The law is neither the ground of life to the sinner (it being “taken away” - Heb 10:9—NC), nor the rule of life to the Christian (was intended only for Israel—NC): the Lord Jesus is both the one and the other—He is our life (Col 3:4), and He is our rule of life! The law can only curse and slay. The Lord Jesus is our life and righteousness. He went down into the place where the sinner lay—into the place of death and judgment; and having, by His death, entirely discharged all that was or could be against us, He became, in resurrection, the source of life and the ground of righteousness to all who believe in His name.
Having thus life and righteousness in Him, we are called to walk not merely as the law directs, but to “walk as He walked” (1Jo 2:6). It will hardly be deemed needful to assert that it is directly contrary to Christian nature and ethics to kill, commit adultery or steal. But were a Christian to shape his way according to these commands, or according to the entire Decalogue, would he yield the rare and delicate fruits which the Epistle of Ephesians sets forth?
Would the Ten Commandments ever cause a thief to give up stealing, and go to work that he might have to give? Would they ever transform a robber into a laborious and liberal man? Assuredly not. The law says, “Thou shalt not steal”: but does it say, Go and give to him that needs—Go, feed, clothe and bless your enemy—God, gladden by your benevolent feelings and your beneficent acts the heart of him who only and always seeks your harm? By no means; and yet, were I under the law as a rule, it could only curse and slay me (because the purpose of the law was to solely convict of guilt, not receive forgiveness, which came only from the priestly sacrifices—NC).
How is this, when the standard in the New Testament is so much higher? Because I am weak, and the law gives me no strength and shows me no mercy. The law demands strength from one that has none (in sin but forgiven—NC), and curses him if he cannot display it (requires being sinless, like Christ, but man is only guiltless, not sinless—NC). The Gospel gives strength to one that has none (guiltlessness in Christ—NC), and blesses him in the exhibition of it. The law proposes life as the end of obedience (if it could be perfectly obeyed, but it can’t be—NC); the Gospel gives life as the only proper ground of obedience.
If the law be indeed the rule of a believer’s life, where are we to find it presented in the New Testament? Paul evidently had no thought of it being the rule when he penned the following words: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” “As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy” (Gal 6:15, 16). What “rule”? The law? No; but the “new creation.” The law speaks not a word about “new creation.”
Why does not Paul say, As many as walk according to the Ten Commandments? Is it not evident that the believer has a higher rule by which to walk? Unquestionably? The Ten Commandments , though forming, as a true Christian admits, a part of the canon of inspiration, could never be the rule of new life to one who has, through infinite grace, been recreated into the new creation—one who has received new life in the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Ro 8:2 – Israel is guilty concerning the law of sin, and also concerning the law – the Gentiles are guilty only of the law of sin – which states that “the soul that sins, it shall die” - Eze 18:4, 20—NC).
—C H Mackintosh (1820-1896)
MJS devotional excerpt for Dec 1
“When the Lord Jesus has once died and risen, He is through with sin forever. He is now living in the eternal light of His Father’s face. He is our Adam, our life. We died in Him. We were raised in Him. Through our death with Him at Calvary we have escaped forever from the old Adam life. Our feelings have nothing to do with it. It was all accomplished at the Cross.
“We dare not deny God’s Word. He says we died with Christ. We can cry triumphantly, when we know: ‘I died unto sin with the Lord Jesus on the Cross, two thousand years ago! I reckon myself what the Father says I am in His Son—dead unto sin and alive unto God. Sin has no claim on me in the Lord Jesus, and cannot have dominion over me, as I yield myself to my Father in this wonderful new revelation of yielding myself to God, as one who is alive from the dead’ (Rom. 6:13). Thus will we begin to find how true and how tremendous is the deliverance that is in the Lord Jesus for us. And thus alone will we really honor the grace of God.” –William R Newell (1868-1956)
Having thus life and righteousness in Him, we are called to walk not merely as the law directs, but to “walk as He walked” (1Jo 2:6). It will hardly be deemed needful to assert that it is directly contrary to Christian nature and ethics to kill, commit adultery or steal. But were a Christian to shape his way according to these commands, or according to the entire Decalogue, would he yield the rare and delicate fruits which the Epistle of Ephesians sets forth?
Would the Ten Commandments ever cause a thief to give up stealing, and go to work that he might have to give? Would they ever transform a robber into a laborious and liberal man? Assuredly not. The law says, “Thou shalt not steal”: but does it say, Go and give to him that needs—Go, feed, clothe and bless your enemy—God, gladden by your benevolent feelings and your beneficent acts the heart of him who only and always seeks your harm? By no means; and yet, were I under the law as a rule, it could only curse and slay me (because the purpose of the law was to solely convict of guilt, not receive forgiveness, which came only from the priestly sacrifices—NC).
How is this, when the standard in the New Testament is so much higher? Because I am weak, and the law gives me no strength and shows me no mercy. The law demands strength from one that has none (in sin but forgiven—NC), and curses him if he cannot display it (requires being sinless, like Christ, but man is only guiltless, not sinless—NC). The Gospel gives strength to one that has none (guiltlessness in Christ—NC), and blesses him in the exhibition of it. The law proposes life as the end of obedience (if it could be perfectly obeyed, but it can’t be—NC); the Gospel gives life as the only proper ground of obedience.
If the law be indeed the rule of a believer’s life, where are we to find it presented in the New Testament? Paul evidently had no thought of it being the rule when he penned the following words: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” “As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy” (Gal 6:15, 16). What “rule”? The law? No; but the “new creation.” The law speaks not a word about “new creation.”
Why does not Paul say, As many as walk according to the Ten Commandments? Is it not evident that the believer has a higher rule by which to walk? Unquestionably? The Ten Commandments , though forming, as a true Christian admits, a part of the canon of inspiration, could never be the rule of new life to one who has, through infinite grace, been recreated into the new creation—one who has received new life in the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Ro 8:2 – Israel is guilty concerning the law of sin, and also concerning the law – the Gentiles are guilty only of the law of sin – which states that “the soul that sins, it shall die” - Eze 18:4, 20—NC).
—C H Mackintosh (1820-1896)
MJS devotional excerpt for Dec 1
“When the Lord Jesus has once died and risen, He is through with sin forever. He is now living in the eternal light of His Father’s face. He is our Adam, our life. We died in Him. We were raised in Him. Through our death with Him at Calvary we have escaped forever from the old Adam life. Our feelings have nothing to do with it. It was all accomplished at the Cross.
“We dare not deny God’s Word. He says we died with Christ. We can cry triumphantly, when we know: ‘I died unto sin with the Lord Jesus on the Cross, two thousand years ago! I reckon myself what the Father says I am in His Son—dead unto sin and alive unto God. Sin has no claim on me in the Lord Jesus, and cannot have dominion over me, as I yield myself to my Father in this wonderful new revelation of yielding myself to God, as one who is alive from the dead’ (Rom. 6:13). Thus will we begin to find how true and how tremendous is the deliverance that is in the Lord Jesus for us. And thus alone will we really honor the grace of God.” –William R Newell (1868-1956)