Wrong views concerning our relation to God’s plan of salvation for us have arisen from failing to comprehend the fulness of the character of God. While it is true that “He delighteth in mercy” and “taketh pleasure... in those that hope in His mercy,” it is also true that He is “of purer eyes than to behold evil,” and that He will “execute judgment and justice in the earth.” God requires that His own character, as revealed in Christ, should be the standard of character for His children. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” 1 Peter 1:15.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.1

And abundant provision has been made in Christ that the expectation of God for man may be fully met. For He “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places [or things] in Christ,” and “hath chosen us in Him... that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” and “hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:3, 4, 6. But all this is for a definite purpose. It is that we “being made free from sin and become servants to God ” (Romans 6:22) should be found “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Luke 1:6. “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21. But there is no provision made to save people in their sins.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.2

In order that man may intelligently cooperate with God in His purpose to restore His image in him, God has made a revelation to man of His own character as the standard of perfection, and the test of righteousness. Since God designs to renew His likeness in us, we may know what He is by what He requires of us. The holiness, the righteousness, and the goodness of God are set forth in His law, which is declared to be “holy, just [righteous] and good,” and the perfection which He requires of us will be revealed in a life which is in harmony with “that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.3

Because “a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16), and because we “are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14), some have fallen into the error of supposing that Christians have nothing whatever to do with the law of God. It is therefore well worth our while to consider the purposes served by the law, and the relation between the law and the gospel.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.4

In order that it may be true of us that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), we must “confess our sins” (1 John 1:9), and we must be made aware of sin before we can confess it. This brings out the first purpose of the law, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20), and “I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Romans 7:7. The way in which the law reveals sin appears from the fact that “all unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17), and that the law reveals unrighteousness by defining righteousness. The law, being a transcript of the righteous character of God, is used by the Holy Spirit to “reprove the world of sin” (John 16:8), by showing men that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17) when their own characters are placed in contrast with the purity and holiness of God. When we thus see God we exclaim with Isaiah, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5), and with Job we say, “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6. All this is made plain in the Scripture. “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are Thy judgments. Thy testimonies that Thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful!” “My tongue shall speak of Thy word; for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:137, 138, 172.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.5

But while the law thus makes known sin to us by setting forth the righteous character of God, and being itself righteousness, it is yet utterly unable to confer that righteousness upon us. “I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21. “For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” Galatians 3:21, 22. Here is where the work of Christ avails for us, and the very object of that work is that the righteousness defined by the law, and revealed in the gospel, may be fulfilled in us. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3, 4. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.BEST April 27, 1896, page 122.6

April 20, 1896

May 4, 1896