p. 8 | THE WILL OF GOD by W. A. Sweany

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 28, 1906

THE WILL OF GOD

By W. A. Sweany

BY W. A. SWEANY

The Antinomian Sophistry.

"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 2:11-16. And so carnal professors seek to excuse or justify their disregard of Jehovah's law by the specious argument that the law to which obedience is required is not the Ten Commandments spoken from Sinai and written on stone by Jehovah Himself, but another so-called "higher," "better" law. It requires a large fund of the "charity" which "covereth a multitude of sins" to enable one to believe that any honest, intelligent person who has read the Bible can believe such a monstrous doctrine, opposing and contradicting, as it does, every principle of truth and consistency.

But, lest some honest soul may have become subverted by the subtle sophistry of this satanic system of Scriptural interpretation, let us again briefly, but carefully and candidly, consider the subject of law in the divine economy. Everything in the universe, from the smallest molecule to the greatest world, is subject to the operation and influence of law. The movements of the heavenly bodies and the so-called functions of nature in the objects and creatures of earth, sea, and sky, are but the operation and outworking in them of the laws which govern their existence. Since He upholds "all things by the word of His power," and "by Him all things consist" (Heb. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16, 17; Ps. 33:6, 9; Isa. 40:26), the abolition or withdrawal of His law or mandate concerning the existence or experience of anything in creation, would immediately result in its extinction. And the same fate must ultimately overtake responsible beings who misuse the power of choice conferred upon them by rebellion against the revealed will of their Creator.

Satan persuaded the parents of the human race that obedience to Jehovah's requirements was derogatory to their best interests, and that disregard and independence of all prohibitions and restraints was necessary for their well-being and advancement. And despite the awful results that followed their adoption of Satan's counsels, multitudes still continue to espouse the same destructive doctrine against which reason, revelation, and history combine to furnish such a solemn warning.

The Law in the Patriarchal Age.

The existence of sin and death "from Adam to Moses," proves that the people possessed a knowledge of the law, "for by the law is the knowledge of sin" and "sin is not imputed when there is no law," for "where no law is, there is no transgression," for "sin is the transgression of the law." Rom. 3:19, 20; 5:13; 4:15; 1 John 3:4.

The fearful fate that befell the antediluvians and the people of the plain, was the direct result of their "wickedness" and "unlawful deeds," committed in defiance of the plain precepts of Jehovah's will as expressed in the lives and labors, the words and works, of Noah and Lot. Gen. 6:1 to 7:1; 19:1-29; 2 Peter 2. Abraham's obedience to God's law constituted him "the father of the faithful," and "the friend of God;" and the mission of Moses, the man of meekness, was to make known to the people "the statutes of God, and His laws." Gen. 26:1-5; Ex. 18:13-16; Num. 12:1-9. "Enoch walked with God," and was thus qualified and authorized to expound the will of God and warn sinners of the inevitable result of their ungodly deeds and words. Gen. 5:21-24; Jude 14, 15. And so, throughout the patriarchal period, these, and other "holy men of God," instructed by angel messengers in visions and dreams, "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," proclaiming orally the provisions of the divine law, with the rewards of obedience and the consequences of transgression thereof. Gen. 15:1; 19:1; 28:10-22; Num. 12:5, 6; 2 Peter 1:21.

Surely the doctrine of patriarchal antinomianism must surrender whenever brought into contact with the foregoing facts. Furthermore, the erstwhile antinomian must acknowledge that patriarchal law was composed of precepts defining man's relation to God and to his fellow man, transgression of which constituted polytheism, idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath-breaking, filial disobedience, murder, adultery, theft, falsehood, and covetousness, all of which sins prevailed to a fearful extent throughout the patriarchal age, as well as in later times.

Even among the chosen people of God, disobedience and transgression were manifested again and again, as witness the drunkenness and filial disrespect in the household of Noah (Gen. 9:20-27); incest in the family of Lot (Gen. 19:30-38); Abram's concubinage (Gen. 16:1-6); and the trickery and fraud, duplicity and deception of Jacob and his mother. Gen. 25:29-34, and chapter 27.

Sabbath Observance.

During Israel's long sojourn in Egypt, surrounded on all sides by polytheism, idolatry, and licentiousness, Israel well-nigh lost the knowledge of God and His laws. Especially was Sabbath observance difficult, if not entirely impossible, for a people sunken in slavery. And so "when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham," and Moses, qualified and commissioned by Jehovah, began his Heaven-appointed work of making the people to know "the statutes of God and His laws." Pharaoh at once reprimanded him because he made the people rest from their work, and stringent measures were at once enforced to crush out this attempt at Sabbath observance. Acts 7:17-36; Ex. 2:23 to 5:19.

It being impossible for them to serve God satisfactorily in Egypt, He delivered them from their oppressors and brought them forth "that they might observe His statutes, and keep His laws." Ps. 105:42-45. The necessity and propriety of obedience to all God's commandments in general, and of Sabbath observance in particular, was emphasized by their deliverance from Egypt, previous to which such observance on their part seems to have been impossible.

It should be noted that their deliverance from Egypt had nothing to do with the making of the Sabbath or the precept concerning its observance, but it did furnish the strongest possible additional reason why they should keep the Sabbath and obey all of God's commandments. Lev. 19:33-37; Deut. 5:12-15. The Sabbath is a sign or token of God's power to create and redeem, and a memorial of Creation. Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; 31:12-18; Eze. 20:12, 20.

Fear of inevitable and natural consequences, public opinion, civil and temporal punishment, pains and penalties, a desire to be genteel, polished and refined, and many other reasons aside from the fear and love of God, may, and often do, produce outward conformity, at least, to those precepts of the Decalogue which forbid polytheism, idolatry, blasphemy, filial disrespect, murder, adultery, theft, falsehood, and selfishness, as all these things manifestly tend toward degradation. But no reason can be adduced or conceived for the observance of the seventh day, save the command of God. Observance of the Sabbath, therefore, constitutes a test of loyalty and a sign of submission to Jehovah's authority. As already shown, conformity to any other precept may be the product of ulterior motives, but such conformity is no proof of continued obedience to the same or other requirements, for men's motives are as changeable as the conditions and circumstances that surround and influence them. But obedience to a mandate for which no reason exists save the power and authority of the Author, is proof that obedience will be rendered to all other commands from the same source, especially when reasons for obedience thereto are plainly discernible. It is for this reason that the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath has always been, and still is, a sign, seal, mark, token, test, assurance, and pledge of complete consecration to God, and submission to His will in all things.

(Concluded next week.)