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Is God Bound by His Own Commandments?

If God is love, how does His law justify the destruction of Sodom?

AdventAI

Is God bound by his own commandments?

AdventAI

God acts in perfect and eternal harmony with His own commandments because they are the exact transcript of His divine character and nature. He is not constrained by an outside force, but rather His actions are perfectly and naturally consistent with His law because it is an expression of His own infinite perfection, righteousness, and love Psalms 145:17.

Here is a closer look at how God's nature relates to His law:

✨ A Reflection of His Divine Nature

  • The law of God is not an arbitrary set of rules, but a revelation of His divine will and a photograph of His perfect character.

  • Since the commandments represent His own truth and love, He inherently acts in accordance with them at all times 1 John 4:8.

  • His law is the very foundation of His government in heaven and earth, embodying the great principle of love that is central to His being.

⚖️ Unchanging Consistency and Faithfulness

  • God is infinitely, immutably, and eternally wise, holy, and just.

  • With Him, there is no fickleness or shadow of turning James 1:17.

  • For God to violate or change His law would mean His very character had undergone a change, which is an absolute impossibility.

  • Because the Lord is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works, He remains perfectly faithful to His own nature Psalms 145:17.

  • He cannot deny Himself, meaning He will never act contrary to the righteous and loving principles that make up His law 2 Timothy 2:13.

🌟 Christ's Perfect Example

  • When Christ came to our world, His life was a perfect fulfillment of every single precept of the law.

  • Even when veiled in humanity and compassed with infirmity, His divine nature made it impossible for Him to sin or act against God's commandments Hebrews 5:2.

  • Through His obedience, Jesus demonstrated that supreme love, justice, and mercy are the very essence of the divine character.

It is a beautiful truth that the Lawgiver is also the perfect embodiment of the law, always acting in pure love and flawless righteousness!

Sources · 9
  1. SITI October 8, 1885, page 602.4The Signs of the Times, vol. 11Ellet Joseph Waggoner
  2. SITI August 10, 1891, page 235.36The Signs of the Times, vol. 17Ellet Joseph Waggoner
  3. ST November 12, 1894, par. 1The Signs of the TimesEllen Gould White
  4. TDOC 92.10The Doctrine of ChristWilliam Warren Prescott
  5. ARSH September 8, 1863, page 117.23Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, vol. 22James Springer White
  6. MH 451.3The Ministry of HealingEllen Gould White
  7. PTUK September 24, 1891, page 217.4The Present Truth, vol. 7Ellet Joseph Waggoner
  8. ST November 21, 1895, par. 7The Signs of the TimesEllen Gould White
  9. T29 108.1Testimony for the Church — No. 29Ellen Gould White

What about when God wiped out the Sodomites and killed manny people, was that in accordance with his Holy law, specifically the 8th one…?

AdventAI

Yes, God’s act of destroying the wicked in Sodom was in perfect harmony with His holy law. To gently clarify, the commandment that forbids the taking of life is the sixth commandment, "You shall not kill," while the eighth commandment is "You shall not steal" Exodus 20:13. God's destruction of the wicked is never an act of unlawful murder, but rather the righteous execution of divine justice by the Supreme Judge of the universe.

Here is how God’s judgments align perfectly with the principles of His holy law:

⚖️ The Just Penalty of the Law

  • The law of God is the great standard of right, and every act of life is ultimately compared with it Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

  • Sin is defined as the transgression of God's law 1 John 3:4.

  • Because God's law is perfectly just and holy, it carries a necessary penalty for personal transgression, which is death Romans 6:23.

  • When God executes judgment, He is not breaking His law; rather, He is upholding its honor and inflicting the just penalty upon those who stubbornly choose to remain in their sins.

🛑 Divine Interference Against Depravity

  • In the days of Sodom, as well as in the days of Noah, wickedness, violence, and crime reached such an intense height that God's direct interference became absolutely necessary.

  • By actively violating God's law, the wicked were destroying the peace and safety of the world, making it necessary for the Lord to interfere to halt their extreme depravity.

  • The fire that came down from heaven and destroyed these wicked cities was the final and thorough execution of God's righteous judgment, known as "the vengeance of eternal fire".

❤️ A Perfect Blend of Mercy and Justice

  • God does not bring destruction without first sending messages of warning, entreaty, and salvation.

  • Prior to the destruction of Sodom, God sent angels to warn Lot and his family, demonstrating His great mercy toward His erring creatures.

  • It is the perfect mingling of judgment and mercy that makes God's system of government full and complete.

  • When a people completely reject God's mercy and trample upon His authority, the time arrives when the work of mercy finishes, and the righteous Judge must execute justice to protect the universe from the endless spread of sin.

God’s judgments are always true, righteous, and necessary to uphold the purity, love, and safety of His creation!

