Does the New Covenant abolish the Ten Commandments?

The Old Testament always informs us through the prophets as to what changes are coming in the future. Note the following scripture. Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

So what did the Old Testament say about the New Covenant? Jeremiah 31:33 “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Does this verse say God will put a “new” law in their hearts? Or does it say His law “except” His Sabbath being the fourth Commandment? No! The law that God said He is going to write into the hearts of His people is “His law” as it exists in the Old Testament! Hence God is saying that there is going to be NO change to His law with the New Covenant.

Some trying to avoid God's law have said that the Old Covenant was made with Israel and so the Ten Commandments were only for Israel. But note that the New Covenant was also made ONLY with the “House of Israel.” This is covered in detail in is the Sabbath for Israel only but in the meanwhile know that the Bible tells us that if we are Christ's then we are Abraham's seed and “children of Israel” or the “House of Israel.” Honestly, how could any sane person think that God would expect one group to obey His law and allow everyone else to sin? (1 John 3:4) Paul elaborates further on the purpose of the law, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7

Below is the New Testament fulfilment of Jeremiah 31:33 in regards to the New Covenant.

Hebrews 8:6-10 “But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”

God made a covenant with His children when He lead them by the hand out of the land of Egypt. (verse 9). The Bible tells us that Christ came as the Mediator of a New Covenant (verse 6). The belief that the New Covenant abolishes the Ten Commandments reflects a misunderstanding of both covenants. God tells us that He altered the original covenant and made “a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (verse 6). But as we have already seen, it was not established on different laws. The law stayed the same. There was however a weakness or fault in the original covenant. That fault was with the people, NOT with the law. “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:” (verse 8). It was “because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” (verse 9).

In the Old Covenant God wrote His Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. It was external and not part of the thinking and motives of the people. It was in their literature but NOT in their hearts. In the New Covenant God writes His law “into their minds, and writes them in their hearts.” (verse 10).

To enable people to internalise His law, to love it and obey it eagerly and willingly, God makes this promise, Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them.” See also the two Covenants.