Introductory Note: Although these lessons were prepared primarily for use with The Bible Sabbath Association "Echoes From Eden" radio ministry conducted by the author a few years back, they have proven a blessing to many hundreds of our friends to whom the radio broadcasts were not available. In fact we know of no comparable series on the law, the gospel and the Sabbath, which is more popular and plainly written in easy-to-understand language for home Bible study than this thirteen lesson book. It is our sincere desire that the Creator will use this humble work to help honest people find the truth about the Ten Commandments and the gospel of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is dedicated to the task of calling men and women back to full obedience to God's perfect law, the Ten Commandments, including the true Christian Sabbath.
  It should be noted that one of the purposes of the General Council of the Churches of God-7th Day is to promote the knowledge and observance of the Ten Commandments, the Fourth Commandment in particular. However, statements in this book about other doctrinal matters do not necessarily represent the teachings of the Council, its Board, or Members.

Lesson No. 1. The Gospel and Ten Commandments Work Together
Why do you teach Christians to obey the Ten Commandments? Why not teach Christ instead of the Law?
  Answer: These are important questions and we are happy to give them first place in our message at this time.
  In the first place we teach Christians to obey the Ten Commandments because the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself enforces obedience to all the Ten Commandments. In the second place the law that defines sin in all the New Testament Scriptures is the Ten Commandments. In the third place we cannot teach Christ without teaching obedience to God's Law.
  Now let us consider the Bible proof for these statements. We quote Paul: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Timothy 1:15). An angel of God said, "He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Again we quote Paul, "Christ died for our sins. . ." (1 Corinthians 15:1-3), ". . . that He [Jesus] by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9). "The wages of sin is death. . ." (Romans 6:23). (Italics are sometimes used.) ". . . sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). Note that sin is the transgression of the law that defines sin. Sin is the transgression of God's law. We shall find out shortly what law that is, but first let us look into the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  Why did Jesus come to earth? It was to die for our sins. Sin is the transgression of the law. Therefore we see according to the Gospel that Jesus died for our transgression of God's law. No one can deny that fact. The Ten Commandments before, and at the time of Christ's death, was the law that defined sin. All Bible students must admit that fact. Therefore, according to these facts, Jesus died for our transgression of the Ten Commandments--our disobeying God's holy law.
  We find, according to Matthew 1:21, that He came to save His people from their sins, or transgressions of God's Law. That Law being the Ten Commandments, as well as all the other of God's Words of Life, we must conclude that in saving us from our transgressions Jesus does require obedience to the Law that we have been transgressing. He did not come to take away the law that defined sin, but He was manifested to take away our sins (1 John 3:5). He came to take away our transgressions of the Law and not the Law that defined sin.
  Sin, or transgression, disobedience of God's Law, brought death into the world (Romans 5:12). In the New Testament the wages of transgressing God's Law has not changed. It is death (Romans 6:23). Christ is our Saviour from sin. Through faith in Christ and obedience to the terms of the Gospel we are forgiven our sins and at the same time made free from sin, dead to sin, and become servants of righteousness (Romans 6:1,2,6,17,18). When made free from sin by the power of Christ, the righteousness of God's Law is fulfilled in all true children of God. I quote Romans 8:4, "That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
  What law is Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, talking about in the text above? Let us look into the context in Romans chapter 7 and Paul will answer that question for us. From verse 7 I quote, "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." From 3:20 I quote, ". . . for by the Law is the knowledge of sin." Put these two statements together and we see that Paul is definitely teaching that by the law is the knowledge of sin in this age. He said that he would not have known sin but by the Law. He explains further in Romans 7:8, "For without the law sin was dead." Also, in Romans 4:15 ". . . for where no law is there is no transgression."
  In other words Paul is saying that without the Law there is no sin. Sin is the transgression of the law, and if God's Law is abolished then there is no sin. If there is no sin the preaching of the Gospel is in vain.
  The fact that all have sinned (Rom. 3:23) is proof in itself that God does have a law that men are transgressing. Paul, in Rom. 7:7, makes it very plain that he would not have known sin but by the Law. He also identified that Law by quoting from the Law. The Law had said, "Thou shalt not covet." Was this a quotation from a new law given to Christians? No, it is a quotation from the Ten Commandments. See Exodus 20:1-17. The Tenth Commandment says, "Thou shalt not covet." What Law gave Paul and the people of that time a knowledge of sin? It was the Ten Commandments according to Paul's own words.
  Paul continues about this same Law in Romans 7:12, "Wherefore the law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and just and good." Please note that the Law is holy, not was holy. It is just and good in this dispensation of Grace. Paul himself was a Christian and he was writing to Christians in this chapter. Please keep that fact in mind. If the Ten Commandments were holy, just and good for Christian's in Paul's day, why don't we teach them today? Surely people need to be shown their sins so that they will repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.
