sinners in the sight of God. We find ourselves sinners by past offences, and
unable to render present obedience. The just penalty of the law hangs over our
heads; we find ourselves lost, and fly to Jesus Christ for refuge. What does he do
to save us from the curse of the law? Does he abolish the law, that he may save
its transgressor? He tells us that he did "not come to destroy" it, and we know
that the law being holy, just, and good, cannot be taken back without destroying
the government of Him who gave it. Does the Saviour modify its character, and
lessen its requirements? Far from it. He testifies that not one jot or tittle shall
"pass from it till all be fulfilled." Matt.v,18; Luke xvi,17; James ii,10. And he knows
that those who in
23
heart commit any act of iniquity, are transgressors of the law. Matt.v,22,27,28;
1John iii,15. If the Saviour did not abolish or relax the law, how can guilty man
hope for salvation? What then does the Saviour do? He gives himself to die in
our stead. He offers his own "life a ransom for many." Matt.xx,28. "God so loved
the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii,16. We now lay hold on
Jesus Christ as the great atonement for our transgressions, and receive a full
and free pardon of all offence. A way has now been laid open by which man,
though justly condemned by the law of God, can yet be saved without
dishonoring, or making void the law. God can be just and yet "the justifier of him
who believes in Jesus." Rom.iii,25,26.
Need we inquire further what it is to be under grace? We have already seen
in what manner we are saved, notwithstanding the law condemns us, and yet the
claims of the law are not made void. When we were lost and ruined by
transgression, and had no way to escape the just sentence of the law, God gave
his own Son to die for us. The law can then allow mercy to enter and offer pardon
to all who will accept it by faith in Jesus Christ. In his person mercy and truth
meet together. The law justly condemns us; Jesus bears our sins in his own body
on the tree; faith in him justifies, and saves us. The law brings us to faith; faith
does not make void the law, but establishes it. Those who are under sin are
under the law, those who have been pardoned are under grace. Two states then
are brought to view in the New Testament. - 1. Under the laws. - 2. Under grace.
Those who are under the law, are condemned: those who are under grace, are
pardoned. We ask, does Christ come and die to redeem us form the just
sentence of the law, that he may bring us to a state where we may at pleasure
violate its precepts? Is the law of a character so sacred that it must needs have
the death of the Son of God for its atonement, and when the sinner has obtained
pardon, is it then "relaxed, or slacked up," so that it is at his option whether to
obey it or not? Does this state of grace give us license to violate the law
24
of God? In answer to these inquiries, we are told that "that part of the law which
Christ quoted is certainly binding on us. But those precepts which he did not
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
quote, are not to be regarded, for they ceased at his death." We answer, there is
an end to this part of the controversy then, for the law which brings us to Christ
