Importance of Obedience.
By S. T. Belden
BY S. T. BELDEN.
[Continued.] WE are often charged with laying another foundation, when we present the law of God—the ten commandments, as binding upon men in this dispensation. To avoid the conclusion, or fact, that it is by this law that men are shown to be sinners, condemned, and guilty before God, we are told that it is the law of the New Testament which men neglect, that makes them sinners. They cite us to John xvi, 8, 9. "Of sin, because they believe not on me." Also Chap. iii, 18, 19. "He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." It is the truth that we want. Now let us reason together, and look at the matter in its true light.—Let us look closely at the two positions, if they please to call them so, and I think we may see things as they are. We want to come at the foundation of the point of difference between us and them, and perhaps we may know whether it is we that have made "ship-wreck of faith" by observing "all his commandments," or whether those who disregard them have not the sin of antinomianism resting upon them. I answer: On the fact that the ten commandments were in force, and showed men to be under the sentence of death for having transgressed them, is based, the necessity of the death and sufferings of the Son of God. The law which St. Paul calls "holy, just, and good," detects all unholiness, and unrighteousness, and shows all to be "guilty before God." This shows that the law itself is just right, and perfect, or it would not detect all imperfections. God claims it as his law, and who dares to say it is imperfect?—As man sees himself in this law a transgressor and no way for escape, he is ready to exclaim as did Paul, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" That the whole world was lost because of transgression, is plain from the following texts. "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Ps. xiv, 2, 3. "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one; Now we know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Rom. iii, 9, 10, 19. The law that condemned and sentenced man to death, could not liberate him from that sentence; because it was a law of strict justice, and without mercy; and made no provision for his weakness and imperfections. But as man was imperfect, he through ignorance and temptation had transgressed, and wandered far from his God. And as this was his sad condition, one of three things must be done. He must take back his law, or man must die in his sins, or a ransom must be paid for him. Which of the three things has been done? Answer: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii, 16. This leaves man free from condemnation, and yet God be just. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Verse 17. What does this mean? "That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." Condemnation is, "A legal charge of iniquities, and the sentence of the divine law, as a broken covenant, adjudging them to bear the wrath of an angry God, till their sin be fully satisfied for."—Bible Dictionary. This he did not come to do; but his work was to save the world by the offering of himself, a sacrifice for them. He did not charge his Father with injustice in giving the world a law which if broken, would subject them to his wrath, but meekly submitted to it as just, and made his soul an offering for sin. Had he destroyed this law, he would have made God unjust in condemning the world, and then it would have been unjust for him to die. Thus the whole plan would have been frustrated. He does not want us to get this idea; for he says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." His work was to honor his Father as he testifies in John viii, 49, 50. "Jesus answered, I have not a devil: but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth." How could he honor his Father better than to keep his law? "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. xlii, 21.
Let me repeat it. The work of our Saviour was not to liberate man by violating his Father's law; but it was by showing it to be just: thus making God "just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Another part of his work was to fulfill prophecy. Where in the prophets do we find them prophesying that he should destroy the law, which convinced men of sin? No where. The very manner in which the prophecies were given, forbids such an idea. The name by which he was called, forbids it. He was the promised Saviour and Redeemer, which shows that he was to save his people from their sins. The early Church were dependent upon the testimony of the prophets as to this Saviour, and his work; and we have the testimony of the Saviour himself, and we see a perfect harmony between them.
We cannot fail to see from the above the inconsistency of supposing the ten commandments are abolished. Taking the object of the Saviour's mission into this world, and the work performed by him, we see it is closely connected with the ten commandments, or in other words, it is because the law of God cannot be changed or abolished. I say it is based on this one fact that men were in a lost condition by reason of transgression, and that the only means by which they could be redeemed, was by the death of the Son of God.
It is in this sense that the ten commandments may be considered the foundation of the Bible. You move these and you move the whole; and the testimony of the prophets which are all according to it, fall to the ground. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii, 20. The sayings of the Saviour and the apostles were according to it; and every man that speaks is required to speak according to it. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." 1 Pet. iv, 11. There is nothing more consistent than that God's law should remain, unchanged and unabolished, and that whatever he does is in accordance with this rule of right. When we consider this law of itself as being perfect, without fault, the weakness of human nature, and their liability and proneness to err and transgress it, is not taken into the account. But when we consider man in his natural state, with opposite principles reigning within, which is called the "law of sin," [the carnal mind,] he is not able to perform perfect obedience, till these principles are rooted out. When this is done, he can say in the language of the Psalmist: "O how love I thy law? it is my meditation all the day." Ps. cxix, 97. "So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever, and I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts." Verses 44, 45.—Much of the language of this Psalm is then his. He feels that he is in union with Jesus, with heaven, and the angels. The law of God does not condemn him, having been made free from past transgressions; and freed from the "carnal mind which is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. viii, 7. He feels in his soul, as it is expressed in the first verse of this chapter, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who125walk not after the flesh, [carnal mind,] but after the Spirit." A man that possesses pure love to God, and his fellow men, cannot better manifest it, than by keeping these ten precepts. It is a test of his love. "And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments." 1 John ii, 3. And he is a free man; for he by grace is enabled to keep the law perfectly.
