Church Authority

 

Freed.

 Freed.

Alone with her own thoughts, no, no! That wasn't right! She wasn't alone there was something else there, something she couldn't explain, a whisper of peace. How long, oh, how long she'd suffered with the thoughts of others! She hadn't always had this plague of thoughts in her mind, no, no, she'd been the same as all others, hadn't she? It was hard to remember, but at the same time easy, the thoughts were easy, calm, alone.

"I…I…" she stammered softly, she was speaking. Her voice, it was her voice! The voice she'd lost when the others took over. When was the last time she'd heard her own voice? Ten, fifteen years ago? She hadn't been a woman more than a full year when the first voice had intruded. Called disturbed by some as her outgoing demeanor altered overnight into one of withdrawn sullenness, that didn't last long. A half a year later and two more voices they'd labeled her possessed, and they were right. Disturbed by one, and completely wrecked by three evil entities, Emelai was shunned and rightly so. 

 "Drink," the man responded, still with his back to her. Strong, calloused hands set the filled water jug on the edge of the well. "Drink deep, Emelai."

(Excerpt- Present Truth Articles - The Unconquerable Life By E.J. Waggoner)  

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not." John 1: 4, 5 (RV). The marginal rendering, "overcame," gives us the exact meaning of the text, and conveys a message of great comfort to the believer. Let us see what it is.

Christ is the light of the world. See John 8:12. 

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

But His light is His life, as the text quoted states. He says, "I am the

light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." The whole world was in the darkness of sin. This darkness was due to lack of knowledge of God; as the apostle Paul says

that the Gentiles are "darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardening of their heart." Eph. 4:18.

Satan, the ruler of the darkness of this world, had done his utmost to deceive men as to the true character of God. He had made the world believe that God was like men--cruel, vindictive, and passionate. Even the Jews, the people whom God had chosen to be the bearers of His light to the world, had departed from God, and while professedly separate from the heathen, were enveloped in heathen darkness. Then Christ came, and "The people which sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up." Matt. 4:16. His name was Emanuel, God with us. "God was in Christ." God refuted the falsehoods

of Satan, not by loud arguments, but simply by living His life among men, so that all might see it. He demonstrated the power of the life of God, and the possibility of its being manifested in men.

The life which Christ lived was untainted by sin. Satan exerted all his powerful arts, yet he could not affect that spotless life. Its light always shone with unwavering brilliancy. Because Satan could not produce the least

shadow of sin in the life, he could not bring it within his power, that of the grave. No one could take Christ's life from Him; He voluntarily laid it down. And for the same reason, when He had laid it down, Satan could not

prevent Him from taking it up again. Said He: "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." John 10:17, 18. To the same intent are the words of the apostle Peter concerning Christ:-

-

"Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that He should be holden of it." Acts 2:24. Thus was demonstrated the right of the Lord Jesus Christ to be made a high priest "after the power of an endless life." Heb. 7:16.

This endless, spotless life Christ gives to all who believe on Him. "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know

Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:2, 3. Christ dwells in the hearts of all those who believe on Him. 

"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2:20. See also Eph. 3:16, 17.

Christ, the light of the world, dwelling in the hearts of His followers, constitutes them the light of the world. Their light comes not from themselves, but comes from Christ, who dwells in them. Their life is not from themselves, but it is the life of Christ manifest in their mortal flesh. See 2 Cor. 4:11. 

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh

This is what it is to live "a Christian life." This living light comes from God in a never-failing stream. The psalmist exclaims: "For with Thee is the fountain of  life; in Thy light shall we see light." Ps. 36:9. "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Rev. 22:1. "And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 4:53, 54. This life of Christ we eat and drink by feasting upon His Word, for He added, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." Verse 63. Christ dwells in His inspired Word, and through it we get His life. This life is given freely to all who will receive it, as we read above; and again we read that Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." John 7:37.

This life is the Christian's light, and it is that which makes him a light to others. It is his life; and the blessed comfort to him is that no matter how great the darkness through which he has to pass, no darkness has power to put out that light. That light of life is his as long as he exercises faith, and the darkness cannot affect it. Let all, therefore, who profess the name of the Lord, have the confidence that can say, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me." Micah 7:8.