  No wonder people are confused. Even many professing Christians do not know what sin is. Now we look at Romans 7:13,14, "For we know that the law is spiritual . . . ." He is still speaking of the same Law. It is spiritual and only those who are led by the Holy Spirit can fulfill its requirements (Romans 8:4). If we have been cleansed from sin and are led by the Holy Spirit, the righteousness of God's holy, just and good Law  will be fulfilled in us. This same Law is called "the Law of God" in Romans 7:22. Remember, Paul is speaking of the Ten Commandments. That is the Law that defines sin, that is the Law that is holy and must be fulfilled in the lives of all true Christians.
  Perhaps you can see by now why we mustteach God's Laws when we preach the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel calls them to repent of their sins and then accept Jesus as their Saviour from sin. How can men repent of their sins when they do not know what sin is? By the Law is the knowledge of sin. To know sin they must be taught God's Law.
  Sin is the cause of all man's troubles today. God's Law is a perfect Law. Read Psalm 19:1-7. The Holy Spirit inspired David to write, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul . . . ." When God says a law is perfect, it is perfect and can't be made better even by His own Son. James calls it the perfect law of liberty in James 1:23-25. It is God's perfect rule of conduct for all mankind. If all would obey this perfect law from the heart as Jesus taught it, there would be perfect peace and harmony. The life of Jesus Christ Himself, while on this earth, is positive proof of this fact. He kept His Father's Law without sin (John 5:10). And Peter said (of Jesus), ". . . leaving us an example, that we should followHis steps: Who did no sin . . ." (1 Peter 2:21,22). John says that we Christians ought, "also to walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:6). If all who claim to be Christians really followed the example of Jesus in full obedience to the Ten Commandments, what a different picture we would see today!
  Jesus preached the Gospel, the same Gospel that we are commanded to preach today (Mark 1:14,15; Matthew 24:14; 28:19,20). The Sermon on the Mount is part of His Gospel. In that sermon Jesus taught full obedience to the Ten Commandments. He commanded us to do and teach all of them (Matthew 5:19). He did not teach a substitute law, but He magnified His Father's Law (Isaiah 42:21). Examples: Matthew 5:21,22. The Sixth Commandment is magnified to include hatred. John says, "He that hateth his brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15). We must now obey from the heart. If we hate we are guilty of violating the Sixth Precept of God's holy Law. In Matthew 5:27,28, Jesus magnified the Seventh Commandment. Lust in the heart is now a violation of this Precept that forbids adultery. The adulteress in John chapter 8 was told to go and sin no more. Jesus came to save us from sin, and to write God's Law in our hearts, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:21; 2 Corinthians 3:2,3). Our hearts are cleansed by faith and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Lust and hatred are thus removed, and the love of God moves us to full and willing obedience to God's  holy Law, the Ten Commandments. This is part of the Gospel of the New Testament. We cannot preach the Gospel without teaching obedience to the Ten Commandments. Sin is the transgression of the Ten Commandments and the Gospel is the remedy.
  Paul taught that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin (Romans 3:9). They are all condemned by one and the same Law (verses 19 and 20). The idea that Christ gave a new and different Law to define sin for the Gentiles in this Gospel Age has led to a lot of serious misunderstanding. You can search the New Testament Scriptures from beginning to end and you will not find any such new Law given.
  Let us look into the teachings of Christ further, to see what He did teach relative to the Ten Commandments. Turn back to Christ's Sermon on the Mount. Let us read Matthew 5:17-22. Verse 17 reads, "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Please note that Jesus plainly said that we are not to think even that He came to destroy the Law or the prophets. Then He says, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." This is positive. He did not come to destroy, or abolish, the Law of His Father. Verse 18 says, ". . . til heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled." Jesus goes so far as to say that not a jot (that is the smallest letter in the Hebrew), would pass from the Law until all be fulfilled. These words "all be fulfilled" referred to more than the Law, because Jesus spoke of both the Law and the prophets in verse 17. The things to be fulfilled, in verse 18, would refer to all that is written in the Prophetic Writings of the so-called Old Testament. These are prophecies in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, and Zechariah, as well as in other writings of the Old Scriptures, that are yet to be fulfilled. This is a well-known fact. This being true, we must conclude that not one letter, or jot, has passed from God's Law, and won't until all is fulfilled in the writings of those holy prophets. The Law referred to here is the Ten Commandments, as the context clearly shows. Jesus was teaching that there would be no change at all in that perfect Law until God's great plan is fulfilled as recorded by His holy prophets.
