Is Sinai Extinct? by Theodore L. Cuyler

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Dec 18, 1879

Is Sinai Extinct?

By Theodore L. Cuyler

We have just laid down the fascinating biography of the late Dr. Eadie of Scotland—the erudite commentator, and one of the most robust Scotchmen of his time. The Doctor describes a wonderful night which he spent at the base of Mount Sinai during a protracted thunder-storm. For hours, the whole atmosphere was ablaze with lightning, and the ancient mountain roared as if the chariots of Jehovah were coursing through the granite pinnacles. It was a most vivid reproduction of that scene when there were thunders and lightnings on the summit, and all Israel waited, trembling, in the camp beneath.

As we read the striking narrative the thought arose in our mind: Oh! that the people of our times could be made to hear more distinctly the solemn voices of Sinai, uttering forth the sacred authority of law, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the sure retribution of a wrath to come! Never was there a time when there was a more urgent necessity for preaching God's holy law, in all its scope of righteous demand and just penalty. Never was there a time when the popular conscience needed a more thorough toning up. Never has there been a time when that sharp sword of the Spirit—which Finney used to wield—was oftener required to cleave sinners' hearts and to bring them to repentance.

Some people imagine that Sinai is extinct. Certain pulpits seem to be pitched so far away from the sublime mountain, that its august peak is no longer visible, and its righteous thunders against sin are no longer audible. With this school of rose-water ministers, the theology of law is voted obsolete and barbarous; the world is to be tamed and sweetened and sanctified entirely by a theology of love. They preach a one-sided God—all mercy and no justice—with one-half of his glorious attributes put under eclipse. Even sinners are not to be warned, with tears and entreaties, to flee from the wrath to come. They are to be coaxed into holiness by a magical process which makes nothing of repentance, and simply requires a "faith" which costs no more labor than the snap of a finger. This shallow system may produce long rolls of "converts," but it does not produce solid, sub-soiled Christians.

Sinai is not an extinct mountain in Bible theology. Not one jot of its holy law has been lowered or repealed. In one very vital sense, no Christian is "free from the law." It would not be a "happy condition" for him if he were so, any more than it would be a happy condition for New York or Chicago to disband their police, and to let loose their criminals into the streets. So far from being a kindness, it would be eventual cruelty to any man, or any community, to place them beyond the reach and the just penalties of divine law.

This is especially an unfortunate time in which to preach a limber-backed theology which has no stiffening of the word "ought" in its fiber, and which seldom disturbs men's consciences with the retributions of sin. Society will not be regenerated with cologne-water. We need more of the sacred authority of law in our homes—more enforcement of law in the commonwealth—more reverence for God's law in our hearts—more law preaching in our pulpits, and more "law-work" in the conversion of souls which are to represent Christ by keeping his commandments. Such

successful workmen as Lyman Beecher (would to God that his voice could ring again in certain pulpits!) and Chas. G. Finney, and Kirk, and Daniel Baker, made much of the moral government of God. They never capped Sinai. Under their plain, bold preaching of the guilt of sin, and its deserved retribution, the hearts of the sinners were pricked through with sharp conviction. Being thus convicted of their own guilt, sinners came to know why they required an atonement, and they understood why they must flee to a glorious all sufficient Saviour. Such preaching of the truth broke up the fallow-ground, and produced great crops of thorough Christians.

Set it down as a truism that the minister does the best work who emphasizes most forcibly the depravity of the human heart, the majesty of law, and the complete sufficiency of Christ's life as our model, and Christ's death as the atoning sacrifice for sin. The apostles preached law as well as gospel. Peter "pricked the hearts" of three thousand sinners with the naked blade of truth, and they were converted to Christ before sunset. Paul reasoned about righteousness, temperance, judgment to come, in the very teeth of a licentious governor. All the best revival discourses of Whitefield, Edwards, Nettleton and Payson emphasized the holiness of God, the guilt of sin, and indispensableness of obeying Christ's commandments. The only criticism I have to make on the preaching of my beloved friend Moody, is that he does not make quite enough of repentance before a sinner trusts Christ, nor enough of holy living as the proof that he has trusted Christ. Brother Moody gloriously exalts the cross; but "Christ crucified" is not the whole of the Bible, after all.

It is not only in awakening sinners that God's law plays a vital part: it is equally vital as an element in healthy, vigorous, useful, well-developed piety. Sweet and devout emotions are very pleasant in their place, but Christianity is a great deal more than a rapture. It does not begin or end in a song or a sacrament. It is a living loyalty to God. Holiness really signifies a willing submission to God, a constant obedience to him. Christ cannot be sincerely loved except by the disciple who keeps his laws.

Then, dear brethren, in a time of laxity and license, when men break trusts, and varnish over frauds, and deride strictness as "puritanical," and make a mock at God's law, let us direct their eyes toward Sinai, as well as toward Calvary. Knowing the terror of the Lord, let us persuade men to repent and flee unto that crucified Jesus whose blood cleanseth from all sin. He who thundered on Sinai, invites from Calvary.—T. L. Cuyler, D. D., in Advance.