CHRIST AND THE LAW by T. H. Starbuck

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 7, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 27.

CHRIST AND THE LAW

By T. H. Starbuck

THE PERFECTION OF THE LAW. NO. 3.

BY ELDER T. H. STARBUCK.

CHRIST AND THE LAW.

"God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." Christ's perfect life on earth in the development of the plan of salvation was to demonstrate the perfection of the law. In him the vista was opened that the world might have a view of the Father and understand the nature of his law. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." "He will magnify the law and make it honorable." To magnify is to enlarge and make more distinct. To make honorable is to bestow honor upon that which had not previously been so distinguished. The expression of the prophet shows that the law had not been fully understood or appreciated as it should have been; and Christ's mission was to make it appear in its true native garb of perfection. Sin, with its benighting influences, had made it appear dishonorable; but Christ's mission removed the reproach and exemplified its perfections, which otherwise could not have been made so prominent.

But Christ came not to condemn the world, but to save it. He fulfilled the law in every particular, and thus brought salvation to the lost. The sublime attributes of God were revealed to the world in his life and labor of love for man. Jesus died to vindicate the law—not its stern justice only, but also its mercy. Men are prone to look upon the death of Christ as a sacrifice to appease the stern and unrelenting demands of his Father's law, and much is said of its principles of justice, while mercy is an element spoken of as springing from other sources than anything inherent in the law. Justice is an attribute of God; so also is mercy. Why should the former be prominent in his law and the latter not found there at all?

Jesus gave instruction concerning the two great commandments,—supreme love to God and equal love to man,—saying that all the law is suspended upon them. The law then is love, and that is just what God is said to be. "God is love," and everything proceeding from him must be begotten of love. "This is the love of God that we keep his commandments." That love once in the heart of man constrains him to be obedient, for love is loyalty to God.

MERCY IN THE LAW.

Our fellow-men often transgress against us; but if they repent of the injury done, we are morally bound to forgive them. If we do not forgive, we are transgressors of the law and under its condemnation. But it can condemn none except those who have violated it. Then to cherish an unforgiving spirit is a violation of the law, which could not possibly be true unless there is some principle in the law requiring pardon when the transgressor is penitent. Suppose the transgressor repents toward God, asking for pardon, and is refused. Could God withhold pardon under

such conditions and be in harmony with his law? If he could do so lawfully, how can he justly require us to forgive? How can the law be perfect and not require pardon under such conditions? Is there any instance on record where God has withheld pardon from the truly repentant? It is clear then that the law requires us to forgive. But no one will contend that it requires us to imitate a trait of God's character which is not revealed in his law. It is manifest that we can never become more perfect in any trait of character than the law requires; but it requires us to forgive, and it cannot require more than it grants. It would be an inconsistency for it to require us to be merciful and show none itself.

"Love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13: 10. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. Here inspiration gives as clear a definition of love as of sin. By inserting this definition of love in another passage it will help to obtain a very exalted view of the merits of the law. "God so loved [fulfilled the law toward] the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." A comparison of these scriptures presents a sublime thought, from which can be drawn several very important conclusions:—

God's gift of Christ to save the world was in fulfillment of the principles of his law.
Christ's incarnation, life on earth, sacrificial death, and consequent pardon to repentant sinners, are all in perfect harmony with the claims of the law.
The love inherent in the law constrained its Author to make provision for salvation from sin.
We are indebted to the perfect principles of the law for the grace of God bestowed upon us.
The law is an expression of God's love to all his intelligent creatures.
The transgression of the law is a violation of God's love.
Antinomianism is subversive of the plan of grace, for to abolish the law would destroy the very principles that bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
The law contains the principles of mercy if its fulfillment toward mankind brings salvation.

If God had made no provision for salvation from sin, he would not have fulfilled toward the world the principles of his own moral government; and Satan's views of the law would have appeared much more plausible than otherwise, and sympathizers with his rebellious ideas would have had some foundation for their cause. The experiment of sin would have proved the law of God's government imperfect. But the Omniscient God, foreseeing the end from the beginning, laid the foundation of his moral government so infinitely broad and perfect that it would endure the test of rebellion, even though it originated with the brightest angel that stood beside his throne. If God would not provide such a law, his claim to both omniscience and omnipotence would be rendered nugatory and his law manifestly imperfect. But the fact that he can use it as an instrument in turning the sinful from their evil course and making them loyal to him demonstrates its perfection, and shows that it embraces within its principles that which will prevail in any emergency.

This view of the perfections of the law of God enables one to understand that the gospel is but a development of the law—an exemplification of its principles. In spring the tree is laden with blooms, indicative of a rich yield of fruit in autumn. There is a latent force in the tree, which, under proper conditions, results in this development. The acorn contains only a minute germ, but proper conditions will develop it into a great tree. Just so the law of Jehovah is a living thing. Its latent principles have developed and bloomed out in the plan of salvation, and the perfect fruit will appear and be enjoyed in the ages to come. The light sown for the righteous is germinating and developing, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.

"The law of the Lord is perfect." Why should inspiration make such an assertion unless its perfection had been questioned? Satan questioned it, and led others to join his rebellion, until the light of its divine principles which their Creator had written in their hearts was obliterated by their sin; but God reveals his mercy and its perfection by sending it forth as an instrument to turn transgressors back to himself, thus showing that its divine love has power to prevail even over its bitterest enemies. By no other means could its absolute perfection be so clearly demonstrated. God is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in sins. Truly the gospel is the mystery of God. When traced back to its origin, it is found to spring from the same germ of divine love in which the moral law originated.