p. 7 | Our Bible Reading by H. W. Cottrell

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 2, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 1.

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Our Bible Reading

By H. W. Cottrell

The Law of God — What It Is

1. What is God's law?

It is the expression of His will — summarily embodied in the Ten Commandments.

2. Does the Lord call the Ten Commandments a law?

And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there; and I will give thee tables of stone, and A LAW, and commandments which I HAVE WRITTEN; that thou mayest teach them. Ex. 24: 12.

And He wrote on the tables . . . the TEN COMMANDMENTS, which the Lord SPAKE unto you. Deut. 10: 4.

3. Was the moral law complete, or did He add thereto?

These words the LORD SPAKE unto all your assembly in the mount . . . with a great voice; and He ADDED NO MORE. And He wrote them in two tables of stone. Deut. 5: 22.

Which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be SPOKEN to them any more. Heb. 12: 19.

4. What, then, is the nature of this law?

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. Ps. 19: 7.

5. How does law have to do with one's conversion?

Whosoever committeeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3: 4.

6. What coöperates with the law in convicting the sinner?

And when He [the Holy Spirit] is come, He will REPROVE . . . of SIN. John 16: 8.

7. Why is the perfect law of liberty compared to a mirror?

For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man BEHOLDING HIS NATURAL FACE IN A GLASS: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But WHOSO LOOKETH INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, and CONTINUETH THEREIN, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a DOER of the work, THIS MAN SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIS DEED. James 1: 23-25.

Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, 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.

NOTE.—As a mirror points out soot on the face, so God's law (mirror) points out sin (soul tarnish). The Holy Spirit convicts, and Christ is the open fountain from which cometh cleansing.

In that day there shall be a FOUNTAIN OPENED . . . for sin and for uncleanness. Zech. 13: 1.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and

just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1: 9.

8. Will all men finally have to reckon with God's law of liberty?

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. James 2: 10-12.

H. W. COTTRELL.