ELDER GRANT’S THIRD SPEECH

My friend says, The Sabbath existed before Sinai. If so, it must have existed without a penalty, which is not possible. He has not given us any proof that the Sabbath was ever given to the Gentiles. He quotes one of the commands that does not refer to outward acts. But what I say, is, The law did not take hold of a man till the act was committed. Let him show that the law of ten commands is brought over as a whole, and he has gained his point. I don’t see any light in his position that 2 Corinthians 3, refers to the glory of Moses’ face being done away. I will now notice his argument on Romans 3:19. Let Paul explain himself. Romans 7:1-6. “Know ye not, brethren (for I speak to them that know the law). how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath a husband, is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”DSQ63 19.2

Now, we have as good a right to say that “law” here means the ten commandments as in the case he refers to in Romans 3:19. Paul says we are “dead to the law,” have got through with it, and are married to Christ. “That being dead wherein we were held,” then the law is dead. We are dead, and the law is dead. We have nothing more to do with the law.DSQ63 20.1

My friend charges me with having no Sabbath. I shall show that the first day of the week is the Christian’s day of rest in honor of Christ’s resurrection. Every man who refuses to keep the first day of the week virtually denies the resurrection of Christ. Christ has given a new covenant, and put into it all of the ten commands except the fourth. Wood says, The Sabbath was given to the Jews, but not to any other nation. Selden says, He found no evidence that the Sabbath was kept among the ancient Gentiles.DSQ63 20.2