Law and Gospel

[notmyown]

i've posted this before, so please accept my apologies for the rerun.
i think it bears repeating in the current climate here. (please note, when i say 'Gospel', i refer to the Person and Work of Christ alone in His people.)

there's a difference in the job descriptions of God's Law and God's Gospel.
a big difference.

and the failure to distinguish between Law and Gospel pretty much always leads to
abandonment of the Gospel.

the Law gets softened into helpful tips for practical living
instead of God's unwavering demand for perfection.

and the Gospel gets hardened into a set of moral demands we must live out
instead of God's unconditional declaration that He justifies the ungodly.

the Law can show us what righteousness looks like, but only the Gospel can produce righteousness.

the Law diagnoses sinners, but only the Gospel delivers sinners.

the Law illuminates sin, but only the Gospel eliminates sin.

the Law forces us to face our sin, but only the Gospel forgives our sin.

the Law exposes us, but only the Gospel exonerates us.

the Law accuses us, but only the Gospel acquits us.

the Law is for those who are comfortable in their sin,
the Gospel is for those who despair of their sin. (with thanks to my friend Richard for that application.)

thank You, Faithful Father, for providing a Way for us.
thank You for your Grace and Mercy in the Person and Work of our Savior.
please continue, by Your Grace, to enable us to walk in Your Ways.


*okay...have at it*

 

[FlSnookman7]

Galatians 3:24-26 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

 

[unobtrusive]

i've posted this before, so please accept my apologies for the rerun.
i think it bears repeating in the current climate here. (please note, when i say 'Gospel', i refer to the Person and Work of Christ alone in His people.)

there's a difference in the job descriptions of God's Law and God's Gospel.
a big difference.

and the failure to distinguish between Law and Gospel pretty much always leads to
abandonment of the Gospel.

the Law gets softened into helpful tips for practical living
instead of God's unwavering demand for perfection.

and the Gospel gets hardened into a set of moral demands we must live out
instead of God's unconditional declaration that He justifies the ungodly.

the Law can show us what righteousness looks like, but only the Gospel can produce righteousness.

the Law diagnoses sinners, but only the Gospel delivers sinners.

the Law illuminates sin, but only the Gospel eliminates sin.

the Law forces us to face our sin, but only the Gospel forgives our sin.

the Law exposes us, but only the Gospel exonerates us.

the Law accuses us, but only the Gospel acquits us.

the Law is for those who are comfortable in their sin,
the Gospel is for those who despair of their sin. (with thanks to my friend Richard for that application.)

thank You, Faithful Father, for providing a Way for us.
thank You for your Grace and Mercy in the Person and Work of our Savior.
please continue, by Your Grace, to enable us to walk in Your Ways.


*okay...have at it*

Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?

 

[notmyown]

Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?

are you in Christ? have you died to that which held us captive so we serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code?

i am NOT saying there is no law for Christians to obey. i AM saying lawkeeping has no bearing whatsoever on God's salvation.

 

[Depleted]

i've posted this before, so please accept my apologies for the rerun.
i think it bears repeating in the current climate here. (please note, when i say 'Gospel', i refer to the Person and Work of Christ alone in His people.)

there's a difference in the job descriptions of God's Law and God's Gospel.
a big difference.

and the failure to distinguish between Law and Gospel pretty much always leads to
abandonment of the Gospel.

the Law gets softened into helpful tips for practical living
instead of God's unwavering demand for perfection.

and the Gospel gets hardened into a set of moral demands we must live out
instead of God's unconditional declaration that He justifies the ungodly.

the Law can show us what righteousness looks like, but only the Gospel can produce righteousness.

the Law diagnoses sinners, but only the Gospel delivers sinners.

the Law illuminates sin, but only the Gospel eliminates sin.

the Law forces us to face our sin, but only the Gospel forgives our sin.

the Law exposes us, but only the Gospel exonerates us.

the Law accuses us, but only the Gospel acquits us.

the Law is for those who are comfortable in their sin,
the Gospel is for those who despair of their sin. (with thanks to my friend Richard for that application.)

thank You, Faithful Father, for providing a Way for us.
thank You for your Grace and Mercy in the Person and Work of our Savior.
please continue, by Your Grace, to enable us to walk in Your Ways.


*okay...have at it*

Soooo, that's what it looks like when you can read Owens and the Puritans and actually understand what they're saying!

I want to be you when I grow up! (I bet that frightens you, huh? lol)

Right on!

 

[Nehemiah6]

...and the failure to distinguish between Law and Gospel pretty much always leads to
abandonment of the Gospel.

All very true when the works of the Law are used to establish one's own righteousness apart from faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption.

But there is another aspect to the Gospel which can be distorted, neglected, or ignored. And that is that the Law -- the Ten Commandments -- are embedded in the New Covenant, but the application is under the Law of of Love. In other words, not only do the Ten Commandments convict every human being of sin, but they also present the basis for the outworking of the Law of Love by the power of the Holy Spirit after regeneration. That is why God says that when He regenerates sinners, He puts the Law into their hearts. So a proper understanding of the Law must maintain this balance if we are to avoid Antinomianism.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people (Heb 8:10).

This is not just for the sake of Israel, but for the sake of every person who has been born again (Rom 13:8-10).

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

[unobtrusive]

are you in Christ? have you died to that which held us captive so we serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code?

i am NOT saying there is no law for Christians to obey. i AM saying lawkeeping has no bearing whatsoever on God's salvation.

I never insinuated that. I just said "Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?" Salvation is out of the capability of all. What I'm saying (presenting), is actions have consequences,... a principle created by our Saviour from the beginning. We cannot afford to neglect that.

 

[notmyown]

All very true when the works of the Law are used to establish one's own righteousness apart from faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption.

