In Defense of the Faith

Not Under the Law but Under Grace

In a further effort to establish his no-law doctrine Mr. Canright the Baptist tries to find an argument for his theory in Paul’s statement, “You are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14. On this he says: DOF 58.1

“Several times Paul says directly that Christians are ‘not under the law.’ (See Romans 6:14, 15; Galatians 3:23-25; 4:21; 5:18.) It would seem as though that ought to settle it that Christians are not to be governed by that law, for surely if we are not under a law, we are under no obligation to obey it.”—Seventh-day Adventism Renounced, pp. 381, 382. DOF 58.2

Let it be remembered that this came from Mr. Canright after he had renounced Seventh-day Adventism. Now let us listen again as Mr. Canright answers himself when he at another time discoursed on the same passage. The following paragraphs, written by him while he was still in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, clearly set forth what the apostle meant by being “under the law,” and it is shown that Paul was teaching the very opposite of what was attributed to him by Mr. Canright in his later writings. DOF 58.3

“Probably this passage is urged as an objection to the perpetuity of the law oftener than any other. That the law here is the Ten Commandments we all agree. What, then, is meant by the term ‘under the law’? We understand it to mean, to be condemned by the law. Our opponents claim that it means to be under obligation to obey the law; and as Paul says we are not under the law, they claim that we are not now obliged to keep the law. Can it be that we need not keep the commandments against adultery, murder, theft, idolatry, etc.? If their position is correct, this must follow; for these are a part of the law. Paul’s entire argument in this book shows that this is not his meaning. DOF 58.4

“What subject has he under consideration in this chapter? It is not the difference between the old law and the new, the change from the old dispensation to the new; but the change which takes place in individuals at their conversion, a change from the old man to the new man, from sin to holiness, from condemnation to grace. He first asks, ‘How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?’ Verse 2. Then he says, ‘We are buried with Him [Christ] by baptism.’ Verse 4. This shows that he is speaking only of converted men. Next he says, ‘Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.’ Verse 6. That this refers to conversion and not to a change from the old covenant to the new, will be seen by every candid mind. Further on he says, ‘Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Verse 11. Of whom is this true? Only of the converted man. So he is not speaking of all men in general, but only of saints. Again: ‘Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.’ Verse 12. What is sin? John says, ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ 1 John 3:4. Paul then exhorts them not to let their fleshly members and passions lead them to transgress the law. ‘For,’ said he, ‘sin shall not have dominion over you.’ Verse 14. Why not? Because the law is abolished? No; but because they have left the service of sin, have ceased to transgress the law of God. His whole argument shows that is what he means. ‘For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace.’ Verse 14, That is, having broken off your sins, ceased to break the law, believed in Christ, and been baptized, you are now no longer ruled over by sin, nor condemned by the law, because you have found grace in the sight of God, and your sins are pardoned. Then he asks, in the next verse, ‘What then? Shall we sin [that is, transgress the law, for remember, “sin is the transgression of the law”] because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.’ DOF 58.5

“This conclusion of Paul’s utterly demolishes the theory of our opponents. For if ‘not under the law’ means that we are not to obey the law, then it follows that we could transgress it at will. But this, Paul vetoes with a ‘God forbid.’ DOF 59.1

“Take two more places where Paul uses the term ‘under the law’ as meaning, to be condemned by the law. Thus he says, in Galatians 5:16-18: ‘This I say, then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you would. But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.’ Now, in this case, who are not under the law? Those who are led of the Spirit, and those only. And who are those who are led of the Spirit? Those who do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh-that is, do not commit sin. No other meaning can be given to this text. Then those who are not under the law are converted men, whose sins are pardoned, who have received the Spirit of God, and hence do not transgress His law any more. The text has not the slightest reference to the abolition of the law. Paul says that those who are led of the Spirit are not under the law. Then it follows that those who are not led by the Spirit are under the law. This conclusion is so plain that no candid man will deny it. But are the wicked led by the Spirit? No. Then they are under the law. But if the law has been abolished, then no one can now be under it, no more the wicked than the righteous. This shows that the law does still exist, and is able to hold men under its power. DOF 60.1

“Now look a moment at the absurdity of our opponents’ position. They say ‘that by the term ‘not under the law,’ Paul means that the law is abolished, and hence we need not obey it. If this be true, then no one is under the law, whether he is led by the Spirit or not. But Paul declares that in order not to be under the law, we must be led by the Spirit. How plainly this contradicts their conclusion. DOF 60.2

“Take one more case. In Romans 3:9-19, Paul says, ‘We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.’ And so he goes on in several verses to prove that all are sinners. Then he concludes thus: ‘Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.’ Verse 19. Now, what is the consequence of being under the law? Paul says it is ‘that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.’ So that to be under the law is to have our mouths stopped, and to stand guilty and condemned before God. DOF 60.3

“No better proof could be given that the meaning which Paul designs to convey is, that the phrase, ‘not under the ‘law, but under grace,’ means simply not under the condemnation of the law, because not sinners, but in the freedom of e gospel, through the forgiveness of our sins.”—The Two Laws, pp. 32-36 (old ed., pp. 30-33). DOF 61.1

Christians generally believe that they should not swear, kill, steal, nor lie; in other words, that they should keep the commandments. Seventh-day Adventists believe the same, with this difference, that they apply the same principle also to the fourth commandment. Now, if we are under the law because we believe in keeping all the Ten Commandments, then the other Christians are nine tenths under the law by keeping nine of them. “Consistency, Thou art a jewel.” DOF 61.2