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Sabbatarians are continually preaching, talking,
writing, and arguing about "the law." Yet in all
the New Testament, while we have "preach the
kingdom" eight times, "preach the word"
seventeen times, "preach Christ" twenty three
times, "preach the gospel" fifty times, not once
is it said "preach the law," or "preach the
Sabbath"; but Paul boldly declares that all those who
desire to be teachers of the law understand "neither
what they say, nor whereof they affirm" (1 Tim. 1:7).
This is really the truth. A clear comprehension of the law
will convince all intelligent minds that modern Sabbath
worshipers have not a peg in Scripture upon which to hang
their doctrine. We shall consider the subjects under
several propositions. I quote from Canright:
1.
"The law" embraces the whole Mosaic law, moral,
civil, and ceremonial.
The term, "the law,') when
used with the definite article and without qualifying
words, refers "in nine cases out of ten, to the
Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch."— Smith's Bible
Dictionary, Art. Law. Invariably the Adventists use the
term "the law" for the Ten Commandments only.
They hang up a chart of the Decalog and constantly point
to it as "the law" (Matt. 5:17); "the law
of the Lord" (Ps. 19:7); "the law of God"
(Rom. 7:22). This is their fundamental error on the law. I
affirm that "the law" included the whole system
of law given to the Israelites at Sinai, embracing all
those requirements, whether moral, civil, or ceremonial,
Decalog and all. Look at the term "law," in a
concordance, or in any Bible lexicon, dictionary, or
encyclopedia. "The law" commonly included the
whole of the five books of Moses. Even Butlet (Adventist)
is compelled to make this confession: "The term, 'the
law,' among the Jews generally included the five books of
Moses, thus including the whole system, moral, ritual,
typical, and civil."—Law in Galatians, page 70.
That is the truth exactly.
Now, bear in mind this one simple
fact wherever you find the term "the law," and
you will have no trouble I with Sabbatarian arguments on
"the law."
Take a few examples of the use of
the term "the law" (1 Cor. 14:34) . Women
"are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith
the law." Where does the law say this? Gen. 3:16. So
Genesis is in the law. Again: "The law had said, Thou
shalt not covet" (Rom. 7:7). Where? Exod. 20:17. So
Exodus is in the law. Once more: "Master, which is
the greatest commandment in the law?" (Matt. 22:36).
Jesus then makes two quotations from the law: First,
"Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart."
This is taken from Deut. 6:5. So Deuteronomy is in the
law. Second, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself." This is from Lev. 19:18. So Leviticus is a
part of the law. And this: "Have ye not read in the
law, how that on the Sabbath Days the priests in the
temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?" (Matt.
12:5). It is from Num. 28:9. These, then, embrace all the
five books of Moses as "the law." Observe a
little where the law is spoken of and you will soon see
that it refers indiscriminately to each and all the books
of Moses as "the law." Of course, any verse in
any of these books is quoted as "the law,"
because it is a part of the law. So the Ten Commandments
are quoted as the law because they are a part of the law.
Again, "the law" embraces
all parts of the law, moral, civil, or ceremonial. Thus
the ceremonial precepts: "The parents brought in the
child Jesus to do with him after the custom of the
law" (Luke 2:27). That is, to offer a sacrifice (vs.
24). Moral precepts: "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" (1 Tim. 1:9). This is the Decalog. Civil
precepts: "Commandest me to be smitten contrary to
the law?" (Acts 23:3). Notice that every time it is
simply "the law." "Gamaliel, a doctor of
the law" (Acts 5:34). Of what law? Every intelligent
man knows that the law of which he was doctor or teacher,
was the whole Pentateuch, Decalog included. The law, then,
is the whole Jewish law, in all its parts. This one point,
clearly settled, destroys nine tenths of all the Seventh
Day Adventist argument for the Jewish Sabbath.
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