  This fact is further proven by reading verse 19 where Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." Notice the first word of that verse, "Whosoever." That very word shows that all peoples are included in the things He is about to say. That "whosoever" includes you and me, my dear friends. Now place the second word with it, "Whosoever therefore." This word "therefore" means "for a reason previously stated." That reason is found in verse 18 where Jesus said that not a letter would pass from God's Law. Therefore, or because not one letter is to pass from God's Law, whosoever breaks one of these Commandments shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great. Here is a command plain and simple from the Lord Jesus to both do and teach the whole Law of God. James says that if we break one precept we are guilty of all (James 2:10-12). Jesus adds to that by stating that our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees or we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20). The Pharisees kept God's Law in the letter but we must do better than that. Let Jesus tell us how, ". . .it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment: But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment . . ." (Matthew 5:21,22). Hatred is now counted as murder (1 John 3:15). Does this sound like Jesus was abolishing God's Law? No, indeed. Instead of abolishing the Commandment against murder Jesus magnified that Precept to take in hatred in the heart. The same is true of the Commandment against Adultery. That Precept, instead of being abolished, now condemns the lust of the heart: "Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:27,28). Jesus taught obedience to God's Laws from the heart. Please read this entire chapter (Matthew 5) and notice the places where Jesus uses the words, "But I say unto you." In every place He emphasizes love and obedience to God's Law from the heart, and not once does He set aside one precept of God's Ten Commandment Law. His instructions on divorce and remarriage have to do with obedience to the Seventh Commandment (Matthew 19:1-10).
  Now turn with me to Matthew 19:16-23. A rich young man asked Jesus, ". . . Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Jesus' answer was, "If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments." The young man wanted to know, "Which?", and Jesus quoted from the Ten Commandments to identify the Law he must keep. This young man was a Jew and knew very well what Jesus quoted from. Please note that Jesus had been asked definitely, "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Eternal life is a New Testament promise, only possible through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:15; Romans 6:23). The conditions that Jesus gave were New Testament conditions. "Keep the Commandments" is just as much a command to us today as it was to that young man. That young man thought he was keeping God's Laws, but found out differently when Jesus told him to sell what he had and to follow Him.
  Why did Jesus command this young man to keep the Commandments? Because sin is the transgression of the Law. Why are we, too, as Christians to keep the Law after we receive forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus? Answer: the Gospel makes us free from sin--we become dead to sin--free from sin and servants of righteousness (Romans 6:16,17,18). God forbids us to continue in sin (Romans 6:1,2).
  I know that many questions have come to the minds of you dear friends, and you will want a Bible answer, some of you will want to ask, "What about John 1:17 and Colossians 2:14-17? Didn't Jesus abolish the law of Moses? If so, how do you harmonize this with the lesson just given?" That will be our question for Lesson No. 3.
  God's holy Law, the Ten Commandments, is in the very center of the Gospel of the Grace of God that Paul and the other New Testament preachers taught (Acts 20:24). He is the one who wrote, "By the Law is the knowledge of sin" for both Jews and Gentiles in this Gospel Age (Romans 3:9,19,20). He also identified that Law as the Ten Commandments (Romans 7:7-13). "Without the Law, sin was dead" (verse 8, Romans 4:13; 1 John 3:4).
  Repentance is the first step of faith required in the Gospel throughout the New Testament Record. Jesus taught it (Mark 1:14,15; Luke 13:3; 24:47); Peter taught it on the day of  Pentecost (Acts 2:37,38); and Paul taught it "Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). God now commands all men "everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30,31). Repentance and faith in Christ are required before baptism. When Paul and Silas preached the Gospel to the jailer at Philippi, did  they neglect to require repentance with faith in Christ (Acts 16:30,34)?
  Repentance of our sins means not only to be sorry for them and ask forgiveness but also to turn away from all our sins, or transgressions, of God's Law and become obedient (Ezekiel 33:14,15,16; 18:30-32). The Gospel of Grace requires that we become dead to sin: "that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:1-10). We must deny all ungodliness and worldly lust and live righteous, godly lives in this world (Titus 2:11-14). The Gospel has no way of showing men their sins except by the Law. When men repent, they quit transgressing the Ten Commandment Law of God. They become obedient to it in true repentance and that same Gospel commands them to remain dead to sin--living obedient thereafter (Phil. 2:12-16). Grace saves from sin, not in sin, and reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, but sin reigns unto death (Matthew 1:21; Romans 5:21).
  In repentance we die to a life of transgressions of the Law and in baptism by faith that past life of sins are forever buried with Christ (Romans 6:1-6; Colossians 2:11-13). This should be very plain to you, my dear friends, that in repentance and in baptism, the Gospel of Grace teaches that we must completely crucify and bury our life of transgressions and then live obedient to God's holy Law (Revelation 22:14).
  Jesus, by the grace of God, died for our transgressions of that holy Law according to the Gospel (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5). He was manifested to take away our sins (1 John 3:4,5-8). When we believe the Gospel and obey the terms, we are made free from sin by the power of the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16; 6:17). If free from sin, we obey God's Law. This is how the Gospel enforces obedience to this holy Law.