Why does Christian morality entail keeping the Commandments?

Answer 1

It doesn't really.

Jesus summed up the commandments by saying: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" - Matthew 22:37- 40.

But this was before Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin and before the coming of the Holy Spirit. A Christian has been given the Spirit of God and now the Christian has the responsiblity to "walk in the Spirit."

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

ANOTHER ANSWER:

Because keeping [obeying] the Commandments IS"Christian morality." Most people don't seem to understand [and, unfortunately, that includes most of modern, misguided professing Christianity] that the Ten Commandments are GOD'S SUPREME LAWS OF LOVE! [Love, Fear, and Respect your Creator; dont' murder people, don't lie to people, don't steal from people, don't covet their possessions, honor and respect your fellowman as much as you love and respect yourself]

What's wrong with being respectful of others? Why does the world prefer to hate instead of love? [hint: Rev.12:9]

Simply put... "without law there is only LAWLESSNESS" -- which is what SIN IS! "...SIN IS the TRANSGRESSION [breaking] OF THE LAW!" (I John 3:4)

It's too bad that Satan has muddled the Truth of God in the hearts and minds of so many people [and too many of those people are under the delusion of most of modern false professing Christianity; which was Christ's first warning to His disciples - see Matt.24:4-5].

The first answer believes that Christ only commanded those who follow Him to keep the Commandments "until He was crucified"... then, you didn't have to any more. Supposedly, FAITH took over after that, and the Commandments are NO MORE.

If that's the case, then someone forgot to tell the Holy Spirit this... because the Spirit, which is what has "inspired the Word of God through men, to record God's Word of TRUTH."

It would seem that the Holy Spirit DIDN'T GET THE MEMO that modern professing Christianity seems to have gotten, regarding God's "done away law"! Because long after Christ ascended into heaven, and the New Testament scriptures continued to be inspired by the Holy Spirit through GOD'S FAITHFUL NEW TESTAMENT SERVANTS; one "INSPIRED" servant named JOHN wrote, regarding the days just prior to Jesus' return:

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they THAT KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND THE FAITH OF JESUS!" (Rev.14:12 KJV)

Contrary to the teaching of so much of modern false Christianity [who haven't read, or don't believe this passage], according to the Truth of God's Word: Faith and Works [obeying the Commandments] GO TOGETHER. And it appears, that James records his inspiration in support of John's brash statement above:

"Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have Faith if you don't PROVE IT BY YOUR ACTIONS?" (James 2:14 NLT New Living Translation) [the "actions" being the DOING OF... obedience to... GOD'S COMMANDMENTS -- LOVING AND RESPECTING GOD AND ONE ANOTHER!].

Why do people so hate the thought of a world of Love and Respect? Is it because it worships and obeys the wrong god? The god of lawlessness.

There's much more... but that's some of why "Christian morality" depends upon God's Law. It's not the "law of bondage" that many people say it is. Obeying the law is FREEDOM.

You are FREE TO OBEY THE LAW! Christ's shed blood has blotted out your "criminal past." You have no past! You are a new "innocent person" with no criminal record with God, and are starting your New Life in Christ: OBEYING HIM -- and LOVING ONE ANOTHER!

There is NO LAW AGAINST KEEPING THE LAW. The law only comes into play when you BREAK IT!

Then, you are either living ABOVE THE LAW... or you fall UNDER THE PENALTY OF IT [either of which demands death].

There is NO LAW AGAINST LIVING WITHIN THE LAW [as our Creator commands]. It's only when you transgress it that pain, suffering and misery manifest themselves. And that's why there is pain, suffering and misery throughout the world. This "immoral, lawless" world's god has blinded mankind's collective heart and mind to God's Truth:

"...how can we be sure that we belong to Him? BY OBEYING HIS COMMANDMENTS! If someone says, 'I belong to God,' but doesn't obey God's Commandments, THAT PERSON IS A LIAR and does not live in the Truth." (I John 2:3-4 NLT)

"Dear friends, I am not writing a New Commandment, for IT IS AN OLD ONE YOU HAVE ALWAYS HAD, right from the beginning. This Commandment - TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER - is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also NEW. This Commandment IS TRUE IN CHRIST and is True among you, because the [spiritual] darkness is disappearing and the True [spiritual] Light is already shining." (verses 7-8)