The ROYAL LAW by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 23, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 46.

The ROYAL LAW

By H. A. St. John

By H. A. ST. JOHN

TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.

UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, ungodliness, iniquity, disobedience, rebellion, transgression, lawlessness, uncleanness, and all other words of like import, as used in the Word of God, are comprehended in that little word, of frequent occurrence, and only three letters, namely, SIN. And sin is defined by Inspiration as, “the transgression of the law.” “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men.” Rom. 5:12. Sin, when it is finished, always brings forth death. James 1:15.

Thus we see that the transgression of the law of God, sin, is the cause of all sickness, all trouble, and all death, in the world. It is the one thing above all others against which the Word of God warns.

Christ was manifested to take away sin, and in Him was no sin. Jesus died for sinners, and by His sinless life, and vicarious death, a remedy for sin has been provided and made available to all men. Christ is the great Physician of the sin-sick soul, and His glorious Gospel is the only remedy for sin. No other remedy is needed, as this is absolutely infallible, and always accessible to all. A fountain has been opened for sin and uncleanness, and whosoever will may come to the fountain, wash, and be made clean.

God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the holy angels, all antagonize sin, and this antagonism will never cease till sin is destroyed, and God has a clean universe. With the destruction of sin will come also the destruction and utter perdition of all who will persist in the neglect of the great salvation provided. Refusing to be separated from the unclean thing, sin, God can do nothing better in the eradication of rebellion from His government, than to destroy the incorrigible sinner with his sins.

The perfect law of God will never be vindicated until the curse of sin and death are no more. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” 1 John 1:9. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20. By the Gospel is the all-sufficient remedy. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23.

Thus we see that the law was ordained to life, and if it had always been obeyed, death could never have entered our world. No pen can describe, no mortal mind can conceive, the fearful results of transgression that have spread over our world for nearly six thousand years, and the devastating flood of sin, iniquity, and transgression, of the perfect and holy law of God, still continue, with ever-increasing volume and violence, and will continue until the earth is devoured by the curse. Then, when the transgression of God’s law has done its worst; when ruin, and desolation, and darkness, shall reign everywhere; when a most terrifying object-lesson of the consequences of transgression has been given the universe, the possession purchased by the precious blood of Jesus will be redeemed to the praise of God’s glory.

By the element of fire the Lord will burn up all the works of sin and Satan. All the marks and scars of sin will be forever erased. It will be the day of the utter perdition of all rebels and rebellion. The slimy path of the old serpent will be wiped out forever. Ungodliness, unrighteousness, iniquity, will forever cease. Sin, sickness, suffering, and death, will be no more. The first dominion, with all its pristine glory, will return, to be eternally inhabited by the Redeemer and redeemed. Then, and not till then, will the Lord’s Prayer, so oft and long repeated, be fully answered; the will of God will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

O sinner, break off your transgressions by turning to the Lord, and put on His beautiful robe of righteousness, and thus be enrolled among the subjects of His coming kingdom of glory and immortality, of light, love, and loyalty.