Basic HTML Version
The Standard In The Judgment, February 17
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
James 2:12
.
The first angel of
Revelation 14
calls upon men to “fear God, and give glory
to him,” and to worship Him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. In order
to do this, they must obey His law.... Without obedience to His commandments,
no worship can be pleasing to God; for “this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments” (
1 John 5:3
).
Many religious teachers say that Christ, by His death, freed us from the law;
but not all take this view.... The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable.
It is a revelation of the will and character of its Author. God is love, and His law
is love. Its two great principles are love to God and man. “Love is the fulfilling of
the law.” The character of God is righteousness and truth, and such is the nature
of His law. The psalmist says, “Thy law is the truth”; “all thy commandments
are righteousness.” And the apostle Paul declares, “The law is holy, and the
commandments holy, and just, and good.” Such a law, an expression of the mind
and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author.
And this law is the standard by which the lives and characters of men will be
tested in the judgment. After pointing out our duty to obey His commandments,
Solomon adds: “For God shall bring every work into judgment.” The apostle
James admonishes his brethren, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be
judged by the law of liberty.”
Jesus will appear in the judgment as the advocate of His people, to plead in
their behalf before God. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous” (
1 John 2:1
). “For Christ is not entered into the holy
places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself,
now to appear in the presence of God for us.” “Wherefore he is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them” (
Hebrews 9:24
;
7:25
).
In the judgment all who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the
blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their
names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness
of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God,
their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of
eternal life.... Jesus said, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess
his name before my Father, and before his angels.”—
The Watchman, October 10,
1905
.
[63]
54