Spirit Words.

 

Jesus Had No Power...

 

Living faith is a working faith. 

A living belief is a working belief. 

Truly our creature status is not talked about as much as it should be. God is our Heavenly Father, we are sons and daughters of God. Jesus is our Savior and He also said this…

Mat 12:49  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 

And we are told this…

Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren

Jesus did the will of the Father.

Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh 5:20  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 

JESUS said… THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF.

So why do we believe we can do things of our own selves? 

We are to believe that God will work in us through the Holy Spirit by the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

God will work in us. He is our CREATOR and as our CREATOR we know we are creatures, as creatures with full awareness we know who our Creator is and what our Creator wants of us. We need to truly submit to God allowing Him to live in us. Jesus could do nothing of Himself, and we can do nothing of our selves. 

You protest by listing all the things Jesus did, and right you are, Jesus did many things, but NOT of Himself! He wanted us to know that His POWER came from God, not HIMSELF! So why don't we learn this, and understand we will NEVER get power of our own, NEVER, it's a lie Satan wants to fill our hearts with, leading us to despair as we never attain what we think we should be attaining because we are striving for the impossible. Jesus NEVER had power of His own! He did ALL things through His Father!

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Excerpt - Present Truth Articles - Good Works - by E.J. Waggoner

The Bible holds out no promise of a reward for laziness. In God's plan no provision is made for idleness. Heaven is pictured before us as a place of activity, and heavenly beings as untiring workers. The Saviour said, "My

Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17); and again, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me." John 9:4. Of the angels we read that they are all "ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that

shall inherit salvation." Heb. 1:14, R.V.

This being the case, it cannot be thought that those who are to inherit salvation should be idle. The apostle Paul labored with his hands, as an example to the believers, and left on record the Divine commandment, "If any will not work, neither let him eat." 2 Thess. 3:10, R.V. But the frequent exhortation to work is with special reference to spiritual things, rather than physical. Jesus said, "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." John 6:27. So the apostle Paul says that the reward will be given to those who patiently continue in well doing (Rom. 2:7); and the Saviour says: "Behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12.

Again we read that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works." Titus 2:14, R.V. And again, the Holy Spirit, through the apostle James, puts a premium upon good works, in these words: "But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth, but a doer that worketh, this man shall be

blessed in his doing." James 1:25. 

Many other texts might be quoted to show that the Christian life is to be one of activity, and that good works are not only necessary, but are the one indispensable requisite.

Works, and works alone, in the judgment, will determine a man's condition for eternity. God "will render to every man according to his "works:" Rom. 2:6. The question which the judgment will settle will not be, "What has this

man believed?" nor "How has he felt?" but, "What are his works?" There is no place for the cavil of those who think that they are enunciating a principle of which the Bible is ignorant, when they say, "God will not damn a good man for his opinions nor for his belief." People are neither condemned nor saved because of their opinions, but because of their deeds.

"What!" exclaims one, "are you going to deny the doctrine of justification by faith?" Not by any means. I would go so far as to claim that the doctrine of justification by faith is the one great theme of the Scriptures, and that all

others things are but parts of it. But the thing to be emphasized by the above remarks and quotations, is that faith works. See Gal. 5:6. No truer statement was ever made than this, that "faith is not a sedative, but a stimulant."

Faith is intensely active, and the source of all spiritual activity. While it is true that only a man's works will be considered in the judgment, it is equally true that the character of his works will be determined by his faith. Where

there is no faith, there can be no enduring works.

The works which are acceptable to God are "good works." But perfect goodness resides in God alone. See Mark 10:18. 

Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 

The righteousness which we must have is God's righteousness. Matt. 6:3. Of His own ways God says: "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. 55:9. Who, then, can hope to present to God the good works that will be equal to His? None but those who, like Paul's brethren, are ignorant of God's righteousness, would be presumptuous enough to think such a thing possible. Only God can do the works of God. Therefore when the Jews said to Christ, "What shall we do that we may work the works of God?" He replied, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." John 6:28, 29.

The words of Paul to the Philippians, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" are often quoted by those who forget the words immediately following, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil. 2:12, 13

God Himself does the good works which when exhibited in the lives of men,

render them pleasing to Him. So the Saviour said: "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:21.

