Ruth

I was reflecting on your arguments today and realised a number of times I had felt you had fundamentally misunderstood what I was saying.

I hope you agree that for us to have a meaningful dialogue it is necessary that you understand what I am saying, otherwise we will be talking at cross-purposes. Perhaps you could present a summary of what you understand my position to be. If you have misunderstood any of it, we can clarify where I have not been clear until you are completely happy about what is being said. Once we have established this foundation we will be able to proceed with the discussion.

What do you think of this? I hope you agree it will be worthwhile. I have included below a more detailed explanation of what the Bible says about the law. By the way, my position is fairly standard amongst Biblical scholars - it is not some weird theory I have made up.

John

Traditional Seventh-day Adventism and the Law An ex-Adventist who we shall call "Kevin" made three points about his "move" from Adventism: firstly he said that when he worked as a Literature Evangelist he often met people who could present arguments against Adventism that he couldn't answer. When this happened he responded in a very open, liberal, "everyone's free to believe what they want" manner, but of course he didn't really think that at all. What he really thought was "oh dear, I don't understand that doctrine very well, but if I did understand it I would be able to answer that objection". The second point was that when he told some members that he was leaving the reaction was one of pity, they naturally assumed that he was being led astray and was in the wrong. The third point was that when he tried to explain his reasons to his pastor (for example), he didn't seem to understand what he was saying, and in general he felt members found it difficult to understand what he was saying.

All three of these points have to same moral. When Kevin was an Adventist and heard an argument against Adventism his response was that he hadn't understood the doctrine well enough: he never imagined that the doctrine might actually be wrong but rather blamed himself for not "understanding" it well enough; when a member hears that Kevin doesn't believe in Adventism any more they don't stop to think 'well Kevin was a good Adventist, perhaps he has some very good reasons that I ought to listen to' because they can't even begin to imagine that Adventism might be wrong. When Kevin explains his reasons for leaving the members can't put themselves in his shoes to understand what he is saying because once again they can't imagine that Adventism might be wrong.

Yet is this not a false pride ? "God is God" (Karl Barth) and who are we to imagine we have finished our understanding of him, or that we have nothing to learn from those outside our group ! "God is not to be sought out in His inscrutable loftiness" (Calvin), God is God and we are man and should treat all knowledge of Him as a humble reception of grace, not as some special possession that places us above others in such a way we can look down in pity at their 'ignorance' (no doubt when we do that God looks down in pity at us). God is surprising and disturbing, who are we to limit what he will or will not do ? Perhaps he is saying "what is it to you that I let you be an Adventist for 30 years ? Perhaps now it is time to move onto more truth. " God is doing more than we can conceive, so we must give up any foolish pride that thinks to limit what God will choose to do !

I was having a look through "Fundamentals of the Seventh-day Adventist Faith" and can characterise the whole Adventist view of "The Great Controversy" as being over the law. See if you agree with this outline of Adventist beliefs:

The law is divided into two parts. The ceremonial law which was fulfilled in Christ and God's eternal law which is binding on all believers.

God's Eternal Law is the Ten Commandments.

The "Great Controversy" between Christ and Satan is over God's Law, the Ten Commandments. Satan's charge is that it is unjust.

Christ came to disprove Satan's charge concerning the Ten Commandments, to show that man could keep God's law.

The Ten Commandments are the definition of sin ("sin is transgression of the law").

Redemption in Christ means we are saved although we have not kept the Ten Commandments perfectly, because Christ has kept them for us.

The Christian keeps the Ten Commandments because he does not wish to sin, and breaking them is a sin.

The history of the church since the time of Christ is Satan attempting to hide God's Ten Commandments, which he has done by changing the Sabbath commandment.

In the 'last days' this keeping of the Sabbath Commandment will be the sign of God's people ("they keep the commandments of God").

If you don't agree with any of this please say where you think I've misunderstood. Given that this is basically a correct summary of traditional Adventist beliefs one of the most important areas we can study in the Bible with regard to Adventism is the question "what is the law" ? What I hope to do is answer that question.

The Old Testament as we have it today is divided up into three parts: the Law or Torah (the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible), the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the ten minor prophets) and third the Writings (Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Chronicles). For Jesus the scriptures were the Law and the Prophets. A good place to start might therefore be the books of the Law, what do they say about themselves ?

Although the Pentateuch covers the book of Genesis there are actually only four books which contain the Law: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Exodus begins with the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and it is not until we reach chapter 19 that we arrive at Mount Sinai where God gives Moses the law. When they reach Mount Sinai God says to Moses: "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'you yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations will you be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'" (Ex 19:3-6) After preparing themselves the people then hear God speak to them (what we know from Deuteronomy to be the Ten Commandments, although they are not given that name here), but are afraid and ask Moses to speak to God himself. God then tells Moses his law for the Israelites (Ex 21-23). Moses writes what God has said in the Book of the Covenant (Ex 24:3-7) and reads it out to the people, who agree to obey the laws. This covenant is then agreed and a sacrifice made, and Moses says "this is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Ex 24:8).

