See our playlist, "End Times, Supernatural Prophecies, Tough Bible Questions" at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL141F261EEFCFD536 with 38 videos. See "END TIMES BIBLE PROPHECY DEBATE: DR JAY ADAMS (AMILLENNIALISM) VS DR JOHN MCCLAIN (PREMILL RAPTURE)" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSNleYQs3So&index=3&list=PL141F261EEFCFD536. Larry Wessels, director of Christian Answers of Austin, TX (YouTube channel CANSWERSTV, at http://www.youtube.com/user/CAnswersTV?feature=mhee; websites: http://www.BIBLEQUERY.ORG, http://www.HISTORYCART.COM & http://www.MUSLIMHOPE.COM) presents a Bible lecture by John Reisinger; he is an evangelist & has written many books including "The Sovereignty of God in Providence," "John Bunyan on the Sabbath," "What is the Christian Faith?", "Tablets of Stone & the History of Redemption," etc. Mr Reisinger contrasts commonly held dispensationalist theology with covenant theology.

The Bible always consider the Tablets of Stone (Ten Commandments) as the specific covenant document that established the nation of Israel as a body politic at Mt Sinai. It was the terms of this covenant document that necessitated and brought into being both the priesthood and sacrificial system that they administered. Everything in Israel's worship centered around the Tablets of the Covenant kept in the Ark of the Covenant.

The first use of the words "the Ten Commandments" in Exodus 34:27,28 give us the key to nature and function of their use in the history of redemption. The Tablets of Stone upon which was written the Ten Commandments were:

1. the terms of a legal covenant that promised life and threatened death;

2. the covenant was made only with Israel and established the terms of their special relationship with God;

3. this covenant is the Old Covenant that was replaced by the New Covenant established by Christ.

The Scripture no where states of infers that we are to think of the Tablets of Stone as "God's eternal uncahnging moral law." We are always to think "Old Covenant." The individual commandments written on the tablets are a different matter. They stand or fall according to their own nature. Nine of the ten are repeated in the New Testament Scriptures and are therefore just as binding on a Christian as they were on an Israelite.

The Ten Commandments, as given at Mt Sinai, are not the rule of life for a Christian today simply because they are not a high enough standard. The Ten Commandments, as interpreted and applied by Christ, are a very important part of the Christian's rule of life. However, our new Lawgiver has given new and higher laws in addition to interpreting the Ten Commandments in terms of the kingdom of grace.

It is impossible to separate the thunder, lightening and fear of Sinai from the Tablets of Stone. Until we see that Old Covenant forever done away in the body of Christ on the cross, we have not understood the true nature and function of the Ten Commandments in the history of redemption. The gospel of God's grace cannot remain pure and victorious in the conscience until the covenant of works is replaced by the New Covenant. A great Puritan preacher said it well:

It will prove a special help to know distinctly the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, between Moses and Christ; Moses without all mercy breaketh all bruised reeds, and quencheth all smoking flax. For the law requireth, 1, personal; 2, perpetual; 3, perfect obedience; 4, and from a perfect heart; and that under a most terrible curse, and giveth no strength, a severe task-master, like Pharaoh's requiring the whole tale, and yet giveth no straw. Christ cometh with blessing upon blessing even upon those whom Moses had cursed, and with healing balm for those wounds which Moses had made. The same duties are required in both covenants; as, `to love the Lord with all our hearts, with all our souls,' &c., Deut vi. 5. In the covenant of works, this must be taken in the rigour . . . This law is sweetened by the gospel, and becometh delightful to the inner man, Rom. vii. 22. Under this gracious covenant sincerity is perfection. This is the death in the pot in the Roman religion, that they confound the two covenants; and it deeds the comfort of drooping ones, that they cannot distinguish them. And thus they suffer themselves to be held `under bondage,' Isa. lxi. 1, 2, when Christ hath set open doors before them.

The Holy Spirit has said it best of all in Hebrews 12:18-25