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VIII.
The Law Of God
Chapter 85
:
The Law of God in the
Patriarchal Age
1. CAN there be sin
where there is no law?
"Because the law worketh wrath:
for where no law is, there is no transgression."
"Sin is not imputed when there is no law."
Rom. 4:15; 5:13.
2. Through what is the
knowledge of sin obtained?
"For by the law is the
knowledge of sin." "I had not
known sin, but by the law." Rom. 3:20;
7:7.
3. What statement shows
that sin was in the world before the law was
given on Mt. Sinai?
"For until the law sin was in the
world: but sin is not imputed when there is
no law." Rom. 5:13.
NOTE.-The fact that sin was imputed before
the law was given at Sinai is conclusive
proof that the law existed before that
event.
4. When did sin and
death enter the world?
"Wherefore, as by one man [Adam]
sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned." Verse 12.
5. With what words did
God admonish Cain?
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not
be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin
lieth at the door." Gen. 4:7.
6. What shows that God
imputed sin to Cain?
"And He said, What hast thou done?
the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me
from the ground. And now art thou cursed from
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to
receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."
Verses 10,11.
7. What was the
difference between Cain's and Abel's characters?
"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked
one; and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he
him? Because his own works were evil, and his
brother's righteous." 1 John 3:12.
NOTE.-There must, therefore, have been a
standard at that time by which the
characters of men were weighed. That
standard must have defined the difference
between right and wrong, and pointed out
man's duty. But this is the province of the
law of God. Hence the law of God must have
existed at that time.
8. In what condition
was the world before the flood?
"The earth also was corrupt before
God, and the earth was filled with
violence." Gen. 6:11.
9. What did God purpose
to do with the people of that day?
"And God said unto Noah, The end of
all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is
filled with violence through them; and, behold,
I will destroy them with the earth."
Verse 13.
10. What is Noah
called?
"And spared not the old world, but
saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness." 2 Peter 2:5.
NOTE.-Noah must have warned the
antediluvians against sin, and preached
repentance and that obedience of faith which
brings the life into harmony with the law of
God.
11. Why did the Lord
destroy Sodom?
"The men of Sodom were wicked and
sinners before the Lord exceedingly."
Gen. 13:13.
12. What was the
character of their deeds?
"And delivered just Lot, vexed with
the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that
righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and
hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to
day with their unlawful deeds)." 2 Peter
2:7,8.
NOTE.-Their deeds would not have been
unlawful had there been no law then in
existence. Unlawful means "contrary
to law."
13. What did Joseph, in
Egypt, say when tempted to sin?
"How then can I do this great
wickedness, and sin against God?" Gen.
39:9.
14. What did God say to
Abraham concerning the Amorites?
"In the fourth generation they
[Israel] shall come hither again: for the
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."
Gen.15:16.
15. Of what sin were
the Amorites specially guilty?
"And he [Ahab] did very abominably in
following idols, according to all things as
did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out
before the children of Israel." 1 Kings 21:26.
16. Why did the Lord
abhor the Canaanites?
"Ye shall therefore keep all My
statutes, and all My judgments, and do them:
that the land, whither I bring you to dwell
therein, spew you not out. And ye shall not walk
in the manners of the nation, which I cast out
before you: for they committed all these
things, and therefore I abhorred them." Lev.
20:22,23.
NOTE.-The statement that "they committed all
these things" refers to what had been
previously forbidden to the Israelites.
Among these things was idolatrous worship
(Lev. 20:1-5), showing that the Gentiles, as
well as the Jews, were amenable to the law
of God, and were abhorred of God for
violating it.
17. Why did God make
His promise to the seed of Abraham?
"Because Abraham obeyed My voice, and
kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes,
and My laws." Gen. 26:5.
NOTE.-Then God's commandments and laws
existed in the time of Abraham.
18. Before giving the
law at Sinai, what did God say because some of
the people went out to gather manna on the
seventh day?
"And the Lord said unto Moses, How
long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My
laws?" Ex. 16:28.
19. Had the Lord spoken
regarding the Sabbath previous to this time?
"This is that which the Lord hath
said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy
Sabbath." Verse 23.
20. Before coming to
Sinai, what had Moses taught Israel?
"When they have a matter, they come
unto me; and I judge, between one and another,
and I do make them know the statutes of God,
and His laws." Ex. 18:16.
NOTE.-All this shows that the law of God
existed from the beginning, and was known
and taught in the world before it was
proclaimed at Sinai.
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