AN “ABSOLUTELY UNASSAILABLE” ARGUMENT.
This is what a writer, J. N. Smith by name, claims to present in the Pacific Christian of May 15, in the following:— I have reserved till the last an argument so clear, simple, and strong that it is absolutely unassailable; an argument that, in itself, completely overthrows the doctrine of the Sabbatarians, and is so plain and simple that the humblest disciple can put to rout the most artful proselyter to ancient Judaism. I refer to the argument from the covenants. It is an argument made in large part by the apostle Paul, and there is little left for me to do except to quote the scriptures. In Jer. 31: 31–34 we have the promise of a new covenant to be made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Not like the covenant made with the fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, etc. In the 8th and 9th chapters of Hebrews Paul quotes this prophecy, and discusses the merits of these covenants, showing the infinite superiority of the new covenant over the old. He calls the two covenants the first and the second, the old and the new. It is understood by all that the new covenant is that of which Jesus is the mediator; that it was ratified by His death, and that it was first announced on the day of Pentecost after His resurrection. Without stopping to consider the character of the two covenants, I pass to notice the facts concerning the first or old covenant. Note the following facts concerning it:— First: It was made with the fathers—meaning the Jewish fathers, “when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt.” Second: That covenant was not faultless. It could not make perfect those who came to it. The new covenant would be better, established upon better promises. Now carefully note the following statements:— 1. The Lord made a covenant with Israel when he led them out of Egypt. 2. He wrote the words of the covenant on two tables of stones, which were called “the tables of the covenant.” 3. The words of the covenant were the Ten Commandments. 4. Moses made an ark as he was directed to do by the Lord, and into this he put the tables of the covenant, containing the Ten Commandments, or the words of the covenant. 5. This ark was placed in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, that is, the tabernacle by Moses. 6. This covenant, written and engraven in stones, was what Paul calls the first covenant. 7. This covenant waxed old and was regarded as out of use and passed away. (Italics ours.) The first covenant, written in stone, was made only with Israel, never with the Gentiles. There are some things involved in these statements worthy of notice, because the question of the covenants, like many other Bible questions, is little understood, and the errors above are often presented. 1. Now what covenant did God make with Israel? 2. What were the terms, or conditions, of that covenant? 3. Wherein lay the fault? 4. What is the new covenant? 5. What are its conditions? 7. Wherein lies its superior excellency? I. The Covenant with Israel.
The preliminary steps in the making of the covenant between God and Israel are clearly given in Exodus 19. 1. The Lord through Moses as party of the first part said:— “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” 2. This is what Moses did:— “And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.” 3. This is the response of the nation, the party of the second part:— “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.” This is the outline of the covenant. But God will not ratify it till the people have opportunity to know what it involves and just what the conditions—“My voice” and “My covenant”—mean. II. The Conditions of the Old Covenant.
Three days later the great Jehovah uttered His “Voice,” spoke His “Covenant.” Verse 5. This was the Ten Commandments. Ex. 20: 1–17. “The Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.” Deut. 4: 12, 13. The Ten Commandments are pre-eminently God’s covenant, expressing His will concerning man, and the basis and object of all covenants ever made with man. So they became the conditions of the mutual covenant between God and the nation of Israel—the voice, the covenant, which they were to obey. The ratification of the covenant is recorded in Exodus 24. God had spoken His law. It had been drawn out into numerous illustrative precepts covering various phases of life. Chapters 21–24. Israel had had the privilege of knowing just what was involved. And then twice again the people promised obedience: “All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.” “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” Ex. 24: 3, 7. And then the book of the covenant and the people were sprinkled with the blood of the peace-offerings, sealing the contract. We do not know how language could make it clearer that the Ten Commandments were the conditions of the covenant made between God and Israel. III. Wherein Was that Covenant at Fault?
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. The covenant was no stronger than its weakest promise. God’s promises were His everlasting-covenant promises, as strong and sure as His throne. But the promises of the people were like ropes of sand. The fault was just there, as stated in Hebrews—“for finding fault with them.” The promises of the people could not keep them nor enable them to keep the law. Wherefore then that covenant? It teaches a two-fold lesson:— 1. It taught Israel that they were sinners; that of themselves they could not obey God. It was designed of God to bring them to Christ, the Saviour. And if they had with open, longing hearts received God’s law as the law of His life, as the most precious words that could be spoken, as enabling acts to do what was commanded, they would not in fear have said to Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” Ex. 20: 19, 20. God came near in love to save His people. Deut. 33: 2, 3; 5: 29. They made a covenant that gendered to bondage, because of mere outward service and promise, lacking faith and love. 2. That covenant stands also for this great truth, that no nation can be saved as a nation; no individuals can be saved by “representative” men promising for them; no man can be made moral or obedient by proxy. It is an individual work, individual faith, individual life-connection with God. IV. What Is the New Covenant?
The new covenant is God’s relation with men through the Gospel for their salvation. It began when God covenanted in the beginning to put enmity between man and Satan and to destroy Satan. Gen. 3: 15. It was the covenant renewed to Noah, of which God’s bow in the cloud was a token. It was renewed to Abraham by repeated promise and oath. And finally it was confirmed by Christ Jesus upon the cross. It is God’s “everlasting covenant” (Heb. 13: 20) of the “everlasting Gospel” (Rev. 14: 6) by which every soul is saved who is saved at all. V. What Are the Conditions of This Covenant?
