To see man's responsibility with respect to law, is another very important point, before we can see clearly, and understand intelligently, his relationship and responsibility with respect to the gospel. And here much injury is done to souls from confounding the two things, viz: (the law as given by Moses, and the gospel.)
The two things being so distinctly separate, and we might say opposite, the one to the other; we have only to take heed to the testimony of the word in order to see the difference, and be convinced of the impossibility of knowing both,-the law and the gospel, by mixing them together, as is often done; by claiming justification from the condemnation of the law, through the gospel, and at the same time claiming the law as the rule of life for the daily walk of the justified man.
The law as given by Moses, is not the same as Jesus Christ; though it was the same God who gave both; and if the law is my master, (and in order to be the rule for my life it must be my master) than Christ cannot be my master.
Or, if Christ be my master, then the law cannot be, for I cannot have two, and hence it cannot be the rule for my life, since Christ who is my master, is also the law and rule for my life. So again, if I am justified by the law, then it is the law which gives the ground of my justification, the ground of my relationship, and the ground of my responsibility; hence the rule for my life. But if, on the other hand, I am "justified by Christ;" then He is the ground of my relationship, and responsibility, hence the rule and law for my life. But again, if I claim justification by the deeds of the law, it must be on the ground that I have perfectly kept it; and in order to have perfectly kept it, I must have begun without sin in the start, for it would be absurd, to claim that I have kept the law while I was all the time a sinner; and if 1 have not kept it, then I am cursed by it, and if cursed, then I am not justified at all. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the BOOK of the law to do them." Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10). The Book of the law, is clearly the book of Leviticus, and the word does not make any exception, for it is the book of the law, not "the moral law," as many would have us believe; for the Scripture says nothing of a moral law, but it does speak of "a fiery law," and of the law given by Moses. But we will suspend this line of thought for a little, and turn our attention in another direction.
And it is well to remark, first of all, that there are many wrong views entertained upon this subject; of which we have need to disabuse ourselves, before we can look in the right direction. For the color of the medium through which we look, will tinge every object at which we look. For instance; that which has been erroneously misnamed, the moral law, with many, occupies the first place, or is of the chiefest authority; and hence everything in the Bible must be interpreted so as to harmonize with that view.
Now while we would not in the least lower the standard of morality in the mind of any, much less, in the mind of any dear child of God; neither would we detract in the least from the importance, authority and jurisdiction of the law of Moses; yet, we would seek to have the mind of every one, so well informed on the subject as to give it just the place which it occupies in the mind of God, as regards this present dispensation.
For this only, can truly honor God, and that which does most truly honor God, will result in greatest blessing to souls. Now when we speak of law, we would be understood as referring to the law of Sinai as given by Moses, and never to moral law. For we know but little about moral law. All of our ideas, are relative. And God has dealt with us relatively. We know but' little of things in the absolute, when speaking of God and His works. So that, if God should give us what He would be pleased to call a moral law, we have but very little conception of what it would be. We judge relatively as to what is morality, and what immorality, from what God has revealed.
But when God said to Moses, " Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live." Ex. 33;20. It is plain that the absolute is intended; while again it is said in the ninth verse, "And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." And Jesus said, " No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him," gives us the only thing possible for us, the relative.
Now then we will note a few points upon which the word is very Clear and plain. And first, The law was not given until Moses, and had no jurisdiction or authority over man, until twenty-five hundred years after Adam went out of Eden. Now the law says, Lev. 24:1717And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 24:17), "And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death." But Cain slew his brother, and instead of this law being executed upon him, God said, "Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any one finding him should kill him." Gen. 4:1515And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Genesis 4:15). Also, Rom. 5:1313(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13), " For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no. law." Here the truth is acknowledged which was implied in the case of Cain. "The law was given by Moses." John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17). "Did not Moses give you the law." John 7:1919Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? (John 7:19).
Second. The law was given to Israel exclusively, and never to the Gentiles, and its jurisdiction and authority applied to Israel only, and never to the nations. Ex. 20:22I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2), "I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." And then follows, what is called the ten commandments, with other statutes and ordinances. The book of Leviticus opens with, "Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them,"-and closes with, " These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai."
And in the 26 chap. 45th verse, " But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt, in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord." These are the statutes, and judgments, and laws, which the Lord made between him, and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses. And there are scores of just such passages in the Old Testament. These passages, with many like them, show conclusively, when, and to whom, the law was given.
And now as to the nations, we have one passage in the 14th of Acts, which is very clear, Paul says to the men of Lystra, 16th verse, " Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways." But again, we find when Jonah was sent to Ninevah, it was not a question of, law-breaking; and in the prophecies, where Babylon, Egypt, Tire, Sidon, and even Edom, (who was the brother of Israel, and seed of Abraham,) or others,-we find it was never a question of law; God never threatens judgment on them because they have not walked in His commandments, statutes and ordinances; nor does He say, ye have forsaken me, mine ordinances, my law,-but these are common expressions in the word of the Lord to Israel.
Another fact worthy of note, we get in the New Testament, is, that when Jews or Israelites to whom the law was given, came to Jesus with questionings, in many cases He put them upon the law. But when the Roman centurion,-the woman of Samaria,-and of Syrophonecia,- any of the outcasts who could not, or did not, set up a claim on the ground of law,-came to Jesus, He met them in grace, and did not refer them to the law.
How very blessed it is for us Gentiles to see that we can be, and are, received on the ground of grace, pure grace. The law required man to do something for God;, but grace reveals God as doing something for man, while as yet he had no strength and no heart to do anything for God. And this is clearly set forth in the case of the Prodigal. His brother could say, " neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment." But he could not claim anything, and yet he could receive everything. Blessed be God. This is what we need. His brother knew grace only to despise it, while he stood on the ground of having kept his father's commandment. But the Prodigal knew law only in the bitter cup of its judgments which he had tasted in the far country where sin abounded, and he knew grace, now, much more abounding, in the father's kiss, the father's arms, the father's honor and trust; and that grace had given him now a better heart in himself, and a better rule by which to walk. A deeper sense of his father's love, and a lower place of humiliation, from which to receive a correspondingly higher exaltation in his father's presence.
Dear reader, do you know anything of this? On which side of the father do you stand? Are you occupied with what you are doing for God? Or are you occupied with what God has done for you? Are you trying to find in yourself some good doing, good feeling or good experience by which to make a fair estimate of yourself? Or, are you self-emptied, like the Prodigal, adoring the grace that could do such wonderful things for a lost sinner. It may be very comforting to the flesh to say, "all these things have I kept from my youth up." But that thing, " the flesh," God can never save at all, nor any of its works.
C. E. H.