Under the first dispensation, there was provision made for the transgressor. If when he transgressed the law ignorantly, he could bring his offering to the door of the tabernacle, to the priest, and confess his sins there before the Lord, over the head of the beast, it was then slain, and the transgressor was pardoned. This they had to repeat as often as they transgressed, and it was accepted of the Lord for them, inasmuch as it was a shadow of good things to come. The man who did not bring his offering when he was convinced of his sin, was to die in his sins without mercy, unless he brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle to the priests appointed by God, to minister in the sanctuary and to make an atonement for him.
We are now living under a dispensation which far surpasses the former in glory and perfection. Under this dispensation the way is provided for man to perform perfect obedience to the law of God, or in other words, it liberates him from the carnal mind, and places him in a condition where he can have strength to perform acceptable obedience to God through Jesus Christ. Under the former he could see his duty, but was left void of the principle within, to perform the obedience required. The law showed him his duty, but did not divest him of the carnal mind. Although God gave them good laws, "yet he removed not from them a wicked heart." "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?" Heb. ix, 13, 14. Here are provisions made for the erring and the transgressor. "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John ii, 1, 2.—He is ever willing to succor us in our temptations.—"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv, 15. "For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Chap. ii, 18. The conditions are easy.—He says: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Matt. vii, 7. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv, 16. Many more similar texts might be presented to show us the strength that he is willing to impart to us.—These are some of the blessings the gospel brings us. We have not only our duty set before us, but strength to perform it.
The man who rejects this provision for his escape from the sentence of death, will die in his sins. My object in briefly noticing the provision made for the transgressor under the first dispensation, and contrasting it with the new, has been to get the true bearing of the words of our Saviour, relative to sin and condemnation (in the text first quoted by our opponents to show that it is neglecting the gospel that is called sin, and condemnation, instead of the commandments.) If those who did not accept of pardon through the Levitical law, which was by the blood of calves and goats and the ashes of an heifer, died without mercy, "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace." Heb. x, 29. Will not the punishment be in proportion to the light, and privilege that they have? Does not the following text explain it? "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin." John xv, 22. Those who would not accept of offered salvation, but despised his love, are condemned already—are not delivered from condemnation, because they do not believe. Who are liberated from condemnation? Those who believe. Who are condemned already? Those who do not believe. Mark this: they are in sin and condemnation when salvation is offered to them, and the reason why they are not delivered is, because they do not believe. Is the sin of unbelief the only sin that men are guilty of, or is it in this sense that they are in sin? and when they are convinced of it by the light, it becomes the greater, and then by rejecting the offer of free pardon, it becomes a second offense, and is considered then as rebellion, and stubbornness, and becomes willful transgression. The latter is evidently the correct idea.—Then instead of this text proving what our opponents claim that it does, it only establishes the idea that the law which showed the world to be guilty, was in force. The testimony of scripture is, believe and be saved. Saved from what? Sin. Do the words believe and be saved, mean an entrance into the City without any other condition? No; for there are other texts that show we are to bring forth good works. The genuineness of our faith may be tested by the fruit it bears. "Bring forth therefore fruits meet, [or answerable to amendment of life, margin,] for repentance. And think not to say within your selves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matt. iii, 9, 10. "And then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." Acts xxvi, 20. What does repentance imply? Sorrow for past sins and faults. What is sin? "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." 1 John v, 17. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law."—1 John iii, 4. Does the law of God detect all unrighteousness, and show all such persons to be guilty? "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man-slayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." 1 Tim. i, 9–11. Is every thing that is not according to the gospel shown to be under the law? It is. Who are not under the law? "But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Gal. v, 18. What is the fruit of the Spirit? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Verse 22. Is there any law against such? "Against such there is no law." Verse 23. Then we see that the very thing the law requires, the gospel provides. Can they be separated? No; for "mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Ps. lxxxv, 10.—What is the truth? "And all thy commandments are truth; and thy law is the truth." Ps. cxix, 151, 142. What are the works of the flesh? "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Gal. v, 19, 20. Are these according to the gospel? "I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Verse 21. These things are all forbidden by the ten commandments. Now we can understand his own126testimony. "I and my Father are one." John x, 30. This makes a harmony in the scriptures. We see the gospel clothes a man with just what he needs, to perform acceptable obedience.
