HWA on Adam, Eve, Cain, and the Ten Commandments

Some Protestant leaders teach that the Ten Commandments did not exist until Moses brought the tablets of stone down from Mt. Sinai and that they were ‘nailed to the cross’ when Jesus died. Hence, they teach that they are not in effect.

But that is not accurate. The Ten Commandments existed from the beginning and the Bible proves it.

Notice the following written by the late Herbert W. Armstrong:

The Very Basis of Life

There is a creation. Of necessity there has to be a Creator. And the Creator set in living motion invisible spiritual laws to cause human happiness, peace, and abundant well-being…

All the harm-all the suffering -all the evils that have beset this world for six thousand years are the result of violating God’s law! Yet many have been erroneously taught that the Ten Commandments were merely a law devised by Moses, and given to the children of Israel -and them only-and that the Ten Commandments never existed until Moses. And, further , that they existed only until Christ.

The Paramount Question of Your Life

This is no mere, irrelevant theological or religious question. This is the very essence of your life-your home life, your social life, your business life. It even has an important connection with inheriting eternal life–or eternal death! It’s true that you cannot earn eternal life by obeying the commandments. But it’s just as true that you can earn-and get paid-eternal death for unrepented transgression. It’s the very crux question behind world troubles today.

Strange as it may seem, the Ten Commandments have been in full force and effect since human life has existed on this earth! They constitute a spiritual law that is inexorable and eternal-a law that is love and the fulfilling of which is love – a law that was set in motion for our happiness to produce everything good which we have foolishly denied ourselves. These Ten Commandments are entirely different and separate from the ritualistic law of Moses, which was just a code of physical laws, not spiritual laws.

Proof That Commandments Were in Force at Beginning

The Ten Commandments were first made known to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Why? Because that is the very law that he broke in the “original” sin.

Everyone of the Ten Commandments was then in full force and effect. It was sin to transgress any one of them between the time of Adam and Moses. you can read this in your own Bible.

When did this thing that we call “sin” start anyway? Did it start with Moses? We read the answer in Romans 5 : 12 : “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” And in verse fourteen, “Death reigned from Adam to Moses.”

“Sin is not imputed when there is no law,” you read in the 13th verse. Yet sin was imputed, because death did reign from Adam to Moses. There must then have been a law from Adam’s time.

What Is Sin?

Is there a Bible definition? Is there any place in the Bible where it says, “Sin is . .. ” and then follows the def- inition?

The answer is in I John 3:4: “Sin is the transgression of the law.”…

The Commandments Broken

Analyze exactly what happened. God is the One we obey. Do you realize that’s one of the definitions of God? Whoever you obey is your god. Whatever you serve is your god. It might be your automobile. Maybe it’s an idol. Whatever it is, that’s your god.

Adam and Eve had another god in place of the true God-they obeyed Satan-they broke the first commandment. They dishonored their only parent. How? In Luke 3:38 Adam is called the “son of God,” because God created him. Adam was the son of God by a direct creation. Adam was not God’s son by begettal or birth.

Adam not only dishonored his only parent, but he also broke the tenth commandment. There was lust when the woman saw that it was good for food and desired to make one wise; vanity, egotism and pride entered into her heart. Lust is what usually causes a person to have an inordinate desire to have something that is not legal. Lust causes you to steal, and Adam and Eve broke the eighth commandment by stealing what was not theirs . .

Four of the Ten Commandments were broken in the original sin.

And in other ways every one of the Ten Commandments was actually broken in that very first sin.

How Did Cain Sin?

Consider their first son. Genesis 4, beginning verse 6: ” And the Eternal said unto Cain [their elder Â· son], Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, “God said, “shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, SIN lieth at the door.”

Notice what sin was in those days -in the days of Cain!

“Cain talked with Abel his brother : and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

And the Eternal said unto Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” And he replied, “I know not.” He lied and broke another one of the commandments. That was sin, too.

He was a murderer. Sin did lie at the door. Cain broke the sixth and the ninth commandments . Everyone of these commandments was known from creation, because God had revealed them to Adam. He thus revealed them to mankind at that time. But humanity has rejected them. (Armstrong HW. Were the TEN COMMANDMENTS in Force Before Moses? Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 22-23,24)

The Ten Commandments existed from the beginning.

And why? Because God is love (1 John 4:8,16) and the Ten Commandments show love (James 2:8-11).

Jesus clearly taught that the Ten Commandments showed love:

“Jesus said to him, ‘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 Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40); in other words the law of God is involved in showing love to God and your neighbor!

Perhaps that is why Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him…” (John 14:21) and “He who does not love Me does not keep My words (John 14:24) as well as “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10).

For further proof, Jesus said of the future, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Breaking the law (lawlessness) is linked to lack of love. Cain did not show love and murdered.

Jesus magnified the law by explaining its direct link to love or evil! The fact He was to exalt the law was even prophesied! “He will exalt the law and make it honorable” (Is 42:21). Since Jesus was to “exalt the law and make it honorable,” should His followers violate it?

“Certainly not” as the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 2:17; 3:21.

True followers of God will keep the Ten Commandments. Jesus and the early Christians did.

Some items to assist in your studies may include:

Were the Ten Commandments in Effect Before Mount Sinai? Some have said not. This article provides biblical quotes to answer this important question.
Job and the Ten Commandments Was Job written prior to Mount Sinai? Did Job know about the ten commandments? This article provides biblical answers to those questions.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well. Here is a version in the Spanish language:.¿Están vigentes todavía los diez mandamientos?
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
 Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains who he was and how he should be viewed today.
What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?