Moral and Ceremonial Law
By A. C. Gilbert
The Distinction Between the Two—The One Is Eternal—The Other Confined to the Limited Reign of Sin To many minds, the law of the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial law are but one and the same institution. It is said, If the Ten Commandment law is still binding, so is the ceremonial law. Or, If the ceremonial law is done away in the passion of Christ, then man, since the time of the cross, has not been under the authority of the Ten Commandments. To confuse these two codes, the moral and the ceremonial, is to misunderstand the purpose of each, and thus lose an important lesson in the study of the plan of God for man's redemption. The Scriptures reveal plainly a broad distinction in these two systems. It is manifest that the Mosaic economy strikingly sets forth two codes of laws, each separate and distinct, each governing in a separate and distinct sphere. The one is to regulate moral conduct, the other is to regulate ceremonial observances. We have learned, from the article on “The Morality and Eternal Character of the Law,” in the preceding issue of this paper, that the principles of the moral law of Ten Commandments were active before sin entered the universe. All sinless beings, and also sinful man, are subject to the authority of these principles. They are a perfect standard, approving that which is holy, just, and good, and condemning in sinners that which is imperfect. The Ten Commandments, enshrined in the eternal principles of love to God and love to man, have no direct bearing upon the shedding of blood, sacrifices, ceremonies, and carnal ordinances; for as we have seen, the principles of God's commandments antedate sin. They were laid in the foundations of eternity, before the shedding of blood in sacrificial offerings, which presupposes sin. The sanctuary services were not carried forward “without blood, which he [the priest] offered for himself, and for the errors of the people;” for “without shedding of blood is no remission” of sin. Heb. 9:7, 22. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19. The law of Ten Commandments governs in matters moral only. Speaking with reference to the operation of this law, the apostle Paul says, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 3:19. The law is a righteous instrument, reflecting perfection and true holiness. It “is perfect, converting the soul.” Ps. 19:7. The ten precepts are a transcript of God's holy and righteous character, and are as unchangeable as He. They were written upon two “tables of stone” by the finger of God. Ex. 31:18; 32:15, 16. Christ Himself says that as long as the heavens and the earth remain, so long will His law remain to govern the relationships of all moral beings. Matt. 5:18. It was recognized in the eternal past, as binding throughout the period covered by sin; and through all the ages of the eternal future, these principles will govern the relationships of the redeemed. Introduced Because of Sin
But the first intimation of the operation of the ceremonial law, which governs in rites and ceremonies, is found in the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis. Gen. 4:4. See also Heb. 11:4. Soon after man sinned, he was made aware of the plan of salvation (Gen. 3:15); and to show his faith in a coming Redeemer, he was asked to offer certain sacrifices typical of the Lamb of God (John 1:29), “slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8. From that time forward, the law concerning sacrifices and ordinances of various kinds was recognized by the patriarchs, greatly elaborated during the Jewish age, and consummated in the cross of Jesus Christ. He was the substance prefigured in the types and shadows of that ritual. We read, in the Scriptures, that the sanctuary or tabernacle of ancient times “was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices.” This service “stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.” Heb. 9:9, 10. The law (Heb. 10:1; 9:19; Ex. 24:3-6) regulating these services, which shadowed forth “good things to come” (compare Heb. 10:1 with 9:11), is conveniently called the ceremonial law. We have learned previously that the lines along which the power of God works is according to the constitution of the object upon which this ever-present energy operates; and that the object determines, for our understanding, the kind of law it is. When that object ceases to exist, the divine energy ceases to operate in that particular way. To6illustrate: If all physical beings were annihilated from the universe, there would be no more physical law. The principles of the Ten Commandments, or the moral law, are the rules that govern the moral being, or the character. “The law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Eph. 2:15) governs in the realm of ceremony—a law and a ceremony imposed upon sinners only, to enable them to perceive the awfulness of sin, and the gloriousness of a proffered redemption. When this ceremonial was created, and the power of God was directed to regulate it, then was introduced the convenient term “ceremonial law,” just as we have moral law, physical law, mechanical law, astronomical law, etc., which are different manifestations of one all-pervading energy. The first observation shows plainly that the ceremonial law has wholly to do with the shedding of blood, sacrifices, meats and drinks, divers washings, and carnal ordinances. This elaborate ceremony of the old dispensation was a reflection of the imperfections, weaknesses, and sufferings, due to the existence of sin. It was also a constant revelation of the plan of salvation wrought out for man from the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19, 20; Rev. 13:8), minutely describing Christ's condescension and suffering. Heb. 9:8-14, 23-26; 10:1-9. It is evident that when the shadows before the cross met the substance in Christ at the cross, they vanished; and the law regulating those shadows, or ceremonies, must of necessity cease to operate. A Change in Ceremonial Law
