Are the 10 Commandments Still Relevant in a Life of Grace?

Last week Carolyn asked a very thought-provoking question, one that resonates deeply with many Seventh-Day Adventists. I wrestled with this question myself for years. She asked, “How do the 10 Commandments fit into the life of grace? If grace is freely given, why does God repeatedly emphasize the importance of keeping the commandments?”

This question strikes at the heart of our faith because it touches on the relationship between law and grace. On one hand, we are told that grace is a free gift, unearned and unconditional; a reflection of God’s boundless love. On the other, the commandments remain as a guide for how we should live, pointing us toward a life of obedience and holiness. So how do these two fit together? If grace frees us from the burden of the law, why does God still call us to obey it saying “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Jesus answers this question in one of the most powerful stories in the Gospels: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. But before we get into the parable, let me give you the context in which Jesus told this parable.

A certain lawyer approached Jesus, wanting to test Him, and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus, in His usual way, turned the question back to the man. The lawyer, immersed in the Scriptures, gave a profound answer: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). This response is remarkably accurate and reflects a deep understanding of the law’s essence; it’s not easy to arrive at such a conclusion without careful thought and spiritual insight. Jesus affirmed this answer, saying, “Do this, and you will live.”

But the lawyer, seeking to justify himself, asked a follow-up question: “And who is my neighbor?” It’s a question many of us ask, consciously or not. Are there limits to whom we are called to love? What does it mean to truly live out the commandments? In response, Jesus told a story that redefines the boundaries of love and reveals how grace transforms the commandments.

In the parable (Luke 10:30–37), a man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he is attacked by robbers. They strip him, beat him, and leave him for dead on the side of the road. A priest comes along, sees the man, and passes by on the other side. A Levite, another religious leader, does the same. But then a Samaritan; a man despised by the Jews, comes across the injured traveler. He stops, tends to the man’s wounds, places him on his own donkey, and takes him to an inn, even paying for his continued care.

The Samaritan’s actions stand in stark contrast to the priest and the Levite. Why did these religious leaders pass by? Perhaps they were afraid of becoming ceremonially unclean by touching someone who might already be dead. Perhaps they justified their inaction by focusing on their temple duties, believing their relationship with God was more important than helping this man. 

Whatever their reasons, they missed the essence of the law they claimed to uphold. At its core, the law is not about external compliance or ritualistic performance; it is about love, love that compels us to act in compassion and mercy. The priest and Levite may have followed the letter of the law in their temple duties, but in ignoring the injured man, they failed to reflect the heart of the law: to love God and love others.

Jesus underscores this point in another teaching: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23–24). This verse reminds us that our relationships with others are central to our relationship with God. Rituals and religious duties, while important, are secondary to living out love and reconciliation. The priest and Levite may have been heading to the temple, but they missed the greater commandment: to love their neighbor.

The Samaritan, on the other hand, embodied the spirit of the commandments. He didn’t ask, “Who is my neighbor?” but instead lived the question, “How can I be a neighbor?” This is grace in action. The Samaritan crossed cultural and social boundaries, risking his own safety and sacrificing his time and resources to care for someone in need.

John captures this idea beautifully in his letter: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20). This verse is deeply convicting. How can we claim to love God if we ignore or despise the people He places in our path? The Samaritan’s actions remind us that love is not theoretical; it is practical, sacrificial, and active.

The Samaritan’s compassionate act demonstrates the transformative power of grace, revealing that it is grace, not mere obedience to the law, that truly fulfills God’s commandments. His selfless love for the injured man demonstrates that true obedience to the law isn’t about legalistic rule-following but about living out love in tangible, meaningful ways. Paul captures this beautifully in his letter to the Romans: “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). Notice what this verse emphasizes. The essence of the law is not found in rigid adherence to commands but in how we treat others. Every commandment, from honoring parents to refraining from theft and falsehood, is ultimately a call to love. Without love, the law becomes hollow, mere behavior management rather than a reflection of God’s character.

