Installment twenty-six

On our previous entry we left Mr. Anderson in the middle of his defense
of the Sabbath. He was arguing that no one is saved by works, but a truly
converted Christian is moved to keep the law out of conviction.
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Installment twenty-six:

"Mr. Anderson," said one of the San Francisco women, "you don't believe,
then, that people must keep the law as a means of salvation?"
"No, madam; Jesus Christ alone, by our faith in Him, cleanses and saves.
Then he lives in our hearts. As soon as we have received Him into our lives
we see fulfilled in us all the glorious things that the law ordains. Romans 8:
3-4. Faith establishes the law in our hearts as the law of our life. Romans
3:31."
"Well, Mr. Anderson, I want to acknowledge that as a beautiful truth. I see
it plainly," said the woman. "But may I ask if you really find the Sabbath a
blessing -that is, the seventh-day Sabbath? You probably know that we
have been thought it is Jewish, a matter of bondage, a yoke which no one
can wear with pleasure."
"This reminds me," said Mr. Anderson, "of one of the questions I have in
hand here. It reads, 'Why do you not preach Christ instead of so much
Sabbath? Is not the preaching of Christ the all-important thing?'
"Perhaps I may answer the two questions together.
"I wonder if we actually understand the expressions: 'preaching the Sabbath'
and 'preaching Christ.' What is the Sabbath? Who is Christ?
"To determine the character of the Sabbath, it is necessary to look back to
the beginnings of time, to those days before sin came. There we find God's
perfect plan. There we see what should have been always, and what will be
when the reign of sin is ended.
"The story is that God's work was completed, and all was 'very good.' 'The
heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.' Then God
rested. 'He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had
made.' Genesis 2:2. In the paradise home, the great author of life kept
Sabbath with the two beautiful beings who were to have dominion over
the earth. And while His created beings kept Sabbath, the heavenly
chorus 'sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.' Job 38:7.
Surely that first Sabbath must have been a delightful day, and its
service glorious beyond description."
"But, my brother," interrupted Dr. Spaulding, "you would not have this
people believe that God was tired, would you?"
"No, and I was intending to cover that point. Let me do so now."

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To be continued...