God's Law Is An Active Agent
The
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26.
The
sinner can have but a narrow range of thought. The true free thinker is the
one who comprehends "with all saints what is the breadth and length and
height and depth," of "the love of Christ, which surpasses
knowledge." Ephesians 3:18, 19. Outside of Christ is bondage. In Him
alone there is freedom. Outside of Christ, the man is in prison,
"caught in the toils of his sin." Proverbs 5:22.
A man
must feel his need before he will accept help; he must know his disease
before he can apply the remedy. The promise of righteousness will be utterly
unheeded by one who does not realize that he is a sinner. The first part of
the "comforting" work of the Holy Spirit therefore is to convince
men of sin.
So
"the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith
of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Gal. 3:22.
"Through the law comes knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20. He who knows
that he is a sinner is in the way to acknowledge it; and "if we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
Thus
the law in the hands of the Spirit is an active agent in inducing men to
accept the fulness of the promise. No one hates the man who has saved his
life by pointing out to him an unknown peril. On the contrary, such a one is
regarded as a friend and is always remembered with gratitude. Even so will
the law be regarded by the one who has been prompted by its warning voice to
flee from the wrath to come. He will ever say with the psalmist, "I
hate vain thoughts: but Thy law do I love." Psalm 119:113.
The
Glad Tidings, pp. 81, 78 |
