Obedience to the Law of God
43
The Lord made this special covenant with ancient Israel: “Now,
therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all
the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and
an holy nation.”
Exodus 19:5, 6
. He addresses his commandment-
keeping people in these last days, “But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should
show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness
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into his marvelous light.” “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers
and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”
1
Peter 2:9, 11
.
But all who profess to keep the commandments of God are not
possessing their bodies in sanctification and honor. They can have a
powerful influence if they will be sanctified by the truths they profess.
They profess to be standing upon the elevated platform of eternal truth,
keeping all of God’s commandments; therefore, if they indulge in sin,
if they commit fornication and adultery, their crime is of tenfold greater
magnitude than those I have referred to who do not acknowledge the
law of God binding upon them. In a peculiar sense do those who
profess to keep God’s law dishonor him and reproach the truth by
transgressing that law.
This very sin, fornication, prevailed among ancient Israel, which
brought the signal manifestation of God’s displeasure. The judgments
of God followed close upon their heinous sin. Thousands of them
fell, and their polluted bodies were left in the wilderness. “But with
many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown
in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent
we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye
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idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down
to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication,
as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them
also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these
things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore
let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.”
1 Corinthians
10:5-12
.