In the Great Commission we are told to obey Jesus’ commandments. Are they different from God’s?
In a word, no. Jesus’ commandments are the heart of God for humanity. Jesus of Nazareth is both truly God and truly man, being with the Father eternally and working collaboratively in creation (Genesis 1:26; John 1:1-3, 10; Colossians 1:16, 17; Hebrews 1:2). Further, in context, these verses describe Jesus as both the agent and purpose of creation. God is never in disunity with Himself. Therefore, the Son’s commandments are not different from God’s.
Understanding the difference between eternal law and ceremonial law helps prevent misinterpretations. So it is important to consider why Jesus’ commandments given while He was on earth cannot be different from God’s. There are other questions related to this question that deserve an answer, but space prevents handling them here.
Jesus would never give a commandment that was of different intent than what God had already given. The Son spoke only the words that were the will of His Father. Jesus states, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:49, 50; cf. 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28, 29; 14:10). Every word from God agrees with the rest.
So what is different about Jesus’ commandments that could have prompted this question? A Pharisee lawyer tested Jesus, asking, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40). Just as the Ten Commandments are the summary of the law, Jesus’ answer is the summation of the summary.
We should be careful to note that not all of what was given to Israel extended into the Church Age. Jesus stated that He came to fulfill the law, not destroy it (5:17). This means He met all the law’s requirements, allowing it to “pass away” after His sacrifice as the means for justification, which is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).
The good news is that the law of God is intended to be lived out in love full of grace (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). The really good news is that in the new covenant, the believer is born again by God’s Holy Spirit. In their new nature, the believer lives in obedience through grace in genuine love toward God, not through legalistic obedience. This is the model Jesus set forth (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21, 22).
In John 1:29-34, John the Baptist declares that the Holy Spirit remaining upon Jesus identifies Him as the promised Messiah. In a similar way, the child of God is made so by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:13; Romans 8:9). The empowering presence of God in believers equips them to grow in the direction and nature of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and obey His commandments.
— Elder Chip Hinds
