In our previous lesson (‘How to become a christian’), we read:
... All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. ...
(Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus has all authority; He is Lord and Christ:
Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.
(Acts 2:36)
In fact, the very name Christ is the Greek form of the Hebrew ‘Messiah’ and means ‘the Annointed One’ - the One chosen by God to be King. (The name Jesus means ‘Saviour’.)
Jesus Christ, the King, has given us commandments, which we need to follow
If you love me, keep my commandments.
(John 14:15)
and by which man shall be judged.
He who rejects me, and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day. For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.
(John 12:48-50)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ ...
(2 Corinthians 5:10)
The Bible is made up of two ‘Covenants’ (or, ‘Testaments’). The Old Covenant was given through Moses (see for instance Deuteronomy chapter 5); the New through Jesus.
This arrangement was necessary in order for man to become ready for the Lord:
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
(John 1:18)
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
(Galatians 3:23-27)
So the Old Testament prepared the way for law of Christ, which we are now under. In fact, the Old Covenant predicts its own replacement by the New (see Jeremiah 31:31-33)!
But the commandments of Jesus are more than just the ‘words in red’ in the Gospel books of Matthew - John. They constitute the entire New Testament.
The great apostle Peter, chosen by the Lord (see Matthew 16:18-19) himself vouched for another apsotle, Paul:
... as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you.
(2 Peter 3:15)
And Paul wrote:
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 14:37)
Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
(2 Timothy 1:13)
The New Testament has a pattern - which we will do well to understand and follow. So many come short of being pleasing to the Lord because they have not understood this pattern.