The Sabbath Question.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 5 November 1913, Page 3

The Sabbath Question.

THE LAW OF GOD AS A SCHOOLMASTER.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,--Your readers will please bear in mind that these letters are being written with the intent to help along the much-needed work of uniting all true Christians in one body, and is a part of the last message of mercy and warning now due to the whole world ; Revelation 14.6-12. Misunderstanding of such scripture as the :^wo following verses, has caused much discussion and division among God's people. " Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by v faith; but now that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster; Galations 3.24, 25. R.V. The law of God, (as a schoolmaster) teaches us that by nature we are all. sinners Rom 3.19, 20. —Rom 7.7. It informs us that we are sentenced to death, because we are breakers of that law—Rom 6.23.—R0m 7.9. Sin is the transgression of the law, 1 John 3.4. After the law has shown us what wretched, helpless sinners we are, " the goodness of God " leads us to repent- :. ance, Rom 2.4., and a longing after holiness. Rom 7,14-23. But God requires of us perfect righteousness, perfect conformity to His holy law, before we can enter heaven ; Luke 10-25-28 ; James 2. 10 ; Rev 21.27 ; Rev 22.14. We have no righteousness of our own, neither.can we (of ourselves) do anything rightly, Rom 7.18; John 15.5. The broken law continually reminds us that " The wages of sin is'death," Rom 6.23 ; Rom 7. 7. This makes us call out for help, as Paul did," O Wretched man that I am .! who shall deliver me from this body of death," Rom 7.24. margin. In the nxe't verse Paul exclaims, " I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The law which (for the time being) was a schoolmaster to Paul, had brought him to Christ. Paul then heard the wonderfully good news, that Christ had died to put away the sins of the world, and to impute His own righteousness to man ; Romans 4.3, 23-25 ; Isaih 53.6 ;

Rom 3.24, 25 ; John 3.16. Paul believed the good news, faith had come/ All who believe can say with Paul " Now faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster, we need not keep the law of God, and so have no use for the Sabbath commandment. By careful reading it will be seen that although Paul says " the law was (at one time) our school- j master," he does not say the law is nothing to us now. The law serves many purposes besides that of a schoolmaster. James compares it to a mirror, but he also calls it the law of liberty by which we shall be judged, 1.23 ; James 2.12. It is the Christians rule of life, Luke 10.28 ; James 2.10 ; Rev 21. 27 ; Rev 22.14. The law, while acting in the capacity of a school master, does not bring sinners to Christ that they may be delivered from keeping God's law, which is holy just and good, R0m7.12 ; for His com" mandments are not greiveous, 1 John 5.3 ; but in keeping them " there is great reward." We are brought to Christ that we may be justified, (made free from sin and blame) to be delivered from the curse of the law, Gal 3. 13, which had fallen upon us on account of our transgressing God's law, 1 John 3.4 ; brought from under the curse of the law, which falls on those who break that law, Rom 6.23, and to be made partakers of the blessings of the law that come to all who obey its commandments. If those who are longing for unity of believers have any objection to the above they would be doing a good work by (with the editor's permission) expressing their views through the Advertiser. GEO. JOHNSON, Parkhurst.