A man, who does not love the law of God, does not love the Gospel, neither does he love God. For the Law as well as the Gospel is a mirror reflecting the true character of God.This leads others to misunderstand, thus leads to the perils of the evils of sin, the extent of it, and the demerit of it. In the proportion to the rightfulness of the commandments is the wrongfulness of disobedience of the Law. Affiliated to the dangers already named, is the danger of understanding the justice of God.
The new theological prims puts asunder what God has joined together. The tendency on the modern pulpit is to strain out the divine benevolence, to sink God’s love down to a sentiment, rather than to exalt it as a principle.
Is the Divine Law of God a good or is it an evil? It is a good, then justice is good, for it is a deposition to exalt the law.
The psalmist David said,
“I delight to do thy will O my God yea; thy law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:8
The Law is a revelation of the will and true character of its author. God is love and his law is love. Its two great principles are ‘love to God’, and ‘love to man.’
“Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:10
The character of God is righteousness and truth, and such is the nature of His law.
“The law is holy and the commandment is holy, just and good.”
Romans 7:12
Such a Law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its author – YHWH (God). It is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile man to God by bringing him into accordance with the principle of God’s Law.
Since sin alienated man from God, only through the Plan of Salvation, which is the merits of Christ, can man be restored in harmony with his Maker. His heart must be renewed by divine grace; he must have a “new life” from above. This is the “new birth” and without which Jesus says, “ye cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The first step in reconciliation to God is the “conviction of sin.” In order to see one’s guilt, the sinner must test his character by God’s great standard of righteousness. It is a mirror which shows the perfection of a righteous character and enables him to discern the defects in his own character.
The Gospel of Christ alone can free men from the condemnation or the defilement of sin. He must exercise repentance towards God, whose law has been transgressed and out of his trust in Christ – his atoning sacrifice, he obtains remission of sin that are past; thus becomes a partaker of the Divine Nature, a child of God, having received “the Spirit of adoption,” whereby he “cries Abba, Father.”
The Law reveals to man his sins, but provides a remedy. While it provides and promises life, it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. Moving away from rebellion to obedience and loyalty, the old life of alienation from God has ended, and the new life of reconciliation, faith and love has begun. Then, the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in man. Romans 8:4. And the language of the soul will be. “Oh how love I thy law. It is my mediation all the day.” Psalms 119:97
“The law is perfect converting the soul.”
Psalms 19: 7
Without the Law, man has no true conviction of sin, and feels no need of repentance. Also, he is not able to see his lost condition as a violation of the Law, and not realize the need for the atoning blood of Christ.
True “sanctification” is a Biblical doctrine. It is the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 4: 3; 5: 23.
The Saviour said,
“Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.”
John 17:17
For,
“When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth.’
John 16:13
“Thy law is the truth’
Psalm 119: 142
By the word and the spirit of God, men are opened to the great principles of righteousness embodied in His Law.
“I keep my father’s commandments; I do always those things that please him.”
John 15: 10
Followers must be like Christ, by the grace of God form characters in harmony with the principles of his holy law. This work can be accomplished only through the Faith of Christ, and by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
For it is,
“God which worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure.’
Philippians 2: 12, 13
Forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before you.
And,
“Press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3: 13, 14.
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue and virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, and if ye do these things ye shall never fall.”
2 Peter 1:5-10
Those who experience the satisfaction of the word of God will manifest a spirit of humility, because, they have had a view of the majesty of His holiness and seen their own unworthiness as it contrast with the purity and the exalted perfection of the infinite one.
Ye must have faith with works, for “faith without works id dead.”
James 2: 14-24.
The committing of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the spirit, and separates the soul from God.
“He who said I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word in his word in him verily is the love of God perfected.”
John 2: 4, 5
“I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifices holy and acceptable unto God.”
Romans 12: 1
“And come out from among them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch not unclean and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters.”
2 Corinthians 6: 17, 18
“I am the light of the world,” said Jesus, “he that followeth after me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.”
John 8: 12
“The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the prefect day.”
Proverbs 4: 18
Every step of the faith and obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the light of the world in whom there is no darkness at all. The bright beams of the sun of righteousness shine upon the servants of God and they are to reflect His rays. As the stars tell us that there is a great light in heaven with whose glory they are made bright, so Christians are to make it manifest that there is a God on the throne of the universe whose character is worthy of praise and imitation. The Grace of His Spirit, the purity and holiness of His character will be manifested in His witnesses’.
The Christian life should be one of faith, of victory and joy in God.
“Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world even our faith.”
1 John 5: 4
“The joy of the Lord is our strength; rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Philippians 4: 4
Such are the fruits of Bible conversion and sanctification. It is by beholding, that we become changed into those sacred precepts in which God has opened to men, the perfection and holiness of his character.
“Forsake not the Lord for he is the fountain of living water.”
Jeremiah 2: 13
“Blessed is the man that delight in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate night and day he shall be like a tree planted by the river of water bringeth forth his fruits in his season. His leaves also shall not whither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Psalms 1: 1-3
“Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your soul.”
Jeremiah 6: 16
Remember those that,
“…do his commandments may have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city.”
of heaven.
Revelation 22: 4
So brethren, God will accept nothing less than unreserved surrender. Half-hearted, sinful so-called “Christians” can never enter heaven, because there they would find no happiness; for they know nothing of the holy principles that govern the members of the royal family. The true Christians keep the windows of the mind open, Heaven-wards; he lives in fellowship with Christ; his will is conformed to the will of the Savior and his highest desire is to become more and more like Him. So! it is up to us to remedy the defects in our characters and to cleanse the mind of every defilement through the Grace of God, and then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.
