by Arthur W. Pink
by Arthur W. Pink
Philologos Religious Online Books
Philologos.org
by Arthur W. Pink
April, 1934
Preaching the Law
(Completed)
2. Explain the inexorable demands of the law. It requires perfect, perpetual, personal obedience. It is given for the regulation of all the faculties and powers of the creature, and all their exercises and conduct, both internal and external, both of the thoughts and motions of the heart, and all their outward behaviour. It is the one unchanging rule of every moral agent, in all places and at all times, not leaving him at liberty to act without regard to the law in any one instance, so long as he exists. No allowance is made for the slightest infraction. The obedience which it requires is not a forced or feigned obedience, but must be a cordial and loving one.
3. Expound its spirituality and extent. The Law of God is a perfect rule, being neither too strict nor too lax. It requires not too much or too little in any instance, but points out and prescribes what is exactly right and fit in all cases. Hence every voluntary exercise of the creature is either in perfect conformity to it, and so is perfectly right, or so far as it is not so, is wrong and a violation of it. There is no medium between right and wrong, between virtue and sin. God requireth truth in the inward parts (Psa. 51:6), and every ungodly thought, imagination, or desire, is a violation of the law: Matthew 5:22-48.
4. Announce its fearful curse. There is a dreadful penalty annexed to God's Law, which consists in a threat to the disobedient: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal 3:10). This is peculiar to a law. Where a rule and directory of conduct is given, and where it is clothed with authority, it must be enforced by the authority of the legislator. A rule which carried in it no threat to the transgressor is clothed with no authority at all, has not the force of a law. The penalty (or evil threatened) by God's Law corresponds exactly to the authority of the Law-Giver and the just desert of the transgressor: it cannot be anything short of eternal punishment, infinite misery.
5. Insist that every member of the human race is under God's Law, and will yet be judged by it. Show that this must be so, for otherwise there would be no rule by which our actions could be squared, and the whole of our conduct would possess no moral quality. “Where no law is, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15); “sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Rom. 5:13); but God does “impute” sin to all men, therefore all men must be under His Law: were it otherwise, they would be irresponsible and sinless creatures. Romans 3:19 makes it plain that “all the world” is under the law and under its curse.
6. Point out that Christ did not abolish the law: He expressly announced “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). The very phrasing of this declaration shows that men do “think” He came here to abrogate God's Law; but their thoughts are utterly erroneous and highly insulting to the holy Son of God. Instead of abolishing the law, Christ constantly expounded and enforced it, and was Himself subject to the law, as a perfect example for us to follow. Nor has Christ delivered His people from the law as a rule of life: 1 Corinthians 9:21.
7. Show what is that salvation which Christ came to purchase for His people. First, the gift of His Spirit (Acts 2:33), to overcome their enmity against God's law (Rom. 8:7), and to work in them a love for it (Rom. 7:22). It is by this we may know whether we have been regenerated. Second, to bring us into a hearty and cordial consent to the law, so that each true Christian can say “so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God” (Rom. 7:25). Third, to deliver from the curse by dying for our sins of disobedience against the law, Himself enduring its penalty in our stead: Galatians 3:13.
Only as the first five points above are faithfully preached is any real foundation laid for the Gospel message! Without that foundation the preacher is building a house which will not stand; yea, he is throwing dust in the eyes of the people, bolstering them up in a false hope. Until the Law is given its proper place in the pulpit, and is preached regularly, plainly, authoritatively, the tide of lawlessness which has swept over this favoured land (and throughout all the so-called “civilized nations”), will continue rising higher and higher. Well may we pray, “It is time for Thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void Thy law” (Psa. 119:126).—A.W.P.
Philologos | Bible Prophecy Research | The BPR Reference Guide | About Us