As I have proved that the law of God and the gospel cannot be separated without making God unjust, I will notice a few texts more to show that it is not by faith alone that men are to be justified and saved.—"Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, (things which are forbidden both by the law of God and the gospel too,) and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls;" "but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James i, 22. "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." Verse 25. If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, (all the scripture there was then was the Old Testament) thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. Chap. ii, 8. "For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." 1 Pet. ii, 15.—"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, said also, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no 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. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? can faith save him?" James ii, 9–14. "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works," Verse 18. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" Verses 19, 20.
It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that James is here talking about the ten commandments. I omit some quotations that are of importance in the writings of this Apostle, but what I have quoted is sufficient to prove the point; but I will take another witness, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. I wish those who believe we are not required to keep the commandments of God, to watch me closely while I look at the testimony of John. He talks a great deal about love. Now let us see if his testimony agrees with that of James. "My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. What is the meaning of “advocate?” “1. One who pleads for another. 2. To defend; to plead in favor of; to support or vindicate.” Webster. St. Paul calls him a mediator; for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. ii, 5. A mediator is an intercessor. See how your position that it is the law of the New Testament, which men transgress, or neglecting salvation through unbelief, that is called sin, will stand here. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye do not disbelieve, in Jesus Christ; but if any man disbelieve we have [what?] no advocate or intercessor between us and Jesus Christ against whom we have disbelieved, or sinned. But so, it does not read so, nor can it be applied so. The “advocate,” “mediator,” or “intercessor” stands between the offender and the offended to plead for the sinner.” “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Propitiation we understand to be, an act of appeasing; atonement. Now we cannot fail to understand this. He writes to us that we do not transgress those commandments of God; but if we do, (ignorantly) we have an advocate with the Father.— He pleads for us that we need not die. He has spilt his blood to redeem us from the transgression of this law, and the Father is satisfied. "What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Rom. vi, 15, 16.
Should we not be careful and not do the very things, which once caused the death of that dear Saviour, and thus pierce his wounds afresh. O may the Lord enable men to see what they are doing, and not to trifle with the mercy of God, till it is too late, and mercy, sweet mercy, be for ever gone.
I did not finish looking at the testimony of John relative to keeping the commandments of God. "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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 ii, 3, 4, 5. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth," Verse 18.
In Chap. iii, 4, he tells us plainly what he means by sin, for which we have an advocate. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin." I need not quote more on this point; for I am sure that the point is clearly established, that the commandments are still in full force, and that we through Jesus Christ can render perfect and acceptable obedience to them, without making ship-wreck of faith. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. iii, 31.—Because this law is holy and shows men to be sinners, "is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said thou shalt not covet." Rom. vii, 7. In all the testimonies that I have quoted relative to the law of God, there is a perfect harmony.—They all sum up the matter and leave it to be plainly understood that this law is holy, and that it is administered now by the Spirit. "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." 2 Cor. iii, 6. This shows, says one, that we have nothing to do with the letter or law; "for the letter killeth." But look again, rather, and see if it means all that. We admit that "letter" means "law" in this text, as our opponents claim. And on their own ground we prove the law to be in force; (and not abolished as they attempt to prove from this chapter;) for it is impossible for a dead law to kill any man. How does the letter kill any man? "For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good, made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin." Rom. vii, 9–14. What does Paul say they were made able ministers of? The New Testament. What does he say the New Testament is? For this is the covenant [mutual agreement between God and his people] that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Heb. viii, 10. What is the difference between the former and the latter ministrations? This is called the ministration of the Spirit instead of the services performed under the ministration of Moses. Ministration means service. The service then performed by the Spirit, is to write the law upon the hearts of his people. Whereas under the first ministration it was written upon stone, and in that service they were destitute of the support which is rendered to them under the ministration of the Spirit to enable them to keep it acceptably.—And they consequently were continually transgressing it. The priesthood, also, was imperfect; and although that service was made glorious, it had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth, or attends the ministration of it by the Spirit. "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did: by the which we draw nigh unto God." Heb. vii, 19. "For finding fault with them, [because they continued not in his covenant, see verse 9,] he saith, Behold, the days come saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah." Chap. viii, 8.
This then is the new covenant, the law of God written upon their hearts; and it is done by the ministration of the Spirit. The commandment itself showed men to be transgressors. "But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead." Rom. vii, 8. "Because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression." Rom. iv, 15. "For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Rom. v, 13. There is one of two things true in considering these last three quotations. Either the law is abolished—therefore no transgression; and no sin imputed because there is no law to show what sin is; or the law is still alive and in force; and sin is not imputed because we have been pardoned through faith in the blood of Christ for having transgressed it.
[To be continued.]