Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 1

Foreword:

The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink

(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)

In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. In our day, when people who identify themselves as Christians are so sensitive to any accusation of legalism that they tend to swing all the way out to antinomianism (that is lawlessness), it is perhaps now more than ever that we ought to prayerfully re-examine the Ten Commandments – and few do it better than Arthur Pink (1886 - 1952). I found this article to be very convicting as I first worked through it. And, lest we think we the church are not in need of this labour, let us be reminded that those whom Jesus will reject on the last Day even though they did many mighty works in his name, were accused by our Lord of not just having no intimate relationship with him (‘I never knew you’), but also that they were accused as workers of lawlessness by our Lord. The Law of God does not save, nor does it keep one saved – none the less we are called to obedience to it who are saved – but enough of me – here is Arthur Pink …

INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS

There are two things which are indispensable to the Christian's life: first, a clear knowledge of duty, and second, a conscientious practice of duty corresponding to his knowledge. As we can have no well-grounded hope of eternal salvation without obedience, so we can have no sure rule of obedience without knowledge. Although there may be knowledge without practice, yet there cannot possibly be practice of God's will without knowledge. And therefore that we might be informed what we ought to do and what to avoid, it has pleased the Ruler and judge of all the earth to prescribe for us laws for the regulating of our actions. When we had miserably defaced the Law of nature originally written in our hearts, so that many of its commandments were no longer legible, it seemed good to the Lord to transcribe that Law into the Scriptures, and in the Ten Commandments we have a summary of the same.

1) Consider Pink's first two sentences - which scripture in James 1 gives authority to his statements?

2) What does obedeince give us - salvation or the hope of salvation? what is the difference?

3) What does Romans 2 say about the natural law of God all men have? Why then was it necessary according to Pink for God to also give us a written Law? What does Paul have to say about this in Romans 7?

4) What benefit does the Law bring

            - to the world in general?

            - to the sinner?

            - to the believer?

5) Though we are no longer under the law in terms of judgment, why must Christians still obey the law and study the law and teach the law? (read psalm 1 and 119 as well as matthew 7:21-23)

Join me for the next installment of comprehending Pink's commandments.