Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-26
IS THE CHRISTIAN UNDER THE
LAW?

Editor Ottu1nwa Courier:
In the Daily Courier of the End inst
Tri- Weekly of the 3rd, l noticed MI
Smiths reply to my letter in the Feb
ruary 10 edition. l note that he il
pleased with my making an effort ant
doing the best | could with the sub
ject under dispute, Encouraged by hi
appreciation of my humble effort
will try again.
But first a little chat with the Cour.
Ter readers. l am glad to know tina
the number Of those giving attention
to the discussion is increasing; and
hope the earnest desire Of getting
down to solid facts is also Increasing
II so, let me suggest first, that you
clip out each article on the subject fol-
reference or save the paper second
that you read each article carefully
with Bible in hand, and that your turn
1 to and read each quotation or refer
1 ence. Examine the contents to see that
the writer is not making a wrong APP
plication Of the scriptures he uses
And this suggests that there is such a
thing as rightly dividing the word of
truth, G. Timothy 2-15) and there is
such thing as wrestling the scriptures
unto their own destruction, G. Peter
IS-16.) Now in order to rightly divide
the word, we must have some idea to
whom and under what circumstances
the writer is speaking. In the old tes-
lament there were two classes Of peo-
pie: the Jew to whom were commit
ted the oracle of God. (Roman, 3, 1-2)
and the Gentfles. which have not the
! law. Romans 2-14.) And since there
was much advantage every way, in be-
ing Jew, II Gentle wished to be-
come Jew, he must submit to circum-
c1sion and put himself under the moral
and ceremonial laws.
! In the new testament from Penta-
cost, there were three classes Of peo-
pie, the Jew, the Gentle and the
Church Of God, q Corinthians 10:320
| The church which was a mystery in
the Old Testament (Ephesians 3:3, 4,
| 81 was about to be inaugurated. Jesus
| had told Nicodemus, a devout law
keeping Jew, Eye must be born again. -
(John $50 And he could not under
| stand 1t. until Jesus explained that as
the serpent bitten Israelites in the will
derness, just looked at a brazen SER
pent on a pole plumbers 81, 4-5) and
lived, so every sin bitten person in
the world who would look with the eye
of faith to the son Of man lifted upon
the cross would have everlasting life
and should never perish, (John 3-14 to
| 17)
On the day Of pentecost 5000 Jews
gave the look Of faith. they gladly re-
ceived the word, and were baptized
and the church Yves founded. And
from that on, the Lord added to the
church daily, such as should be saved
(Acts, 2-41, 40. Or as 1t is in the
margin, the saved ones, in (Acts 1O,l
the toor was opened to the gentiles,
and the Holy Ghost fell on all them
that heard the word, verse Al, and they
were baptized.
In the New Testament, the Jew has
an advantage over the Gentle, for in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth anything nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature. (Gal. 6;15.)
Now in this discussion. in which I
take the stand against putting the
Christian under the law, I do not want
to be understood as in any way de-
preciating Gods Holy law. For the law
Is holy, and the commandment is holy,
and just. and good. (Romans Z, 12).
Again, we know that the law is good If
a man uses it lawfully. Il Timothy l.
81 But what is the right use Of the
law? In Romans, TT Paul says, I had
not known sin but by law, and again
in 800 for by the law is the knowledge
of sin. The law then is to show us that
we are sinners. Evangelist D. L.
Moody used to say 1t was Gods look
ing glass. Now we stand before the
glass to see If there Is dirt on us, but,
we don't rub up against the glass to
take 1t off, we must go to the LAYER.
So we look into the ten command
ments and 1t shows us we are polluted
with sin, but no amount Of rubbing up
against them will remove the stain
We must go to the fountain opened at
Calvary for cleansing. But the law
does more than show us that we are
sinners, 1t condemns to death. Notice
three succeeding verses in Romans, Z,
8, II. for I was alive without the law
once; but when the commandments
came, sin revived, and I died. And the
commandment which was ordained to
life, found to be unto death. For
sin, taking occasion by the command
ment, deceived me, and by it, slew
me.
The lawful use of the law, then, is to
put us to death, and not to give us life,
for, II there had been law given, that
could have given Life, then verify
righteousness should have been by the
ventist friends, who have been most
conspicuous in the discussion, have a
way of taking the words, law, COM
mandments and testimonies, wherever
they find them in the Bible, and where
1t suits their purpose, and applying
them to the ten commandments. But,
there were laws and commandments
I'LL through the ulSpeuSaIlOIlS, IIlaC
preceded the dispensation Of law,
which began at Mt. Sinai and ended at
Calvary. In the garden before the fall
a command was given and g. penalty
attached, Genesis ?, 1919 And by
the disobedience Of Adam, death pass
ed upon all men. (Romans s, 12.) The
word commandment was used many
times before the decalogue was given.
The word law. may mean the ten COM
mandments, the moral and ceremonial
law, the first five books Of the Bible,
or the work Of God. Testimonials may
mean the moral law, or the sayings of
God or of Christ.
In reference to my proposition that
the Christians Sabbath is not a day
but an experience Of eternal rest, Mr..
Smith says this might seem like new
light on this question. have no doubt
1t Is, as also the statement that the
first day Of the week Is not holy day
or Sabbath and that the Christian Is
not under the law. / remember well
when believed that Christian could
fall from grace and be lost; that he
was under the law, and that Sunday
was the Sabbath. But have learned
to bring every tenet to the test Of
Gods holy word. There is no other