The Truth Found

THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL AGREE

Some suppose, or seem to suppose, that it is equal to a denial of Christ to keep the ten commandments. At this we are truly surprised. Christ says he kept his Father’s commandments, and that he came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father. Is it a denial of Christ to follow him, to walk as he walked, to do his Father’s will? It cannot be. TFNOS 34.2

The supposition arises from a misapprehension of the work of our Saviour. Says the scripture, “He appeared, to put away sin.” Hebrews 9:26. “Sin is the transgression of the law;” he did not come to put away the law, as he says in Matthew 5:17, but to put away its transgression. Now we would ask, In whom is the object of the gospel accomplished? in him who transgresses the law of God, or in him who keeps it? By whom is Jesus Christ honored? by them that do not walk as he walked, or by them who follow him? It is plain that he did the will of his Father, and kept his commandments, and that he calls us to follow him; so to please God and to honor his Son, we must also keep the law of God, wherein his righteous will is expressed. TFNOS 34.3

We would not ask you to keep the law of Moses, nor any of the Jewish ceremonies; they have ceased. But we speak in behalf of God’s law, and his holy rest-day, instituted before the Jewish rites, or the Jews themselves, existed, even at the time of the creation of the world. TFNOS 35.1

We would invite you to a careful consideration of a few passages of Scripture on this subject. Said Paul, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. This shows that, as the Saviour did not destroy the law, so our faith in him does not weaken it, but establishes it, by showing in the death of Christ that the law is holy, unchangeable, and eternal; so holy, so just, and so good, that Jesus Christ himself died for our transgression of it. And can we think that God looks with favor on those who transgress his law, since its transgression caused the death of his dear Son? Surely, we should not continue to do the very things that caused his death. Would you have him die again? Oh, no. But sin wounds him even now. Then do not longer sin; cease to transgress the Father’s law, and, by the obedience of faith, avail yourselves of the benefit of the death of his Son. TFNOS 35.2

But you may perhaps think that we need no longer keep the Father’s law, because Christ has died for our sins, and we may obtain mercy through him. Yes; Paul says he is set forth to be a propitiation, that we may receive the remission of sins that are past (Romans 3:25); but he does not say that through him is offered indulgence for sins in the future. On the contrary, we are only promised mercy through Christ on condition that we repent of and forsake our sins. Paul says again that we should not sin, that grace may abound; but if we sin, or transgress the law, we are the servants of sin, and not the servants of God. Romans 6:1-16. Jesus himself says that not every one that saith unto him, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of his Father who is in Heaven. TFNOS 35.3

By all this we may learn that the gospel of the Son is not contrary to the law of the Father, but the Son came to carry out the revealed will of the Father; and instead of freeing us from the obligation to keep the moral law of the Father, he brings back rebellious man into subjection to the law. It is a great mistake to suppose that the Christian is not subject to the law of God. Paul says the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, and that it is also enmity against God Romans 8:7. That which is not subject to the law of God is his enemy, which cannot be the case with the Christian. All good citizens of this government hold themselves subject to the laws of this government: and he who declares himself not subject to its laws, is counted an alien or enemy. So it is with the government of God. And whosoever endeavors to turn us away from the law of God would draw us away from our allegiance to God. But this the Son of God would not do; for he says, “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30. They are one in interest, to preserve the right and carry out purposes of benevolence and justice. They are one in love to man, to remove his rebellion and bring him back to obedience; for God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. And they are one to punish the finally impenitent; for the Father commits judgment into the hand of his Son. TFNOS 36.1