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13. The law of Sinai was given
to refrain criminals who would obey God only through fear.
Consider this proposition well. A
failure to understand this simple fact is the cause of all
the blunders of Sabbatarians and legalists in their
extravagant and unscriptural praises of "the
ministration of death, written and engraver in
stones" (2 Cor. 3:7). On this point hear Paul state
why the law was made and notice that it is of the moral
precepts of the law that he speaks. "Knowing this,
that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the
lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners,
for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and
murderers of mothers, for man slayers, for whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men
stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be
any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine"
(1 Tim. 1:9, 10). The apostle here refers directly to the
code of Sinai, including the Ten Commandments, that which
prohibited murder, theft, lying, etc. This law, he says,
was not made for a righteous man but for the lawless. Of
this law in another place Paul says: "Wherefore then
serveth the law? It was added because of
transgression" (Gal. 3:19). Again, "The law
entered that the offense might abound" (Rom. 5:20),
and, "until the law sin was in the world" (vs.
13). It is manifest that sin, offense, and transgression
existed before "the law" was given, and that it
was given to prohibit already existing crimes. Evidently
God put the race on trial from Adam to Moses under the
same eternal law of right and love that governed holy men.
But mankind failed shamefully. They did not live by that
rule. They became lawless. Disregard of God and open
violence toward men were increasing till life and property
were insecure. Then God selected one nation, the Hebrews,
and gave up the rest to their own ways (Rom. 1: 20-28).
Up to this time God's people had
not been a nation by themselves, but had dwelt among other
nations and had been subject to their civil laws which
prohibited open violence and protected life and property.
But as soon as they became a nation by themselves, it
became absolutely necessary to have a national law of
their own which would prohibit and punish open crime, such
as murder, theft, adultery, etc. Life and property would
not have been secure without this, because many among them
were wicked lawless men, "stiff-necked and
rebellious." If all had been righteous, if all had
loved God and their neighbors, there would have been no
need of a prohibitory law with a death penalty. We can
readily see why Paul says "the law was not made for a
righteous man, but for the lawless. " These lawless
ones would have robbed and murdered the righteous ones had
there been no national, temporal law to protect them; for
these wicked men would have cared little about God's
higher law, which pertains to the future judgment. But as
the Jewish government was a theocracy, one in which God
himself was ruler, the law required and regulated service
to him as well as duties among themselves.
Hence to this nation God gave the
law of Sinai (Exod. 20:2). Would it have been given had
they obeyed God without it? Paul has settled that point.
"The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the
lawless" (1 Tim. 1:9). This, then, is not God's
original law by which he prefers to govern men. It was a
law of prohibitions, threats, pains, and penalties Its
object was to restrain open crime, protect men in their
natural rights, and preserve the knowledge of God in the
earth till Christ should come (Gal. 3:19-25). In order to
keep that nation separate from all others, many burdensome
rites were incorporated into the law, which made it a yoke
of bondage (Acts 15:10; Gal. 5: 1-3) .
When Christ came, and the Jewish
nation was rejected and dispersed, and their national law
overthrown, and the gospel went to all nations, that law
had served its purpose, and so passed away as a system
(Matt. 5:17, 18; Rom 10:4; Gal. 3:24; Heb. 7:12-19). Now
Christians are not under the Aaronic priesthood, nor the
Jewish law (Heb. 7:11, 12); but are under the priesthood
of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:14-19), as was Abraham our father
(Gen. 14:18-20), who never had "the law" of
Sinai (Gal. 3:17,) but walked by the higher law which
governs holy men (Gen. 26:5) The Jewish law being removed,
we now come under the same law by which Enoch and Abraham
"walked with God."
Now, as in the days before Moses,
God's people are not a nation by themselves, but are
scattered among all nations, where they are governed and
protected by the civil law of those nations. Hence the New
Testament provides no civil law for the government of
Christians, no temporal penalties for criminals. It would
be directly contrary to the nature of the gospel to do
either. All this is left to the rulers of nations where
Christians happen to be. Criminals are turned over to the
magistrates and i laws of the land. Paul makes this very
plain and puts the question beyond dispute. "Let
every soul be subject unto I the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God: the l powers that be are ordained
of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth
the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive
to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to
good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid
of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have
praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee
for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid;
for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the
minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only
for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this
cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing" (Rom.
13:1-6).
Here is the prohibitory law for
"the lawless." This punishes their crime against
society. Their offenses against God's great law will be
recompensed at the judgment; but the saints of God must be
governed by the higher law, the law of supreme love to God
and equal love to fellows. Such obedience can come only
from a heart renewed by the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 3:3);
and "if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the
law" (Gal. 5:18).
Is any man a Christian who refrains
from murder, theft, and adultery, simply because the law
says "Thou shalt not"? No, indeed; he must
refrain from these from a higher motive than that. Then he
is governed by a higher law than the Decalogue. "Love
is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:10). The
dispute concerning the Jewish Sabbath involves this point,
the obligation of the letter of the Jewish law.
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