Charles Spurgeon On The Law

The law of God is a divine law, holy, heavenly, perfect.  Those who find fault with the law, or in the least degree depreciate it, do not understand its design, and have no right idea of the law itself.  Paul says, The law is holy, but I am carnal; sold under sin.  In all we ever say concerning justification by faith, we never intend to lower the opinion which our hears have of the law, for the law is one of the most sublime of God’s works.  There is not a commandment too many; there is not one too few; but it is so incomparable that its perfection is a proof of its divinity.  No human lawgiver could have given forth such a law as that which we find in the Decalogue.  It is a perfect law; for all human laws that are right are to be found in that brief compendium and epitome of all that is good and excellent toward God, or between man and man. 

But while the law is glorious, it is never more misapplied than when it is used as a means of salvation.  God never intended men to be saved by the law.  When he proclaimed it on Sinai, it was with thunder, fire, and smoke; as if he would say, O man, hear my law; but thou shalt tremble while thou hearest it.  Hear it!  It is a law which hath the blast of a terrible trumpet, even like the day of destruction of which it is but the herald, if thou offendest it, and findest none to bear the doom for thee.  It was written on stone; as if to teach us that it was a hard, cold, stony law – one which would have no mercy upon us, but which, if we break it would fall upon us, and dash us into a thousand pieces.  O ye who trust in the law for your salvation!  Ye have erred from the faith; ye do not understand God’s designs; ye are ignorant of every one of God’s truth. 

The law was given by Moses to make men feel themselves condemned, but never to save them; its very intention was to conclude us all in unbelief, and to condemn us all that he might have mercy upon all.  It was intended by its thunders to crush every hope of self-righteousness, by it lightnings to scathe and demolish every tower of our own works, that we might be brought humbly and simply to accept a finished salvation through the one mighty Mediator who has finished the law, and made it honorable, and brought in an everlasting righteousness, whereby we stand, stand complete before our Maker at last, if we be in Christ. 

All that the law doth, you will observe, is to curse; it cannot bless.  In all the pages of revelation you will find no blessings that the law ever gave to one that offended it.  There were blessings, and those were comparatively small, which might be gained by those who kept it thoroughly; but no blessing is ever written for one offender.  Blessings we find in the gospel; curses we find in the law. 

From the sermon entitled The Curse Removed

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