Sources · 12
  1. ST April 21, 1881, par. 21The Signs of the TimesEllen Gould White
  2. SYNPT 294.3Synopsis of the Present TruthUriah Smith
  3. ARSH November 21, 1854, page 113.4The Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, vol. 6The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
  4. ARSH August 29, 1854, page 20.13The Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, vol. 6The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
  5. 5T 135.4Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5Ellen Gould White
  6. TSA 52.3Testimonies to Southern AfricaEllen Gould White
  7. SITI February 25, 1886, page 119.9The Signs of the Times, vol. 12Ellet Joseph Waggoner
  8. ARSH December 19, 1899, page 820.3The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 76Alonzo Trevier Jones
  9. SITI February 3, 1887, page 75.1The Signs of the Times, vol. 13Alonzo Trevier Jones
  10. PP 161.1Patriarchs and ProphetsEllen Gould White
  11. PP 159.3Patriarchs and ProphetsEllen Gould White
  12. 2MR 233.1Manuscript Releases, vol. 2 [Nos. 97-161]Ellen Gould White

Do I have this correct in that? Sin is the transgression of God‘s law. The wages of seen is death, we have all broken God’s law, which is why we need the faith in Jesus Christ as the one who followed God’s law perfectly and died for our sins to save us. Because the wages of sin is death, the people in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah and before the flood they were so heavily involved in sin and had hardened their hearts to the existence of God or to God‘s law being binding or to even wanting to follow it or even believe in him that they’d already sealed their fate to have unrepentant hearts and there was no way they were going to turn from their sin and so therefore although God‘s law says thou shall not kill in the sixth Commandment we also know that that commandments is for the people of his creation and yes he does follow his law however his law also upholds that the wages of sin is death and God‘s holy law is relevant and what we will live by in heaven however on earth as we know we’re unable to keep the entire law? (?) because sin has entered the creation which is why we need Christ Jesus son and therefore when God wipes Sodom and Gamora he is simply up holding his just law which is of the wages of sin is death and this is why the only escape from that for us is faith in Jesus Christ. Because right now we actually all deserve to be dead because we have all have sinned however the only reason that we are not dead is because of Jesus sacrifice he made for us.

AdventAI

You have captured the essence of the gospel and the character of God's justice beautifully 1 John 3:4! Your understanding aligns perfectly with the biblical truth that God’s law is both a standard of life and a foundation for righteous judgment.

Here is a further breakdown of the points you raised:

⚖️ Justice and the Penalty of Sin

  • You are correct that because sin is the transgression of the law, the "wages" or just penalty for that transgression is death 1 John 3:4.
  • When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He was not committing "murder," but was acting as the Supreme Judge executing a "literal and matter of fact death" upon those who had rejected every offer of mercy.
  • This destruction is described as the "vengeance of eternal fire," meaning its results are final and thorough because the inhabitants had reached a point of iniquity where God's interference was necessary.
  • The people of Sodom had so hardened their hearts that they laughed at the warnings of coming judgment, treating divine entreaties as if they were being mocked.

🛡️ Our Inability and Christ's Sufficiency

  • While we are indeed "compassed with infirmity" and cannot keep the law in our own fallen strength, the gospel is a "perfect and complete system" that restores us Hebrews 5:2.
  • It is true that sin has entered the creation, but Christ came to our level to exalt us to His own "spotless purity," which He retained under the most adverse circumstances.
  • The "converting power of grace" is what enables the believer to stand in the day of the Lord and show reverence for His law.
  • When the principle of love is implanted in the heart by the Holy Spirit, the law is written in the mind, and obedience becomes the "true sign of discipleship" Hebrews 10:16.

🎁 The Gift of Probation

  • We are indeed only alive today because of the "matchless mercy" and the "ransom" paid by Jesus Christ on the cross.
  • This period of time we are currently living in is a "probation" granted to the inhabitants of the world, during which we may accept the mediation of our Advocate.
  • If a person persists in transgression and turns a "deaf ear" to the invitation of God, they will eventually have to meet the results of their own perversity in the judgment.
  • However, for those who are penitent and believing, the message from the cross is, "Live, sinner, live!".

It is a wonderful truth that while we all deserve the penalty of the law, Jesus took that penalty upon Himself so that we might share in His righteousness and eternal life! 🌟

Sources · 11
  1. ARSH November 21, 1854, page 113.4The Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, vol. 6The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
  2. ARSH December 19, 1899, page 820.3The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 76Alonzo Trevier Jones
  3. 5T 135.4Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5Ellen Gould White
  4. PP 159.3Patriarchs and ProphetsEllen Gould White
  5. 2MR 233.1Manuscript Releases, vol. 2 [Nos. 97-161]Ellen Gould White
  6. PTUK September 24, 1891, page 217.4The Present Truth, vol. 7Ellet Joseph Waggoner
  7. TDOC 92.10The Doctrine of ChristWilliam Warren Prescott
  8. T29 108.1Testimony for the Church — No. 29Ellen Gould White
  9. TSA 52.3Testimonies to Southern AfricaEllen Gould White
  10. SYNPT 294.3Synopsis of the Present TruthUriah Smith
  11. ST November 21, 1895, par. 7The Signs of the TimesEllen Gould White