Law or Gospel?
***UPDATE***
I’ll be leaving the polls at the end of this post open till the end of the week. On Saturday the results (and the correct answers will be revealed).
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The Christian Church owes much to Martin Luther, who trailblazed the Protestant Reformation. While 1.21 identifies itself more with the more mature theology of John Calvin (and his heirs), we recognize that Luther brought several distinct and distinctive theological reforms to the church of Jesus. One of these was a distinction between the principles of law and gospel.
The law includes everything God commands and expects of humanity.
The gospel concerns everything that God does for humanity (most specifically through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus).
The law tells us what we should be and do. The gospel tells us what God has done in spite of our failures to keep the law.
Historically, Protestants have understood the law to have three “uses.”
- It threatens us with consequences for our sin, and thereby keeps us more under control (at least outwardly).
- It shows us the absolutely righteous standards of God, and that we fall short of those standards, which ought to drive us to Christ Jesus.
- For those who have been driven to Christ by the first use, it shows us what sort of life pleases God, and so guides us as we try to live in gratitude for our salvation.
The Bible is clear that the law is “holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7.12). But the Bible is also clear that the law is not the gospel. Through the law we are condemned and killed (Romans 3.19-20; Galatians 3.10). No one will be put right before God by keeping the law (Galatians 2.21). The law kills us, but through the gospel, Jesus saves us.
Why am I writing this? First, because it’s good for us to be reminded. Second (and this is related to the first), we have a tendency to confuse the law and the gospel. I’ve been noticing this lately in conversations with and presentations by other Christians.
So we’re going to take a little test. I’m setting up a poll and we’ll vote. I’ll include several statements and we’ll decide if they’re law or gospel. I think the poll results are anonymous. So have no fear. There should be nothing to embarrass you.
Posted by: Gene Schlesinger
I love you guys at 1:21. I really do. But I think you all too often try to ‘intellectualize’ the Word of God and the Gospel which can lead to a practical denial of the work of the Spirit in regeneration and in every aspect of a Christ-exalting life. I also think you, and many in the modern Reform movement, speak of Calvin (and Luther to a lesser extent) with almost reverential deference. Interestingly enough, Jan Hus preceded both of these gentlemen and the ripple effect of his martyrdom was the renewal of a ‘heart religion’ that ultimately led to the very founding of our city–Salem. My prayer is that God would take all of us beyond the right ‘answers’ to a living encounter with ‘The Answer’–Jesus Christ so that we walk in and by the power of His Spirit.
Our city if full of ‘churches’ many with hirlings rather than under-shepherds. People who make lots of money and like to see the word ‘Reverend’ before their names. People who have a ‘form of godliness’ but deny His power. You are not like that and I praise God. But I also pray that 1:21 would experience more of an outpouring of the Spirit’s power. What the people of Winston-Salem need most of all isn’t a ‘systematic theology’, but gospel in action. Lots more to say…just hope my heart comes across.
Thanks for the comment. I’m not sure I know you, but I’m glad you’re a fan.
That said, though, I strongly disagree with a lot of what you’ve written. To begin with, Christianity is inescapably intellectual. The Bible is a book that you read, the gospel is news that you hear and believe, etc. I agree that it’s more than intellect and thought. But it is not less. You downplay the discipline of theology, but that’s problematic. We’re all theologians all the time. As we have this conversation about God, we’re making theological statements. But when we eschew the formal discipline of theology, we make it much more likely that we’ll be bad theologians.
Second, making the proper distinction between law and gospel is exceedingly important. After all, one kills and condemns us, while the other brings us life, freedom, and salvation. So it’s important that we get this right. On a related point, it’s a category mistake to talk about “gospel in action.” The gospel is news. As news, it’s not something you can do, or live, or be, or practice, or whatever. We can only proclaim it, report it, hear it, and believe it. “Gospel in action” is not gospel at all. It is law. And while the law is good. It can’t be anyone’s hope.
Third, we do believe strongly in the importance of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. But we also recognizes that he has promised to use the ordinary means of grace (preaching and sacraments) (Romans 1.16-17; 10.1-9). So we practice them, trusting that the Holy Spirit will use them to create, strengthen, and nourish faith in us, making us more like Jesus. Furthermore, the NT typically ties regeneration to the preaching of the gospel (Ephesians 4.13-14; 1 Peter 1.21-23). So formal ministry, emphasizing the objective character of Christianity does not downplay the Holy Spirit’s work, it depends on it.
Fourth, we do greatly respect Luther and Calvin. But we don’t just defer to their opinions. We don’t hold Luther’s doctrine of the Lord’s Supper. And we reject both of their views on the proper subjects for baptism. On a personal note, I would not have been able to live as a citizen in Geneva. They’d have banished me. So I’m aware that Calvin got it wrong sometimes. But he got it right most of the time, and so I do give a good deal of deference to him, and his successors (just as I do all the traditions of the church). We respect Hus, Wycliffe, and other precursors to the Reformation. But our theology is Reformed, not Hussite.
Fifth, while I agree that we want people to have authentic, living encounters with Jesus Christ. But this doesn’t happen by “experiencing” our way to him. Rather, we find him where he has already found us: the gospel. To experience Christ outside the gospel is damning.
Sixth, I would urge you to be more careful and charitable in your evaluation of other churches and pastors. While there are many churches in Winston-Salem that are unhealthy, or preach heresy, or even just anemic versions of the gospel, we should be hesitant to pronounce upon the motives of the pastors there. You don’t have access to the inner workings of their hearts (or your own [see Jeremiah 17]…which is one of the problems with “heart religion”).
Finally, I want to thank you for and join you in your prayer that our church be blessed with a greater outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray the same thing for you. God bless.
Wow! Great post…
I am asking myself if I attend one of the “anemic” churches in the area? Love the people, but I am having thoughts of if we have too high a view of ourselves and too low view of Christ…
Mike, I appreciate your concern to give Christ a central place and to be involved in a healthy church where the gospel is prominent. From experience I can say that all of us, from time to time have too high a view of ourselves and too low a view of Christ. So I’d urge you to be patient with your church (I assure you that even if your leaders are wrong sometimes…and I’m sure they are, that they are under far more pressure than you would imagine.).
That said, though, if you believe that your church is not properly bringing the gospel to the people, I would urge you to respectfully andsubmissively share these concerns with your pastors. See what they have to say. You may be helping them out here. Respect and submission are key here. Pastors don’t need their congregation’s guidance about how to do ministry, but we do sometimes have blind spots. So your task is to balance recognition that your pastors will stand before God regarding the church (and therefore need to be free to lead it as they see best), and the recognition that the gospel and the Christ need to be more prominent.
Depending on that interaction’s results, you can either stay at your church on mission, helping bring a greater focus to Christ and his gospel (this is the one I recommend), or find another church where this is happening (and I’d urge you to be careful about this one. Most of the times that people switch churches, it’s not handled well, nor is it for good reasons. There would need to be a lot of prayer, guidance seeking, and discussion with your pastor before you did this one).
Thanks for the comment.
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