The Law Leads to Christ
By Ruth M. Thurston
Christian Friends : My heart says, Praise the Lord, because of the fullness there is in Jesus. Yes, bless his holy name, that fullness is mine because I believe in him. “Christ being the end of the law” to the believer only, causeth all that come to him through the mental act of faith, to rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is their reward in heaven. The knowledge of the law is sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death, but the gift of God is eternal life through the resurrection of Christ. The law is not against the promises of God, but is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. The law not only condemns, but also leads to that open fountain in the house of Judah and Jerusalem for the remission of sins. Yes, Jesus having offered himself a sacrifice for sin, hath opened a way whereby man can come to God, and God be just. Man's future destiny is at his own option. “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Adam by disobedience entailed death upon himself and posterity. Hence were it not for the mediation of Christ, that would have been the last of man. But, lo! the blessed Saviour appears to do his Father's will, and then receive the penalty due to man, in his own sinless body, that the wages of transgression might be averted, and the gift of God freely offered to fallen man. Christ's tender love for his Father, caused him to develop a perfect obedience, which the law sternly demands. Man evidently having merited eternal death through disobedience, never can merit eternal life through the most zealous obedience to every iota of God's law, out of Christ, i. e. in his own strength. Thus our kind heavenly Father, employs the schoolmaster to lead us to the perfect example of acceptable obedience, whose righteousness then becomes imputed to us through faith, even as it was unto Abraham, for the gospel was preached before unto him, that they, i. e., the worthies, without us should not be made perfect. Seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, that the promises of Abraham might be given to all who come to God through the worthy name of Christ; when we thus come to God, clothed upon with the righteousness of Christ, he graciously accepts for the sake of his dear Son, releases us from the iron grasp of the schoolmaster, and enables us to serve him in newness of life, through faith, “that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.” How often the commandment-keepers are cruelly accused of being saved by the law, and throwing Christ away. Says Paul, “If the law could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.” It was added because of transgression till the promised seed should come. Before faith came we were kept under the law, but after faith is come, we are no longer under the schoolmaster but under grace. May the Lord have mercy on those our accusers, and lead them to see that the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, go hand in hand, and that to follow Christ acceptably, implies the keeping of all God's commandments. It is a contradiction of terms to say we follow Christ and yet throw away the law; for he came to magnify the law and make it honorable, (not to do it away). He was obedient to the law, and submissive to all the will of his Father, thus becoming a pattern for all his followers. Then to follow Christ is to obey God, and “to obey is better than whole burnt offerings and sacrifice.” Again, to follow Christ is to love God with all the heart, which is the first great command. Love being thus perfected in the heart, will lead to implicit obedience and perfect submission to the will of God. When we thus willingly, reverentially, approximate towards our great Pattern, God accepts, (not for any merit in us, for that is impossible through the fall,) but through that worthy Lamb “whose blood cleanseth from all sin.” His own blessed righteousness covers all the imperfections of those who come to God through faith in him, Christ still presenting his blood in the holy sanctuary becomes the righteousness of every saint. God can never turn away the pleading of his Son. And all who come to God through him shall ere long wear a crown. Brethren and sisters, whom the Son makes free, is free indeed. Let us therefore stand fast, cast not away our confidence through unbelief, or any insinuation of the adversary, but come boldly to the throne that we may obtain mercy and find grace for every trial. Ah! let us open wider our hearts and admit the gentle Saviour, that he may reign therein, the “God and spring of every motion,” get the carnal mind subdued, that we may receive the spiritual mind of life and peace. Let us pant after holiness of heart, without which none can see God, and as we daily bow at the altar of prayer, may the goodness of God lead us to unfeigned repentance of all our sins, and a humiliating sense of our own unworthiness, drive us close to the wounded side of the Saviour, that we also may be crucified to the world, and have every sin-spot washed away by those precious drops which once trickled warm from his sacred wounds. Let us become so submissive to God's will, that we may reflect the characteristics of our great Pattern, in every act of life, in the daily avocations thereof. Then shall we become living epistles, beacon lights to lead others to Christ. While we submit to do the will of God, let us also meekly suffer his will. If our lot is cast in some lonely corner of earth, let us confidently lean upon the arm of our Beloved, and impart all the light possible. Perhaps that is a wise arrangement of God, to dispense the truth more rapidly, while the message graciously lingers; also to try your faith, whether or no you will stand alone on the word. Fear not, for the foundation is sure, and God's grace sufficient for every event of life. The trial of our faith is precious. The Lord will prove his people and try them. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. All who enter therein will have on the wedding garment, which is prepared for all the pure in heart. What though trials thicken around, though friends forsake and foes oppress? Shall we murmur or repine? Is not God's grace sufficient? Are we better than our Saviour, of whom they said all manner of evil falsely? Only let it be falsely for Christ's sake, then patiently endure to the end. But some are ready to say, “My trials are so great;” well, increasing trial calls for more grace, and God says he'll give more. So there's the word which we dare not distrust; for the promises of God are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus. All who will have peace, may. Yes, glory to God, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Only believe when ye pray, that ye receive, and ye shall have the things ye ask. Then let your confiding heart flow out in gratitude to God, for his tender, forbearing love, and progress steadily along in the journey of divine life, “growing up into Christ our living Head in all things.” It is no prerogative of ours to be choosing our trials, but our peculiar privilege is, to submit to God, lie passive in his moulding hand, that the language of our heart may at all times be the same which meekly fell from our blessed Saviour's lips, when he said, Father, not my will, but thine be done. Now, dear brethren and sisters, let us pray for and watch each other for good, bear each other's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Love God with all the heart, be firm and decided in obeying the truth; and thus like our great Head, develop a perfect christian character, that we may become “living epistles, known and read of all men.” Yours hoping for eternal life at the appearing of our Saviour.
Ruth M. Thurston.
Hancock, Wis.