Which Dies? the Law, or the Sinner?
By G. W. A.
It is a readily conceded fact that one of the strong forts of S. D. Adventists in maintaining their position on the law of God, is found in the seventh chapter of Romans. Here, with a masterly hand, the apostle Paul has shred into fragments the blighting arguments of those who would make null and void God's rule of holy living. The sixth verse of this chapter, "But now are we delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held," has been seized upon as giving aid and comfort to those who delight in the freedom of antinomianism. With the marginal reading in the text this verse would read thus: "But now are we delivered from the law, being dead to that," &c. Seventh-day Adventists have rested down upon the marginal reading of this passage as more consonant with the Apostle's argument, and as being a better representation of the original. As efforts are occasionally made from this text to get Paul on the side of those whose motto is, "Down with the law," we will venture an argument on this point, and then give a few testimonies from high authorities, the justness of which will be conceded by all who make any pretensions to candor. Taken literally from the Greek, with a word-for-word translation, this oft-perverted scripture would stand thus: Νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἀποθανόντες
Now but we have been freed from the law, having died
ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα.
in which we were held. Here, then, at a glance, we have the whole argument fairly before us, and there is not one person in ten thousand, unless bent on sustaining a theory, but who would say it was the sinner that died, and not the law. To further show how critics generally render this passage, although our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, we will place before the reader a number of translations of this text, which come from persons who for their piety and knowledge of Biblical criticism are greatly entitled to our consideration. WESLEY'S New Testament renders this passage: "But now we are freed from the law, being dead unto that whereby we were held." The SYRIAC TESTAMENT translates: "But now we are absolved from the law, and are dead to that which held us in its grasp." MACKNIGHT'S Version renders it: "But now, having died with Christ, we are released from the law." WAKEFIELD'S New Testament renders: "But now we have been released by death from that law, by which we were holden." SAWYER'S Translation gives it: "But now are we released from the law by which we were held, having died." WHITING'S New Testament says: "But now we are separated from the law, being dead to that by which we were held." THE EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT says: "But now, having died, we are released from the law." BLOOMFIELD'S GREEK TESTAMENT, with English notes, gives this rendering: "But now we are freed from the law, being dead to that law in which we were held bound." How plain to the unbiased are these renderings, and how exceedingly obvious that the death referred to is predicated—not of the law, but of the old man of sin! I know not how much farther this list might be extended, but presume it could be doubled, or trebled, if we had other versions at hand. And what will those of the antinomian school say to such evidence as this? Will they candidly weigh the Apostle's argument for the perpetuity of God's immutable rule of life, or will they still dash on with their blatant efforts to press Rom. vii, 6 into the service of law-abolishers? G. W. A.