Morality of the Ten Commandments.
By Editor
THE evidence presented in this series of articles of the morality of the law of God—the decalogue—should be sufficient, we think, to convince any lover of plain Bible proof that the objection is not valid which is urged against the law, namely, that its morality is inferior to that of the gospel. We shall close on the subject by examining Paul's words found in Rom. 7 and 8. The contrast presented in Rom. 8:7 is very emphatic. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The carnal mind, or "the minding of the flesh," expresses the condition of the natural, unrenewed, unconverted man. This is "enmity against God;" not at enmity, but enmity itself. Language cannot more strongly express the complete antagonism which exists between the natural man and God, who "is love." And this shows that it would be inconsistent and is impossible for God to accept any action of a carnally-minded man as service done to him. The spring of every action in such a person is wrong; every action in such has a wrong motive underlying it. The apostle further says, the carnal mind "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." That which is against the law of God is against God himself. And this is proof (of which no proof should be required) that there is complete harmony between God and his law, as there is enmity between the carnal mind and both God and his law. How blind are they who say—as some have said—that the decalogue was a carnal law! Does God coalesce with carnality? Or, is the carnal mind opposed to that which is carnal? The carnality is with the objectors themselves, who are opposed to the law—not subject to it. Often are such found boasting of their graces, proclaiming their own "holiness," while depreciating the law of God which is indeed "holy, and just, and good." "Such," said Andrew Fuller, "is the strength of this antinomian delusion, that it passes for intimate communion with him"—with God. "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12. These words of inspiration ought forever to silence every cavil against the law. What precept of obligation can be above this standard—holy, just, and good? But this does not exhaust the apostle's words of praise of that sacred instrument. He further says, in verse 14: "For we know that the law is spiritual." In these words is found the complete vindication of many other expressions in regard to the law. It is because the law is spiritual that it convicts a man of murder, who hates his brother, and of adultery, who indulges in unholy desires. Because the law is spiritual it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is because the law is spiritual that "every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil," shall be brought into Judgment in the light of the commandments. And finally, it is because the law is spiritual that the carnal mind cannot be subject to it. There cannot possibly be any harmony between that which is spiritual and that which is carnal. There is, and must be, eternal antagonism between righteousness and unrighteousness, between Christ and Belial, between spirituality and carnality, between the precepts of the law and the heart of man while it is unrenewed by divine grace. The great difficulty with those who depreciate the law of God is, that they have no just view of moral relations. They do not perceive that the gospel, being a remedial system, cannot be elementary; it must have a pre-existing basis. Christ came into the world and offered himself a sacrifice, "to put away sin." Heb. 9:26. Then sin existed before he came. Its existence made his coming necessary. But sin is the transgression of the law. Therefore, the law is the basis or foundation upon which the gospel rests, and without which it were meaningless. All must admit that pardon without conviction is a nullity—a mere farce. God has a government; he had a government when man was created. Man was put on probation with good and evil—life and death before him. But he fell. All through the dispensations sin has been in the world. A plan of salvation was revealed to man, and set forth in types. Offerings and sacrifices were instituted, but they were typical or emblematical—they could not take away sin. But sin actually existed; as actually as at the present time. It was the same odious thing in the sight of God; so odious that none but the Son of God could put it away; no blood but his could cleanse from its terrible stain. The Son of God came into the world, but not to claim superiority to his Father's law. No, no. He died to vindicate the law, to uphold its authority, and to meet its righteous demands upon the life of rebellious man. If its claims, its authority, could have been set aside, and man have been thereby justified, then Jesus need not have suffered. But he submitted to its high authority, and thereby honored both the justice and mercy of God. After all arguments are exhausted; after the highest praises of the divine commandments given in the Scriptures are considered, we find the chiefest evidence of the eternal justice and perpetuity of the law of God in the cross of Christ. Let us then honor in our lives that which he so highly honored both in his life and in his death.