THE ALLEGED FAILURE OF THE LAW.
By W. N. Glenn
ONE of the most absurd contentions of modern theology is the claim that the moral law has been a failure. This idea is persistently brought forward in a variety of forms. In a recent comment upon Deuteronomy 27 by a San Francisco journal there is a brief reference to the act of pronouncing the blessings and curses from Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, in which we find this characteristic expression:— The law, thus solemnly uttered and accepted by Israel in a free-will covenant, failed because it could not give life nor pardon. It is true that there are certain things which the law can not do, but without exception these are things which it never was designed to do, and which the Lord never attempted to do by means of the law. The law “was ordained unto life” (Rom. 7:10), and “the doers of the law shall be justified” (chap. 2:13). Life is in the law, for “the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Ps. 19:7); “all Thy commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119:172); and righteousness is life (Rom. 6:18, 22). But while Paul recognized that the commandment was “ordained unto life,” he found it “to be unto death.” Chap. 7:10. Why?—Because he had sinned. There was no change in the character or power of the law. Adam, and all the human race, found it “to be unto death,” because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The law was never designed to give life to sinners. It would be a strange law that provided for the pardon of those who should continue to violate its provisions. Such a law would be a nullity, an absurdity on its face, having no force whatever. God no more expected the law to give life or pardon under the Mosaic ministration than he does to-day. From the day that Adam disobeyed God, and became a sinner through “transgression of the law” (1 John 4:5), the plan of salvation, justification by faith, has been available to do for the lost race “what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh.” The failure was on the part of man to stand where he could be justified by the law. From that day to this there is justification for the human race only by faith in Jesus Christ; and not only so, but “the just[or justified] shall live by his faith.” Hab. 2:4. To say that the law is a failure because mankind is too weak to fulfill its demands and stand where it can justify their lives, is as absurd as to say that Christ is a failure because he can not save those who have no faith in him. Christ can no more justify a man who will not exercise faith than can the law. The law does justify every one who is justified by faith. It is by faith that sin is forgiven, and this is justification. The forgiven one is freed from “transgression of the law,” and then, being in harmony with the law, he is justified by it. The law is the basis of all justification, because, as before quoted, “the doers of the law shall be justified.” The thing that Christ does for the sinner which the law can not do is, he helps him into a position where the law can justify him. Christ is a doer of the law, therefore the law justifies him, or witnesses to the perfection of his character, his righteousness. Rom. 3:21. The plan of salvation is that Christ imputes his righteousness to all who believe in him, thus placing them in a position where the law can justify them, or witness that they are righteous. It may be argued that Abraham was justified by works. So he was (James 2:21); but what kind of works?—Works of faith. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” Verse 22. His works were merely the proof of his faith. “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God.” Verse 23. A friend of God is one who regards his law; “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. The law could justify Abraham because of the righteousness imputed to him by the Mediator in the judgment. This is how God can be just, that is, honor the law, and yet justify all that believe in Christ. Chap. 3:26. The same rule applies to-day that applied to Abraham. “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Chap. 4:23, 24. But that the law has not failed, and can not fail, we have the positive assurance of Christ himself: “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17. Then the law of God is stronger than even his wonderful works; yet professed teachers of the word of God120will blandly tell us that the law has been tried and failed. They will even impute to the law of God the weakness of sinful flesh. The office of the law is to point out duty, and, per consequence, point out sin. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20. If the law should fail, there would be no standard of right and wrong; there would be no such thing as sin, for “sin is not imputed where there is no law.” Then there would be no necessity of the Gospel, which it is claimed supersedes the failed law. The Gospel is of force because the law has not failed; the law still points out sin, and it still witnesses its satisfaction with the righteousness of Christ imputed to the child of faith.