The COMMANDMENTS of GOD
By William Mayhew Healey
THEY ARE KEPT BY CHRISTIANS AT CHRIST’S COMING—THEY SUM UP MAN’S WHOLE DUTY
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13. At the coming of Christ, His people will be performing every duty to God and man; for we read in Rev. 14:12 that they have “the patience of the saints,” and they also have “the faith of Jesus,” and in addition to this, “keep the commandments of God.” The commandments of God, in the days of Solomon, taught the whole duty of man. God has not changed since then, and man’s duty toward Him and toward his fellow man has not varied one iota. But some will possibly say, as we have heard them say, “In our day, we are not saved by the law, but by faith through the gospel.” True. Solomon could not be saved by the law, and did not intimate that he expected to be saved thus. In his day, all who were saved, were saved by faith in Jesus Christ, looking forward through the promises of God to His coming. The commandments of God contain man’s whole duty in all ages. But every sinner has not only wandered away from that path of duty, but he has, by sin, placed himself where he is not able to do his duty. He has lost his power to keep the commandments of God. The law of God “is spiritual,” but the sinner is “carnal,” therefore is unable to obey, or keep, the commandments, “because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7. The gospel is the way and the means by which we are forgiven for our past neglect of duty, the keeping of the commandments; and it places us where we may do our duty now. It is often said that it is impossible to keep the law of God. God says it is impossible for those who are carnal in heart. The psalmist says: “I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” Ps. 119:32-34. PROPER UNDERSTANDING NEEDED
To keep the commandments of God needs a proper “understanding,” and a change of heart, which the psalmist calls enlarging it. Paul calls it changing it from carnal to spiritual. This is done by the Spirit of God dwelling in the mind and heart, in the place of the spirit of the evil one. The sinner who, through faith, comes to Christ and confesses his sin, will receive pardon. Yet it is possible for him to go immediately and break God’s law by again transgressing any one of His commandments. This he may do through a lack of the “understanding” for which the psalmist prayed. In the ages past, many earnest men and women who sought Christ for forgiveness of sin, went right along breaking the law of God, not because the heart was bad, but because they did not have the right “understanding” of the Sabbath commandment. From the “doctrines of men,” they had been taught that the first day of the week, Sunday, was the Sabbath; while the commandment of God said, and still says, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord.” So while they had faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, they did not have the faith of Jesus, because His faith was a faith that was fully informed on all points of the law, and therefore He kept the seventh-day Sabbath. Before probation shall close, when sins of ignorance, like other sins, can not be pardoned, God has provided that His people shall know the truth about the Sabbath. They exclaim, like the psalmist, “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” It is not the Sabbath alone that God’s waiting people keep, but they “keep the commandments of God” without any exceptions. They not only teach them and believe in them, but they keep them. “The law of the Lord is perfect.” “The law is spiritual.” It is a lamp to our feet, a rule for our lives. It never can be moved or changed. Man changes. In Eden he was in full harmony with the law of God; but sin entered, which is a condition of being out of harmony with God and His law. Man’s only hope was in forgiveness for his sin, and restoration to the path of righteousness and duty. Christ is soon coming. Will He find us with “the patience of the saints,” keeping “the commandments of God,” and believing just what Christ believed, thus having “the faith of Jesus”? “A GOOD character is a capital of more value than gold or silver. It is unaffected by panics or failures, and in that day when earthly possessions shall be swept away, it will bring rich returns. Integrity, firmness, and perseverance are qualities that all should seek earnestly to cultivate; for they clothe the possessor with a power which is irresistible,—a power which makes him strong to do good, strong to resist evil, strong to bear adversity.” “ANY amusement in which you can engage asking the blessing of God upon it in faith, will not be dangerous. But any amusement which disqualifies you for secret prayer, for devotion at the altar of prayer, or for taking part in the prayer-meeting, is not safe, but dangerous.”