16. What are the wages of sin?
"For _the wages of sin is death_; but the gift of G.o.d is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 6:23.
17. Could a law which condemns men give them life?
"Is the law then against the promises of G.o.d? G.o.d forbid: for _if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law_." Gal. 3:21.
18. What, therefore, was the purpose, or special design, of the giving of the law at Sinai?
"Wherefore _the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ_, that we might be justified by faith." Verse 24.
NOTES.-"What is the law of G.o.d for? for us to keep in order to be saved by it?-Not at all. It is sent in order to show us that we cannot be saved by works, and to shut us up to be saved by grace.
But if you make out that the law is altered so that a man can keep it, you have left him his old legal hope, and he is sure to cling to it. You need a perfect law that shuts man right up to hopelessness apart from Jesus, puts him into an iron cage, and locks him up, and offers him no escape but by faith in Jesus; then he begins to cry, "Lord, save me by grace, for I perceive that I cannot be saved by my own works." This is how Paul describes it to the Galatians: "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary when you set aside the law. You have taken away from it the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ. They will never accept grace till they tremble before a just and holy law. Therefore the law serves a most necessary and blessed purpose, and it must not be removed from its place."-_"__The Perpetuity of the Law of G.o.d,__"__ by C. H. Spurgeon, pages 10, 11._
"And let it be observed that the law did not answer this end merely among the Jews, in the days of the apostles: it is just as necessary to the Gentiles, to the present hour. Nor do we find that true repentance takes place where the moral law is not preached and enforced. Those who preach only the gospel to sinners, at best only heal the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly."-_Dr. Adam Clarke, on Rom. 7:13 (edition 1860)._
Commenting on Gal. 3:23, Mr. Spurgeon, in his "Sermon Notes,"
CCXII, says: "Here we have a condensed history of the world before the gospel was fully revealed by the coming of our Lord Jesus....
The history of each saved soul is a miniature likeness of the story of the ages." That is, in his experience, each individual that is saved is first in darkness; he then comes to Sinai and learns that he is a sinner; this leads him to Calvary for the pardon of his sins, and so to full and final salvation.
Penalty For Transgression
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Destruction Of Korah, Dathan, And Abiram. "The wages of sin is death."
Rom. 6:23.
1. What is the wages of sin?
"For the wages of sin is _death_." Rom. 6:23.
2. What did G.o.d tell Adam and Eve would be the result if they transgressed, and partook of the forbidden fruit?
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof _thou shalt surely die_." Gen.
2:17.
3. Who does G.o.d say shall die?
"_The soul that sinneth_, it shall die." Eze. 18:4.
4. How did death enter the world?
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and _death by sin_; and so death pa.s.sed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12.
5. Why did G.o.d destroy the antediluvian world?
"And _G.o.d saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth_.... And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth." Gen. 6:5-7.
6. While G.o.d is merciful, does this clear the guilty?
"The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and _by no means clearing the guilty_." Num. 14:18. See also Ex. 34:5-7.
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
The Tower Of Babel. "The Lord did there confound the language of all the earth." Gen. 11:9.
7. What is the result of wilful sin?
"For _if we sin wilfully_ after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, _there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins_, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." Heb. 10:26, 27.
8. Under the theocracy, how were the rebellious or wilful transgressors treated?
"He that despised Moses" law _died without mercy_ under two or three witnesses." Verse 28.
9. What awaits those who despise the means of grace?
"_Of how much sorer punishment_, suppose ye, _shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of G.o.d_, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Verse 29.
10. Is it the duty of gospel ministers to execute vengeance?
"Now then _we are amba.s.sadors for Christ_, as though G.o.d did beseech you by us." 2 Cor. 5:20. See 2 Tim. 2:24-26.
11. To whom does vengeance belong?
"_Vengeance is Mine; I will repay_, saith the Lord." Rom. 12:19.
12. To whom has execution of judgment been committed?
"For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and _hath given Him authority to execute judgment also_." John 5:26, 27. See Jude 14, 15.
13. Because evil is not punished immediately, what presumptuous course do many pursue?
"Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, _therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil_."
Eccl. 8:11.
14. What message has G.o.d commissioned His ministers to bear to men?
"Say ye to the righteous, that _it shall be well with him_: for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings. _Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him_: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." Isa. 3:10, 11.