God then tells Moses to return to the mountain where he will be given "the tablets of stone and the law and commands I have written for their instruction" (Ex 24:12) Moses is on the mountain forty and nights. This time God gives instructions concerning the Tabernacle, and when he has finished speaking "he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God" (Ex 31:18). But when Moses returns from the mountain the people have turned away from God and are worshipping a golden calf, Moses breaks the tablets and the people are punished. Moses then returns to the mountain where God writes two new tablets. Again God speaks of the covenant he is making with Israel: "Then the LORD said: 'I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world'." (Ex 34:10) "'Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.' Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant - the Ten Commandments." (Ex 34:27-28) Now all the instructions God gave concerning the Tabernacle are given by Moses to Israel, "this is what the LORD has commanded" he says over and over again (Ex 35:1,4,10, 36:1,5, 39:42-43, 40:16,19,21,23,25,27,29,32).

Having set up the Tabernacle Exodus ends. In Leviticus God speaks to Moses in the Tent of Meeting and gives instructions concerning offerings to God, (Lev 1-7). God also gives instructions concerning the Priests (Lev 8-10), health regulations (Lev 11-15). Leviticus 16 gives instructions for the Day of Atonement, and after that (Lev 17-27) God gives Moses various other laws.

In Numbers God tells Moses in the Tent of Meeting to take a census of Israel (Num 1:2) and this lasts for the first four chapters. God then gives Moses various others laws, and by the Num 10:10 the laws at Sinai are finished, and the "Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai" (Num 10:12). The rest of Numbers is mostly the story of Israel's wanderings in the desert, although there are other laws given along the way (Num 15,18,28-30,35).

Deuteronomy is the summary of the law Moses gives the Israelites after they have been wandering the desert for forty years. In the first three chapters he recalls their wanderings, but from chapter 4 he lists the law again: "Here now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you." (Deut 4:1-2) This sort of command is often repeated (Deut 4:5-14,23-24,31,39-40). In chapter 5 we have the 'Ten Commandments': "Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us a Horeb. It was not with our fathers that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain." (Deut 5:1-4). After the Ten Commandments are given God says to Moses "stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws that you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess" (Deut 5:30). Deuteronomy then goes over the laws again. This, then, is what makes up the law, commands about every aspect of Jewish life, from religion to food to property, economics and health, all are included in these lists of laws. Leviticus 19 gives a good example of how varied the laws are: "Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another... Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight...Do not mate different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material... Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip the edges of your beard." (Lev 19:11,13,19,27). Throughout the rest of the Bible these books are known as the Law. For example "Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it." (Jos 1:7-8)

"Afterwards Joshua read all the words of the law - the blessings and the curses - just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them." (Jos 8:34-35)

"Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning to the right or to the left." (Jos 23:6)

"Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the LORD in the hands of the priests, who were Levites, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the LORD as written in the Law of Moses." (2 Chon 23:18)

"When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak til noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law." (Neh 8:1-3)

"To do you will, O my God, is my desire; your law is within my heart." (Ps 40:8)

"He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children." (Ps 78:5)

"I will always obey your law, for ever and ever." (Ps 119:44) Clearly then, "the law" means the Torah, the Law of Moses, the (supposedly) 613 commandments in the Pentateuch, and when we read "the law" in the Old Testament there is no question of this. But what of the New Testament, what do the New Testament writers think "the law" refers to ?

Early on in Matthew we read "Do not think I am come to abolish the Law or the Prophets" (Matt 5:17), and we already know that "the Prophets" refers to the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel etc. and "the Law" to the books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, later the same division is made again (Matt 7:12). When we read of the teachers of "the law" we understand it to mean the Law of Moses (Matt 5:20, 7:29). In Matt 15 when Jesus is disputing with "teachers of the law" he quotes from Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy ("Honour your father and mother" is from Ex 20:12 and Deut 5:15, "anyone who curses his father and mother must be put to death" is from Ex 21:17 and Lev 20:9). In Matthew 19 some Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus replies by quoting from Genesis (a recognised book of the law, as we noted earlier, as it is from the Pentateuch, one of the five books of Moses) 1:27 and Gen 2:24. Later in Matthew 19 is the story of the Rich Young Man. He asks what he must do to get eternal life (Matt 19:16), and Jesus replies by telling him "obey the commandments", "which ones ?" replies the man, and Jesus quotes the Torah, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother" (Ex 20:12-16, Deut 5:16-20), "love your neighbour as yourself" (Lev 19:18) clearly Jesus is not saying ignore the rest of the Torah and keep only these, but is saying "the Torah are God's commandments". Matthew 22:23-33 records Jesus disputing with the Sadducees, who only held that the Torah and not the Prophets was God's word, Jesus replied to their question about the resurrection by proving it from the Torah, he quotes from Ex 3:6 "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob". Then in Matthew 22:34-40 we get another dispute about the law. An "expert in the law" (obviously referring to the Torah) asks him "which is the greatest commandment in the Law ?" By his answer, Jesus shows he regards the Torah, the Law of Moses, as the law by replying "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Deut 6:5) and "love your neighbour as yourself" (Lev 19:18). Jesus again talks about "the Law and the Prophets" (as we noted above, "the Law" here means the Torah).

