The Law and the Gospel

In my search to understand the relationship between the law and the gospel, I came up with at least 35 pdf files taken from the web. After skimming them, I finally selected Rev. G. Lubbers, "The Law and the Gospel" and Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.'s "To the Jew First: A Reformed Perspective."

Rev. G. Lubbers

Rev. G. Lubbers provides the six nuances of the term "law": 

• Direction and teaching, and in the Hiphil form of the root word "Torah," the meaning is "to teach, to instruct," and the basic idea of the verb is "to point out, to show."

• Divine Law where based on Psalm 19:7-9 has diverse synonyms such as testimony of the Lord, v. 7; statutes of the Lord, v.8; commandment of the Lord, v.8; fear of the Lord, v.9, and; judgments of the Lord, v. 9. 

• Referring to the first five books of Moses, the Pentateuch

• Ten Commandments or the Decalogue

• The Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi

• The entire dispensation of the types and shadows as to their legal aspect

Rev. G. Lubbers opposed both nomonian and antinomian. He is also against those who see the covenant as "a legal contract," and considered such idea "erroneous and Pharasaic." For him, the covenant is "a testament which came in effect through the death of the testator" (p. 51).

Rev. Lubbers sees the "law as part and parcel of the fulfilled righteousness of Jesus Christ on the cross." This is how he understands the phrase "new commandment" in Christ that requires "new obedience." 

He believes that "in a sense, the entire Old Testament itself is 'gospel'" (ibid.). The four verbs taken from Heidelberg Catechism are very enlightening. He thinks that the gospel was "revealed by God Himself in paradise, preached by patriarchs and prophets, portrayed by sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law, and finally fulfilled in God's only begotten Son" (p.52). 

Rev. Lubbers' idea that Jesus as the great and only subject of the Pentateuch is biblically sound. However, his conclusion that the giving of the law at Sinai as "part of the gospel" requires further clarification. I also agree with his affirmation that "the Old Testament Scriptures are blood-sprinkled words," but I have a reservation in his negation of them as "mere code of morals and civil conduct" (p. 56). 

Overall, what I consider unusual in the article is the removal of the distinction between the law and the gospel. For Rev. Lubbers, the gospel is in the law, and the law is in the gospel. He considered this idea as "a death-blow to all legalistic, nomistic preaching as well as to all antinomistic preaching and living" (ibid.). To him, the Decalogue "rightly considered are ten precepts of the gospel" (ibid.).

Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr

Dr. Pratt has other subjects in mind in his article. However, I just want to glean contents related to the law. At the outset, he mentioned the historic three uses of the law and described them as "usus civilus," "usus pedigogicus," and "usus normativus." "Usus civilus" or the civil use of the law is the function of the law that goes beyond the jurisdiction of Christian churches into the society at large. This is also described as the "political" use of the law. "Usus pedigogicus" or the pedagogical use of the law is the law's function to expose our sins for us to realize our need of Christ. "Usus normativus" or the normative use of the law is the view that the law is the "moral guide for believers." This normative use is also called the "didactic" use of the law. 

In my conversation in social network, I realize that almost all Christians find no contention in affirming the second use of the law. On the other hand, many consider that the other two uses of the law are controversial. Many evangelicals today think that there is no place for the third use of the law in the Christian life. The only thing that matters are faith in the gospel and to live in love. 

Moreover, if the third use of the law is almost unacceptable today among evangelicals, the first use of the law is considered a "taboo." Just try to mention the applicability of the civil use of the law in society in a theological forum, and the consensus is that either you are a legalist or an advocate of an ancient and impractical theocracy, and therefore you are dangerous. 

Dr. Pratt gave more attention to the normative use of the law. To him, the normative function of the law is not only confined among believers, but includes the entire humanity. It appears to me that his understanding of the third use of the law is connected to the first use where all men are the recipients.

Basing on the Westminster Confession of Faith, Dr. Pratt agrees that the same law was given both in Eden and Sinai though different in form. And then he mentions that the Calvinist system added the ceremonial and judicial laws. He thinks that the three categories of laws are still applicable today, but acccepts that distinguishing among them remains problematic. For believers, the law is beneficial in restraining their corruptions. For whole humanity, the law provides "a rule of life," to inform man of the "will of God and their duty."

If one finds the above confessional stance unacceptable, Dr. Pratt turns to historical proofs to show the "propensity" of Reformed tradition to consider Old Testament laws as "positive resource for guiding moral and political life" (p.12). In this instance, he cites the Calvinistic political experiments in the "social structures of Geneva, the Puritans' England, and Puritan colonies of America" (pp.11-12). And then he mentions about a Calvinistic movement known as "theonomists" or "reconstructionists" who "enthusiatically recommending that contemporary civil governments enforce Old testament judicial laws as much as possible" (p.12). 

Conclusion

Concerning Rev. Lubber's article, I am just puzzled about the application of his "gospel view" of the entire Old Testament in concrete situations. It appears to me that he is blurring the distinction between the law and the gospel in his quest to emphasize the mercy of God. Personally, I have no problem with the idea that the law leads to the gospel and that in the gospel, we are reminded of the law, but I find no solid biblical basis for saying that the Decalogues are ten precepts of the gospel and other similar expressions.

About Dr. Pratt's description of "reconstructionists" as "enthusiastically recommending that contemporary civil governments enforce Old testament judicial laws" on wider society, Dr. Bahnsen clarifies this in his book, "By This Standard: The Authority of God's Law Today." As one among the key voices from reconstructionist movement, Dr. Bahnsen made it clear that as far as his studies are concerned, he does not "advocate the imposition of God's law by force upon a society, as though that would be a way to 'bring in the kingdom' " (p.9). He affirms that the kingdom of God is advanced "by means of the Great Commission - evangelism, preaching, and nurture in the word of God and in the power of God's regenerating and sanctifying Spirit" (p. 9).