2. How Do We Know the Law is Good?
John Newton
A second question is: How did we come to know that the law is good? Naturally we do not know this; we cannot think so. We cannot be at enmity with God and at the same time approve of His law; rather this is the ground of our dislike to Him. We imagine that the law by which we are to be judged is too strict in its precepts and too severe in its threatenings. Therefore men, so far as in them lies, are for altering this law. They think it would be better if it required no more than we can perform, if it allowed us more liberty, and especially if it was not armed against transgressors with the penalty of everlasting punishment. This is evident from the usual pleas of unawakened sinners. Some think, I am not as bad as some others. By this they mean, God will surely make a difference, taking favourable notice of what they suppose good in themselves.
Others plead, If I do not obtain mercy, what will become of the greatest part of mankind?” By this they plainly mean that it would be hard and unjust in God to punish such multitudes. Others try to extenuate their sins, somewhat as Jonathan once said, “I did but taste a little honey . . . and lo, I must die”. These passions are natural to me, they say, and must I die for indulging them? In short, the spirituality and strictness of the law, its severity, and its levelling effect – disregarding all seeming differences in human characters and stopping every mouth without distinction – are three properties of the law which the natural man cannot allow to be good.
These prejudices against the law can only be removed by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is His office to enlighten and convince the conscience; to communicate an impression of the majesty, holiness, justice and authority of the God with whom we have to do, by which the evil of sin and what it deserves are apprehended. The sinner is then stripped of all his vain pretences, is compelled to plead guilty and must justify his Judge, even though He should condemn him.
It is the Spirit’s office likewise to reveal the grace and glory of the Saviour, as having fulfilled the law for sinners, and as engaged by promise to enable those who believe in Him to honour it by giving it due obedience. Then a change of judgement takes place, and the sinner consents to the law: that it is holy, just and good. Then the law is acknowledged to be holy: it manifests the holiness of God, and conformity to it is the perfection of human nature. There can be no excellence in man but so far as he is influenced by God’s law; without it, the greater his natural powers and abilities, so much more detestable and dangerous is he.
Man may assent to God’s law as just, because of His undoubted right and authority over His creatures. It is suited to their dependence on Him and the abilities with which He originally endowed them. Though we by sin have lost those abilities, His right remains unalienable; therefore He can justly punish transgressors. And as the law is just in relation to God, so it is good for man; his obedience to the law, and the favour of God thereby, is his proper happiness. It is impossible for him to be happy in any other way. Yet, as I have hinted, these things must be applied to sinners according to the gospel and to the new relation by faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has obeyed the law and made atonement for sin on their behalf. Thus through Him they are delivered from condemnation and entitled to all the benefits of His obedience; from Him likewise they receive the law, as a rule enforced by His own example and their unspeakable obligations to His redeeming love. This makes obedience pleasing, and the strength they derive from Him makes it easy.
1Taken, with editing, from Newton’s Works, vol 1 (1985 Banner of Truth reprint). The first part of this letter, printed last month, answered the question: “What is meant by the law?”