It would be tedious perhaps to continue. We have clearly established that by "the law" the Bible always means "the Torah" and not "Ten Commandments". In every quotation we have given from the Old and New Testament it is the Torah, the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch (whatever you want to call it) that is referred to in the phrase "the law". Having established that "the law" always means "The Law of Moses" or "The Torah" and not the Ten Commandments, what exactly does the Bible have to say about the Ten Commandments ?

The phrase "Ten Commandments" occurs only three places that I can find: "Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant - the Ten Commandments." (Ex 34:28)

"He declared to you his covenant, the ten commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets." (Deut 4:13)

"The LORD wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the ten commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain." (Deut 10:4) More frequently the term "tablets of stone", or "the Testimony" is used: "The LORD said to Moses, 'Come up to me on the mountain and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments for their instruction" (Ex 24:12)

"Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you." (Ex 25:21)

"When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God." (Ex 31:18)

"Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets." (Ex 32:15-16)

"When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights." (Deut 9:9) As you can see, nothing very much is said about the Ten Commandments in the Law, except that they were "the words of the covenant" written by God. There is no special status given to the Ten Commandments to suggest that they were separate from the other laws, or would last longer than the other laws (as far as the Torah is concerned, no mention is made of any of the laws ceasing, "this is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live" God tells Moses concerning the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev 23:14), the Feast of Weeks (Lev 23:21), the Day of Atonement (Lev 23:31), the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:41), tending the lamps (Lev 24:3) and so on (Lev 24:8)).

There are other references to the Tablets of Stone in the Bible, but nothing to suggest they are Eternal or should be treated separately to the rest of the Torah: "There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt." (1 Kings 8:9)

"There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt." (2 Chron 5:10)

"You know that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." ( 2 Cor 3:3). If you know of any more references that I have missed out and that back up what Adventism says about the Ten Commandments, then please let me know.

What we have seen is that when the Bible refers to "the law" it means the Law of Moses, the Torah, and not just the Ten Commandments. We have seen that this is true not just in the Old Testament but in the New as well. Because Seventh-day Adventism has assumed that the phrase "the law" sometimes means the Ten Commandments and sometimes means the ceremonial law it has got into a big confusion about what salvation is all about. To clarify what the New Testament means when it talks about law, perhaps it is best to replace "law" with "torah" to remember that we are referring to the whole Law of Moses. "Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Torah or by believing what you heard ?" (Gal 3:2)

"Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the Torah, or because you believe what you heard ?" (Gal 3:5)

"Now that faith has come we are no longer under the supervision of the Torah." (Gal 3:25)

"Christ is the end of the Torah so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (Rom 10:4)

"We have been released from the Torah so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not the old way of the written code." (Rom 7:6)

"Do we then nullify the Torah by this faith ? Not at all ! Rather we uphold the Torah." (Rom 3:31) So by the law we mean both the Ten Commandments and all the rest of the Law of Moses, it all comes under the old covenant. If you say "Christians have to keep the law" because sin is transgression of the law (for example) you are misunderstanding the text, "sin is transgression of the Torah" makes it clear. So long as you understand that "law" only means Torah and not sometimes Torah and sometimes Ten Commandments the New Testament is clear, but to think that a Christian has to keep a part of the Torah (the Ten Commandments) is really to misunderstand the whole New Testament !

So how does a Christian serve God ? This is such a big question that I'll leave the detail for another time. The thing to remember is not to see the law in two parts, but as a whole, the whole Torah. Under the New Covenant Christ gives us new commands (which were really what the Torah was all about anyway, Matt 7:12), that of love, for "love is the fulfilment of the Torah" (Rom 13:10), these are 'inner' commands, not written down but in our new life Christ's Spirit dwells in us, we a "in" Christ.

So now if we look back at traditional Adventism's view of Salvation we can see it to be wholly mistaken. The Ten Commandments are not God's Eternal Law, there is not one text in the Bible to support such as view. The Ten Commandments are the words of the Old Covenant, they are part of the Torah, and Christ's commands which shows his true followers (Rev 12:17) are his new commandments of love, and whereas the testimony of the old covenant was the law of stone, the testimony of Jesus is his Spirit dwelling in us (Rev 19:10). Traditional Adventists often talk about the "missing text" which changed Sabbath to Sunday; we can see that this ignores the many statements in the New Testament that Christians are free to keep whatever day they like (Rom 14:5, Gal 4:10, Col 2:16-17), we could ask Traditional Adventists about their missing text: where does it say we should treat the Ten Commandments any differently to the rest of the Torah ?

© John Mann 1983