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alone, without the female, could
reproduce his kind. He might do a
few good things, but all his good
would be nullified and canceled out
by the unrestrained evil he would
commit.
No basic law of li fe, forming the
basis of perfect character, could be
a perfect law unless it contains, in
perfect balance, both positive and
negative.
Examine, now, the Ten Com–
mandments, God's basic code, upon
which all his laws, social, economic,
civil and religious, hang. Here is
the basis of true character:
l. ••THOU SHALT have no other
gods before me." This is stated in
the positive form, implying we shall
worship and obey the true God. In
a sense, this commandment con–
tains both the positive and negative,
directing us positively, ..Thou
shalt," to the true God, and
restraining us-the negative-from
false gods.
2.
•THOU SHALT NOT make unto
thee any graven image, or ... bow
down thyself to them, nor serve
them." This is negative, restraining
from either making or worshiping
any thing as a god; aJso restraining
from either worship of, or obe–
dience to, such a false god. To the
true God man owes both worship
and obedience.
Notice the principie of govern–
ment in this, as in all the com–
mands. The whole issue is one of
government. The first man and
woman rejected God's government,
refused his rule over their lives, dis–
obeyed four points of the basic law
of his government. Christ carne
preaching the kingdom of God,
which is the government of God,
commanding bumanity to repent of
rejection of that government and
the transgression of its laws (sin is
the transgression of the law-1
John
3:4).
3. "THOU SHALT NOT take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain."
This mucb-abused commandment
is
a
restraint- negative-to pre–
vent cutting humans off from the
power and benefits of the right use
of God's name. This command is a
negative, making possible the posi–
tive and vitally needed blessings
through that name!
4. "REMEMBER the sabbath day,
to keep it holy ... the seventh day
6
is the sabbath of tbe Lord thy
God." Here
is
anotber positive
command- tbe only one God spe–
cifically commanded us to ..re–
member," and the very one man–
kind insists above all upon forget–
ting. Is it not an indicting commen–
tary on unrestrained human nature
that this most positive of all the
Commandments men flout and dis–
obey with greatest impunity?
Again, notice the perfection–
here again is a command including
both positive and negative, for
while it is primarily positive, yet it
includes negative restraints to make
possible that positive- "in it thou
shaJt not do any work, thou, nor thy
son," etc.
5. "HoNOUR thy father and thy
The whole law is
summed in
one word,
/ove
.... It
was given in
love for us,
and love is the fulfilling
of the law-love
in action.
mother." Do you see any negative
statement in this command? Here
is a positive command, with a defi–
nite promise of blessing. This heads
the six commands regulating our
relationship with our neighbor.
However, the negative opposite is
implied, though not stated.
6
through
10.
"THOU SHALT
NOT" kill, commit adultery, steal,
bear false witness against another,
or covet. Here are the famous neg–
atives, yet each implies the opposite
positive: as, you shall love and have
charitable, tolerant patience toward
your neighbor, be true to your wife
and respect your neighbors' proper–
ty.
Here is a perfect law (Ps. 19:7).
It
outlines, in broad detail, our
right relationship with the true
God that we may have all the
needed guidance, help and bless-
ings from God; and also our right
relationship toward human neigh–
bors- including parents, children,
husband or wife. This law provides
for every human need for our own
good in a living, active, continuous
relationship with the all-wise, all–
powerful, all-loving God.
This perfect law forms the basis
of all human relationships, as well
as our God-relationship.
It
provides
the wide, basic general rules affect–
ing every phase of Iife:
a) Religious, in our relationship
to God;
b) Family, in our relationship to
parents, children, wife or husband,
and is designed to preserve the
blessed sanctity and dignity of the
borne;
e)
Next-door and personal neigh–
bors and friends;
d) Civil relationships- here are
found the very basic civil laws
respecting murder, larceny (theft) ,
adultery, perjury;
e) Economic life-honesty, not
coveting others' money, goods,
property or possessions, which cov–
eting is the very root source of
today's economic principie of com–
petition;
f)
Social life-such commands
as those respecting adultery, false
witnessing, coveting, stealing, form
the foundational principie of right
social attitude and relationship with
neighbors.
This law, in its basic principies,
defines the whole duty of man
(Eccl.
12: 13).
It
is the basis, in
principie, for all the Bible. The
entire Bible is, so far as its teaching
is concerned, a magnification in
specific detail of these basic princi–
pies.
This law is complete. It con–
tains, in brief summation-princi–
ple, all the positive and negative
obligations of the perfect, rightly
balanced life.
J
t is the very an–
tithesis of permissiveness!
It
expresses and reflects the very
character of God.
The whole law is summed in one
word,
!ove.
It is like God, for God
is love, justas his law is love. It was
given in love for us, and love is the
fulfilling of the law-love in
action.
lt
is !ove to God, and !ove to
neighbor.
It
is perfect. It is com–
plete. o
The
PLAIN
TRUTH