The Law of God

WERE the history of the creation of the world written out as fully as modern histories are written, it would furnish a volume of absorbing interest. But it would, doubtless, have less of the grandeur and sublimity which attaches to the brief account given in Genesis. While the superficial reader gathers comparatively little from the brief record in Genesis 1 and 2, the careful, the studious, and above all, the reverent reader is awe-struck with the majesty of the events passing before his view. The style is so simple that a child is interested in the recital; yet it seems as if eternity were needed to so unfold our powers that we may be able to comprehend the facts set forth.

The world was made to be inhabited, Isa. 45:18; and to man was given the dominion of the earth. He was formed in the image of his Maker; he was designed to be the crowning glory of the glorious work. And in considering this, man has almost exhausted the vocabulary to describe his own dignity and importance.

But the word of God, whether in brief or particular, is always truthful. With all his powers for good, for high and noble purposes, man soon fell from his state of innocence and happiness. The record of his creation is very soon followed by the record of his sin. Turning his back on his privileges, his happy home, and his Creator and Benefactor, he suffered himself to be led by his worst enemy. He refused the favor of Heaven, the society of angels, and sacrificed life itself, without any assurance of any benefit. A sigh of regret escapes us at the thought. But the story is repeated every day, and even, to some extent, in our own lives. Here we leave the history of events to examine the principles involved in man's rebellion, and to consider how we stand related to those principles.

Though the record in Genesis is very brief, giving us but little idea of man's knowledge of the will of God, or of God's revelation to man at that time, there are certain declarations elsewhere made which are confessedly, of universal application, whenever and wherever obligation and responsibility exist. These apply to man in his first state as certainly as they apply to us at this time. Thus an inspired writer has said, "Sin is the transgression of the law." Therefore where sin existed, law existed; and in harmony with this, necessary conclusion another inspired one has said; "Where no law is there is no transgression," and, "Sin is not imputed when there is no law."

Some have contended that the law was not necessary for man in his unfallen condition, but was first made known after he became a sinner. But, according to the texts quoted from John and Paul, that cannot be true. Had the law not existed, man could not have been a transgressor; and whatever his actions might have been, there could have been no imputation of sin had there been no law. So far as the existence of law is concerned, man, at his creation, sustained the same relation to the government of God which we do now. Men, and among them some who are reputed to be wise, have speculated over the supposed ignorance of man in his primeval state, before he had the sad experience of sin. That he was ignorant they conclude solely from the fact that he was without life's experience. But experience is not always necessary to knowledge; nor is it the best means of knowledge in matters of wrong, where guilt must attend the experience. A revelation from God concerning the nature and result of sin is far better than experience; and this revelation man received. Unfortunately for the race, he was not content with this, but ventured on a forbidden path, and to his sorrow proved what he could not trust, that the word of God is truth.

As there can be no transgression where there is no law, even so also in the absence of law there can be no obedience. Hence, had not God revealed his law to man, he could not have developed a character, either bad or good.

The silence of the first chapter of Genesis in regard to God's making known the several precepts of his law to man, has been taken as evidence that they were not then made known. But this conclusion is altogether unreasonable. That God held converse with man is a revealed truth; though, in the very brief record of Genesis we have but little said concerning that truth. But in revelations afterward given we learn all that is necessary to instruct us on the subject. Cain exhibited a consciousness of guilt, and God dealt with him as with a guilty person. This is all in harmony with the application of Paul's declarations concerning sin and the law, in his letter to the Romans; but not in harmony with the idea that the law which forbids murder had not then been revealed. Abel presented an offering to the Lord, which looked to redemption in the plan of the gospel. But, assuming that the gospel plan had not then been revealed to man, his offering is only a mystery.

We find that offerings to the Lord were common in the early history of mankind. Only one, that of Abraham as recorded in Gen. 15, was by divine direction given in the history. But we have an account of his building an altar to the Lord several years before this.

God is no respecter of persons. It is true that he had respect to Abel and to his offering rather than to Cain and to his offering; but it was because Abel offered his by faith. Heb. 11:4. Cain was also told that he should be accepted if he did well; and if not, sin was at his door. It is true that of that generation Enoch only was translated; but he walked with God as the others did not. True that to Noah was revealed the coming of the flood and the means of escape; but the reason is found in the declaration of the Lord that only Noah was "found righteous in this generation." Abraham also was called to an eminent place, as the father of the faithful; but he was "the friend of God," and God said he knew him, that he could commend his works. So it was and so it ever will be. "In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S LAW.

A law, to be of force, or to be enforced on just grounds, must be given by proper authority, and the author, and his right to govern, must be known to the individuals amenable thereto. The fact that men, in the patriarchal age, were treated as sinners, is sufficient evidence that they had a knowledge of God as Law-giver and Governor, and that they so far understood the claims of his law as to incur guilt in its violation. But the main point of inquiry is this: Was the law of God known by the patriarchs, the same that was afterward proclaimed to Israel? This we answer in the affirmative, and shall endeavor to maintain the affirmation by Scripture evidences.

That the law of ten commandments has ever been considered the moral law, and pre-eminently the law of God, is by no means accidental. It alone was spoken by the voice of God in the hearing of all the people. It alone was written by the finger of God on the tables of stone. It alone was placed in the ark beneath the mercy seat, upon which the priest sprinkled the blood of the sin-offering, thus showing that their sins were violations of that law, and that their violations of that law must be blotted out in order that they might be accepted with God. The objection that the present wording of the ten commandments is not suited to the condition of an unfallen or sinless race does not present any real difficulty, as it is not the present wording on which we insist. But we do insist that the ten commandments contain substantially all moral obligation, covering, as they certainly do, all moral relations. And we claim that all of these, substantially, were known to the patriarchs and to those living in that age. Though we have no direct declaration that they were given to the people in that age, we have direct evidence of their knowledge of them, and of their being held responsible as sinners for their violation of them.