This leads us to a profound understanding of the relationship between the law and grace. While the law provides a framework for how we should live, it is grace that makes living it possible in the way God intends. This is where grace plays a transformative role. Grace doesn’t just call us to obey; it changes our hearts so that love becomes the driving force behind our actions. Before experiencing grace, we might try to keep the commandments out of fear; fear of judgment, fear of rejection, fear of losing God’s favor. But grace assures us that we are already accepted and loved, not because of what we have done but because of what God has done for us. This assurance frees us from fear and replaces it with gratitude and joy.

The Samaritan didn’t help the injured man because he was following a rule or trying to earn favor with God. His love flowed naturally from a compassionate heart, one transformed by the kind of grace that breaks through barriers of culture, prejudice, and personal cost. Grace enabled him to live the essence of the law without being enslaved to its letter.

Through grace, obedience shifts from being a task to being a response. When we understand the depth of God’s grace toward us, it reshapes how we see others. We begin to love as God loves; not selectively, not conditionally, but fully and sacrificially. Grace enables us to look past barriers that might otherwise divide us and to recognize the image of God in every person we meet.

This transformative power of grace doesn’t make the commandments irrelevant. On the contrary, grace reveals their true purpose. Instead of being rules that bind us, they become a framework for expressing God’s love in practical, palpable ways. The Samaritan fulfilled the law far more completely than the priest or Levite who outwardly followed it but failed to embody its spirit.

So, when Paul says that love fulfills the law, he isn’t discarding the commandments; he is showing that their ultimate goal is realized in relationships marked by grace and love. Grace empowers us to live in this way, not out of obligation, but as a natural overflow of what we have received. It allows us to approach the law with freedom rather than fear, transforming obedience into a reflection of God’s heart.

This transformation is crucial. Grace frees us from worrying about whether we are right with God because Grace has already taken care of that. Instead, it compels us to live out that grace in how we love and serve others.

When we understand this, the commandments are no longer burdens but blessings. They guide us toward a life that reflects God’s love and invites others to experience His grace. We begin to see the commandments not as a checklist to earn God’s favor but as a natural response to the grace we’ve been given.

So how do the 10 Commandments fit into a life of grace? Grace empowers us to live out the commandments, not as rigid rules but as expressions of love for God and others. Grace transforms obedience from a duty into a delight, freeing us to love without fear, boundaries, or limits. In the end, the commandments are not about what we do for God but how we reflect His love to the world.

As we reflect on this, let me leave you with a few questions:

• Do we sometimes, like the priest and Levite, prioritize religious piety over showing compassion to others?
• How does our view of grace influence how we treat others?
• Are there barriers; cultural, social, or personal, that keep us from loving as the Samaritan did?

Frank: All that you said was awesome. It makes a lot of sense, especially in terms of what I’ve been experiencing over the last year and a half. Coming from a person who used to be focused on strict obedience, I couldn’t strictly obey, no matter how much I tried. Then I came to understand that, wait a minute, this has been given to me through Christ. I’ve been given freedom; I’ve been given righteousness through Christ. As it says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, we shall become the righteousness of God.

Understanding who I am in Christ and how my identity has changed has transformed the way I view the law. I know that Christ works in me—Christ in me helps me live a righteous life, do the right things, and accomplish good. If I do good things, it’s because the Spirit of God lives in me, and I’m aligning myself with that. It says so many times, especially in Romans 12, where it says, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” We need a renewed mind, not new or better behavior. When the mind is renewed, behavior will follow.

So, that’s the thing I’ve come to understand: I’ve accepted Christ. Christ lives in me. I will obey Him because of the love that springs forth in me naturally.

Carolyn: I really appreciate Kiran’s talk, and I’m trying to assimilate it into a language that I can put into practice because I’ve been indoctrinated for so long. It’s all about how we keep the Sabbath, with so many rules about it. It’s very hard for me. I believe everything Kiran said. I asked the Lord before to help me put the matter into words and help me assimilate it, so this talk was a refresher and gave me more insight.