The one only condition, first, last, and all the time, is faith; the faith that has works for its fruit; the “faith which worketh by love,” the same faith that Jesus had; the faith which receives God’s life and power; the faith which submits to let God work in one to will and to do of His good pleasure; the faith which counts God’s precept as important and as precious as His promise. This is the only condition required of man—perfect faith. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;” and the faith which stops short of this is spurious. The whole Word tells the same story, that faith, right belief, always issues in obedience to God’s law. So the Son of God said: “I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” “I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” “I and My Father are one.” “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” These are but a few of the tests and proofs of faith given us by our Lord. VI. When Was It Ratified?
It was ratified or confirmed by the death of Christ upon the cross. This is admitted. “And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new testament [covenant], that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a testament is there must of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” Heb. 9: 15–17. Note what is involved in this fact, so clear as to admit of no contradiction. 1. All the teachings, requirements, conditions, and promises of that covenant were set forth prior to its ratification. God had been revealing them all through the ages; and Jesus Christ was but setting them forth again in clearer light and the perfect life of righteousness. All His teaching showed that He had taught His disciples all the principles of the kingdom. He Himself said to the Father, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do;” “I have given them Thy word;” “I have declared unto them Thy name.” They were fitted for service with but one exception, namely, the endowment of the Spirit. But this had been provided. All the Christian ordinances had been given. All was complete, when our Lord expired on the cross. 2. The covenant was then complete. It was confirmed; and “tho it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.” Gal. 3: 15, R.V. The will was made. The testator died on the cross. The will became of force. 3. Now this was not confirmed or fixed so as to prevent God from giving to His people anything new, or from making any change. He is ever the same, from everlasting to everlasting. There is not even “the shadow of turning” with Him. “I am the Lord; I change not.” He can not deny Himself. And all that He does since the covenant was confirmed by the cross He did before it was so confirmed. Not for the perfect, unchangeable God was8it given, but for the sake of His changeable children, who are prone to think that God is such an one as themselves,—partial in His law. See Ps. 50: 16–22. He knew that men would arise and declare that God’s law was abolished; that God had changed His plan at the cross; that the Sabbath, which is the very memorial and sign of God’s creative power to originate and redeem had passed away; that the Son taught a different Gospel than the Father;—God knew all this, and so to forestall it He sealed, or confirmed, the covenant by the death of Christ. 4. “No man addeth thereto.” There was no other sabbath previous to the cross; there is none since. Whatsoever came in, if but one day, one hour, after the cry, “It is finished,” it is no part of the new covenant; it is of man, not of God. But the entire law of God, perfect, complete in every particular as when uttered from Sinai, including the Fourth Commandment, was confirmed with the covenant. VII. Wherein Is the New Covenant Superior?
1. In brief, it was “established upon better promises,” even the promises of God, the oath of God, the surety of the offering and work of Jesus Christ. Heb. 8: 6. 2. It made acceptance depend not on one’s own works, but upon faith in Christ’s finished work. It brought forgiveness of sins through grace. 3. It dealt with the same law. In the old covenant the people proposed to keep God’s law when they were not in harmony with it. But the new covenant proposed to make the keeping of that law the fruit of a changed, regenerated heart and life. It writes the law within the life, upon the heart and mind. It thus becomes a very part of the man. Under the old covenant it condemned, and still condemns; man is under its claims. But it is the same blessed law, upbuilding now instead of condemning as when we endeavored in human strength to do what God required. 4. It is made with the same parties, the house of Israel. There is no hope to the Gentile, no promise to the Gentile only as he becomes one of the Israel of God. See Eph. 2: 11–20. The acceptance of the Gospel makes the soul a son of Israel, and brings him unto covenant relation with God. “Salvation is of the Jews.” 5. It is made with individuals only, so that every one of God’s Israel, of the “righteous nation,” is truly a child of God, having a direct life-connection with Him. Faith is an individual matter. 6. And thus God is known, not as one to fear, not as one we will wish far away; but known as a kind loving Father, a glorious Redeemer, an everlasting Friend. This is the everlasting covenant, in which all the redeemed of all generations are saved. Now as to the texts cited above by Mr. Smith. If the reader will keep in mind these primary truths and everlasting principles which we have set forth, he will have no trouble with these scriptures. Ex. 34: 27 refers to what God told Moses to write. The third pronoun “He” in verse 28 refers to the Lord; for Moses did not write the Ten Commandments on the tables, but the Lord did. In proof of this see Deut. 10: 1, 2, 4. “The Lord said unto me, I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables.” “And He wrote on the tables according to the first writing.” See also Deut. 9: 10. These were the tables of the covenant, because they were the conditions of the covenant. But the agreement between God and Israel was not written on the tables. What Moses wrote, as directed in Ex. 34: 27, was the things the Lord had already told him. There is a great break between Verses 27 and 28. Deut. 10: 1–5 is needed to explain verse 28. The “unassailable” argument is self-devouring. Now all this explanation would be utterly unnecessary if men only believed God, only saw God as He is, the unchangeable, holy One, whose ways are perfect. How men pervert His ways to get rid of unpopular truth! And how utterly inconsistent they make Him appear to be! They would put Him under the necessity of changing an eternally perfect law, observed by Him who is set for an eternally perfect example! O, how can they so traduce our blessed Lord! “The word of the Lord endureth forever.”