Did the Antediluvians Know the Law?
By A. W. Anderson
It is freely asserted by many religious teachers to-day, that the laws of God were unknown prior to the great assembly of God’s chosen people at Mount Sinai, after their deliverance from Egypt. Those great moral truths proclaimed on Mount Sinai by Jehovah himself are regarded by many as an entirely new revelation made to man at that important epoch. A study of the Scriptures, however, will assuredly demonstrate how untenable such a theory is, and that it is one which is diametrically opposed to the teaching of the inspired writers. The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, says:— “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” Rom. 5: 12-14. Here we find it expressly stated that “sin is not imputed when there is no law.” John says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3: 4. Every one will admit that it was because of sin that God sent a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy its guilty inhabitants. If “the world that then was, perished” because of sin, then the only logical conclusion that can be arrived at, is that the inhabitants of the world from the earliest ages were amenable to God’s laws, for “sin is not imputed when there is no law.” What evidence have we in the book of Genesis that would confirm this conclusion? First and foremost, God gave to man the seventh day for spiritual rest and worship. Gen. 2: 2, 3. “The Sabbath was made for man,” says Jesus, and if man had continued to remember the memorial of God’s creative work through the succeeding centuries, he would not have lapsed into idolatry, worshiping the creature rather than the Creator. After the fall we read that the two sons of Adam brought an offering to the Lord, one of which was acceptable, and the other not. The record of this event is as follows:— “And at the end of days [marginal reading] it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flocks and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” Gen 5: 3-5. Commenting on this passage of Scripture, Dr. Adam Clarke, says:— “‘At the end of days.’ Some think the anniversary of the creation to be here intended; it is more probable that it means the Sabbath, on which Adam and his family undoubtedly offered oblations to God, as the divine worship was certainly instituted, and no doubt the Sabbath properly observed, in that family.” This is certainly a most natural interpretation, for the Sabbath was appointed, at the close of the creation week, for the purpose of worship. It is evident that these brothers were acquainted with the provision made for the salvation of man, and understood the system of offerings which God had ordained. Abel availed himself of the appointed way of salvation. Cain ventured to depend upon a plan of his own. He was not irreligious, nor was he indifferent altogether to the claims of God. He recognized the obligation of worship, of offerings, and of the observance of the Sabbath; but he did not manifest his faith in the promised atonement of the Lamb of God, which was typified in the offering commanded by the Lord. He disregarded the direct and explicit commands of God, and presented only an offering of fruit, which expressed no penitence for sin. “He felt as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would come in his own merits. He would not bring the lamb, and mingle its blood with his offering, but would present his fruits, the products of his labour. He presented his offering as a favour done to God, through which he expected to secure the divine approval. Cain obeyed in building an altar, obeyed in bringing a sacrifice; but he rendered only a partial obedience. The essential part, the recognition of the need of a Redeemer, was left out.”—Patriarchs and Prophets.”},{