I don’t think I can do it—only God can do it. I don’t know if it’s ever instantaneous, but I feel judgment around the Sabbath. And yet I love the Sabbath. When it comes to sharing it with others, I don’t feel fully equipped with a renewed mind to say, “Guard the edges,” or to apply all the things we’ve been taught, and allow the Lord to do it for me. Maybe I need some more adjustments.

David: You raise another interesting issue; namely, that the Sabbath is beset with rules. The commandment is simple: “Keep the Sabbath day holy.” But, of course, religion has expanded upon the commandment.

So, I think the question you raise is: Is it legitimate to expand upon the Ten Commandments, or is it somehow wrong to interpret them and expand upon them? Should we take them purely at face value?

Carolyn: We have indeed added many more laws to keep the Sabbath day holy. I need to know what the meaning is and how expandable the word “holy” is.

Kiran: I remember when I attended the Spicer Seminary School in India for a couple of years. I had been an Adventist for about two years by then. I was very strict—following the rules, observing, and trying to keep the Sabbath holy as God wanted me to. I went to vespers and didn’t think a bad thought in my heart as far as I was able. I prayed in the garden.

One evening, after vespers, I was coming back to my dorm and met a man who was just coming from outside the campus. I asked him, “Why did you go out on a Sabbath day? It’s sinful!” He had, in fact, gone to visit patients in a TB hospital, not caring about the risk to his own health. He didn’t preach anything. He didn’t give a Bible lesson—nothing. He just went. And he came back.

It bothered me for years after that, how I had judged him to be wrong that day. It bothered me even more that he had kept the Sabbath commandments as God wanted him to, while it was me who had failed the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not for my benefit—it’s to remember how gracious God is towards me and how He is taking care of my salvation. It’s a day for me to show that gratitude to others.

I still feel bad for the way I behaved that day. But you couldn’t have convinced me otherwise back then because I was in this mindset of trying to please God. When God said, “I’m already pleased; you don’t need to please me anymore,” I didn’t understand it.

Carolyn: Part of it is forgiving ourselves because we don’t always know. When you say, “Keep the Sabbath day holy,” and then we talk to people, some say, “All you have to do is take one day, and it doesn’t have to be Saturday—just take one day and give it to God.” Yet, if we go by creation, the seventh day is the Sabbath. There are rules that exist in the mindset of someone who has been raised to keep the Sabbath day holy as the seventh day of the week, from sundown to sundown. I’m trying so hard to hear exactly—I guess maybe I’m trying to hear what I want to hear, and I’m not sure I know what I want.

Frank: I think we also need to ask ourselves why we rest on the Sabbath. For me, it comes down to resting in the finished work of Christ. I’m resting in what Christ has done for me—that is what my rest is for that day. But it’s also about the fact that I can serve others. I can do good for others. I can spend time with people at church, do Bible studies, and have this extra time with God during this day.

It’s not about having to do it—it’s that I get to, and I want to, because it springs forth naturally from my heart, which God has been working on. So, I think asking the question “Why do we rest?” is important too. It’s because I rest in Christ and what He has done for me. I’m thankful for that. I am blessed by that. I am encouraged and growing in that aspect. When you look at it from that perspective, it no longer becomes, “Oh, I have to, and if I don’t do it right, God’s going to get mad at me and punish me, and I’ll feel miserable.” You don’t need to feel miserable if you’re doing it because it’s in your heart to do it.

For example, if you love cooking, nobody has to tell you, “Go cook a pie.” You’ll say, “I love cooking pies; I’m going to do it because I want to—I love it.”

Carolyn: But if it’s the Sabbath, and you’re with a neighbor having a very good time—you’ve helped him—and then he says, “Let’s go this afternoon and see a sports event. We can praise the Lord there just as well as anywhere,” it’s not always clear. I do feel a need to keep the Sabbath, and I love the Sabbath. But when it comes to relating to other people, I want to answer their questions in a way that doesn’t make it a commandment of “Thou shalt” or “Thou shalt not,” but instead comes from love.

