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Fallen from Grace

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Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Feb 17, 1852

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 2, No. 12.

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Fallen from Grace.

By Editor

It is common for the opposers of the Lord's Sabbath to represent those who observe the fourth commandment as fallen from grace and Gal. v, 4 is sometimes quoted as proof. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.” But does the Apostle refer to the commandments of God, or either of them, in this text? We answer, he does not. The first three verses of this chapter clearly show what the Apostle's subject was. We will quote them.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be CIRCUMCISED, Christ shall profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man that is CIRCUMCISED, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.”
The subject introduced is circumcision. “The ‘yoke of bondage’ referred to, was the ‘law of commandments contained in ORDINANCES,’ and not the Royal Law. Circumcision was a part of the law of Moses which was abolished, and from which the Galatians had been made free by faith in Jesus. Judaizing teachers were urging circumcision and other ordinances of Moses' law, and the Galatians were in danger of being drawn away from faith in Christ, back to the ordinances of the Jewish religion, which virtually ceased at the cross. Those who would thus leave Christ, and go back to do the deeds of that law that had been dead 27 years, would certainly fall from grace. Circumcision of the ‘heart in the spirit’ had taken the place of that which was ‘outward in the flesh,’ and the Great Sacrifice had taken the place of those offered by the Jews. Now any one may see that the Galatians would fall from grace through Christ, by observing the law of Moses.
But it is impossible for any one to show how the Galatians, or Christians at this day, would fall from grace in observing the fourth commandment in connection with their other Christian duties. It can be readily seen how the observance of the law of Moses would lead one from Christ, but will our opponents show us what there is in the Holy Sabbath of the Lord calculated to lead one from Christ?
They know better, or certainly should know better, than to apply Gal. v, 4 to Christian Sabbath-keepers. We do not believe that any sane person really believes that a Christian would fall from grace by keeping the “commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” But the idea is given by our opponents that we are falling from grace to prejudice those we wish to benefit, and keep them from the truth.
Says the editor of the “Harbinger”—“And so far as any now seek, to be justified by that dead law [commandments of God we suppose Ed.] they are fallen from grace according to the declaration of Paul. Beware how you treat this important matter, lest you find yourself fallen from grace, when it is too late to be recovered from the fearful fall.”
We agree with the “Harbinger” that if we seek justification by the deeds of the dead law of Moses we shall fall from grace, but we really feel safe in observing the law of God which Paul “served,” “delighted” in, and called “holy, just and good” 29 years after the hand-writing of ordinances died at the cross. See Rom, vii, and remember that his letter was written 29 years after the crucifixion.
The editor of the “Harbinger,” Nov. 15th, represents us as standing upon the very brink of “irretrievable ruin,” because we observe the fourth precept of the Royal Law, which was the delight of Paul, and of which he so highly speaks. In his remarks to Sr. E. A. M., Jan. 24th, his tone seems somewhat changed. He thinks that this Sister may observe the Sabbath and still be Christ's. He, however, represents the Sabbath as the “yoke of bondage,” and the Sister liable of falling from grace.
Dear reader, study these points carefully, and be not deceived by those who make void the fourth precept of the immutable law of God. If men tell you that you will fall from grace in observing the Holy Sabbath, enjoin it upon them to show you how the observance of the commandments of God, will lead one to fall from grace through Jesus Christ. O, be not deceived by the modern heresy that the faith of Jesus abolishes the commandments of God “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, [the Father,] and the faith of Jesus,” [the Son.]