God's Commandments by John M. Mavity

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · May 27, 1875

God's Commandments.

By John M. Mavity

As SOME think we are an unconverted people because we try to keep God's law, I have selected a few passages and present them as giving the light in which God would have us hold his law or commandments, and ask the candid reader if he can willfully violate them and expect to be saved. If we love God with all our hearts, we will seek to know his will, and when known, will cheerfully obey.

If I am saved, I expect it to be through obedience and the faith of Jesus Christ, "What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good." Deut. 10:12, 13.

"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in Heaven above, and upon the earth beneath; there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee." Deut. 4:39, 40. "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? and he said unto him, why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:16, 17.

"But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them." Psa. 103:17, 18. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments; his praise endureth forever." Psa. 111:10.

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14. "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him; and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." 1 John 3:24.

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John 15:9, 14. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." 1 John 2:4, 5. "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law; for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 2:12, 13.

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:21-25. "If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:8-12.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 7:21. "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46. "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. "Oh, that thou hadst harkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18. "This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt. 15:8, 9.

JOHN M. MAVITY. St. Helena, Cal.