The Seventh Day Advent Part 2: The Seal of the Spirit

A Source of Error in Bible Doctrine
A common source of error in Bible Doctrine is metaphor. The belief that the Ten Commandments are universal is a good example of this. Often people argue that because the Ten Commandments were written on stone this makes them universally applicable. In other words, they are attributing a metaphor of "set in stone" - meaning to last forever - to also mean to apply to everyone. Clearly this sort of speculation cannot be clear Bible doctrine unless it is also supported by texts to back up the claim. If the Bible clearly states a doctrine and we also find various symbols and metaphors for the doctrine all well and good, but we can't build a whole doctrine simply on what may or may not be a suitable metaphor.

With regard to the Ten Commandments it may be reasonable inferred that the covenant God makes with Israel will last forever, as this is stated in the books of the law. However the idea that the Ten Commandments independently of the covenant are to be applied to all peoples is not stated and cannot therefore be certain doctrine.

With respect to the law written on stone, note that in Dueteronomy 27 God commands Israel to set up stones and write on them all the words of the law.

"And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up" (Deut 27:8)

So what are often referred to as "ceremonial" laws were also written on stone - does this make them universally applicable also?

Another meaning read into Ten Commandment symbolism is that they were written with the finger of God and so universally applicable. It is argued again that because they were written by God this makes them especially important. Yet why should something written by God be more important than something said by God? Jesus did not leave any writings, yet does this make his words less important? Rather than speculate on why God chose to write on the tablets of stone - indulging in such speculation as "was this to make the words written universally applicable to all people, rather than just to Israel?" - should we not simply keep to the words of Scripture, which says the Ten Commandments were the words of the covenant. A covenant is an agreement, the Ten Commandments God's signature on that agreement. Why add to the Bible?

So the Bible states that the Ten Commandments were simply part of God's covenant with Israel. They were "the words of the covenant" (Ex 34:28), they were kept in the "ark of the covenant", with the book of the covenant. The symbolism of the giving of the Ten Commandments - written on stone by the finger of God - must be understood within the clear teaching of Scripture, rather than used to indulge in unbiblical speculation which only leads to error.