The Law, the Gospel, and Faith
By T. GODFREY
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:16, 17. A careful and prayerful consideration of the foregoing text will make it apparent to every thoughtful person that the law, the gospel, and faith are inseparable elements in the great plan of salvation. But in order more fully to elucidate this cardinal truth, we will briefly consider the law, the gospel, and faith, each in its respective office as revealed in the Scriptures of truth, and also their relation the one to the other, and to the plan of salvation. Says the psalmist: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Ps. 119:130. Let us therefore turn on the search-light of Inspiration, that the truth may be revealed. Said the Saviour, praying for his followers, “Sanctify them through the truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Ps. 90:2. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” Ps. 119:142. “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.” Verse 172. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Ps. 19:7. The law of God, as revealed in the decalogue, includes the organic principles in the throne of universal empire. Therefore they are the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government. These eternal principles are inherent in God from eternity past, and are a revelation of the righteous and unchangeable character of God. The transgression of these principles is sin (1 John 3:4); and it is said, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. 18:4, 20. “For the wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:23. These principles are a condition of life. Matt. 19:16, 17. And as they are a condition and rule of life, it is evident they will be the rule of the Judgment. Eccl. 12:13, 14. It was the transgression of these principles that brought sin and death into the world. Rom. 5:12, 19. Disobedience is sin: sin is the transgression of the law; and the transgression of the law is lawlessness. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14, 15. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15, 16. It was because of the transgression of the law that the gospel plan of salvation was laid, and introduced into the world. The gospel is God’s means of grace to save a fallen world from sin and death. “Sin is the transgression of the law,” and “the wages of sin is death.” Therefore “the gospel of Christ” is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” that gospel, and obeys it. Rom. 1:16. The gospel is a message of salvation to a lost world; and it is a message of peace to the child of God. Rom. 10:15. The gospel of Christ is a message to the waiting saints. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. So the gospel is a message of good news of the restoration of the kingdom of Christ. Micah 4:8; Isa. 52:7. “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22. Faith—what is it? where do we get it? how may it be obtained? The Word says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:1-3. Faith is a gift from God (Eph. 2:8), and it is imputed to man through the hearing of God’s Word. So, then, the Word of God becomes the basis of faith; and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Rom. 14:23. In other words, Whatsoever is not based upon the Word of God is presumption; and presumption is sin. Ps. 19:13. “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” James 2:23. He not only believed God, but he obeyed him. Heb. 11:8; Gen. 26:5. Faith is accepting5what God says, and doing it. “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Gal. 3:7. “But without faith it is impossible to please him.” Heb. 11:6. The law and the gospel say: “Honor thy father and thy mother.” Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1, 2. We believe, accept, and do it. That is faith. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13, 14. The law of God reveals the whole duty of man, both to God and to his fellow man. Matt. 22:35-40. It will be the rule, or standard, of the Judgment. Eccl. 12:14. “Sin is the transgression of the law,” and, “The wages of sin is death.” Therefore, the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein [in the gospel] is the righteousness of God [the law of God] revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:16, 17. The law of God is revealed in the gospel by faith, or from faith to faith. The gospel is the great remedy for sin; the law of God reveals the nature and character of sin. The law says, “Thou shalt not covet.” Rom. 7:7. The gospel says, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15. Now that we receive the gospel by faith, we receive all that is revealed in the gospel; so we see that the law, the gospel, and faith can not be separated the one from the other in the great plan of salvation. “Where no law is, there is no transgression.” Rom. 4:15. “Sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Rom. 5:13. Were there no law, there could be no sin; therefore there would be no need of the gospel.