CEREMONIAL AND MORAL LAW DISTINGUISHED.
By W. A. Gosmer
By W. A. Gosmer.
(Continued.) In order that no one may be confused with regard to the typical system as it stands related to God's great law of righteousness, the following comparison is made between the ten-commandment, or moral law, and the law of commandments contained in ordinances, or ceremonial law. And notwithstanding the fact that some teachers of these days are sadly confounding the moral with the ceremonial, it will be seen that the distinction between the two systems is most pronounced. The opinions also, of leading commentators, reformers, and founders of churches, is given in order that all may see what the true teaching has been in years gone by, and what it still is, in truth, with reference to the two systems, moral and ceremonial. 1. A perfect law.
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Ps. 19:7.
"All Thy commandments are righteousness," Ps. 119:172.
"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth." Ps. 119:142.
"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12. 2. A law in itself spiritual.
"For we know that the law is spiritual." Rom. 7:14. 3. Spoken by Jehovah.
"And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire. . . . And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments." Deut. 4:12, 13. (Ex. 20:1.) 4. Written by the Lord upon two tables of stone.
"These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them in two tables of stone." Deut. 5:22. (Ex. 31:18). 5. Eternal, therefore requiring obedience from all.
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
"Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets; I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished." Matt. 5:17, 18, R. V.
"But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fall." Luke 16:17, R. V.
"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17.
"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." 1 Cor. 7:19.
"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." Rev. 22:14. 1. A perfect law.
Spurgeon: "The law of God is a divine law, holy, heavenly, perfect. . . . There is not a command too many; there is not one too few; but is so incomparable that its perfection is a proof of its divinity." Spurgeon's Sermons, page 280. Alexander Campbell: "God's ten words, not only in the Old Testament, but in all revelation, are the most emphatically regarded as the synopsis of all religion and morality."—Debate with Purcell, page 215. Dr. Adam Clarke: "It would be almost impossible for a man to have that just notion of the demerit of sin so as to produce repentance, or to see the nature and necessity of the death of Christ, if the law were not applied to his conscience by the light of the Holy Spirit; it is then alone that he sees himself to be carnal and sold under sin; and that the law and the commandments are holy, just, and good."—Comments on Rom. 7:13. 2. A law in itself spiritual.
Scott: "This law is so extensive that we can not measure it; so spiritual that we can not evade it, and so reasonable that we can not find fault with it."—Comments on Ex. 20:1-17. Nevins: "The moral law, summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments uttered from Mount Sinai, requires in all its precepts a spiritual obedience."—Biblical Antiquities. 3. Spoken by Jehovah.
Buck: "Moral law is that declaration of God's will which directs and binds all men, in every age and place, to their whole duty to Him. It was most solemnly proclaimed by God Himself at Sinai."—Theological Dictionary. 4. Written by the Lord upon two tables of stone.
Scott: "But God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments, the substance of the moral law, on the tables of stone."—Comments on Ex. 34:27. Presbyterians: "The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by Him on two tables of stone."—Confession of Faith, ed. 1833. 5. Eternal, therefore requiring obedience from all.
John Wesley: "But the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He (Christ) did not take away. It was9not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken, which 'stands fast as the faithful witness in heaven.' The moral stands on an entirely different foundation from the ceremonial or ritual law, which was only designed for a temporary restraint upon a disobedient and stiff-necked people; whereas this was from the beginning of the world, being 'written not on tables of stone,' but on the hearts of all the children of men, when they came out of the hands of the Creator. . . . Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages, as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change; but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other."—Sermons, vol. 1, sermon 25. Martin Luther: "Ques.—Are we under obligation to keep the moral law? Ans.—Yes; because that is founded on the nature of God; and can not be changed; it is of universal application, which was impossible with respect to the ceremonial and civil laws. Christ demands obedience to His law."—Shorter Catechism, ed. 1834. Calvin: "The law has sustained no diminution of its authority, but ought always to receive from us the same veneration and obedience."—Institutes, book 2. Dr. Adam Clarke: "And let it be observed that the law did not answer this end merely among the Jews in the days of the apostles; it is just as necessary to the Gentiles to the present hour. Nor do we find that true repentance takes place where the moral law is not preached and enforced. Those who preach only the Gospel to sinners, at best only heal the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly."—Comments on Rom. 7:13. Baptists: "We believe that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government; that it is holy, just, and good."—Church Manual. Martin Luther: "I wonder exceedingly how it came to be imputed to me that I should reject the law of Ten Commandments. . . . Can it be imaginable that there should be any sin where there is no law? Whosoever abrogates the law, must of necessity abrogate sin also."—Spiritual Antichrist. John Wesley: "Beware of antinomianism, making void the law, or any part of it, through faith."—Christian Perfection. Christians: "By the abolition of the law I do not think that the moral law of love to God and love to man was destroyed; for this must be unchangeable and eternally binding on all intelligent creatures. I see no connection between the death of Christ and the destruction of the moral law."—Elder Barton W. Stone. Of Commandments Contained in Ordinances.
1. An imperfect law.
"For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect; but the bringing in of a better hope did." Heb. 7:18, 19.
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, . . . can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." Heb. 10:1. 2. A law not in itself spiritual.
"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." Heb. 9:10. 3. Spoken by Moses.
"And the Lord called unto Moses . . . saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering," etc. Lev. 1:1, 2.
