The letters to the Hebrews, the Romans and the Galatians discuss exhaustively the passing of the Law of Moses “for the weakness thereof” (Heb. 7. 18). In each epistle viewed separately, the arguments advanced to prove that the Law could not give eternal life are unanswerable: their combined testimony is therefore overwhelming, establishing beyond all doubt that ”by the works of law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2. 16).
This verdict should be an end of all strife, yet one misapprehension persists in the minds of some who allege that these three epistles establish not the intrinsic inability of the Law of Moses to confer eternal life, but rather its impotence to do so because men broke it. That is, that Law is said to have in fact contained a promise of eternal life in reward for perfect obedience and to have actually conferred it on Jesus because he kept it faultlessly. Such reasoning is false. All three epistles prove it to be so.
Hebrews—None could dispute that “the ministration of righteousness” is “a better covenant” than that of Sinai if only because it is established upon “better promises” (Heb. 8. 6). One of the chief of these is “the promise of eternal inheritance” (9. 15). Eternal life is a prerequisite of such an inheritance: a man, to possess an inheritance for ever, must, as Dr. Thomas so logically argues, “be made immortal to enable him to possess it everlastingly”. There were thus a distinct promise of eternal life in “the everlasting covenant” which, apart from any other, constituted it “a better covenant” than the covenant of Sinai, for the latter contained no equivalent promise. This fact is easily verified from the Old Testament itself: we look in vain in the Sinai covenant for any such promise explicit or implicit, in reward for perfect obedience.
Romans—A man who earns a reward by effort receives it as his due. In the words of Paul, “to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt” (Rom. 4. 4). Paul therefore concludes logically that “if Abraham were justified by works, he bath whereof to glory”. But what are the facts? What saith the Scripture? Abraham had faith in God, and that faith was reckoned to him for righteousness (verses 2-3). That is, Abraham did not receive the reward by works. Why? Was it simply because, through the weakness of the flesh, he obviously could not earn it by merit? By no moans: Christ did in fact live sinlessly, and if for that reason the Law had power to confer life on him, then the reward must have been reckoned to him of debt. But Paul shows that the principle which applied in the case of Abraham applied also in that of Christ, his Seed, “for the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through law, but through the righteousness of faith” (verse 1 3 ).
Galatians—A human covenant, once ratified, is binding: “though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto” (Gal. 3. 15). So it is with God’s arrangements: “This I say”, adds Paul, “that the covenant that was confirmed before God, in Christ, the Law—which was four hundred and thirty years after—cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect” (verse 17). Such, however, would be the case if the Sinai covenant had contained the same promise: it would have been a modification of the Abrahamic covenant, and so have rendered it obsolete “for if the inheritance be of law it is no more of promise” (verse 18).
Is such a contingency conceivable? “Is the Law against the promise of God? God forbid—for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (verse 21). In view of this statement the Law of Moses could not possibly have had the essential power to confer life. “The law ‘made nothing perfect.” It was but the bringing in of a better hope (Heb. 7. 19, margin).
Habakkuk—Habakkuk’s words (quoted in all three epistles) settle the matter finally so far as the position of Christ is concerned: “The just shall live by faith” (Hab. 2, 4).he asked life of thee Variant renderings for Habakkuk’s statement as quoted in Heb. 10. 38 are helpful:
“My righteous one shall live by faith” (R.V.) ; “It is by faith that my righteous servant shall live” (Weymouth). Stephen tells us that “the prophets spewed before of the coming of the Just One (Acts 7. 52). Jesus was without doubt “the Holy One and the Just” of whom Habakkuk spoke (Acts 3. 14) . Why was he called “the Just One”? Because he lived a sinless life, observing the Law perfectly. How then did he, “the Holy one and the Just”, attain to life eternal? Habakkuk answers, “By faith”. Why not by works, even in his case? Because God gave the inheritance by promise to Abraham then to Jesus also, for, as we have already seen, “To Abraham and his seed were the promises made”—to Abraham and Christ, that is, since Christ is the -seed” (Gal. 3. 16).
