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Chapter
79
Law and Gospel
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Of what did Paul say he
was not ashamed?
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of
God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Rom. 1:16.
What good tidings did the
angels announce to the shepherds?
"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10, 11.
What did Simeon say after
seeing the Saviour?
"And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this
child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel." Luke
2:34.
To whom did Anna the
prophetess speak of the Saviour?
"And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and
spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." Luke
2:38.
In his pre-announcement
of Christ's birth and name, what did the angel say Christ should do?
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His flame Jesus [Saviour];
for He shall save His people from their sins." Matt. 1:21.
On what condition was He
to save them?
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16.
Christ saves believers
from their sins under the Christian dispensation; but does His blood atone for
sins committed in the old dispensation?
"And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the
first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance." Heb. 9:15.
NOTE. - The blood of
Christ availed for believers the same in the old dispensation as it does in the
new. The first promise made to man, that the seed of the woman should bruise the
serpent's head, was as verily the gospel of Jesus Christ as was the song the
angels sung over the plains of Bethlehem, to the shepherds, as they watched
their flocks by night, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good
will to men."
How did Abel show his
faith in the coming Saviour?
"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than
Cain." Heb. 11:4.
What did the ceremonial
law of the Jews contain?
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come." Heb. 10:1.
What were these
"good things to come" which this law foreshadowed?
"But Christ being come a High Priest of good things to come, by
a greater and more perfect tabernacle." Heb. 9:11.
Did those of the
patriarchal age have a knowledge of sin?
"Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done
unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my
kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be
done." Gen. 20:9 (Gen. 4:7) (Gen. 13:13).
By what means must they
have gained that knowledge?
"By the law is the knowledge of sin." "I had not known sin,
but by the law." Rom. 3:20; 7:7.
Was there a priesthood in
the days of Abraham, to minister for the sins of the people?
"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who
met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him."
Heb. 7:1.
And was the gospel
preached to Abraham?
"And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham." Gal. 3:8.
NOTE. - We have
learned from the foregoing scriptures that from the earliest age men were
convinced of sin, and that their knowledge of their sinful condition could be
learned in no other way than by a moral rule, even God's law. They also had a
ministering priesthood, to point them to Christ, which was the good news, or
gospel, that gave them hope in a coming Messiah actually to take away their
sins. When Christ came, He died for the transgressions which had been committed
in the old dispensation, just the same as He did for those which would be
committed under the new.
But when Christ came, did
He expect to put away the law of God in order to save men?
"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.
NOTE. - He came to
fulfill the law; that is, to carry out its design. The law was ordained to life.
(Rom. 7:10.) Had man never broken the law, he would not have been a sinner, and
would therefore, from the first, have lived eternally. Now Christ fulfills it,
or carries its design into effect, that is, gives life to the believer in Him.
Had man never transgressed the law, he would not have needed Christ; if the law
could have been done away, after man had broken it, he would not then have
needed Christ; for it is the law, and that only, which condemns him to death.
Take away the instrument of death, and man would live. Christ could not abate a
jot of that law; for His mission was to make an atonement before the law, in
behalf of the sinner.
How much of the law did
Christ say should remain in force?
"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.
Then if we have faith in
Christ and the gospel, how does that affect the law?
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God for- bid: yea, we
establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
How many lawgivers are
there?
"There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy." James
4:12.
What part does Christ act
in behalf of the sinner?
"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1.
In the closing message to
the world, how are the law and the gospel associated?
"Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
NOTE. - There is no
salvation in the law. There is no redeeming quality in law. Redemption is
through the blood of Christ. The sinner may cease to break the commandments of
God, and strive with all his powers to keep them; but this will not atone for
his sins, and redeem him from his present condition in consequence of past
transgression... The hope of eternal salvation hangs upon Christ. Adam hung his
hope there. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and the believing Jews hung theirs
there. We can do no more, the hope of the next life depends upon Christ. Faith
in His blood can alone free us from our transgressions. And a life of obedience
to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be a sufficient passport
through the golden gates of the city of God.
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