Untitled article by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 19, 1859

PERPETUITY OF THE MORAL LAW. No. 2.

By Editor

We resume this subject for the purpose of noticing a few points in W. G. Springer's article of last week which we had not space there to do.

He scouts the idea that any inability has occurred to man in consequence of the fall, in regard to his rendering, of himself, acceptable obedience to God. What does this mean? It denies the fall of man, which is the very ground-work of the plan of salvation. Are we reasoning with a Bible believer; or with one who is wading in the bogs of infidelity? Does W. G. S. deny that man inherits a fallen nature? Does he deny that he loves darkness rather than light? that naturally he tends to evil and not to good? There is not a plainer truth in the word of God. It may be in S.'s mind an "old fogyism;" if so, the Bible is an "old fogy" book. We had not dreamed that it would be necessary to cite particular chapter and verse on this point. As he is however inclined to be captious, we can do so. A state of sin the Bible represents to be a state of carnality. Rom. viii, 14. And what about this carnality? Hear Paul: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom. viii, 7. Is this sufficient proof that man in his natural or carnal state is not subject to the law of God? What then is to be done? The first thing is to put away this carnal heart, put off the old man, become dead to sin, that we may put on Christ, that in him we may be reconciled to God. Rom. vi, 6; Gal. ii, 20; v, 24; vi, 14; Eph. iv, 22; Col. iii, 5, 9; 2 Cor. v, 19, 20. This we do through Christ. To say as W. G. S. interprets our position, that God, when man had once transgressed, debarred him from obeying in the future, is a most unfair and uncalled-for interpretation. Man placed himself in a state of estrangement and alienation from God. And when he had done this, God, so far from debarring him from obedience in the future, provided assistance for him that he might again become reconciled to him and "subject to his law." His remarks about our needing a new redemption, if we "transgress the gospel" (?) deserve no attention whatever; as they proceed upon the remarkably obtuse assumption that Christ is limited to one application of his grace.

Paul speaks, says W. G. S., of the "obedience of the gospel," &c., as though this was distinct from, or took the place of, obedience to the law. He strangely misunderstands the Apostle here. The gospel is not something to be transgressed or obeyed in the proper sense of those terms. The gospel, as the word signifies, is simply a proclamation of good news. It tells us how we may recover from the effects of sin, (transgression of the law. 1 John iii, 4); it offers to us life and salvation through Christ. We may accept or may reject these offers; but to talk of obeying or transgressing them, as we would obey or break a law, is absurd. Whoever applies these terms to the gospel, shows that he has but a limited understanding of its nature or object. The "obedience of the gospel," and of faith, is simply that obedience to the moral law which the gospel everywhere requires as the condition of its blessings. Those who deny this are bound to show us whether or not we have any rule by which to act, any standard of right by which we are to regulate our conduct, and where we find it; for the gospel, as such, furnishes us nothing of the kind.

He contends that repentance is not the first step towards justification. But that it is, is so in accordance with all reason, that we did not suppose that any would presume to doubt, much less to deny, it. It is the order which the Bible lays down. "Repent and be baptized." Acts ii, 38. This repentance, it may be said, was spoken and belongs exclusively to the Jews then present, who had crucified the Lord. If this is so, the direction to be baptized, is exclusively theirs also; which none will admit. But even if it did all belong to them, the example is all-sufficient for our purpose. If in their case, repentance, according to divine direction, was the very first step towards justification of their past wrongs and sins, so it is in ours. It is everywhere, first, repentance towards God, and second, faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts xx, 21. First be slain by the law, die to sin, put off the old man; then, put on Christ. Rom. vi, vii. We would like to see the sinner who had ever been led to amend his ways without first feeling repentance for his past course. If Bro. S. has never taken this first necessary step, we would exhort him, instead of meeting us with wholesale denials of God's word, and like a caviler standing off and calling upon us for proof of the plainest sunshine of truth, to take it immediately; for the day cometh on, which will try his righteousness of what sort it is. We hope that ere it arrives, he may obtain that kind which will abide its searching test.

Why not say with the Apostle, says W. G. S.: "We are become dead to the law by the body of Christ?" It is a great thing to be able to say this in truth. Every true child of God, however, can say it. But does this kill the law? Does our dying to it abolish it? No more than hanging a man abolishes capital punishment for murder, where such is the law against it. We are only dead to the law, when, being justified through Christ from our past sins, we live in obedience, so that it can exercise over us no condemning power. Then we have put on Christ; then we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; then we occupy a position against which there is no law. Gal. v, 18-23. We are released from the law as a conditional covenant of life. That is, we are not to enter into life on the ground of obedience only; for on this ground we never could enter; for we have all been disobedient or transgressors. But a remedy for our transgression and sin has been provided in Christ. A way is provided by which we may have life notwithstanding we have not kept the law. But who can suppose that on this account God would alter the standard of purity and holiness? Be ye holy, for I am holy, is his declaration to all men in every age, and under all circumstances.

We might enter into a lengthened argument in regard to the Sabbath commandment's being the seal of the law, the source from whence we derive our knowledge of the truth of God and consequently a sign between him and us. But this is only incidental to the main question at issue: we therefore pass it.

In conclusion we call for the question. To arrive at this, let the six queries which we propounded be considered. We give them again that they may be kept distinctly before the mind: 1. As we are required to develop moral characters, must not God give us a standard by which to do it? 2. Where do we find this standard? 3. If man had never broken the law would he have needed a Saviour? 4. Will God judge the world at last by diverse rules of judgment? 5. After we are justified by Christ, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 6. If not, what shall be our course of action?