The Perpetuity of the Royal Law
Or, The Ten Commandments Not Abolished. Advent
and Sabbath Tract, No. 4.
By J. N. ANDREWS
Continued…
2. Was the law of God abolished by the death of Christ?
That we may answer this question in a proper manner, let us
carefully consider Rom.3. We will first examine that portion of the chapter
which presents the human family as condemned by the law of God and speechless
in his sight.
"Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith
to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the
world may become guilty before God. 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. Rom.3:19,20.
This
portion of scripture presents in a striking light the state of mankind without
a Saviour.
The
Apostle had been presenting in the previous verses numerous quotations from the
Old Testament, showing the fearful state of fallen man. The verses which we
have quoted, present us with the holy standard of rectitude by which the
unrighteousness of men is made manifest, and their fearful crimes left without
excuse. "What things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law." How many, then, are under the law? The remainder of the verse
determines this with certainty. "That every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God." This fact then is plainly stated:
that the whole human family are addressed by the law of God; that all of its
members without distinction of rank, or order, share in one general
condemnation; and that condemnation is so just, that every mouth is shut, and
all the world stands speechless before the bar of God. The twenty-third verse
explains the cause of this: "For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God."
The law of
God can justify no flesh in his sight. But why cannot the law justify sinful
man? Because by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Man is
guilty of transgression, and the law of God discovers and manifests this fact.
The law is
God's great rule of right; and as such, it shows every departure from rectitude
and holiness.
We have
thus seen the sad state of fallen men. Let us now consider what God does for
their salvation. If he takes back his law, one of two things must be
true:-
He takes
back an unjust law, and thus
acknowledges that he was the cause of man's condemnation.
But this
is false; for we have seen that the law is so just that none can plead against
its righteous sentence. Hence if God has taken back his law we shall be
compelled to adopt the second position; namely, He takes back a just law, thus
denying his own moral character as expressed in that law, and overthrowing his
own moral government.
God cannot
lie; and it is manifestly absurd to teach that God has abolished the principles
of his own moral government.
Hence we
conclude that God did not, and could not overthrow his own moral law, in order
to save its transgressors.
We inquire
again, What did the great Law-giver do in order to save men? If he did not take
back his law, and abolish his own moral government, what did he do?
It would
seem that but one other thing could be done; namely, to put the law in force
upon its transgressors. In other words, to execute its penalty upon the human
race. If this were done, all must be destroyed; for all were its transgressors;
and the wages of sin is death.
Let us now
with gratitude and adoration look at the wondrous plan which God has devised
for man's redemption: a plan in which justice and mercy meet together, and
righteousness and peace kiss each other: [Ps.85:8-13:] a system of redemption
by which God can be just and yet can justify him that believeth in Jesus. It is
set forth by Paul in the following language:-
"Being
justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
Rom.3:24-26.
In these
words the great plan of redemption is set forth; but oh! what has it not cost!
Man had broken the law of Jehovah and fallen under its awful and yet just
condemnation. God could not reverse his holy law without destroying the moral
government of the universe; but he so loved our race that he gave his only Son
to die for perishing man. John3:14-17. He sent his Son to be the propitiation
or offering for the sins of men. 1John4:10.
Christ
came to take the curse of the law upon himself, and to offer his life as a
ransom for its transgressors. Gal.3:13; 1Tim.2:5,6.
The Father
had two objects of the dearest affection: his own perfect law, and his only
Son.
He would
save man who had revolted from allegiance to that law, and openly set it at
naught. To do this, the great Law-giver must sacrifice either his perfect law,
or his beloved and only Son.
The first
he could not do; for God cannot deny himself; and he hath in all ages ever
magnified his word above all his name; [Ps.138:2;] but he could give his only
Son to die, that revolted man might have a sacrifice to bring to God that could
avail to take away sin.
Jesus was
delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification. He ascended
into the true Tabernacle in heaven, the new covenant Sanctuary, where the ark
of God stands, containing his holy law - as a great High Priest, to plead the
merits of his blood in behalf of penitent men. Heb.9; Rev.11:19.
As the
ancient high priest entered the typical tabernacle to sprinkle the ark of the
testament with blood even thus was it necessary that our great High Priest
should act. The earthly high priest did not sprinkle the blood of sin-offering
upon the ark that he might blot out the ten commandments which it contained, or
that he might lessen the obligation of men to observe them. On the contrary, he
entered the tabernacle with blood, because man had violated that holy law, and
could not be pardoned without the offering of blood to take away sin.
Even thus
did our Lord. By his own blood he entered the true Tabernacle, and presented
himself before the Father on our account. In fulfilling the ministration of the
true holy places, the two dearest objects of affection to the great Law-giver
are again united. But how wondrous the union!
Jesus, who
has died for the transgressors of that sacred law, now stands as a great High
Priest before the ark containing the law of God, pleading in behalf of men, the
merits of his own sacrificial death. The Law-giver can accept the offering, and
man, who has broken the law of God, can be pardoned.
To Be
CONTINUED…..
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