The Law of God by A. Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 7, 1878

The Law of God.

By A. Smith

The Bible very clearly proves it to be the duty of the Christian to keep the law of God.

Notwithstanding it has been said, and very truthfully too, that “there is no redeeming quality in law,” and that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight;” yet, when one is freed from the condemnation of the law through Christ, it becomes to him a rule of life, and he is under obligation to keep it. See Rom. 3:31. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15. Now there could be no sinners in the world unless men had sinned, and this they could not do unless some law existed which they had transgressed. Paul tells us that “by the law is the knowledge of sin;” Rom. 3:20; that “where no law is, there is no transgression;” Rom. 4:15; and that “sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Chap. 5:13. John also testifies that “sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. And that we may have no doubt in regard to what law is intended, Paul testifies, “I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Rom. 7:7. See also James 2:8–12.

Christ, by the psalmist, thus testifies of himself: “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Ps. 40:8. (Compare verse 9 with Ps. 119:172.) Just before his death, our Saviour declared that he had kept his Father’s commandments. See John 15:10. Christ is our Exemplar, and it is our duty to walk as he walked. 1 John 2:6. Christ honored his Father’s law, and taught that however much persons may profess to honor the Son, those only who do the will of the Father can enter the kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 7:21.

Christ taught his disciples to pray that the will of our Father in Heaven might be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. We do not see how this prayer can be answered until all mankind honor God’s moral law, which the psalmist declares to be perfect, converting the soul. Ps. 19:7; James 1:21. If the law which God wrote with his own finger upon tables of stone, and promised afterward to write in the hearts of his people, is perfect, we do not see how it can possibly be improved by any change, or any abrogation and re-enactment whatsoever.

That the views we advocate are not peculiar to Seventh-day Adventists or Seventh-day Baptists, the following extracts very clearly prove:—

“85. What does God require of man?

“Obedience to his revealed will. ‘Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.’ Eccl. 12:13.

“86. What is the rule of our obedience?

“The moral law. ‘If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’ Matt. 19:17.

“87. Where is the moral law given?

“In the ten commandments. Ex. 20:1–17.

“103. Are all Christians under obligation to keep the law?

“Yes; they are ‘not without law to God, but under the law to Christ.’ 1 Cor. 9:21. [In this connection the following texts are quoted in full: 1 Cor. 7:19; Matt. 5:17, 18.]”—Catechism of the M. E. Church, No. 2.

“No Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.”—Methodist Discipline, p. 11, art. 6.

“Are we under obligation to keep the moral law?

“Yes; because that is founded on the nature of God and cannot be changed.”—Luther’s Shorter Catechism, art. 5.

“The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard to the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation.”—Confession of Faith of the “Presbyterian Church of the United States of America.”

Barnes, in his notes on Matt. 5:18, says, “Of this kind are the ten commandments; and these our Saviour has neither abolished nor superseded;” and that, by his coming “the moral law was confirmed and unchanged.”

Dr. Adam Clarke, in his notes on Rom. 3:31, says:—

“We may understand also, the moral law, that which relates to the regulation of the manners or conduct of men. This law also was established by the doctrine of salvation by faith; because this faith works by love, and love is the principle of obedience, and whosoever receives salvation through faith in Christ, receives power to live in holy obedience to every moral precept.” A. Smith.