[9]. The Law
Others have told at more than sufficient length what the Law is and what sin is. Therefore, I shall treat these topics briefly.
The Law is nothing else than the eternal will of God. For I shall say nothing here of civil laws or ceremonial laws, because they have to do with the outer man, and I am now talking of the inner man. Besides, these laws vary according to the exigencies of the times, as we often see in the case of civil laws; and ceremonial laws were abolished altogether by Christ, for they were made to be amended at some time, as was also done at the proper time, Heb. 9: 10. But the divine laws, which have to do with the inner man, are eternal. The law will never be abrogated that you are to love your neighbor as yourself; and theft, false witness, murder, ete., will always be regarded as crimes. And that the Law is the eternal or permanent will of God is proved by what is written in Rom. 2: 14 of those without the Law: namely, that they show the law has been published in their hearts, in that they do the things which the law commands, though the tablets of the law have not been set up before them. But none writes in the heart save God alone. Likewise, through the Law comes the knowledge of sin, Rom. 7:7, and, “where no law is, there is no transgression,” Rom. 4:15. We are forced to admit, therefore, that the Law proceeded from God; for of ourselves we should not know what sin was unless God had manifested in His word what should be done and what not done. The Law, therefore, is nothing else than teachings as to the will of God, through which we understand
what He wills, what He wills not, what He demands, what He forbids. But, that the will of God is permanent, so that He is never going to change any part of that law which has to do with the inner man, is evident from the words of the Lawgiver Himself. In Matthew 7:12 Christ says: “All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, even so do ye to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” If all our acts are to be done in accordance with this rule, it must be eternal; for if it be not eternal, all of them are not to be fashioned according to it. Then, in Rom. 13:19, Paul teaches that all laws are gathered up and comprehended in this one law, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Every action, every design, therefore, and whatever regards one’s neighbor must be comprehended under this law. With these points briefly settled, you will easily understand a very difficult problem of which some persons complain that no one has given a solution satisfactory to them. This is: How does it happen that from the same Law we keep some things and cut out others? Those things which, on being referred to and tested by this rule of the permanent will of God, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” are seen to be comprehended under it, can never be abolished; but those that are not were rendered obsolete by Christ. “For Christ is the end of the law,” Rom. 10:4, and “the end of the law is love,” I Tim. 1:5. Christ, therefore, and love must be the same thing. “God is love,” I John 4:8. They, therefore, who serve under Christ are bound to do that which love orders; what love does not order or what does not proceed from love either is not enjoined or is unprofitable, I Cor. 13:3.
← 41. Commentary on True and False Religion · Contents · 43. Commentary on True and False Religion →