SCRIPTURE STUDY by C. P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 1, 1901

SCRIPTURE STUDY

By C. P. Whitford

C. P. WHITFORD (Orlando, Fla.)

A SERIES of meetings was begun in Memorial Chapel, Jacksonville, Fla., November 16, conducted by Elder L. H. Crisler, assisted by the writer. The number in attendance has not exceeded fifty at any time, but the few who do attend pay respectful attention to the word spoken. Four First-day Adventist ministers have attended, one evening each. They have an organized company of believers here, numbering one hundred and fourteen.

Up to the time of writing we have held eighteen services, and have said nothing specially about the law or the Sabbath; but our First-day Adventist friends are discussing the question quite vigorously. At a meeting recently held, the pastor conducted a Bible study, considering the question, “Does the law of ten commandments, as given to Moses, apply to modern Christians?” Many texts supposed to prove that Christians are no longer under obligation to keep the law of God as expressed in the ten commandments were read, and commented upon. The pastor said that he had received a letter from a brother, saying that if any one would take the affirmative side on one or all of three propositions relating to the law and the Sabbath, he would take the negative. The challenge was evidently intended for us. But we are not here to engage in strife and contention, but rather to preach the gospel of peace. Therefore we shall continue to heed the injunction of Holy Writ, “Preach the Word.” 2 Tim. 4: 2. And the Word says: “All His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever” (Ps. 111: 7, 8); “all His commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119: 172); and “my righteousness shall not be abolished.” Isa. 51: 6.

In the fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus says, “Think.” He says, further, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” All will not be fulfilled as long as the heavens and earth remain, for it is declared, “The heavens shall pass away.” 2 Peter 3: 10. Heaven and earth have not yet passed away, therefore every jot and tittle of the law is for Christians now. Remember “it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16: 17. In other words, it is easier for the heavens and the earth to be removed and pass away, than for one jot or tittle of the law of God to cease to be as obligatory to-day as it was the day it was given.

The Scripture says: “Every one of thy righteous judgments [commandments] endureth forever.” Ps. 119: 160. Then how long will the law of God remain unchanged?—Forever. But, says one, can’t we except the Sabbath commandment? Well, I do not presume to know, but the Lord does know, and He says, “All thy commandments are truth.” Ps. 119: 151. And “His truth endureth to all generations.” Ps. 100: 5. “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it.” Eccl. 3: 14.

Great and good men—Christians—of the past have acknowledged the truth of these clear and direct statements of Scripture. John Wesley said: “It was not the design of Christ to revoke any part of the law. Every part of it remains in force upon all men in all ages. Neither time, place, nor circumstances make it liable to change.” The Methodist discipline says: “No Christian whatever is free from obedience to the commandments which are called moral.”—Article VI. Mr. Spurgeon, of England, said: “The law of God is a divine law, holy, heavenly, perfect. There is not a command too many: there is not one too few.”

We are glad to be in company with these great and good men on so important a question as the one under consideration. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3: 4. “All have sinned.” Rom. 3: 23. Therefore I have sinned. Have you sinned?—No; not if the law is done away; for “where no law is, there is no transgression.” Rom. 4: 15. But if you have not sinned, what becomes of the text that says “all have sinned”? Does not all include you?

How will our no-law friends show the harmony between the texts cited and those read by them in support of the theory that Christians are no longer under obligation to keep the ten commandments?

The charge of God to all His servants is, “Preach the word.” The Word says, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God.” Rev. 14: 12. But those who do have the courage of their convictions, and keep the commandments of God, including the fourth, which says, “The seventh day IS [not was] the Sabbath,” are beginning to realize the fulfillment of Rev. 12: 17, which says, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God.” If the remnant Church “keep the commandments of God,” then the commandments of God have not been abolished.

Many who suppose they are opposing positions taken by Seventh-day Adventists on the law and Sabbath question, labor under a misapprehension as to just what we do believe and teach. Consequently they set up before the people a man of straw, and then combat it with a zeal worthy of a better cause.

It is assumed that Seventh-day Adventists teach that men must keep the ten commandments in order to be saved. A greater mistake was never made. We do not so believe nor teach. We do, however, believe in keeping the commandments, not as a means of salvation, but because of salvation from sin. It is not the unsaved man that keeps the commandments. It is the saved man. It is the man who has the spirit of obedience in his heart. Such a person will obey every known requirement of God. He will delight to do God’s will, because the law of God is in his heart. Ps. 40: 7, 8. Surely we can not save ourselves by keeping the commandments. The Saviour says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15: 5. Without Him we can not keep the commandments. The mission of Christ to this world was not only to pay the penalty for our having transgressed the holy law of God, but to save us from transgressing it in the future. Titus 2: 11-14.

Christ did not come to destroy the law. He came to keep it, to magnify it. Isa. 42: 21. If the law could have been destroyed, Christ need not have died. His death was to satisfy the demands of an eternal and unchangeable law. The law demanded death, because of transgression. The law is perfect, holy, just, and good. Sin is anything unlike the law. “Thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matt. 1: 21. As “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3: 4), this is equivalent to saying, He shall save His people from transgressing the law. The law of God is a transcript of the divine will. It is the character of God himself expressed in written form. It would be as reasonable to talk of abolishing God himself, as to talk of abolishing the principles that constitute His very being. It is absurdly ridiculous and ridiculously absurd to talk of changing even a “jot or tittle” of the law of God. To do such a thing would be to dethrone God himself; for the ten commandments are the constitution of the government of heaven.

Seventh-day Adventists have good reasons for believing and teaching as they do, and everybody is invited to come and study with us just what God says. We believe that it would be well pleasing to the Lord if all would do so; for His word says: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5: 21.

As far as I know, Seventh-day Adventists are the only people that do not teach salvation by the law. We believe and teach that from the time of sin in Eden, until Christ comes, salvation is secured through Christ alone; while others say that before the first advent of Christ, salvation was through the law.

Seventh-day Adventists are blamed for talking about the law. The people are to blame for our talking about it. The law in the old dispensation was, and now is, an epitome of the living law in Christ. And the people try to make out that the one contradicts the other.

Under the covenant of grace, God requires of man just what He required in Eden—perfect obedience. The believing sinner, through his divine substitute and surety, renders obedience to the law of God. Christ kept the law perfectly, and through Him the believer shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Mercy granted to man is the reward of the merit of Christ, “who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Through the plan of salvation God can be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.

Death will be the reward of every one who is seeking vainly to fashion a righteousness of his own that will fulfill the claims of the law of God. Unless Christ is the ground of our hope, we shall not inherit eternal life. By His word God has bound himself to execute the penalty of the law on all transgressors. Again and again men commit sin, and yet they do not seem to believe that they must suffer the penalty for breaking the law. They parade their good intentions before the Lord, try to make themselves believe that the law is abolished, and soothe their consciences by pleading His mercy! But the only ground of hope for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam is to turn from their sins, and accept the righteousness of Christ, giving up all hope of salvation on the ground of self-righteousness.

We wish it to be distinctly understood by everybody that we do not teach salvation by the works of the law; “for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Gal. 2: 16. Therefore the Lord can save no man because of his good works; but when a man is adjudged to be righteous by the Lord because of his faith, obedience, which is the fruit of faith, will be manifest in his life. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5: 1.