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Chapter 69

Nature of God's Law

How may lawgivers are there?
"There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy." James 4:12.

What is said of the stability of His character?
"For I am the Lord, I change not." Mal. 3:6.

What is the character of His works?
"The works of His hands are verity and judgment; all His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." Ps. 111:7, 8.

What is the character of His law?
"For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin." Rom. 7:14.

What is revealed in that law as necessary for the carnal man to know before he can be converted?
"And knowest His will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law." Rom. 2:18.

Then, if there is a change in one's life, from the carnal to the spiritual, does the law act any part in that work?
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." Ps. 19:7.

What did our Saviour say to the young man who wanted salvation?
"And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but One, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17.

Was it the intention of Christ to abolish or change any part of God's law?
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5:18.

What did the Saviour say He came to do to the law?
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17.

When used in prophecy, what does the word fulfill mean? To bring to pass.
"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet." (Matt. 4:14). "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. 15:54.

But what does the word mean associated with an obligation? - To perform, or act in accordance with.
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal. 6:2 (Matt. 3:15) (James 2:8, 9).

What did Christ say He came into the world to do?
"Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not... Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." Heb. 10:5-7.

Who did the Saviour say should be saved in the kingdom of heaven?
"Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21.

What did He say of those who should break one of God's commandments?
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:19.
NOTE: That is, it shall be said by those in the kingdom of heaven, that he is the least, and God will have no regard for him while maintaining that position.

What did He say of those whose righteousness (right-doing) did not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees?
"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:20.

On what particular point did Christ reprove the Pharisees?
"But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" Matt. 15:3.

How had they done this?
"For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother;... but ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift,... and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." Matt. 15:4-6.

What kind of worship did He say theirs was?"
"But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt. 15:9.
NOTE: These people were guilty of breaking (or as the original has it in Matt. 5:19, "loosing," that is, lessening the obligation of) one of God's commandments, to keep up a tradition handed down to them. Their's was a vain worship. God did not recognize it. They were regarded as the least of all His intelligent creatures, because they had the commandments before them, and yet persisted in substituting a tradition in the place of one of them. This is the Saviour's meaning in Matt. 5:19, given above.

By what rule will men's actions be weighed in the judgment?
"For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law,... in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Rom 2:12-16.

How many of those who are condemned will be proved guilty by the law at that time?
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, It saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Rom. 3:19.
NOTE: The Gentile as well as the Jew will be proved guilty (Rom. 2:11; 10:12). Then the law of God must be the rule of life to all men in the world till the judgment.

By whom will the saved be blessed in the bestowal of the eternal reward?
"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34.

What blessing will God give to those who have kept His commandments?
"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. 22:14.
NOTE: It is not to be supposed the simply keeping the commandments will give one a place in glory; for "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight." (Rom. 3:20). But one must show his willingness to yield to the demands of God before he can ever have the blood of Christ to wash his sins away. For an explanation of this point, see readings on "Conversion," "The New Birth," "Faith," etc. We have found, however, that the law of God is unchangeable. In fact, it could not be otherwise, proceeding from the source it does. The law reveals the attributes of its Giver: 1. Ttuth (Ps. 119:142); 2. Righteousness (Ps. 119:172); 3. Love (Ex. 20:6; Matt. 22:36-40); 5. Holiness (Rom. 7:12); 6. Perfection (Ps. 19:7); 7. Immutability (Ps. 111:7-8); 8. Spirituality (Rom. 7:14); 9. Creative power (Ex. 20:8-11; etc.



Copyright © 1988 Research Institute for Better Reading, Inc., used by permission by Project Restore, Inc. at www.projectrestore.com
Created: 07/15/02 Updated: 01/19/05