We now perceive the twofold weakness of the Law of Moses. Firstly, no one could keep it; “as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (verse 10). Secondly, even if a man kept it, it lacked the essential power to confer life. We find this illustrated in Christ. He kept the Law perfectly, “but that no man is justified by Law in the sight of God is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (verse 11). Had it been otherwise—if righteousness came by Law”—then Christ died needlessly (verse 21:). But Christ did not die in vain, but to make good the deficiencies of the Law.
Yet he died a sinless man. Necessarily so, for without perfect obedience on his part to the Law of Moses, righteousness could not justly be imputed to those who could not keep it (and so were unjust). But, by virtue of the fact that he offered himself without spot to God, his blood purges our conscience (Heb. 9. 14) and by it we are justified (or declared righteous), our faith being counted for righteousness for his sake (Rom. 5. 9; Rom. 4. 5).
His sinlessness emphasized by contrast the wickedness of the hand that crucified him. If only because sinners could not be permitted to triumph over the One in whom God was well pleased, it was essential for him to rise. But altogether apart from this, God’s purpose in and through him could not be frustrated, and necessitated his resurrection. So God raised him up, “having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”. He is now, in consequence, alive for evermore having as our “forerunner” entered into “that within the veil”, to which the righteousness which is of the law could never access. So the Apostle bids us “be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience, inherit the promises” (Heb. 6. 12).
Early in 1963 he read an advertisement in the English language edition of the “Fiji Times” newspaper, which included the offer of a free Bible Study Course. This he applied for, and also requested permission to send Bible questions. To commence, complete sets of “Facts” and “Way” leaflets were forwarded, as it was evident from his letter that his knowledge of the Scriptures was much deeper than is usually encountered. He was also invited to send in as many questions as he desired. By return mail came three sheets of notepaper closely written, and on the last sheet appeared the words, “I have many more questions to ask, and will send them tomorrow or the next day”. Two days later two more pages of questions arrived! Agreeing largely with the Truth as expressed in the leaflets sent to him, and, receiving from the Scriptures satisfying answers to his numerous questions, our friend realised that, at last, he appeared to be on the right road in his quest for Truth.
Jesus said, “No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” There was no thought of looking back by our friend! Neither was there any idea of remaining for long to die of thirst in the spiritual wilderness of Fiji. Within a matter of weeks he expressed his intention to visit New Zealand! He now knew the answer to the question he asked when he first met the brethren, “What must I do to be saved?” And it was his firm resolve to become associated with the covenants of promise just as soon as it was possible! It is not possible to assess at what cost he voluntarily separated from his wife and family to undertake a journey into, to him, the unknown! Arriving in New Zealand in mid-October, he was welcomed into the household of a brother and sister. By day he laboured for “the meat that perisheth”; and after working hours, and long into the night, he laboured, with the assistance of those of the household where he was then a part, “for that meat which endureth unto life everlasting”.
On 23rd November, 1963, a small group of brethren and sisters, with some of their children, gathered at a quiet, secluded spot on a bank of the Wanganui River, New Zealand. Just a short while earlier had been concluded a highly satisfactory interview conducted by a small panel of well-known brethren from the Palmerston North, Wanganui and Wellington ecclesias, with our Missioner at hand to help with any language difficulties that might arise; and now all had assembled to witness the act of obedience to the Faith which constitutes one of Adam’s race a “son of the living God”.
A few moments of silent meditation! Some unspoken words of thanksgiving and praise! A few words “fitly spoken”. A combined prayer of supplication and benediction. . . .And in the words of Acts 8. 38; “they went down both into the water . . . and he baptised him.” And the angels in heaven had ” joy over one sinner that repenteth”, whilst on earth, a few “called to be saints” thanked God for the privilege of witnessing a “harvest” towards which they had been “labourers together with God”.
Later, an assembly at a brother’s home; where, after receiving “the right hand of fellowship” and being welcomed into the great family of the Living and True God, a new “son of God” by begettal of the Word of Truth, Brother Ram Rattan, for the first time, remembered his Saviour, Lord, and future King in the manner appointed.
Our Brother Rattan has now returned to his home and family in Fiji, anxious and determined to extend to all who will listen the invitation of the Spirit to “Come . . whosoever will; let him take the water of life freely”, as he implores his sin—and death—stricken neighbours in the words of the Psalmist: “O, taste and see, that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One