Church of Christ Studies

God's Immutable Laws

I want to speak to you this noon on the immutability of God's law. I preface this address by suggesting that in the make-up of every man there are two natures that might be properly called the "created nature" and the "breathed into" nature; for in Gen. 2: 7 it is said that God created man of the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul. It is right, therefore, to talk about God's being the Creator of our bodies and the Giver and Father of our Spirit?. When these two natures are blended together, we call such "life;" but in the course of time, when these two natures are separated the one from the other, we style it "death." Hence, Solomon said (Eccles. 12: 7): "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."

 

These statements lead up to the conclusion that we are citizens of two worlds. That we are linked with the natural world, no one can doubt; that we are likewise made to partake of the Divine nature is equally obvious unto those who are really thoughtful.

 

For the government and control of man in this dual nature two systems are necessary. One of them is adapted to our material relationships; the other, to our spiritual relationships. These two laws, while not antagonistic to each other, operate in entirely different fields. Paul said, in Rom. B: 7: "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." My animal nature, passions, and lusts are not subject to God's spiritual law any more than that of any other animal. So, then, the law that governs man's animal nature is wholly impotent with regard to his spirituality, and vice versa.

 

In the natural things with which I have to do and in my material relationships I do not especially need the Bible.

 

*For the outline and matter of this sermon I am very largely indebted to Brother E. C. Fuqua, of Los Angeles, Cal.

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This I say thoughtfully. I derive no special benefits direct from it. An infant born into the world soon learns the first law of self-preservation, and it does not have to go to the Bible to get it. We soon become acquainted with the laws governing material things with which we have to do. All of our advancement, our progress and scientific development, is but the discovery of the natural law governing those things. This very largely explains why, in every age of the world and in every country, scientists and inventors have either been irreligious or the rankest skeptics of earth. They have gained the mastery over the material laws of the universe. They understand the workings of these laws and have lost sight of the fact that there is another part of man's nature that is not subject to the law governing material things.

 

I submit to you that from our experience we have learned this: that when we disregard any of the laws of the universe in which we live, our purposes and plans are always defeated. It is a law, for instance, of electricity that there must be double wires on which the current is to run if lights are made possible. If any man would try to wire this building with a single wire, his effort would be a failure. Why? Simply because nature's law demands to the contrary, and no man has the power to change or alter it in the least.

 

It is a law that by atmospheric pressure water will rise to a height of about thirty feet. The different kinds of pumps used in this country are made with due regard to this law, and any effort to change or disregard it results in failure.

 

It is a law of a chemical element called "phosphorus" that if it be subjected to the air, spontaneous combustion will result. Hence, to prevent this, it must be kept under water.

 

According to another law, metallic sodium must be kept under some kind of an oil to keep it from igniting.

 

Now, we understand those things and are governed in strict accord therewith. I submit to you, further, that in the law of the material world God is no respecter of persons. The rich and the poor are brought to defeat just alike when they violate the law governing material affairs. There may be the basest criminal on earth, prompted by suicidal intent; and then right by him there may be an innocent babe. If both get hold of a bottle of poison and drink it, death is the result. The fact that one is a criminal and the other a spotless babe does not affect the immutability of God's natural law. We ought to learn some lessons from these simple examples. If the wealthiest man in all our land and the most learned that has ever lived were to violate one of nature's laws, the penalty therefor would be as certain to follow as the night follows the day. Ignorance of this natural law renders no excuse, nor does it save the violator from the penalty. When we come face to face with some law of the universe and transgress it and the penalty is meted out, we never think of putting up the excuse that we did not know certain results would follow. They came just the same. The fact that the penalty is always meted out is evidence beyond question that the Executor of these laws still lives and sees to it day by day that every transgression and disobedience receives the punishment therefor. So long as I live upon the earth I must adjust myself to the laws of nature. I cannot go contrary with impunity. Suffering will come upon me and punishment will be inflicted so long as I remain out of line with God's law. I may fail to plant a crop during the spring, and for a short time feel no effects therefrom; but when the cold, bleak, dreary days of winter rush upon me, my suffering begins, and will continue until I decide to fall in line with nature's laws for the support of my physical being.

