No — the Ten Commandments function as God's perfect standard of conduct, not as a set of religious doctrine.
Les Feldick teaches that the commandments are still holy, perfect, and the mind of God, but they serve as the criteria for social behavior rather than a body of religious teaching (Clip 0). Their purpose was never to justify anyone; the law reveals sin and condemns (Clip 4; Romans 3:20). Under grace, the believer fulfills the moral heart of the commandments through love instead of keeping a legal code (Clips 5, 7).
Romans 6:14 — Paul states that the believer is not under the law but under grace, which frames why the commandments are not a governing doctrine.
Romans 3:20 — Scripture says no flesh is justified by the law; the law gives knowledge of sin, not a doctrinal standard for salvation.
Romans 2:15 — Even those without the written law show its work written on their hearts, showing the commandments operate as a universal moral code.
Scripture never presents the Ten Commandments as a set of doctrines that save or define the faith. Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law's role is to expose sin, not to provide a body of teaching that makes a person righteous. Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 2:15 also shows that even those who did not receive the written law have the work of the law written on their hearts, with their conscience either accusing or excusing them. These verses describe the law's function in revealing God's moral requirement rather than establishing a doctrinal system of belief.
Les Feldick explains that the Ten Commandments are not a set of doctrines because they are God's eternal mind and criteria for social behavior (Clip 0). They are holy, perfect, righteous, and they apply to every society — even pagans and atheists — because no society can survive without a moral fabric like the Ten Commandments (Clips 1, 3, 6). The law was given specifically to the nation of Israel, but its moral standard still reflects God's mind for all people (Clips 1, 3, 6). The problem is that the law itself can only condemn; it has no power to make anyone obey it and it cannot save (Clips 2, 4). So when Paul says believers are not under law but under grace, the Ten Commandments are not cast aside. The believer fulfills them out of love, not by commandment-keeping, and Paul repeats nine of the Ten Commandments, leaving out only the Sabbath (Clips 5, 7).
The reason the Ten Commandments are not doctrine lies in the law/grace shift. Les Feldick points out that the old Adamic nature does not have to reign over us because the believer is not under law but under grace (Clip 0). The law can do nothing but condemn; it cannot save or justify, and it never had the power to keep anyone from stealing or committing adultery (Clips 2, 4). Scripture backs this up: by the law is the knowledge of sin, and no flesh is justified by the deeds of the law (Romans 3:20).
Les calls the commandments holy, perfect, righteous, eternal, and the mind of God (Clips 0, 3). They are criteria for social behavior, whether a person is Christian, non-Christian, atheistic, or pagan (Clip 0). No society has ever existed that can survive without a moral fabric similar to what the Ten Commandments lay out (Clip 1). This explains why they are not religious doctrine: they are basic rules of conduct that keep society together.
Les explains that although the believer is not under the legal system of law, the internal work of grace produces what the commandments demand. He says the believer is not going to steal, commit adultery, or have a pagan idol, and Paul repeats nine of the Ten Commandments in his epistles. The one Paul does not repeat is the Sabbath (Clips 5, 7). So the commandments remain a moral guide even though they are not a doctrinal code that governs salvation (Clip 5).
Social Behavior Criteria
Les says the Ten Commandments are still holy, perfect, and the mind of God, serving as criteria for social behavior even though believers are under grace.
Universal Moral Fabric
No society, pagan or atheist, can survive without a fabric like the Ten Commandments, though the law was given specifically to Israel.
The Law Can't Compel Obedience
The commandments only condemn; they have no power to stop stealing or adultery, and no one can be forced to love God.
Law Is Eternal and Holy
Even an atheist cannot escape the commandments; they are perfect, righteous, holy, eternal, and the revealed mind of God.
Commandments Reveal Sin, Not Justification
Les stresses the commandments were not given so people could be saved by keeping them; the law only condemns and gives knowledge of sin.
Law Fulfilled by Love
The believer automatically satisfies the law from a heart of love, and Paul reiterates all but the Sabbath.
Law Written on Every Heart
Even tribes without the written law have a moral code because God has put the work of the law in their hearts.
Under Grace, Not Law
Love is the fulfilling of the law, and where love operates the believer does not commit adultery, kill, bear false witness, or covet; Paul repeats nine of ten commandments.
Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
This is the key verse showing that grace, not the legal system, now governs the believer.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
This verse is cited by Les to show the commandments expose sin rather than justify anyone.
Romans 2:15: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
This verse shows that even those without the written law have a moral standard written on their hearts.
Yes. Les says they are still holy, perfect, and the mind of God, and they remain the criteria for social behavior (Clip 0). But the believer is not under the law as a system of salvation; under grace the believer fulfills its moral demands through love (Clips 5, 7).
No. Les states the law can only condemn; it cannot save (Clip 4). Scripture says no flesh is justified by the deeds of the law because the law brings the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).
According to Les, Paul repeats nine of the Ten Commandments. The only one he does not repeat is the Sabbath (Clips 5, 7).
Watch the Teaching: The Wages of Sin vs. the Gift of God — Romans 6:23 Explained