THE END
Bro. Joseph Nisbett
THE LAW OF GOD IS A TRANSCRIPT OF HIS DIVINE PERFECTION
A man, who does not love the law of God, does not love the Gospel, neither does he love God. For the Law as well as the Gospel is a mirror reflecting the true character of God.
This leads others to misunderstand, thus leads to the perils of the evils of sin, the extent of it, and the demerit of it. In the proportion to the rightfulness of the commandments is the wrongfulness of disobedience of the Law. Affiliated to the dangers already named, is the danger of understanding the justice of God.
The new theological prims puts asunder what God has joined together. The tendency on the modern pulpit is to strain out the divine benevolence, to sink God’s love down to a sentiment, rather than to exalt it as a principle.
Is the Divine Law of God a good or is it an evil? It is a good, then justice is good, for it is a deposition to exalt the law.
The psalmist David said,
“I delight to do thy will O my God yea; thy law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:8
The Law is a revelation of the will and true character of its author. God is love and his law is love. Its two great principles are ‘love to God’, and ‘love to man.’
“Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:10
The character of God is righteousness and truth, and such is the nature of His law.
“The law is holy and the commandment is holy, just and good.”
Romans 7:12
Such a Law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its author – YHWH (God). It is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile man to God by bringing him into accordance with the principle of God’s Law.
Since sin alienated man from God, only through the Plan of Salvation, which is the merits of Christ, can man be restored in harmony with his Maker. His heart must be renewed by divine grace; he must have a “new life” from above. This is the “new birth” and without which Jesus says, “ye cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The first step in reconciliation to God is the “conviction of sin.” In order to see one’s guilt, the sinner must test his character by God’s great standard of righteousness. It is a mirror which shows the perfection of a righteous character and enables him to discern the defects in his own character.
The Gospel of Christ alone can free men from the condemnation or the defilement of sin. He must exercise repentance towards God, whose law has been transgressed and out of his trust in Christ – his atoning sacrifice, he obtains remission of sin that are past; thus becomes a partaker of the Divine Nature, a child of God, having received “the Spirit of adoption,” whereby he “cries Abba, Father.”
The Law reveals to man his sins, but provides a remedy. While it provides and promises life, it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. Moving away from rebellion to obedience and loyalty, the old life of alienation from God has ended, and the new life of reconciliation, faith and love has begun. Then, the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in man. Romans 8:4. And the language of the soul will be. “Oh how love I thy law. It is my mediation all the day.” Psalms 119:97
“The law is perfect converting the soul.”
Psalms 19: 7
Without the Law, man has no true conviction of sin, and feels no need of repentance. Also, he is not able to see his lost condition as a violation of the Law, and not realize the need for the atoning blood of Christ.
True “sanctification” is a Biblical doctrine. It is the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 4: 3; 5: 23.
The Saviour said,
“Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.”
John 17:17
For,
“When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth.’
John 16:13
“Thy law is the truth’
Psalm 119: 142
By the word and the spirit of God, men are opened to the great principles of righteousness embodied in His Law.
“I keep my father’s commandments; I do always those things that please him.”
John 15: 10
Followers must be like Christ, by the grace of God form characters in harmony with the principles of his holy law. This work can be accomplished only through the Faith of Christ, and by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
For it is,
“God which worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure.’
Philippians 2: 12, 13
Forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before you.
And,
“Press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3: 13, 14.
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue and virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, and if ye do these things ye shall never fall.”
2 Peter 1:5-10
Those who experience the satisfaction of the word of God will manifest a spirit of humility, because, they have had a view of the majesty of His holiness and seen their own unworthiness as it contrast with the purity and the exalted perfection of the infinite one.
Ye must have faith with works, for “faith without works id dead.”
James 2: 14-24.
The committing of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the spirit, and separates the soul from God.
“He who said I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word in his word in him verily is the love of God perfected.”
John 2: 4, 5
“I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifices holy and acceptable unto God.”
Romans 12: 1
“And come out from among them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch not unclean and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters.”
2 Corinthians 6: 17, 18
“I am the light of the world,” said Jesus, “he that followeth after me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.”
John 8: 12
“The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the prefect day.”
Proverbs 4: 18
Every step of the faith and obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the light of the world in whom there is no darkness at all. The bright beams of the sun of righteousness shine upon the servants of God and they are to reflect His rays. As the stars tell us that there is a great light in heaven with whose glory they are made bright, so Christians are to make it manifest that there is a God on the throne of the universe whose character is worthy of praise and imitation. The Grace of His Spirit, the purity and holiness of His character will be manifested in His witnesses’.
The Christian life should be one of faith, of victory and joy in God.
“Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world even our faith.”
1 John 5: 4
“The joy of the Lord is our strength; rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Philippians 4: 4
Such are the fruits of Bible conversion and sanctification. It is by beholding, that we become changed into those sacred precepts in which God has opened to men, the perfection and holiness of his character.
“Forsake not the Lord for he is the fountain of living water.”
Jeremiah 2: 13
“Blessed is the man that delight in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate night and day he shall be like a tree planted by the river of water bringeth forth his fruits in his season. His leaves also shall not whither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Psalms 1: 1-3
“Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your soul.”
Jeremiah 6: 16
Remember those that,
“…do his commandments may have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city.”
of heaven.
Revelation 22: 4
So brethren, God will accept nothing less than unreserved surrender. Half-hearted, sinful so-called “Christians” can never enter heaven, because there they would find no happiness; for they know nothing of the holy principles that govern the members of the royal family. The true Christians keep the windows of the mind open, Heaven-wards; he lives in fellowship with Christ; his will is conformed to the will of the Savior and his highest desire is to become more and more like Him. So! it is up to us to remedy the defects in our characters and to cleanse the mind of every defilement through the Grace of God, and then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.
THE END
Bro. Joseph Nisbett
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