Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
2 Corinthians 3: 6-9
3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
3:7 But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:
3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
The Law Ordained to Life—
The law of God, spoken in awful grandeur from Sinai, is the utterance of condemnation to the sinner. It is the province of the law to condemn, but there is in it no power to pardon or to redeem. It is ordained to life; those who walk in harmony with its precepts will receive the reward of obedience. But it brings bondage and death to those who remain under its condemnation. (The Review and Herald, April 22, 1902). {6BC 1094.6}
The law of God existed before the creation of man or else Adam could not have sinned. After the transgression of Adam, the principles of the law were not changed, but were definitely arranged and expressed to meet man in his fallen condition. Christ, in counsel with His Father, instituted the system of sacrificial offerings; that death, instead of being immediately visited upon the transgressor, should be transferred to a victim which should prefigure the great and perfect offering of the son of God (The Signs of the Times, March 14, 1878). {1BC 1104.5}
Precepts Given to Guard Decalogue—In consequence of continual transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon men in every age as long as time should last. These commands were enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law (The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1875 [Reprinted in The Review and Herald, May 6, 1875]). {1BC 1104.6}
The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We come humbly before You in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We thank You for giving us life and Your Word to live by. We are but little children that know not how to come in or go out. We thank You for the Holy Spirit that leads us and keeps us on a safe path to the heavenly kingdom. We thank You for the Holy Bible, our instruction manual to life on this earth. We thank You for the law and the Ten Commandments for by the law is the knowledge of sin. We thank You for the promise to those who walk in harmony with its precepts that they will receive the reward of obedience. We are sorry we have sinned against You, and that with every sin we wound You afresh. We confess and repent of our sins and pray for Your forgiveness. We pray for all Your children to repent and be baptized into newness of life. Let the old man be buried and rise out of the water to be born again. Your Word tells us that unless we are born of the water and the spirit, we cannot see the kingdom of God. We love You and want to keep Your Commandments. We pray Your hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither Your ear heavy, that it cannot hear: we pray for nothing to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Thank You for all Your wonderful promises to us. For those who keep Your Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. Thank You for putting Your laws into our minds and writing them in our hearts: and for being our God, and we Your people. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Thank You for everything You do for us, have done, and will do for us and we thank You in advance for all the blessings You have in store for us. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
