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No.6.
Righteousness and the Mosaic Law.
pp. 76 - 78
It is impossible to pursue the teaching of the Scriptures on the matter of righteousness
without coming up against the relation of righteousness with the law of Moses. One
epistle of Paul, namely, that to the Galatians, is almost entirely devoted to that subject.
So emphatic is the Apostle on the incompatibility of the two systems, law and grace, that
he has written:
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law,
ye are fallen from grace" (Gal. 5: 4).
Again and again this sentiment is expressed in Paul's epistles, so that a true
understanding of the function of the law is of vital importance. The giving of the law at
Mount Sinai took place about 2,400 years after the creation of Adam, but there are
many evidences that `law' was known among men during the long period between these
two events. Moses himself speaks of making known laws and statutes before Sinai
(Exod. 18: 16);
Abraham obeyed God's "voice" and kept His `charge',
`commandments', `statutes' and `laws' (Gen. 26: 5). In Genesis alone thirty-four such
`laws' have been noted in operation. Moreover Rom. 2: 14, 15, 26, 27 bears evidence
to the fact that the nations of the earth had something similar to the law of Sinai `written
in their hearts'. Finally, the Saviour made it clear that all the law and the prophets hung
upon the primal law of love to God and to neighbour.
We are therefore right in asking the question, Why was the law specially given at
Sinai? What purpose did it serve? Has obedience to this law, either in person or by a
substitute, any place in the justification which pertains to the gospel?
Exod. 19: 1-7 and 24: 3-8 make it clear that at Sinai, Israel entered into a covenant
with God. They would be His peculiar treasure and become a kingdom of priests if they
kept this law, but the remainder of the O.T. is tragic witness to the utter failure of Israel
to keep its terms. The Old Covenant is likened to Hagar and gendereth to bondage, and
all under it are likened to those `born after the flesh' (Gal. 4: 21-31).
The epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the `weakness and unprofitableness' of this
covenant; it shows that `the law' made nothing perfect; that its ordinances were `carnal';
its priests `infirm'; its sacrifices utterly without avail either to touch the conscience or
to put away sins. It declares that God found fault with this first covenant, but that in
Christ He has established a New Covenant with a better Sacrifice, a better Priesthood, a
better hope and better promises.
"In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which
decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away" (Heb. 8: 13; 10: 1-4).
"By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3: 20).