The law is God’s perfect standard of obedience and holiness. The very first “law” was given in the Garden of Eden when God told Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:16-17 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” God’s commands are His laws. God gave Adam and Eve the choice to choose to obey the command or to break the law. They chose disobedience and violated God’s law. In I John 3:4, we are told, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
In the simplest of terms, the Law is the sum total of God’s requirements and expectations for man’s behaviour, words, and attitude, and to turn aside from them or rebel against them is a sin. God’s laws are a reflection of His character. When the first law was given to Adam and Eve, the underlying principle was obedience and faithfulness to God. Can the maker of the law change the law? The change of law to accommodate a wilful transgressor is admitting that either the law was inadequate, or the maker of the law was not competent enough is a serious matter. In either case, the absolute perfection of God is at stake. Since God is the epitome of perfection, his handiworks are also perfect. Thus, the perfect law cannot be changed. The consequences have to be borne by the lawbreaker.
The above makes it very clear. That the works of God in all its facets are perfect and good. They cannot be bettered or altered in any way. As a perfect God, He cannot dilute His own makings. It was for this reason that the consequences of the actions of our first parents had to be borne by them. Many say that God is supreme. He can do anything. This is correct and is confirmed in Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:’ The Lord replies in Jeremiah 32:26-27 “Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”
God being the ultimate in perfection, cannot compromise with imperfection and error. As such He cannot tolerate sin. It is for this reason that He did not excuse man from his sin. It also logically follows that God’s law cannot be changed. Since the law of God is a reflection of His character, the law stays the way it was made by its maker. God does not change, so the law made by Him cannot change or be amended. Though the things of this world might change, God will not. God is not like man; He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Further in James 1:17, it is stated “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” If God cannot change His own Law no one including man can alter or change it.
Dr Ashwin Drummond
Laddertoheaven.co.in