a variety of motivations. They may fear the consequences of stealing and getting caught for example.
Paul taught that righteousness is by faith and not by the law. The law only points to righteousness (ie. a schoolmaster).
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
When one truly loves their neighbour they will not steal from them. They won't steal because of some rule or regulation, they won't steal because the law is written on the heart. Stealing is wrong with or without a written law to abide by.
Thus those who walk after the Spirit (Gal 5:16) will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and do evil. Walking after the Spirit is the same as being in the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ (Rom 8:2) which is what sets one free from the law of sin and death. We are not set free by the law, which is weak through the flesh (Rom 8:3) but rather we are set free through Jesus Christ whereby we walk after the Spirit by a faith which works by love and we fulfill the righteous requirements of the law (Rom 8:4).
This is why it is impossible for a born again Christian who has the seed of Christ within to willfully sin against their neighbour. To do so would be to cast the seed of Christ out and to turn back to walking carnally according to the passions and desires of the flesh. Now be aware I am not saying that a Christian cannot willfully sin, I am saying that is is impossible to willfully sin without casting out the seed within. Willful sin is to turn away from God.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Summary
1. The moral law of the Ten Commandments is good, in fact it is glorious.
2. The moral law of the Ten Commandments administered death to men who violated the law when they knew it was wrong to do so.
3. The moral law of the Ten Commandments only addresses the outward man.
4. The Spirit of life in Jesus Christ is more glorious than that of the law of rules. This is because love fulfills the law.
5. Thus being in Jesus Christ does away with law that addresses the outward man because the law written on the heart (through Christ) manifests as fruit in the outward man.
6. Thus true righteousness is by faith (which works by love) and not by the law.
7. Hence God reckons us righteous by faith and not by the works of the law.
