The ROYAL LAW by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 45.

The ROYAL LAW

By H. A. St. John

By H. A. ST. JOHN

The perfection of the moral law of God, the Ten Commandments, may be clearly seen from three points of view, namely, positive scripture statements, character of its Author, and Christ's estimation of the law. Let us briefly consider each separately.

1. Positive Scripture Statement.

Says the Psalmist, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Ps. 19:7. "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth." "All Thy commandments are truth." Ps. 119:142, 151. "My tongue shall speak of Thy Word; for all Thy commandments are righteousness." Verse 172. "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12.

These are by no means all of the clear attestations of the perfection of the law of God found in Holy Writ. Indeed, they are but a few of the many, but sufficient to establish the truth of the perfection of the law of God upon the basis of eternal truth.

2. Character of Its Author.

Jesus taught that His Father in heaven was perfect, holy, and righteous. The law, being an emanation from the divine mind, must necessarily be perfect, holy, and righteous also. Obedience to such a law will produce perfection, holiness, righteousness. Indeed, such obedience will render a person God-like, or godly. And in no other way is Godlikeness, or godliness, produced. And "godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and also that which is to come." Could anything short of a perfect law, abiding in the heart, and drawn out in the life, produce characters worthy of such rich blessings, both in time, and in eternity? "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt. 5:48.

3. Christ's Estimation of the Law.

There is no higher authority among men, than the authority of the Lord Jesus. In His blessed and perfect teaching when on earth, we have many luminous attestations of the perfection of His Father's law. He said He came not to destroy, but to fulfil, the law, and to fulfil the law of God is to keep it in letter, and spirit, also. He said He came to do His Father's will, that His Father's law was in His heart, and that He did not hide it there, but revealed it in His life and teachings. Ps. 40:7-10. He said that He kept His Father's commandments and thus abode in His Father's love. John 15:10. He taught that keeping the commandments of God was a necessary condition of entrance into eternal life. Matt. 19:16, 17. It was predicted of Him by the prophet Isaiah, "The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21. This our Saviour did, in His teaching, in His life, and in His death.

Now, reader, if we would walk before God and be perfect, if we would show what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, we, too, must have the law of God put in our minds and written in our hearts, then we can imitate the example of the holy Jesus, and by so doing we may testify in the most effective way that the law of God is perfect, converting the soul.

Perfection belongeth unto God, and to His law, unto Christ, and to His example, and unto us to just that extent that we are like Christ, always lovingly loyal to our heavenly Father's government, or to His perfect law. Only such are having the eyes of their understanding opened, day by day, to behold wondrous things out of God's law. Only such are travelers in the path of the just, a path that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Happy the soul that can truly exclaim, with the sweet singer of Israel, "O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day." Ps. 119:97.