How, then, do they appear in men? This is the "mystery of godliness." It is the mystery of "God manifest in the flesh." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "And the Word

was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:1, 14. This was done to demonstrate the possibility of God's dwelling in human flesh. The mystery of the works of God being manifested in the lives of men, is simply the

mystery of the incarnation.

In Christ dwelleth "all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily." Col. 2:9. Therefore when Christ in His completeness dwells in the heart by faith, that person will be "filled with all the fullness of God." Eph. 3:17-19.

What words could be more full of comfort, and more suggestive of the infinite possibilities of the Christian life than these in Ps. 31:19: "Oh how great is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men!" Think of it! God Himself has wrought the good works with which we are to appear before His throne. And how are we to get them?--Simply by trusting Him; by appropriating those good works by faith. God Himself comes to dwell with those who believe His word, and He lives out His own life in them. This thought is enough to fill every soul with love and joy and confidence.

The Christian life means an actual life. But life means activity. To live a godly life, therefore, means the living of a life in which the acts of God Himself are manifested. The apostle Paul said: "But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all;" and then he added, "yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." 1 Cor. 15:10. And again: "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2:20.

The secret of the whole matter is to acknowledge that in us dwells no good thing; and that God alone is good; that we are nothing, but that He is everything; that we are weakness, but that power belongs to God, and that

God has the power to manifest Himself in the flesh today as well as eighteen hundred years ago, if we will but let Him; and to submit ourselves to the righteousness of God. Exaltation comes only through self-abasement.

Christian activity comes only through passive submission to God, as the clay is passive in the hands of the potter. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake."

I Thirst.

 

We can't live without fluids, this is a fundamental truth. Everyone needs fluid to survive and food, these are basic facts. You can kill someone by denying them fluids, and you can kill someone by denying them food. You can keep someone barely alive by giving them a little bit of fluid and food, indefinitely. A person's health deteriorates with insufficient fluid and food, but they can live for a long time in poor health.

We cannot live without the LIVING WATER and LIVING BREAD. Not spiritually. Is it any wonder that our Savior told us that if we believe on Him we shall have rivers of living water from Him. Those living waters are the SPIRIT. Those life giving waters are the HOLY SPIRIT IN US keeping us alive IN CHRIST. We cannot live without this living water! We cannot live without the Holy Spirit, not as Christ followers.  

Christ in us is our HOPE. Christ in us through the Holy Spirit living in us. LIVING in us. ALIVE in us. Not a silent, unliving, dead thing in our bodies but A LIVING, LIFE GIVING FORCE! We are infused with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Water become a part of our lives, a part of us that keeps us living in Christ. We feast on the Word of God, our Living Bread, and we drink from the Holy Spirit, our Living Water.

The WORDS of GOD so precious, life giving!

The HOLY SPIRIT so precious, life giving!

Let us drink and eat abundantly. 

I THIRST!

JESUS I WOULD DRINK OF THE LIVING WATER!

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

Joh 7:39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 

Pro 1:23  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 

Excerpt - Present Truth Articles - Life in Christ - by E.J. Waggoner

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10. 

Many act and talk as if Christ was dead, and irrecoverably dead. Yes,

He died; but He rose again, and lives forevermore. Christ is not in Joseph's new tomb. We have a risen Saviour.

What does the death of Christ do for us?--Reconciles us to God. He died, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Now mark! It is the death of Christ that brings us to God; what is it that keeps us there?--It is the

life of Christ. We are saved by His life. Now hold these words in your minds: "Being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Why was the life of Christ given? "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 

Then Christ gave His life that we might have life.

Where is that life? and where can we get it? In John 1:4, we read, "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." He alone has life, and He gives that life to as many as will accept it. John 17:2.

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.  

Then Christ has the life, and He is the only one who has it, and He is willing to give it to us. Now what is that life? Verse 3: "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." Has a person who knows Christ eternal life?--That is what the Word of God says.

Again He says in John 3:36: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." These are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. How do we know that we have this life? This is an important question. "We know that we have

passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."