Donald: I think that maybe a bridge to this conversation would be on the limits and the details. So, the details are, “Love God,” okay, but we don’t really know about the specific way, the specific seventh day of the Sabbath in loving God, as Kiran outlined. So what are the specifics? And what does that mean? Then, what are the limits? If I’m to love my neighbor—what does that even mean?

I’m consumed right now with family issues that I would feel I was neglecting if I didn’t involve myself. But then to think about others—just this morning, I read on Facebook that another close family lost their son. Where are the limits to loving your neighbor? I won’t be reaching out to them today, and that’s just a small example. Just look at the chaos in this world. What are the limits to “Love thy neighbor”?

So, it’s the details, and it’s the limits. It could sound like I’m saying to Carolyn, “Oh, Carolyn, get over it; the Sabbath is no big deal.” But no, the details are important in coming to understand what God really wants of us—and what I want for myself to be able to do God’s law: love God and love thy neighbor. That’s critical, it seems to me.

Last week, in a sermon about the Sabbath I could not attend, I’m told that our pastor included some examples of Sabbath behaviors. I hear it was wonderful, but one of his examples was eating out on the Sabbath. That’s an interesting one because, when I get together with colleagues in this community, as soon as church lets out, everybody’s going over to the cafeteria to eat. Somebody has to do the cooking, and somebody has to pay for it.

So, if you get into those details, you can get bogged down. Then you get to where Frank or Kiran was describing—a good place to be, where it’s not about the minutiae. But for some of us, the details are a challenge. Maybe it’s harder for people who are detail-oriented? Afflicted with OCD? It’s harder for those who want to be able to check all the boxes.

And I’ll repeat: if I were to love my neighbor, where would that end? There’s got to be a limit, because you would go crazy if you were really trying to love your neighbor to the fullest degree possible in this world.

David: We’re speaking in the context of grace. If you are truly living a life of grace, then is the Sabbath necessary? Or, to put it another way, isn’t every day the Sabbath?

Carolyn: I’ve often heard it quoted that “If you break one commandment, you break them all.”

Donald: To members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Sabbath is fairly important to our orientation to life. So, it’s not, “Yes, you should behave the same way every day.” There is a commandment that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that’s part of our DNA.

Reinhard: I think the number one issue here is to keep it holy. My interpretation is that seven days a week we worship God, but on this special day, the Sabbath, it seems like our hearts and minds need to concentrate on remembering God—His love, His creation—and also to remind ourselves that He’s the Creator. The Seventh-day Sabbath reminds us of the creation of the world.

Whether we are converts or born into Adventist families, we are taught about the Sabbath and its significance. Among Adventists, though, I see differences in how people observe the Sabbath. In the country I came from, people were very strict. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, they worshipped, starting with church service on Friday evening, and often spent the whole Sabbath in church with activities like youth programs or other gatherings.

I think God knows when we are doing good on the Sabbath. When we worship Him according to His will, we can’t forget about love. Jesus Himself mentioned the example of rescuing an animal that fell into a pit on the Sabbath. Should we just leave it there? No, we help. The Jewish traditions were very strict—take the story of the Good Samaritan, for instance. The Samaritan was considered an outcast by the Jews, even though historically they were descendants of Jacob, just like the Jews themselves. During the time of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Jews saw themselves as the true followers of God, the ones who strictly observed the rules and laws. But their strictness became legalistic, and they forgot about love.

Jesus came to set a new paradigm, showing that God is love. The rigid legalism of the past was not what God intended. Yes, during the time of Sinai, violations of the Sabbath could lead to severe consequences, sometimes even death. But when Jesus came, He showed us that love is the essential ingredient in observing the law and in how we treat others.

In today’s world, I see people observing the Sabbath differently. Some might go to a restaurant to eat. I think it depends on the heart. After all, what matters is whether our hearts and minds are focused on God’s grace. If we honor and worship Him on the Sabbath, that’s what counts. As long as we don’t take things to extremes, I think it’s up to the individual.

