GOD'S EVERLASTING LAW OF LIFE.
The law of God is not a set of arbitrary precepts which the Most High has given to define man's duty to God and man's fellow-creatures. True, the law does thus define duty, and it also invariably appeals to the sinner as arbitrary demands which he can not perform. In fact, they can come to the carnal mind in no other way; “because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7. To one who holds this attitude toward God, all God's enactments are arbitrary and cruel, unless outwardly they are in harmony with what the man believes. For instance, a man's education, prejudices, environments, pride, and the fashions of the popular religion may make him tolerant of nine of God's precepts. He may even seek to defend, and may advocate them as good laws. But the other precept of the ten is unpopular, unfashionable, without immediate “established” “precedent” in its observance, and the man rejects it as unworthy of his regard. The outward observance of nine commandments is not obedience. The true test of faith and loyalty is the rejected one,—the precept which has naught but God's naked Word behind it; and if a man believe and love God, he will do what God requires, irrespective of education, prejudice, environment, pride, or fashion. Nay, more: As men turn from God, the true servant will be all the more loyal. As fashion turns from God, he will turn toward God. No intervening traditions or precedents will keep the instructed Christian from obedience to what God requires, to what Jesus Christ exemplified in His life. To him of the carnal mind God's law is arbitrary. He is not subject to the law. He can not be. He could not do it if he would. It is true, in a sense, that God asks what the man can not perform. That is, the man can not do it in his own power. He has not the mind to serve God. He must have the mind of Christ. If he will open his heart, and let God's thought in as expressed in His law, he will find the law an “enabling act,” bringing power to do its requirement, transforming his mind into the mind of Christ. The law will then be seen as it is, not cruel and arbitrary demands, but the expression of God's character of love, the law of the outflow of His life. God's life flows out from the great fountain in harmony with His law. That law is the way of the life's full flowing to the children of men. The commandment was ordained to life. Rom. 7:10. “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” Prov. 12:28. Seeing it in this light, the light of God (and who would not?), what a blessed thing it is to know God's law. To the sinner only is it a law of condemnation and death. When the carnal mind of man placed itself across the current of God's life, it perverted the law of righteousness in man to sin, and the law of life to death. But he who yields the carnal mind, and looks by faith to Christ Jesus, finds that glorious law in a new light—“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Rom. 8:2. Formerly, the power of the perverted law brought forth sin and death; but now “the righteousness of the law” is “fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Verse 4. There are thousands who are keeping nine of the commands of God's law, thinking they are fully obedient. God accepts their service, because the heart is right. But they do not nor can they know the fulness of His life as they will when they see every one of His holy precepts, and let God's life flow into their heart, mind, and soul in harmony with His whole law, full-channel deep. So it flowed into and through Christ Jesus. “I delight to do Thy will, O, My God,” said He through the psalmist, “yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Ps. 40:7, 8. “As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26. And every one who receives Christ Jesus intelligently, truly, fully, receives in Him all God's law, and the blessed fulness of God's life. When our brethren of various names in the great Christian world see this, there will be no turning from the Sabbath of the Lord. It will be gladly embraced as blessed enlargement for the inflow of God's life in Christ Jesus, and that rest of life in righteousness found only in Him. There are many who are observing outwardly all the ten commandments. They recognize their obligation, but the duty seems heavy and hard at times, and sweet peace is wanting. They do not yet see the sweetness and blessing of that law in Christ Jesus, as a glorious, blessed channel, the only channel of sin-healing, health-giving life from God. If they would only let Jesus in with the fulness of the law and life of God, they would know the peace that passeth understanding, and themselves be channels of light and life to others. Only in life is there true blessing; and therefore “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord;” “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.”