Says one, "We know that we will get eternal life by and by." Yes, that is true, but there is something better than that; we get it now. This is not a mere theory, it is the Word of God. Let me illustrate: Here are two men--brothers--to all appearances they are alike. But one is a Christian, and the other is not. Now the one that is a Christian, although there is nothing in his external appearance to indicate it, has a life that the other has not. He has passed from death--the state in which the other one is--to life. He has something that the other has not, and that something is eternal life. The words, "No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him," would mean nothing if nobody else had eternal life abiding in him. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son." 1 John 5:10. God cannot lie, and so when we say that the words of God are not so, we make liars of ourselves. Now, according to this Scripture, we make God a liar, if we believe not the record that God gave of His Son. What, then, must we believe in order to clear ourselves of that charge,--of not believing this record and thus making God a liar? The next verse explains it: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."

We are to believe that God has given to us eternal life in Christ. As long as we have the Son of God, we have eternal life. By our faith in the Word of God we bring Christ into our hearts.

When Jesus went to Bethany, He said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life." We have already read about passing from death unto life; how was that done?--Only by a resurrection. In Christ we have a resurrection to a

new life. Note the following: Paul prays that he may know Him, and the "power of His resurrection." What is the power of that resurrection? In Eph. 2:4-7 we read: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [made us alive] together with Christ (by grace ye are saved)."

 Notice, He hath done this, and He "hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." We were dead, we are quickened, and we are raised up to sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.

We must have, and we can have, the life of Christ today; for when He comes, He will change our vile bodies by the same power by which He has changed our hearts. The heart must be changed now. It cannot be changed

except by the life of Christ coming in and abiding in it. But when Christ is in the heart, we can live the life of Christ, and then when He comes, the glory will be revealed. He was Christ when He was here upon earth, although He did not have a retinue of angels and glory visible about Him. He was Christ when He was the Man of Sorrows. Then, when He ascended, the glory was revealed. So with us. Christ must dwell in our hearts now, and

when He comes and changes these bodies, then the glory will be revealed.

In Heb. 5:2 we learn that the work of the high priest was to be one of compassion. "Wherefore in all things it behooved Him [Christ] to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in

things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Heb. 2:17. What is done by the compassion of Christ?--Strength is given to us. What benefit is the compassion of Christ to us?--He knows the

strength we need. He knows what we need, when we need it, and how we need it. So the work of Christ as priest is for one thing,--to deliver us from sin. What is the power of Christ's priesthood?--He is made priest, "not after

the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." 

That is the power by which Christ delivers you and me from sin this day, and this hour, and every moment that we believe in Him.

No one could take life away from Christ. The wicked had no power to kill Him. He laid His life down. But God raised Him up, "having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that He should be holden of it." He had power in His life that defied death. He laid life down, and took death upon Himself, that He might show His power over death; and when the time came for Him to do so, He took His life again. Why was it that death could

not hold Him?--Because He was sinless. Sin had spent all its force on Him, and had not marred Him in the least. It had not made a single blot upon His character. His was a sinless life, and therefore the grave could have no

power over Him. We have that same life when we believe on the Son of God. There is victory in that thought. We can have it by believing on the Son of God. Give your sins to the Lord, and take that sinless life in their place.

The life of Christ is divine power. In the time of temptation the victory is won beforehand. When Christ is abiding in us, we are justified by faith, and we have His life abiding in us. But in that life He gained the victory over all sin, so the victory is ours before the temptation comes. When Satan comes with his temptation, he has no power, for we have the life of Christ, and that in us wards him off every time. Oh, the glory of the thought, that there is life in Christ, and that we may have it!

The just shall live by faith, because Christ lives in them. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved

me, and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2:20.

Law

 

The Law.  

There doesn't exist a single place upon earth where laws have no say so in their existence. Seriously. We've placed blanket laws even on undiscovered places, the rights to them and so on and so forth. We've place laws upon the ocean and just how much belong to different countries. We have even put laws governing airspace, and yes, outer space as well. Laws surround us and make up our lives even if we aren't in a position or desire to delve into the study of laws. Manmade laws fill and order our lives. We are confronted with the laws as a daily part of our existence. The constant breaking of laws only serves to reinforce the laws existence. Ignorance of a law can be an excuse but only in rare cases. 