Some people might be more legalistic, while others might go out into nature, bike, or do other activities. Ultimately, God knows our hearts and minds. If our daily lives reflect a connection with God, and we want to worship Him, that’s what truly matters.

Michael: I thought it was the opposite. I thought the Sabbath is about me. If it’s a down payment of grace, as in the story of the manna, the Israelites didn’t even have to go out on the Sabbath to gather it. They picked up extra manna—extra grace—on Friday—and could just relax and enjoy the Sabbath.

Don: What are the limits? In the story of the Good Samaritan, the road between Jerusalem and Jericho is the road of life. On the road of life, you’re going to encounter the effects of evil, and each of us carries a toolbox that is unique to us. Therefore, the limits of what we can do are different for every individual.

Some people have economic means that they can use to help others. Some have emotional strength to offer, and others have physical abilities. Each of us has different tools in our toolbox, and we can’t do everything for everyone all the time. God knows the tools you have and expects you to use them when you can. It’s not about being everything to everybody at all times, even though we might wish we could.

There isn’t a universal formula for how to act—it’s a case-by-case basis. If you have the tools and the opportunity, God expects you to use them. That’s what it means to be a neighbor. Some people have many tools, and others have fewer, but the expectation is not uniform. It’s rooted in the principle that to whom much is given, much is required.

I also didn’t want to limit this discussion to just the Sabbath, especially since we have a diverse group. But it’s remarkable that Jesus, in His teachings on the Sabbath, doesn’t focus much on specific rules. Instead, His ministry conveys three main principles of Sabbath-keeping: worship God, do good to others, and take a break from business as usual. Beyond that, His statement that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” suggests that the rules should be limited. Jesus had many opportunities to lay out strict guidelines for the Sabbath but chose instead to present it as a broad, grace-filled practice.

Donald: The Samaritan was on that road, observed the situation, and acted. If he hadn’t been on that road, he wouldn’t have seen it. That parallels the idea of “Love thy neighbor”—it’s about the one next to you, the one you see, the one you’re aware of and could easily overlook.

We had the opportunity to see the Piano Guys down in Amish country. Before the show, we visited a shop with beautiful woodworking. I asked the person working there, “Where is this made?” She said, “Within 20 miles of here.” The showroom was filled with exquisite, creative craftsmanship.

As a wannabe woodworker, I asked, “How do they do this?” I knew they used to power their tools with gas engines, but she said that’s no longer the case. Now, they can use electric tools—provided the electricity doesn’t come from the grid. They generate their own power but won’t use electricity from a utility company.

I bring this up because it highlights how seriously people can take rules, even seemingly small ones. For us as Seventh-day Adventists, the details of Sabbath observance can feel similarly intricate and critical. To others, it might sound like trivia, but when I heard about the Amish woodworking, I thought, “Really? You can use electricity as long as it’s not from the grid?” It’s fascinating how deeply such rules can shape our lives and practices.

Sharon: Every morning when I wake up, I’m given the opportunity to be God’s love in action through me. He takes my brokenness, and somehow, when I partner with Him, I can make a difference. I live surrounded by acute poverty, by hungry children every single day. Obviously, I have a toolbox, but it’s lacking in funding compared to the overwhelming needs around me.

I ask the Lord every single day to give me those divine appointments where I can be His love in action. Can I address all the needs I see? Absolutely not. I don’t have the resources. But can I offer positive words of encouragement that don’t cost anything? Yes, I can. It’s not about me—it’s about being a vessel for the grace that’s been given to me. Somehow, God uses me as an imperfect human extension of His love and compassion.

If we walk with Jesus, ask Him every day, and thank Him every night, we find that He uses us to make a difference on the road of life. When I look into the eyes of those I meet, I praise the Lord that I get to see the face of Jesus in the least of these. Each of us is called—genetically, situationally, and educationally—to different passions, gifts, and talents. But because of what grace has done in me, I ask Jesus to use me every day to make the world a little brighter and bring hope to those who are suffering.

