a comment on CampOnThis: The Law and the Gospel…
19th August 2005
CampOnThis: The Law and the Gospel
…and The Threefold Use of the Law by Sproul/Calvin
It is only fair that I comment on the good and the bad coming from my blogroll. Being that most of my comments on Steve Camp’s blog entries are good, I figured I would post on when I disagree as well (in the interest of fairness/balance). This is one of those cases. I do not believe Christians today are bound by the law.
Now obviously a big factor here is what is meant when we say the law. To make it simple, let me just say that the law, as we know it in the Old Testament, is not applicable to Christians today.
I realize this is a bummer for the churches that love to teach on tithing, I realize this is a bummer for those that love to recite the 10 commandments every Sunday, and I realize this is a bummer for anyone who likes to use a list of rules/commandments as a “rulebook” of sorts to measure a Christian. However, none of those reasons warrant a departure from Grace or breaking up of the law to suit our needs.
The freedom from the law (in Christ) we have does not give us a “license to sin” either. The law still serves a purpose, it just isn’t binding.
In addition, this is not to throw out all the other applications and meanings of “the law” or commandments that have been given to us (they must be looked at in context and application though).
AMDG
August 22nd, 2005 at 13:21
Good post Brian. I think the Law, from the typical current day Reformed position sadly reinserts the Law as having meritorious salvific significance. In other words given the doctrine of “Perseverance of the Saints” and “Unconditionial Election” and “Limited Atonement” a person never really knows if they are truly one of the elect for whom Christ died. This is where the “Law” comes in–it is used as the barometer to test and see if a person truly is one of the elect (they’ll know if they are keeping the Law (historically this has been labeled, Experiemental Predestinarianism–emphasis on process/sanctification to the displacement of justification). I don’t see much difference, if any, between this view of salvation, and the Roman understanding of salvation. They both emphasize ethical performance. The problem as I see it, practically, is that both of these constructs have the person looking at themselves, and their works, rather than at Christ Alone and His works.
September 8th, 2005 at 01:34
Bobby,
I read your comments and wonder if you ever sense that all sides in some debates are out of touch with the sense of what is being addressed in scripture?
Do you think the best thing to do in trying to understand the scriptures (I am trying) is to define words like “justification” and “sanctification” against the grain of how they are used in scripture?
To subjugate the Gospel to definitions shaped by the Protestant/Catholic debate may not be the most helpful approach to gain understanding. I can’t help but think that if we want to see salvation in action we shouldn’t leave “Christ alone” but be as a “branch” bejoined to the “vine” ( John 15).
Some have asked, “Do a Christians works either earn or maintain his salvation?” We could answer, “No, but God’s Christ-work does.” So that if I first looked to Jesus with a loyal belief seconds ago I can know that Christ’s works are my salvation or if years have passed and I am weighing the value of submission to Christ’s commands in my life today, I can know that union to Christ (which necessarily includes union to His works) is my salvation. In some sense loyalty without adherence isn’t loyalty. We are supposed to be immersed into Christ. I will mention one of the passages that this commentary brings to mind.
“And this is the judgement, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God ( John 3:19-21).”