Note: This is the last entry in F.D. Nichol’s beginning section on law and grace, faith and works, and the continuing applicability of God’s law. (Unfortunately, the crude antinomianism seen among evangelical Christians a century ago, in Nichol’s day, has only gotten worse in our day.) Beginning in the new year, we will move into the section defending Adventists’ observance of the seventh day Sabbath.
Objection 19: Seventh day Adventists teach that a man must keep the commandments in order to be saved.
Again we are confronted with a variant of objections already answered. But this so tersely sets forth a mistaken idea regarding Adventist teaching that it is here examined as a separate objection.
To the rich young man who inquired of Christ, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus replied, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:16-17. The verses that follow show clearly that Christ was referring specifically to the Ten Commandments.
Too many Christians preach only of accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. But Christianity embraces much more than the saving of a man from his past sins. It has to do with repenting of sin and living a changed life. The new life in Christ consists not only of availing ourselves of Christ’s pardon freely offered, but also doing God’s will in our lives, keeping God’s commandments, and working out our salvation with fear and trembling. (See Matt. 7:21; John 14:15; Rev. 14:12; Phil. 2:12)
Although we do not teach that a man keeps the commandments in order to be saved, we emphatically do teach that a man who has been saved gives evidence of that salvation by keeping the commandments of the Savior who loves him and gave His life to save him. (John 14:15: “If you love me, keep my commandments”; John 15:10: “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”; James 2:14-26: “faith without works is dead”).
It has been well remarked that although there is no salvation in keeping the law, there is awful condemnation in not keeping it: “Or do you not know that wrongoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.” 1 Cor. 6:9-12
Christianity does not free men from the claims of God's law, which our old selves were not been able to fulfill, for then Christianity would be but an opiate and a delusion, leaving the lost sinner in the same unfortunate state as before. No, Christianity is God's plan whereby man can obtain power to keep the laws of heaven. It is the divine scheme by which Christ lives and works within us. (See, Gal. 2:20)
We believe the words of Christ, “if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,” but we also believe that the keeping power is a gift from God. We confess that we of our own selves can do nothing, but we believe that we can do things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us. (See, Phil. 4:13)
We accept without reserve the words of our Lord: “I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Though we say with Paul, “Work out your own salvation,” we immediately add, as does the apostle, “It is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:12-13.