The coming of Christ to earth, and His cruel death upon the cross, did not put an end to all ritual and ceremonies. There was no end made of a particular kind of ritual, or ceremony—that kind which could only point backward to the entrance of sin, and forward to the cross whereon was to be sacrificed the Lamb of God. At the cross, priesthood was not done away, but there was a change from the Levitical to the Melchizedek. A change in the priesthood at the cross required a change in the services and ceremonies of the sanctuary, or the Lord's house. A change of the ritual required a change of the ceremonial law. So the apostle Paul says, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” Heb. 7:12. The Christian church of to-day has ceremonial services of the Lord's house, ordinarily termed the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and the rite of baptism. This beautiful ceremonial points backward to the sufferings of the cross of Calvary, and forward to the coming of Christ in glory. The ceremonial services used before the cross, could in no wise be appropriate after the cross, because they pointed forward to a Redeemer who was to come, and were limited to the old dispensation. The ceremonial services of to-day could in no wise be appropriate before the cross, for they were ordained to point backward to a Redeemer who has come, and are limited to the Christian dispensation. The change was made at the cross. Heb. 7:12. Ceremonial Law Before and After the Cross
Living faith for salvation was exercised before the cross, but its vision looked backward through the ceremonial service, and saw the darksome experience occasioned by sin, and beheld the light of a promised Deliverer; and through the prophetic field glass, faith looked forward through the same ceremonial service to the glorious day when the fullness of time would come (Gal. 4:4), and the Saviour appear for the redemption of Israel. Living faith is exercised to-day, but its vision looks backward through the ritual of the Lord's Supper and baptism to the darksome picture of the cross, and sees the glorious victory achieved by the Lamb of God, and then forward to the fullness of time when our Lord shall appear the second time to bring everlasting deliverance to the remnant church, who will be ready and waiting for Him. When Types and Shadows Will Be Gone
Thus we see that the ceremonial service belongs to the period covered by sin only. And the law that governs this ceremonial service is likewise limited to the period covered by sin. When the reign of sin is over, there will be no more need for types and shadows—the wine and the bread of the sacrament, the water in the baptismal font—to stimulate faith in a Saviour from sin. To sum up the results of our study of this subject, we will place some of the contradistinguishing features of the two laws, moral and ceremonial, in juxtaposition: 1. The moral law is binding upon all created moral beings, sinful and sinless. 1. The ceremonial law is binding upon sinners only. 2. The moral law has nothing directly to do with the shedding of blood, sacrifices, or ceremonies, because its existence antedates sin. 2. The ceremonial law has to do wholly with the shedding of blood, sacrifices, and carnal ordinances, and coexists with sin. 3. The moral law governs in matters moral only. 3. The ceremonial law governs in matters ceremonial only. 4. The moral law is a reflection of perfection, holiness, and immutability—a transcript of God's character. 4. The ceremonial law is a reflection of imperfection, suffering, and weakness, due to the existence of sin. 5. The moral law is ever-enduring, cannot be changed, and will continue as long as there is a moral nature or a moral relationship to be governed. 5. The ceremonial law is a temporary arrangement, changed at the cross, and is ordained to govern during the period of sin only. 6. Buck's “Theological Dictionary” has this to say of the moral law of the Ten Commandments: “Moral law is that declaration of God's will which directs and binds all men, in every age and place, to their whole duty to Him: It was most solemnly proclaimed by God Himself at Sinai.” 6. John Wesley speaks thus of the ceremonial law: “The ritual or ceremonial law, delivered by Moses to the children of Israel, containing all the injunctions and ordinances which related to the old sacrifices and services of the temple, our Lord indeed did come to destroy, to dissolve, and utterly abolish.”—Sermons, volume 1, sermon 25. Thus we have seen clearly that there exists a broad distinction between the law of rites and ceremonies and the law of the Ten Commandments. The ceremonies, sacrifices, and carnal ordinances appropriate to the old dispensation were done away at the cross; and the rites—the communion and baptism—appropriate to the present dispensation will vanish away at the coming of our Lord. But the law of Ten Commandments was recognized as the immutable rule of moral conduct during olden times, magnified by the perfect life of Christ on earth. It is still standing to convict of sin (John 3:4), pointing souls to the Fountain of cleansing from sin; and through the eternal ages of the future it will remain as the foundation of God's unchangeable government.