What laws exist universally? Some say, none. Others say this-

Seven Basic Universally accepted rules- 'The rules: 

help your family, 

help your group, 

return favours, 

be brave, 

defer to superiors, 

divide resources fairly, 

and respect others’ property, 

were found in a survey of 60 cultures from all around the world.'

Of course we have no law that demands we help family members or be taken to court, punished or otherwise. The same goes for helping groups, returning favors. Being brave, well some could contend that we have a law against cowardice once you've enlisted in an armed force. Deferring to superiors, again there are certain laws for this in certain places - you cannot resist arrest or face consequences of your resisting. We have no law stating we have to divide resources fairly, but we do have laws that try to keep people from destroying what belongs to others.  

Rules, laws, we live with them all simply because we exist together in an unknown, unpredictable manner and try to make sense out of the unpredictable and unfavorable behavior of others. If no one at all was ever prone to stealing we would need no law to tell us not to do so. How amazing it would be to live in a world where no one ever stole anything from anyone in any manner. We haven't a clue though who is among those likely to steal, there is no predictability- try as we might we'll never predict without error those who will become thieves.  

The fact of the matter the laws we put into place are supposed to be there to protect people from other people. 

God's righteousness is in His moral law, the royal law, the ten commandments. Loving God and loving our fellow man are summed up in those ten laws. Righteous laws from a righteous God. These laws will forever be in existing, because the righteousness of God will never cease to exist.  There will come a time they are a complete way of life, perfect life in Christ Jesus when He calls us to Him as the last trump sounds.

All in the amazing love of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST forever and ever! Amen. 

 

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Excerpt 'Present Truth Articles- Perpetuity of the Law - by E.J. Waggoner'

The law of God is the righteousness of God. It may not be amiss to review the proof on this point. David, in these words, bears witness to the fact that the commandments are themselves righteousness: "My tongue shall speak

of Thy word; for all Thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119:172. 

Since there is no righteousness but that of God, the commandments must be His righteousness; but we have still more direct evidence. 

The prophet Isaiah thus contrasts the things of earth with the righteousness of God: "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but My salvation shall be for ever; and My righteousness shall not be abolished." Isa. 51:6.

In the next verse he proceeds to tell what this righteousness is: "Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law." 

Because the law is the righteousness of God, it enables those who are instructed in it to "give judgment upon good or evil."

The text says, "My righteousness shall not be abolished." Since there can be no question but that "righteousness" is here used with reference to the law of God, we may properly substitute "law" for "righteousness," thus: "The earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but My salvation shall be for ever, and My law shall not be abolished." 

This gives the exact meaning, and is no more positive than we shall find stated elsewhere. God is from everlasting to everlasting. Ps. 90:2. As He cannot exist separate from His nature, or, in other words, separate from Himself, and the law is the transcript of His nature, it necessarily follows that the law exists from everlasting to everlasting. And since created beings, who are all subjects of God's government, cannot obey an abstract principle, but must have that principle clearly defined, we know that at least from the time that God created intelligent beings as subjects of His government, the law must have existed in written form, or must have been expressed in definite language. And from the beginning of His creation to everlasting ages, it must continue so to exist.

This is exactly what we are taught by the words of Christ in the sermon on the mount. Said he: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill [to ratify, establish, or teach]. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5:17, 18. 

Here two things are mentioned, the law and the prophets. Christ did not come to destroy either one. He came in fulfillment of prophecy, and also to teach the law, which he did in the sermon on the mount. He did not, however, fulfill all the prophecy; for some of it reaches far beyond His first advent. For instance in Ps. 89:20-29 we read the following prophecy concerning the kingdom of David, over which Christ, as the Son of David, is to rule:--

"I have found David My servant; with My holy oil have I anointed him; with whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto Me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. Also I will make him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and My covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven."

In verses 35-37 we read further:--

 Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.

Here is a prophecy that will be in process of fulfillment as long as the sun and moon endure, even to all the days of heaven. Now the words of Christ are that "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be

fulfilled." Till all what be fulfilled? Evidently till all the prophets be fulfilled, for He is speaking of the prophets, in connection with the law. Then, in view of the prophecy that we just read, we know that not the slightest change can be made in the law so long as Christ reigns on the throne of David; and that will be throughout eternity.