p. 5 | THE STRONGEST OF LAWS by W. C. Mathewson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 8, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 19.

THE STRONGEST OF LAWS.

By W. C. Mathewson

THE whole universe of God is sustained by means of laws established by an all-wise Creator. The movements of the distant planets inhabiting the immeasurable realms of space, and the lives of the most minute and insignificant of earthly creatures, are alike regulated by this agency.

The Creator’s laws, the laws of nature, are good, and were instituted for the preservation and happiness of God’s creatures; but this object can be attained only by thoroly conforming to these laws. If disobeyed, their action becomes harmful, and no man on earth has power to escape the penalty of disobedience. If the laws governing our physical being are violated, disease and premature death are the inevitable results.

When people are without food, why do they die of starvation? Because they are out of harmony with one of the laws of their being. The law necessitating the eating of food for the continuance of life is good; but when disobeyed, then the transgressor finds the law “which was ordained to life” “to be unto death.” He has no power to escape starvation, because nature’s laws are stronger than he. When man and the laws that govern him conflict, the laws, being the stronger, prevail, and man is defeated and slain.

The law of gravity, that prevents man from being drawn away from this earth by some external force and killed, is a good law. It was ordained to life. But whoever gets out of harmony with it, finds it to be unto death. No man can leap from the top of a high tower, and, unless aided by some special contrivance, prevent being drawn to the earth and killed. He is killed because he has placed himself in opposition to the powerful law of gravity, which he could not withstand.

The results of violating the two laws here mentioned are no exceptions. All nature’s laws are powerful to preserve and protect the obedient, and to punish and destroy the disobedient.

In the beginning all laws were good; for they were the laws of God. But sin has introduced a change, so that the apostle Paul says, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Rom. 7:21. We as well as Paul have discovered the existence of this law. Many times we have felt its opposing power. Did we ever attempt to do good and not find evil present with us? This law is incessantly active. It confronts us at every step, and no man can withstand it. To resist successfully is fully as impossible as successfully to resist the law of gravity.

This law that where we would do good evil is present with us, is one of the laws that govern our fallen, sinful nature. Paul continues: “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” This law is called “the law of sin,” and we can not escape it, because it is in our members. Paul, finding himself utterly powerless to deliver himself from this law, cried out in despair, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Paul could not deliver himself, neither can we; but we have the privilege of petitioning to a higher than human power, to a power greater than the power of the law of sin. This is the power of the Spirit of life. The power of sin emanates from the law of sin, and the power of the Spirit of life emanates from the law of the Spirit of life, and delivers from the law of sin and death.

“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Rom. 8:2.

So may we all be made free by the strongest of all laws. Stronger than the law of gravity, stronger than the law of sin, stronger than all other laws, is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Hartwellville, Mich. W. C. MATHEWSON