One of the most common, and perhaps the most basic, of the antinomian arguments advanced by the Campbellites is:
"There was an old dispensation, which, with its laws, its ceremonies, its feasts, and its seventh-day Sabbath, passed away at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and a new dispensation, effective at Pentecost, was ushered in by Him. This new dispensation involved:
"(1) A new church. Matt. 16:18. (2) A new law. John 13:34. (3) A new priesthood. Heb. 7:11 to 8:2. (4) A new covenant. Heb. 8:6-10. (5) New blood. Heb. 9:12. (6) A new table. Heb. 13:10. (7) A new worship day. Rev. 1:10."
The argument is wholly unsound, fallacious. The terms, "old," "Mosaic," or "law dispensation" and "new," "gospel," or "Christian dispensation," together with "dispensation of grace" or "dispensation of the Spirit," etc., are the inventions of theologians. They have no place in the Bible. They are misleading, in that they present before the mind the idea that God saved men one way before Pentecost and another way since; that God has changed His plan of salvation; that He "dispensed grace" one way to the Jews and another way to Christians, or to the Gentiles.
Such is not the way of the God of the Bible. He is "perfect." Matt. 5:48. His work is "perfect." Dent. 32:4. His law is "perfect." Ps. 19:7; James 1:25. That which is perfect is not changeable. "Perfect" admits of no comparison. We may say "more" or "less" perfect, meaning "more nearly perfect" or "less nearly perfect;" but the fact remains that a thing which is perfect cannot be changed without being thereby made imperfect. Our God is "all wise," knows the "end from the beginning," and therefore dill not need to experiment with, modify, or improve His plan of salvation. Nor did He do so. The same plan which saved Abel saves men today. There has been, will be, can be, no change therein. (See Mal. 3:6; James 1:17.)
During the existence of fallen man on earth, past and future, there has been, is, and will be one God and Father of all (Ps. 90:2); one law the violation of which is sin, and which is the rule of the judgment of all men from Cain to the last sinner (Rom. 3:19; Matt. 5:19; 1 John 3:4; James 2:12; Ecci. 12:13, 14); one Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; Heb. 9:15; 10:12; 13:8); one "church of the first-born," composed of the earthly members of the "family" of God (Heb. 12:23; Eph. 3:15; Acts 7:38); and one unchanging and effective plan of salvation (Eph. 1:4; 3:11; Rev. 13:8).
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "I will build My church." Those words undoubtedly meant that He would cause converted men and women to be organized into a visible organization. (See 1 Peter 2:5, 9, 10.) But this very work of causing converted men and women to be organized into a visible organization is, in Acts 15:14-16, said to be the fulfillment of a prophecy of the Old Testament (Amos 9:11, 12), which makes it very, clear that the "building" of the church of Christ is the building "again" of the "tabernacle of David," that is, the church of the time of David, which was the continuation of the "church in the wilderness." Acts 7:38.
From the days of Eden, God has been "building" men and women into this church. Some have apostatized, many have fallen asleep, the name of the church has been adjusted many times to meet circumstances; but it is the same church, and it still prevails, despite the "gates of hell" that oppose its progress. No "new church" is referred to in Matthew 16:18.
It is true that Jesus speaks of a "new commandment." (See John 13:34.) But it is also stated that the "new commandment" is "an old commandment which ye had from the beginning." 1 John 2:7, 8. The commandment is "new" to the man who has just found his Lord. A person living many years in Europe, and then coming to America, finds a "New World." But this "New World" is "new" to him only because he has just been introduced to it. It has been here all the time.
It is argued, however, that all the ten commandments were abolished, and that a complete "new law" was enacted for Christians, especially "Gentile" Christians. This alleged "new law" is usually said to be found in the following passages:
First commandment: Acts 14:15. Second commandment: 1 John 5:21. Third commandment: James 5:12.
Fourth commandment: Acts 20:7, Fifth commandment: Eph. 6:1. Sixth commandment: Rom. 13:9. Seventh commandment: 1 Cor. 6:9, 10. Eighth commandment: Eph. 4:28. Ninth commandment: Col. 3:9. Tenth commandment: Eph. 5:5.
However, a mere cursory inspection of this list will reveal the fact that these are simply allusions to already existing and well-known laws; that they were never intended to be new legislation by the apostles who wrote them. Besides, many years elapsed between the cross and the respective dates of these pronouncements. The acts denounced as sin by the ten commandments and by these passages would not have been sin during that period when there was no law. (See Rom. 4:15; 5:13.) Even if this alleged "new law" were given at Pentecost, of which there is no evidence whatsoever, there would still be seven weeks after the crucifixion during which there was no law, hence no sin. No such absurd confusion can be harmonized with the revealed wisdom of our God.
The alleged "new priesthood" is rather a new Priest, but of a very ancient priesthood. (See Gen. 14:18.) But this new Priest is Himself "from the days of eternity." Micah 5:2, margin.
And what of the new covenant? One enters into this covenant when his sins are forgiven. (See Rom. 11:27; Heb. 8:6-10.) But forgiveness for sin has existed from ancient times. (See Ex. 32:32; Ps. 25:18; 32:5; 78:38; 86:5; 99:8; Dan. 9:19.) All these people entered into the new covenant when their sins were forgiven, centuries before Pentecost.
The blood of Christ was as available to "righteous Abel" as it is to any one today. (See Rev. 13:8.)
The "altar" or table of the Lord, is a part of the new ceremonies made necessary by the death of Christ. The pre-passion ceremonies pointed to the future death of Christ. Baptism and the Lord's supper point to the past death of the same Saviour. In this sense only is it new.
And the "new worship day" is equally a figment of the imagination. No word of such a day exists in the Bible. No new day is commanded. Rom. 5:13. But "there remaineth therefore a keeping of a Sabbath [the same Sabbath as from the beginning] to the people of God," down this side of the time of Christ. Heb. 4:9, margin.
Mountain View, Calif.