 

No doubt but that many of the ailments of our being are due to the fact that some sort of our machinery fails to function in harmony with the laws governing our bodies. Suffering will continue until an adjustment is made.

 

All things are held together by virtue of the immutability and unchangeableness of nature's wonderful law. Suppose that electricity should leave the wires in the city of Nashville and spread out into space; wreck and ruin would be the result. Every apparatus in this city would be rendered useless. It would be dangerous to pass along the streets and avenues. But as it is, I am not afraid to walk about your city. Why? Because I believe that the great electrical current will run true to God's law and will stay confined to the wires.

 

Suppose that gravitation should cease Do you not know that everything upon the earth would at once be plunged into the fathomless depths of unbounded space? The world would stop and cease to rotate. Everything on the face of the earth next to the sun would soon become red hot, while everything on the opposite side would freeze to immense depths. As a result, every particle and every phase of life that now moves would be destroyed. But these things will not happen, for God has given unto us a perfect law, carrying with it the absolute assurance unto all those who have studied such matters. The astronomer can sit down to-day and figure out exactly, even to the ten-thousandth part of a second, just when there will be an eclipse a hundred years hence. He can tell what will come to pass with respect to the heavenly bodies in the year 2000 just as well as he can tell what will happen one month from today. How can these things be? Not that he is a prophet, but because of two things first, the immutability of nature's law, and, second, the fact that "figures do not He." Now, to put these two things together—God's law, absolutely perfect, unchangeable, immutable, eternal, and the further fact that "figures do not He"—and men can make the calculations that prove true. That is a wonderful benediction, a rich provision of high Heaven unto mortal man while upon the earth we dwell. God's laws are absolutely dependable. You need not be afraid that there will ever be an exception.

 

Step out into the line of mechanics; and if you get the right philosophy and understand nature's law, you can make a machine that will operate, and it is not a matter of experiment. It is not a question of whether a thing will work or not; if you have confided in and conformed unto God's material laws, that thing is as certain to prove a success as the heavens are above us today. My friends, but for that, life would be fraught with dangers on every hand.

 

The apothecary in your drug store today can compound and fill a prescription that will fit a man up in Canada of whom he never heard, and the same thing will be applicable to a man in Europe. Now, why? It will produce the same effect upon one man as the other; and, therefore, the apothecary is not afraid; he knows the immutability, the unchangeableness, of the laws of God in the material world wherein we live.

 

Now, another thing. It is the Law of the material world that like begets like. We never have an exception to that. For instance, there is a book written by Mr. Alexander Patterson, the name of which is "The Other Side of Evolution." In that he declares that from the historic rocks there have been found more than a hundred species of vertebrate animals, about fifty of which are still in existence. And during all the ages that have characterized the fossilized state there has never been a single exception to the fact that everything has brought forth after its kind and after its fashion.

 

We act upon that principle. Some of you ladies, perhaps, have already seen about planting your gardens. You want to have some butter beans after a while, and you don't think about planting squash seed. Why don't you? Because you have confidence in God's law that if you plant butter beans you expect to reap them. If you want potatoes, you would not think about planting pop corn; and if you want tomatoes you would not plant muskmelon seed. Why not? Because of the immutability of God's law. It is owing to what you want as to the kind of seed you ought to plant anywhere. If you want to make Mormons, for instance, of course you would not plant Republican seed; if you want Democrats, you would not plant the seed of Bolshevists; and so on through life's affairs.

 

Now, I want to state another principle. All I expect to do to-day is to get this principle before you: that in the natural world all life must be confined to the law governing the same; and outside of that law, which knows no exception, life does not exist and cannot be enjoyed. When God, by miraculous power, created the animals of earth, he definitely fixed and specifically located the life of each, either in the air or in the water. If any species thereof ever enjoys that life, it must get into that sphere where such is​ located and there remain. An animal with lungs and nostrils cannot live in a vacuum; an animal with gills cannot live outside of water. Why? God's immutable law has so decreed, and no exceptions can exist.

 

In conclusion, if there are any of you who know God's spiritual law and have a disposition to obey it, will you do so now while we stand and sing?