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…
“Fourth, let us consider
their (the ten commandments) perpetuity (state or quality of lasting
forever). That the Decalogue is binding
upon every man in each succeeding generation is evident from many
considerations. First, as the necessary and unchanging expression of God's
rectitude (morally correct behaviour or thinking; righteousness), its authority over all moral agents becomes
inevitable: the character of God Himself must change before the Law (the rule
of His government) can be revoked. This is the Law that was given to man at his
creation from which his subsequent apostasy could not relieve him. The Moral
Law is founded on relations which subsist wherever there are creatures endowed
with reason and volition. Second, Christ Himself rendered to the Law a perfect
obedience, thereby leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps.
Third, the Apostle to the Gentiles specifically raised the question "Do we
then make void the Law through faith?" and answered, "God forbid:
yea, we establish the Law" (Rom. 3:31). Finally, the perpetuity of the Law
appears in God's writing it in the hearts of His people at their new birth
(Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:26, 27).”
1) In your own words give the four reasons why the ten
commandments are perpetually important according to Pink.
2) Was Cain innocent of murder because the Ten Commandments
had not yet been given?Was Abraham’s lies to the king of Egypt and to Abimelech
excuseable because they were told before Moses was born? Was the Sabbath made
holy during the exodus or the creation? Other pre-law examples can be given to
show that the Law of God has always existed as has the consequences for breaking
it. Since God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 13:8; James
1:17) are the laws somehow irrelevant after the cross? What did Paul say about
this in Romans 7:7
“What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly
not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the
law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not
said, “You shall not covet.”” – Does Paul really mean that he would know
nothing of sin without the Law? Since we know that those who lived before the
giving of the ten commandments were judged as sinners it is clear that Paul is
not talking about basic knowledge but intimate knowledge of sin – a knowledge
of the extent of sin, the detail of sin, the offense of sin – this is what the
law reveals to us. As we grow in faith and mature as Christians we tend sin
less but our sins tend to weigh more. Can you examine your walk with Christ and
see this occuring?
3) “The Decalogue is binding upon every man in each
succeeding generation” – the law is binding but not saving. The legalist tries
to save themselves by obeying the law (pharisees for example), the lawless
antinomian in their reaction against legalism (or perhaps more often in their
rebellion against God and their desire to sin freely or specifically – e.g.
homosexuality in the church) tries to excuse themselves from being bound to the
Law of God. But we have learned that Law is for our good and is given in love. Consider
then-
-
Why should we obey the Law of God?
-
Will we perfectly succeed?
-
What gives us hope when we fail?
-
According to Micah 6:8 what does the Lord require of us
and is perfect law keeping on the list?
-
What desired resultant attitude is fostered in the
child of God who wants to obey but often fails and confesses and repents?
No comments:
Post a Comment