Reinhard: The Sabbath is a joy. We celebrate it by worshiping God. From the very beginning of the commandment, the Sabbath was about gathering people together for fellowship, sharing God’s love, and listening to preaching that strengthens and encourages us.

Sabbath is a time to reflect on what we need to do, what we lack, and what our strengths are so that we can share those strengths with others. Sharon’s example of the toolbox resonates—each of us has unique talents to share during the Sabbath and in daily life. I believe we should draw closer to God every day, but the Sabbath is a special day to remind us that we are God’s people. God appreciates when we come together on the Sabbath to worship and honor Him as our Creator. That, to me, is the essence of the Sabbath.

Don: You don’t have to do everything for everybody all the time. Your toolbox may not have all the tools you wish it did to help others, and there are limits to what you can do and what God expects of you. While you might want to be everything to everyone, it’s not possible, and it’s not expected.

What grace does for you is release you from guilt over not being able to do everything. Instead, it enables you to use the tools you do have when opportunities arise. Your toolbox will serve you well for those situations.

Donald: Physicians must face this challenge all the time. When they do their rounds, they go from room to room, and each person in every room is deeply important to a whole circle of people. How do they prioritize? They can’t fully give to everyone.

Sharon’s point is critical: her toolbox is limited, and funding is a huge part of that. Having been to Africa many times, I know what it’s like to see sweet little faces with their hands out, hoping for sustenance. It forces us to think about limits and details—what we can do with the resources we have and where we need to draw boundaries.

David: Was not even Jesus limited in what He could do when He was a human being on Earth?

Sharon: He was very limited. Look at the behavior of His disciples. If He could have been the ideal trainer, they would have behaved much more appropriately. But again, the people we interact with have free choice. All we can do is open the door; we can’t make them walk through it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Jesus struggled all the time, wanting to bring people to wholeness, yet they insisted on doing things the way they’d always done them. I’m sure it pained Him deeply to see such stubbornness in the people He loved so dearly.

I think it’s the same with us today—trusting Him, walking with Him, and realizing that we’re really nothing without His guidance and passion. In that sense, I think Jesus may have even felt like a failure at times, seeing how much work there was still to do.

Kiran: What is the limit of my love? I feel that’s a much better question than asking what specific things I have to do to keep the Sabbath better. It’s the right thing to consider. Next week, I propose to talk about boundaries—what is the minimum and the maximum we’re supposed to do? How do we extend God’s grace to others, and how does that work? I think the parable of the talents might offer some insight.

Carolyn: Young couples and families try to teach their children about the Sabbath and set boundaries for it. That’s where our boundaries are established. I had wonderful parents who showed God’s love to me all the time. But I’ve noticed, in raising my own children, how difficult it is. Should they ride a bike? Can they go swimming? Can they play in the snow and go sledding in the backyard if there’s a hill? Or should they just stay inside crawling around the floor in snowy weather?

There were so many rules and so much finger-pointing. That was probably my insecurity. I was trying to do my best, but I’m sure couples and families today are facing the same challenges. This even carries into our educational system. These rules stay with us for our entire lives.

Kiran: I’m struggling with that with my son. On Saturdays, I don’t watch TV, and if I turn it on at all, it’s for religious programs. But my son wants to watch his cartoons—even on the Sabbath. I’ve tried putting on Jesus songs instead.

One day, I caught myself and thought, “What am I trying to do? What’s the point of all this?” If I tell him these things don’t matter, he won’t grow up as a Seventh-day Adventist. But if I insist they matter, he might grow up to be a miserable Seventh-day Adventist. I decided that at some point, when he can understand, I’ll teach him that the Sabbath is a day to share grace with others. Maybe you can’t do that as much during the rest of the week, but on this day, you can share the love and blessings God has so freely given you—with your family, your neighbors, and everyone you can.

That’s the message I want to instill in him. I might change my mind later, but that’s where I am now.

Don: One good thing about raising kids is that you can’t do it twice.

Carolyn: That’s right.

Don: You only have one shot. 

We look forward to Kiran’s essay next week.

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