New Testament Commands

Jesus did not come into the world as a second Moses; he came into the world as God’s personal expression of grace and truth, the promised Savior (John 1:17).  By his birth he obligated himself to keep the very law he had given (Galatians 4:4-5).  Jesus did keep the law perfectly for us (John 8:46; Romans 10:4).  He made it very clear that salvation comes through faith in him and not works of the law (John 3:16).

Still, in his preaching and teaching Jesus did not neglect the law of God.  Rather, he highlighted and often illustrated the moral law:  showing perfect love toward God and other people (Matthew 22:37-39), even sacrificial love toward others (John 13:34).  Re-emphasizing the moral law, along with giving directives such as celebrating the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:17-20) and baptizing (Matthew 28:19), can be understood as his commands.  Finally, his commands are whatever he prescribed as the way of life for his followers.

Part of Jesus’ mandate to his followers before he ascended into heaven was to teach people everywhere “to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).  We know from Jesus’ own words that we love him when we do what he commands (John 14:15, 21; 15:14).