This is a best of episode. We’ll return next week with new episodes. On this episode of Theology Gals, Coleen and Ashley discuss law and gospel. Why is understanding law and gospel important?
Episode Resources:
Yes Virginia, There Is A Law-Gospel Distinction by R. Scott Clark
Law, Gospel, And The Three Uses of the Law (1) by R. Scott Clark
Law, Gospel, And The Three Uses Of The Law (2) by R. Scott Clark
The Three Uses of the Law by R. Scott Clark
Law and Gospel by Michael Horton
Concerns About The Rhetoric: “X Is A Gospel Issue” by R. Scott Clark
The Indicative and The Imperative A Reformation View of Sanctification by Michael Horton
Calvin on Law and Gospel by Michael Horton
Heidelberg Catechism
Theology Gals – Lordship Salvation with Pastor John Fonville
“Ignorance of the distinction between the Law and Gospel is one of the principle sources of all the abuses which corrupt and still corrupt Christianity.” –Theodore Beza
“There is no point upon which men make greater mistakes than upon the relation which exists between the law and the gospel. Some men put the law instead of the gospel: others put the gospel instead of the law; some modify the law and the gospel, and preach neither law nor gospel: and others entirely abrogate the law, by bringing in the gospel. Many there are who think that the law is the gospel, and who teach that men by good works of benevolence, honesty, righteousness, and sobriety, may be saved. Such men do err. On the other hand, many teach that the gospel is a law; that it has certain commands in it, by obedience to which, men are meritoriously saved; such men err from the truth, and understand it not. A certain class maintain that the law and the gospel are mixed, and that partly by observance of the law, and partly by God’s grace, men are saved. These men understand not the truth, and are false teachers.” -Spurgeon
The Churches of the Reformation from the very beginning distinguished between the law and the gospel as the two parts of the Word of God as a means of grace. This distinction was not understood to be identical with that between the Old and the New Testament, but was regarded as a distinction that applies to both Testaments. There is law and gospel in the Old Testament, and there is law and gospel in the New. The law comprises everything in Scripture which is a revelation of God’s will in the form of command or prohibition, while the gospel embraces everything, whether it be in the Old Testament or in the New, that pertains to the work of reconciliation and that proclaims the seeking and redeeming love o God in Christ Jesus (Systematic Theology, [Grand Rapids, 4th edn. 1941], 612).Louis Berkhof
For Paul often means by the term law the rule of righteous living by which God requires of us what is his own, giving us no hope of life unless we completely obey him, and adding on the other hand a curse if we deviate even in the slightest degree. This Paul does when he contends that we are pleasing to God through grace and are accounted righteous through his pardon, because nowhere is found that observance of the law for which the reward has been promised. Paul therefore justly makes contraries of the righteousness of the law and of that of the gospel [Romans 3:21 ff.; Galatians 3:10 ff.; etc.] (Institutes, 2.9.4)
Also Mentioned:
Justin Peters The Hurt of Healing
Justin Peters Interviews Costi Hinn
Episode Music from Castle Pines
 
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