Strange, Truly by R. F. Cottrell

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 10, 1878

Strange, Truly.

By R. F. Cottrell

I HAVE before me a letter from a friend in which he says, "When the young man inquired of Jesus what he should do to obtain eternal life, he said, 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which?' Is it not strange that Jesus did not enjoin him to keep the Sabbath day?"

To me it is stranger that a man that is neither an idiot nor insane should quote the words, "keep the commandments," to prove that a part of them are abolished. And did Jesus repeat to the young man all the commandments of the decalogue that are now binding? If so, too many have been abolished to suit the creed of any Christian. Is it not strange that he did not tell the young man that he should have but one God, that he should make no image to worship, and that he should not take the name of God in vain? Is it not strange that this conversation should abolish the Sabbath and leave the other four commandments, not repeated, as binding as ever? Is it not strangest of all that men will venture to break the commandments which Jesus tells us to keep, and thus risk their eternal life, on the strength of arguments no better than this?

R. F. COTTRELL.