IN the heart of the Dark Continent, where hitherto the white man's feet had never passed, a missionary was asked to give some message from the God of heaven, some words of the Lord Himself. He studied with these men of the wild the words spoken from Sinai by the Lord's own lips, and written upon tables of stone by the finger of God.
The missionary and his hearers sat beside a spring from which the pure, fresh stream of life-giving water had bubbled forth from time undated. It was to the native mind a symbol of eternal purity. They studied the Ten Commandments, one after the other, discussing something of the length and breadth and depth of each.
When the study was completed, the spokesman of the band rose gravely, and said: "These are right words. They are clean words. They are like the waters of this fountain; not as the water down the stream where it has become soiled and dirty, but like the pure, clear water springing up at the fountain head."
This child of nature had caught in his soul a clear gleam of the eternal light of God's righteousness, shining from His holy law. The psalmist said of the same words:
"The precepts of Jehovah are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of Jehovah is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
The fear of Jehovah is clean,
enduring forever."
"Thy Word is very pure;
Therefore Thy servant loveth it."
"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Thy law is truth."
(Ps. 19:8, 9; 119:140, 142.)
These inspired words show clearly how a heart touched by the Spirit of God regards the law of Jehovah. That law is the fountain of all morality and the standard of everlasting righteousness, because it is a transcript of its Maker's character—eternal purity, and righteousness, and truth. Throughout Inspiration the attributes describing the character of Jehovah are applied also to His holy law.
What It Means to Disparage the Law
It is a fact that nowadays we may hear, even in religious circles, disparagements of the Ten Commandments. It is to some an out-of-date "Jewish code." But this is only an evidence that the falling away has come and the "mystery of lawlessness" is at work. 2 Thess. 2:7, R. V. The spirit of anti-christ is the "spirit of lawlessness, because whatsoever is opposed to Jesus Christ is necessarily opposed to the law of God. It is the "carnal mind" that "is enmity against God," and is "not subject to the law of God." Rom. 8:7.
Jesus was the eternal Word made flesh, the Word that was with the Father before the world was, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." And in His heart was enshrined the law of eternity. As He came into the world as our example and Saviour, He declared, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:8.
Out of the heart "are the issues of life." The life of Jesus—the perfect life—was the living of the law of God—the perfect law. None, therefore, can disparage the law of God without belittling the life of the Saviour of the world.
Christ's Regard of the Law
It is a false idea that in the days of Christ the Pharisees and the Jews were standing by the law of Ten Commandments while Christ was endeavoring to bring in a new way. The very reverse is the truth. They were making void the commandments of God by their tradition, while Christ was standing by the divine commandments. Matthew 15.
God spoke His law on the Mount of Sinai because "He loved the people." Deut. 33:2, 3. And the same love on the Mount of Beatitudes declared: "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:18, 19.
And when He offered Himself upon the cross to meet the penalty of the broken law in man's behalf, Christ set the seal of eternity upon the everlasting integrity of the law of God. The Author of the law could die, but the law itself could not be set aside. No transgression of it could be overlooked or excused. Sin could be forgiven, but only as the Son of God Himself met the penalty and tasted death for every man. "All His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." Ps. 111:7, 8.
A Witness to the Law's Righteousness
Ever since sin, "the transgression of the law," came into the world, the "everlasting Gospel" has been the witness to the "everlasting righteousness" of the law of God. The last proclamation of the Gospel in this world is described by the Revelator, who beheld a mighty advent movement, symbolized by an angel crying out "the everlasting Gospel" to every nation and tongue, in preparation for the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Rev. 14:6, 7. He bears the witness of Inspiration to the practical work which the Gospel does for those who receive it. Of those who heed the final warning, He says, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. The two are one and inseparable. The commandments of God, divine perfection itself, can be kept only by the faith that brings Christ to dwell in the heart with all His fulness of life and power. And wheresoever the faith of Jesus is kept, there also must be enshrined the eternal law of God.
The Eternal Law The Everlasting Gospel By W. A. Spicer
