HISTORY OF THE SABBATH - Friends of the Sabbath Australia

Chapter Eleven – The Sabbath During the Ministry of the Apostlesmust pertain to that law which was broken, and respecting which an atonementhad been shadowed forth. 16 (6) The ten commandments are thus set forth in theOld Testament as that law which demanded an atonement; while the fact isever kept in view that those sacrifices there provided could not avail to takeaway sins. 17 (7) But the death of Jesus as the antitype of those sacrifices, wasdesigned to accomplish precisely what they shadowed forth, but which theycould not effect, viz., to make atonement for the transgression of that lawwhich was placed in the ark beneath the mercy-seat. 18We are thus brought to the conclusion that the law of God contained in the ark in Heaven isidentical with that law which was contained in the ark upon the earth; and that both areidentical with that law which the new covenant puts in the heart of each believer. 19 The OldTestament, therefore, gives us the law of God and pronounces it perfect; it also provides atypical atonement, but pronounces it inadequate to take away sins. 20 Hence what was neededwas not a new edition of the law of God; for that which was given already was perfect; but areal atonement to take away the guilt of the transgressor. So the New Testament respondsprecisely to this want, providing a real atonement in the death and intercession of theRedeemer, but giving no new edition of the law of God, 21 though it fails not to cite us to theperfect code given long before. But although the New Testament does not give a new editionof the law of God, it does show that the Christian dispensation has the great original of thatlaw in the sanctuary in Heaven.9. We have seen that the new covenant places the law of God in the heart of each believer,and that the original of that law is preserved in the temple in Heaven. That all mankind areamenable to the law of God, and that they ever have been, is clearly shown by Paul's epistle tothe Romans. In the first chapter, he traces the origin of idolatry to the willful apostasy of theGentiles, which took place soon after the flood. In the second chapter, he shows that althoughGod gave them up to their own ways, and as a consequence left them without his written law,yet they were not left in utter darkness; for they had by nature the work of the law written intheir hearts; and dim as was this light, their salvation would be secured by living up to it, ortheir ruin accomplished by sinning against it. In the third chapter, he shows what advantagethe family of Abraham had in being taken as the heritage of God, while all other nations wereleft to their own ways. It was that the oracles of God, the written law, was given them inaddition to that work of the law written in the heart, which they had by nature in commonwith the Gentiles. He then shows that they were no better than the Gentiles, because that bothclasses were transgressors of the law. This he proves by quotations from the Old Testament.Then he shows that the law of God has jurisdiction over all mankind:"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who areunder the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world maybecome guilty before God." 22He then shows that the law cannot save the guilty, but must condemn them, and that justly.Next, he reveals the great fact that redemption through the death of Jesus is the only means bywhich God can justify those who seek pardon, and at the same time remain just himself. Andfinally he exclaims:"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establishthe law." 23It follows, herefore, that the law of God is unabolished; that the sentence of condemnationwhich it pronounces upon the guilty is as extensive as is the offer of pardon through the91