"This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the meat-offering, and of the sin-offering," etc., "which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in the day that He commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord." Lev. 7:37, 38. 4. Written by Moses in a book.
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words." Ex. 34:27.
"And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi." Deut. 31:9.
"And they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses." Neh. 8:1. (2 Kings 22:8-16). 5. Abolished; therefore requiring obedience from none.
"Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Eph. 2:15.
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. . . . Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ." Col. 2:14-17.
"Certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment." Acts 15:24. 1. An imperfect law.
Dr. Barnes: "The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and yet the moral law be untouched."—Comments on Matt. 5:18. Bishop Hopkins: "The ceremonial law was wholly taken up in enjoining those observations of sacrifices and offerings, and various methods of purifications and cleansings, which were typical of Christ, and that sacrifice of His which alone was able to take away sin."—Complete Works of Bishop Hopkins, The Ten Commandments, p. 7, ed. 1841. "And concerning this it is that the apostle (Paul) is to be understood, when in his epistles he so often speaks of the abrogation and disannulling of the law. He speaks it, I say, of the ceremonial law and Aaronical observations."—Idem, page 8. 2. A law not in itself spiritual.
Nevins: "The ceremonial law of the Jews comprehended a vast number of precepts. It stood in meats and drinks, and divers washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them till the time of reformation."—Biblical Antiquities. Justin Edwards: "The other kind, called ceremonial laws, related to various outward observances, which were not obligatory till they were commanded, and then were binding only on the Jews till the death of Christ."—Sabbath Manual, page 133. 3. Spoken by Moses.
Methodists: "Altho the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind Christians . . . yet notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral."—M. E. Discipline, Art. 6. 4. Written by Moses in a book.
Scott: "Moses wrote in a book the judicial and ceremonial precepts that he had received."—Comments on Ex. 34:27. 5. Abolished, therefore requiring obedience from none.
John Wesley: "The ritual or ceremonial law, delivered by Moses to the children of Israel, containing all the injunctions and ordinances which related to the old sacrifices and service of the temple, our Lord indeed did come to destroy, to dissolve, and utterly abolish. To this bear all the apostles witness; not only Barnabas and Paul, who vehemently withstood those who taught that Christians 'ought to keep the law of Moses' (Acts 15:6); not only St. Peter, who termed the insisting on this, on the observance of the ritual law, a 'tempting of God,' and 'putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers,' saith he, 'nor we were able to bear;' but 'all the apostles, elders, and brethren, being assembled with one accord' (verse 10), declared that to command them to keep this law, was to subvert their souls; and that 'it seemed good to the Holy Ghost' and to them 'to lay no such burden upon them.' This 'handwriting of ordinances' our Lord did 'blot out,' take away, and nail to His cross. Verse 24."—Sermons, vol. 1, sermon 25. Martin Luther: "Ques.—Are we under obligation to keep the ceremonial, or church law of the Jews? Ans.—No; the ordinances which it enjoined were only types and shadows of Christ, and when they were fulfilled by His death, and the distinction between Jew and Gentile was removed, the ceremonial law was abolished, because it was no longer necessary."—Shorter Catechism, ed. 1834. Rev. Geo. Elliot: "By the phrase 'the ten words,' as well as in the general scope of Hebrew legislation, the moral law is fully distinguished from the civil and ceremonial law. The first is an abiding statement of the divine will; the last consists of transient ordinances having but a temporary and local meaning."—Essay on the Abiding Sabbath, page 116. Scott: "Moses wrote in a book the judicial and ceremonial precepts that he had received; but God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments, the substance of the moral law, on the tables of stone. This difference strongly marked the permanency and perpetual obligation of the moral law, and the inferior importance and temporary obligation of the ceremonial institutions."—Comments on Ex. 34:27. Christians: "But there is an intimate connection between His (Christ's) death and the ceremonial laws; for these were types and shadows of Christ, the antitype and substance."—Elder Barton W. Stone. Alexander Campbell: "The everlasting Ten."—Popular Lectures. Thus we have seen clearly established the distinction between the law of ritualism, and the law of Ten Commandments. The one, "provisional and temporary;" the other, "changeless and eternal." One, having completed its mission, expired in the death of Christ; the other, continuing on in its everlasting perfection, "as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change," makes known forever the duty of man to his God. The one, a "law of commandments contained in ordinances," was in itself subsidiary, dependent, and incomplete; the other consisted of "ten precepts, brief, comprehensive and authoritative,"—a complete law in itself. For when, from the burning mountain, the Lawgiver spoke its sacred precepts, the record states that, "He added no more," and then He wrote it "in two tables of stone" (Deut. 5:22), showing thus that it is distinct, separate, and complete. The only way by which it is possible for men to know that they are sinners, is by this law. Paul says, "I had not known sin, but by the law;" and then to show what law he refers to, immediately he adds, "For I had not known lust ('coveting,' R. V.), except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." And the law which says, "Thou shalt not covet," is the law of Ten Commandments. This law which, as we have seen, is and has been binding upon all men in every age, in convicting men of sin, and defining their duty with regard to keeping holy the Sabbath day, the seventh day of the week, says: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11. May the God of truth, by His gracious Spirit, impress upon the heart of every seeker after immortality the solemn, all-important, and saving truth, that whosoever would enter into life eternal, must keep the commandments. Matt. 19:17; Luke 10:25-28; Rev. 22:14.