The Commandments of God
By Editor
We see in the "Harbinger" for March 15, the remarks of C., under the head, "To correspondents," which we cannot let pass without noticing. He says— "F. W. We suppose 'the commandments of God,' Rev. xiv, 12, are all the precepts that God has given to govern men's conduct, not the ten commandments." A mere "suppose," without bible evidence, is like sliding "sand," while God's word is solid "rock." If the ten commandments are not God's, as C. supposes, then whose are they? If it is said that they are done away and do not exist, then we ask, where is god's law for idolatry, swearing, killing, stealing and adultery? If these commandments are "done away" then they do not exist, unless it can be shown that the Great Law-giver has given them a second time, which cannot be proved, and there is, therefore, no law for such sins. Is it asserted that nine of the commandments were re-enacted at the cross? We ask for proof. If it could be so, no one could re-enact them but Jehovah, the Great Law-giver. In that case they would certainly be the commandments of God. But how preposterous to charge God with such folly as to abolish, do away, destroy, his ten commandments at the cross, and at the same moment re-enact nine of them!—all this to get rid of his Sabbath that he "blessed," "sanctified" and "hallowed," and calls "my holy day," &c.! But there is a grand difficulty in the way of this supposition. It is this. The class spoken of, [Rev. xiv, 12,] not only keep the commandments of God, [the Father,] but the faith of Jesus, [the Son.] The same people, [Rev. xii, 17,] are called the "remnant," which must be the last end of the church, who are waiting for Jesus. They "keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now if all the precepts taught by Jesus and his apostles are included in "the commandments of God," then what is the "testimony" or "faith of Jesus?" Will some one tell us? The True Witness has made a distinction between the commandments of God, [ten commandments,] and the "testimony of Jesus Christ," [testimony of Christ and the apostles,] so clear that every effort to confound them will fail, and be the means of spreading the true light on this glorious subject. Mark this: The "remnant" not only obey every precept peculiar to the gospel, found in the testimony of Jesus Christ, but they keep the commandments of God, Amen. C. says— "Jesus resolved these ten into two—first, 'Thou shalt love the Lord64thy God,' &c.; second, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'" Did Jesus show that any change had taken place in the ten commandments, or that a change was to take place in them? We answer, He did not. Those who argue a change in the ten commandments, say that it was affected at the crucifixion. Let this be distinctly understood.—Said the lawyer, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law!" Jesus quoted to him the first great law of love to God, and added, "This is [not will be after the commandments are changed at my crucifixion,] the first and great commandment." Then it had been the first, ever since man needed to be governed by the great law of supreme love to God. This great law of love was, and is the foundation of the four precepts, written on the first table of stone. After quoting the second great commandment, which is the foundation of the precepts on the second table, Jesus said, "On these two commandments hang [not will hang after the crucifixion,] all the law and the prophets." Let this point be carefully studied, and it will be clearly seen that Jesus shewed the lawyer the two great principles which were then, ever had been, and ever will be, the foundation of the ten commandments. On these two great commandments then hung, always hung, and ever will hang, that law, one jot or tittle of which was not to pass, till heaven and earth pass away. The assertion of C. that "Paul says that that which was written and engraven in stones 'was done away,' 'abolished,' is without foundation. It was the "ministration" of the law, and not the law itself, that was abolished. This is clearly shown in Bro. Nichols' article on this subject, in this number. It is also asserted by C. that "the Sabbath commandment is not adapted to the gospel age." We say that the fourth commandment is perfectly adapted to the physical and spiritual wants of mortal men.—There were, however, certain restrictions laid on the children of Israel in the wilderness, such as, "let no man go out of his place on the seventh day," to gather manna, or to pick up sticks to kindle a fire to cook it, which are no part of THE Sabbath commandment. Just before the opening of the new dispensation, when the gospel was to operate "in all the world," Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath, removed from the institution the traditions with which the blind Jew had covered it, and left it standing on its own eternal base, the fourth commandment. This, Jesus did in healing the sick, and in pronouncing such acts as relieving the sufferings of man and beast, LAWFUL—according to "the Sabbath law." Who dare say they were unlawful? Those who say the Sabbath was abolished at the cross, should know that it was certainly in full force up to that time. Therefore, to charge the Son of God, and his holy apostles, with Sabbath-breaking, seems indeed blasphemous.—Who dare do it? Sister Lucinda Woodworth writes from Randolph, Vt., March 10.—"The ten commandments are just what we need to show us what we must do to be holy. I have ever believed that they were the law of God. And they have never been done away as I can find. I thought I was keeping them till the Sabbath question came up, then I concluded that Saturday was the true Sabbath, for I could not find any thing in the word of God that teaches us to keep the first day of the week. But here I met with another difficulty, viz. the three nights that Christ said he must be in the heart of the earth. The three nights I could not find, and have Sunday the first day of the week. But I am now convinced that we have not had the right meaning of 'heart of the earth.' I see now it was explained by Christ, when he said, 'Now is your hour and the power of darkness.' How long did they have him in their power? From Thursday night until Sunday morning, which must be the third day, when he arose from that 'power.'" O how glad I was when I saw what the Sanctuary to be cleansed was, and the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man.—Jesus our Great High Priest, has the fan in his own hand, and he will thoroughly purge the floor. Glory to his lovely name, he will take care of every jewel." We are sorry to say that some, to whom we have sent the paper regularly, have changed their place of residence, and have neglected to inform us, so that we might stop their paper, or send it to their new address. We fear that those who manifest so little interest for the truth and neglect so clear a duty to those who wish to spread the truth before them, cannot be benefited by it until they repent of such negligence.—We shall be obliged to drop a number of names from our list, of those we have not heard from.