p. 1 | THE LAW OF GOD by B. F. Snook

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 15, 1861

THE LAW OF GOD

By B. F. Snook

BY B. F. SNOOK.

CHAPTER III.

1. THE law of good is his COVENANT. 2. It is holy, just and good. 3. It is a rule of action. 4. To violate it is sin. 5. To keep it is righteousness. 6. It was commanded forever. 7. It is a condition of inheriting the land.

I. God's covenant. The word covenant signifies dispensation, contract, bargain, institution, constitution, a body of laws. We understand the word when spoken of as God's covenant to mean as last defined, constitution, or a body of laws. In worldly governments we find a code of first laws or principles commonly called the constitution. This is preëminent in all governments. The laws of all provinces must be in subjection to and in harmony with this constitution. It is so in the moral government of God. He has a constitution or code of laws which is supreme. The constitution and laws of all dispensations must submit to and be in perfect harmony with his covenant or constitution. The question now is, what is his covenant? For be it what it may it is the supreme law. Oh how important that we have a knowledge of his covenant that we may love, venerate and obey it, and thus honor its divine and holy Author!

The Scriptures are plain in answer to this most important question. God has not left his people in the dark relative to a subject of such vital importance. Deut. iv, 13 unfolds and brings to light the whole matter: "And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments." This is enough on this branch of the subject. This is plain enough to satisfy all believers in the word of God. How beautiful the thought that as the constitution of the United States is the center and fountain head of this great national government, and that as the sun, the "great king of day" is the center of the solar system diverging and shooting off in all directions countless myriads of rays of streaming light, dispelling the darkness and gloom of earth, so the great constitution of God, the law of ten commandments is the center of the moral universe, the fountain-head of the moral government of God. That as nations and states can change and abolish their state constitutions without abolishing or changing the great federal constitution, so in the dispensation of the divine beneficence, dispensational constitutions can be abolished and done away without abolishing the covenant of God, the federal constitution of all dispensations. What would you think of the saneness and wisdom of the man who would argue that to abolish or destroy one of the planets would be to abolish the great center of the planetary system? Ans. We would place his sanity and wisdom in the same class with his who maintains because the Mosaic covenant or dispensation was abolished that therefore the covenant of God, the ten commandments was abolished.

II. It is holy, just and good. The holiness of this covenant gives it a perfect adaption to the design appended to it. It is spoken of as a whole as being holy. Daniel speaking of the king who should exalt himself above every God, said that he should have "indignation against the holy covenant;" "and his heart shall be against the holy covenant." Chap. xi, 28, 30. The same is spoken of in chapter vii, 25: "He shall think to change times and laws," thus showing that the law and covenant are the same. Again. "Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai and spakest with them from heaven and gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments." Neh. ix, 13 This testimony is further proof of the identity of God's covenant and the ten commandments. It is also conclusive proof that as a whole this law is right, true and good, i. e., naturally so. The testimony of Paul is equally to the point. "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just and good." For we know that the law is spiritual. Rom. vii, 12, 14. From this we conclude that in Paul's time the law was neither abolished, nor had lost its holiness. From the foregoing it is apparent the law as a whole, i. e., the ten commandments is 1. Holy. 2. True, or truth. 3. Just. 4. Good. 5. Spiritual. Hence in obeying it we can have characters which, are holy, true, just, good and spiritual. Such a character as this has always been, and will ever be well pleasing to God.

III. It is the rule of action. Solomon said, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. xii, 13.

A rule of grammar is that "a noun without an adjective is taken in its broadest sense, is not limited." Then it is the duty of all men to fear God and keep his commandments. But if it is not the duty, or was not the duty of all men to keep his commands, then those excepted were not required to fear God; for these duties are joined together and no law of language will sanction their separation. Hence when the law ceases to be a rule of action, the duty of man to fear God will also cease. David, speaking of the righteous, said, "The law of his God is in his heart and none of his steps shall slide." Ps. xxxvii, 31.

The reason assigned why none of the steps of the righteous man shall slide, is that the law of his God is in his heart. Oh that all would permit this blessed law of light and truth to dwell in their hearts! They would then not walk in the dark, but have sure and unerring light to direct them. Our Saviour taught the same: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The young man saith unto him which? Query, which, what? Which commandment? No. But which commandments. Evidently showing that two codes of laws were binding, and that the young man did not know to which he was referred for a rule of life. Jesus then referred him to the decalogue showing that to be the law to which he enjoined obedience. Matt. xix, 16, 17. Again he testifies to the same in the following. "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. xxii, 14. How blessed to walk after such a rule of life! What a rich reward! Well might David say, "Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping them there is great reward." But do those walk according to this rule who violate the fourth precept? No more than if they violated the sixth, seventh, or eighth precepts. Neither do those walk according to it who say that it has been abolished.

How careful then commandment-keepers ought to live. They should ever be careful to maintain good works; to depart from all iniquity; to be meek and lowly in heart, and ever be found walking in the footsteps of their Redeemer in glad obedience to the law of God. The faith of many will be tried. Their trials will be hard; their persecutions severe. But beyond the present reign of the dragon there is no wicked power to oppress the obedient children of God. The warlike and persecuting spirit of the dragon cannot follow us into the kingdom. His deeds of darkness are confined here to this world of sin. Then let us persevere through floods and flames and whatsoever may come upon us. The reward is sure. It cannot fail. Soon the scattered and world-forsaken remnant will stand with the glorified Lamb on mount Zion and with their immortal voices shout the victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name.