But there is another aspect to the Gospel which can be distorted, neglected, or ignored. And that is that the Law -- the Ten Commandments -- are embedded in the New Covenant, but the application is under the Law of of Love. In other words, not only do the Ten Commandments convict every human being of sin, but they also present the basis for the outworking of the Law of Love by the power of the Holy Spirit after regeneration. That is why God says that when He regenerates sinners, He puts the Law into their hearts. So a proper understanding of the Law must maintain this balance if we are to avoid Antinomianism.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people (Heb 8:10).

This is not just for the sake of Israel, but for the sake of every person who has been born again (Rom 13:8-10).

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

antinomian? may God forbid it!

i'll just add that we do well to remember, even in that, we are beggars, completely dependent on the grace of God for the next step of obedience.

for a long time i tried, in my own strength and power, to mortify the flesh, etc.
but God is faithful, and eventually i learned i have no strength or power! duh!
The just shall live by faith, and when the Lord Jesus said, Apart from Me, you can do nothing, i think He meant it.

 

[notmyown]

I never insinuated that. I just said "Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?" Salvation is out of the capability of all. What I'm saying (presenting), is actions have consequences,... a principle created by our Saviour from the beginning. We cannot afford to neglect that.

hmm... i'm afraid i'm not sure where you're going here. i'm not sure why God's people would reject His Law. isn't it only we who can say, 'Oh, how I love Thy Law' ?

the Law is spiritual, and good. may i proceed with a few more questions?

do you mean Deut 27? (Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this Law by doing them.)
are believers under the Law? iow, does it have the power to judge and condemn us?
did Christ redeem us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us?

please help me understand what you mean... and to which Covenant you refer?

 

[notmyown]

Soooo, that's what it looks like when you can read Owens and the Puritans and actually understand what they're saying!

I want to be you when I grow up! (I bet that frightens you, huh? lol)

Right on!

well, you know, it was years ago and i have a bad case of Can't Remember Stuff.
but i think that came more from a wonderful book called "The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel" by C.F.W. Walther.

truly, a good book, though i had to read a lot of it aloud to myself. auditory learner. lol

 

[tourist]

Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?

Obeying the law certainly does not give you a curse. Are you saying that the 10 commandments are obsolete and that now it's OK to lie, cheat, murder, covet and commit adultery? Is idolatry and taking the Lord's name in vain now acceptable? Without the law we would not know what sin is. I would say that rejecting the law would absolutely bring about a curse from God unless forgiveness is sought with a contrite heart. There's something in the bible about reaping and sowing. Perhaps this biblical concept is obsolete also and no longer applies. Fortunately, God is full of mercy and compassion and will often mitigate the damage that results when disobeying His law for those that are truly repentant of their sin.

 

[MarcR]

Does obeying the law give us blessings? Does rejecting the law give us cursing?

It depends on motivation. I certainly agree that keeping the law has NO BEARING on securing or maintaining Salvation.

I also agree that the ceremonial law including animal sacrifice is meaningless in the life of a believer.

I have explained on another thread how I and many others are blessed by keeping the appointed times, not under legal compulsion but because they have a lot of meaning in our Christian walk.

All the moral precepts which Jesus taught are taken directly from the Law. Jesus interpretation of them is often quite different from rabbinical teaching; but the precepts are unchanged. Treating others with love and respect does indeed bring many blessings.

If you take upon yourself to kill steal and commit sexual immorality in total disregard of the law, you will indeed bring cursing on yourself if not from God from your fellow mam.

 

[unobtrusive]

hmm... i'm afraid i'm not sure where you're going here. i'm not sure why God's people would reject His Law. isn't it only we who can say, 'Oh, how I love Thy Law' ?

the Law is spiritual, and good. may i proceed with a few more questions?

do you mean Deut 27? (Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this Law by doing them.)
are believers under the Law? iow, does it have the power to judge and condemn us?
did Christ redeem us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us?

please help me understand what you mean... and to which Covenant you refer?

Answer to your last question...I'm not referring to any given covenant at this point. I am referring to what actions cause blessing and cursings, endorsing that the curses of the law are just as relevant today as the blessings, and all actions have consequence both negative and positive. The law is instruction in righteousness. Without consequences, it would mean nothing. A loving Father chastens His children, and the children are rewarded when they esteem the principles presented from their Father's exposed character, i.e. "His Name." If not, blessing are hindered.

The curse of the law still exists for those who deny it, even though they might claim to speak that they are saved. By demanding that Salvation makes it void for all that believe is a false narrative. Lawful is lawful, and lawlessness is still lawlessness. For example, if things go wrong, become chaotic in any said country, obviously lawlessness ensues. The Bible calls this a curse. I'm not in any way endorsing the self works of the law for righteousness. I'm only saying that the law is the form of government that works. If it's denied, curses are the consequence. If it is properly adhered to the consequence is blessings.

 

[unobtrusive]

Obeying the law certainly does not give you a curse. Are you saying that the 10 commandments are obsolete and that now it's OK to lie, cheat, murder, covet and commit adultery?

Not at all.

Is idolatry and taking the Lord's name in vain now acceptable? Without the law we would not know what sin is. I would say that rejecting the law would absolutely bring about a curse from God unless forgiveness is sought with a contrite heart. There's something in the bible about reaping and sowing. Perhaps this biblical concept is obsolete also and no longer applies. Fortunately, God is full of mercy and compassion and will often mitigate the damage that results when disobeying His law for those that are truly repentant of their sin.

Reaping a sowing are the same as actions and consequence. They still apply. Have you ever watched the show "Truth of Consequences" hosted by Jack Benny, when you were Young? With that, I do agree with your final sentence.