Category Archives: Law
Truncated gospel 2
Here are some things that I think we are in danger of when we truncate the gospel like this post described. 1. We are in danger of preaching a gospel that is entirely reduced to a narrowly-defined ‘need-solution’ formula, open … Continue reading
Calvin: The 3rd use is the real deal
Reading through Calvin recently with our two apprentices has reminded me of how clear and helpful I have always found him to be on a range of subjects, but particularly on the law. Six months or so ago I collected … Continue reading
1 John on sanctification
I started putting some passages and thoughts together a while ago on sanctification. I figured I should get back to it. Here’s an important passage from 1 John 3. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; … Continue reading
10 commandments or 33 new offences a day?
Our default is to have a negative view of God’s laws. We fear that his commandments are not designed for our good, that they limit and deprive us of life rather than liberate us and order us for our blessing. … Continue reading
grace and godliness
So, how does grace train us to be godly? I suspect a big part of the answer to this (or at least to what Paul had in mind by the idea) is in verse 14. Titus 2:14 [Jesus Christ] who … Continue reading
Either way, it’s grace.
Carrying on from the previous post, it should be noted that, whichever we’re fighting, whether legalism or lawlessness, the answer is still the grace of God in Christ. Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for … Continue reading
Legalism?
We always have to fight both legalism and lawlessness. Always. But, which is the bigger threat within evangelicalism today – legalism or lawlessness, earned grace or cheap grace, Pharisaism or presumption? One way of thinking about that is to think … Continue reading
Romans 2, law and gospel.
It’s been very common to use the words ‘law’ and ‘gospel’ in the following way: Gospel = promises that save Law = legal demands that condemn That’s all ok to some extent as systematic categories. But frankly unhelpful if used … Continue reading
Rules and Relationships
More observations coming off the back of my sermon on Matthew 7:21-29 (see here for the audio), which contains what I think are some of the scariest words in the NT. Matt. 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, … Continue reading
Friday Calvin: On Paul on Genesis 21
“We know that the true sons of God are born of the incorruptible seed of the word: but when the Spirit, which gives life to the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets, is taken away, and the dead letter … Continue reading
Friday Calvin: Word and Spirit, Law and Grace
A great quote from Calvin for our weekly dose. Calvin is railing against the “fanatics” (as he calls them) who seek to replace scripture with “fresh revelation.” “They censure us for insisting upon the letter that kills, but in this … Continue reading
preaching the law first?
It’s often been said, though not that often these days, that there is a great need to ‘preach the law’ to people first before we preach the gospel to them. See, for example, this recent article in Evangelicals Now. In … Continue reading
