Resources on the Law/Gospel Distinction

by on January 13, 2011

The distinction between law and gospel is one of the most fundamental aspects of the Protestant Reformation. It was essential to the Reformation and it was a basic part of both early Reformed theology and Reformed orthodoxy. For a variety of reasons many Reformed people lost track of the distinction in the Modern period but the evidence from the sources (see below) and the most modern scholarship is that it is essential to Reformed reformation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Heidelcasts
  2. Sources
  3. Books And Articles
  4. Media

Heidelcasts

  1. Heidelminicast: Is The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Something To Use Only Sometimes?
  2. Heidelminicast: The Marrow On The Distinction Between The Law And The Gospel
  3. Heidelminicast: Calvin Distinguished Law And Gospel To Preserve The Truth Of The Gospel
  4. Heidelcast Minute: The Federal Visionists Deny The Protestant Distinction Between Law And Gospel
  5. Heidelcast 141: Calls On Law and Gospel, Baptism, Covenant Theology, Repentance, Justification, Sanctification, Taco Bell, And More!
  6. Heidelminicast Q&A: Is There Really a Distinction Between Law and Gospel?
  7. Heidelcast Series: Nomism And Antinomianism
  8. Heidelcast Minute: The Federal Visionists Deny The Protestant Distinction Between Law And Gospel
  9. Heidelminicast: Is The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Something To Use Only Sometimes?
  10. Heidelminicast: Machen—The Gospel Leads Us To Love The Law
  11. Heidelminicast: The Marrow On The Distinction Between The Law And The Gospel
  12. Heidelminicast: Calvin Distinguished Law And Gospel To Preserve The Truth Of The Gospel
  13. Heidelcast Minute: The Canons Of Dort On Law And Gospel
  14. Heidelcast Minute: The Reformation On Law And Gospel Language

Sources

  1. Classic Reformed Theology on the Law/Gospel Distinction
  2. Luther: The Law And The Gospel Make Promise On Different Conditions
  3. Perkins: By Nature We Seek To Contribute To Our Salvation But The Gospel….
  4. Perkins On Paul’s Distinction Between Law And Gospel In Galatians
  5. Luther On What Galatians 2:21 Teaches About Law And Gospel
  6. Owen: Law and Gospel
  7. The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Emerged From Augustine’s Struggle With Pelagius
  8. William Eyre: Failure To Distinguish Law And Gospel Lets In Innumerable Errors
  9. Haldane: Romans 2:13 Is Law, Not Gospel
  10. Colquhoun: Every Passage Of Scripture Is Either Law Or Gospel
  11. The Synopsis Of Purer Theology On The Law And The Gospel
  12. Colquhoun: Ignorance Of The Difference Between Law And Gospel Leads To Self-Righteousness
  13. Perkins: The Law Promises Salvation On The Basis And Through Obedience. The Gospel Promises Salvation On The Basis Of Christ’s Obedience And Through Faith Alone
  14. Bavinck Distinguished Law And Gospel
  15. Ursinus on Law and Gospel
  16. Perkins: The Threefold Distinction In the Law Is Basic Reformed Theology
  17. Beza: We divide this word into two principal parts
  18. Luther On What Makes A Real Theologian
  19. William Gurnall: Threats Are The Native Language Of The Law
  20. Dathenus: Would You Make Christ Another Moses Again?
  21. The Synod Of Dort On The Difference Between Law And Gospel
  22. Luther On The Difference Between Law And Gospel
  23. Luther’s Test: Are You A Christian?
  24. Thomas Boston: How And Why To Distinguish Between Law And Gospel
  25. The Author Of The Belgic Confession On Law And Gospel
  26. Mr Murray Distinguishes Law And Gospel
  27. The Way Calvin Read The Ten Commandments May Not Be The Way You Are Used To Reading The Ten Commandments (But It Should Be)
  28. Calvin: Paul Distinguishes Between Law And Gospel
  29. Olevianus On The Distinction Between Law And Gospel
  30. Thomas Manton On Law And Gospel
  31. Perkins: Rome Confuses Law And Gospel
  32. Colquhoun: Ignorance Of The Difference Between Law And Gospel Leads To Self-Righteousness
  33. Bavinck Distinguished Law And Gospel
  34. Olevianus: The Reformed Retain The Distinction Between Law And Gospel
  35. Ebenezer Erskine On The Distinction Between Law And Gospel
  36. Colquhoun: Distinguishing Correctly Between Law And Gospel Is Essential
  37. Colquhoun: The Law And The Gospel Are The Sum And Substance Of Scripture
  38. Luther: The Law And Gospel Are Found Throughout Scripture
  39. Perkins On Paul’s Distinction Between Law And Gospel In Galatians
  40. Luther On What Galatians 2:21 Teaches About Law And Gospel
  41. Owen: Law and Gospel

Books And Articles

  1. “Letter and Spirit: Law and Gospel in Reformed Preaching,” in R. Scott Clark, ed. Covenant, Justification and Pastoral Ministry: Essays by the Faculty of Westminster Seminary California (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2006), 331-63. Also available on iTunes.
  2. “Law and Gospel in Early Reformed Orthodoxy: Hermeneutical Conservatism in Olevianus’ Commentary on Romans,” in Jordan J. Ballor, David S. Sytsma and Jason Zuidema editors, Church and School in Early Modern Protestantism: Studies in Honor of Richard A. Muller on the Maturation of a Theological Tradition (Leiden: Brill, 2013).
  3. Mike Abendroth, My Pilgrimage From “Lordship” to Law/Gospel (part 1)
  4. Mike Abendroth, My Pilgrimage From “Lordship” to Law/Gospel (part 2): Test Case—The Rich Young Ruler
  5. Mike Abendroth, My Pilgrimage From “Lordship” to Law/Gospel (part 3): Assurance
  6. R. Scott Clark, When the Good News Becomes Bad
  7. R. Scott Clark, Yes, Virginia, There Is A Distinction Between Law and Gospel
  8. R. Scott Clark, Is Faith a Work?
  9. R. Scott Clark, Law and Gospel and the Third Use of the Law
  10. R. Scott Clark, Why Do Some Reformed People Corrupt the Gospel of Grace?
  11. Hermeneutics Matter: Law And Gospel In Luke 18:18–30
  12. Jake Meador, They Turned The Covenant Of Grace Into A Covenant Of Works (Or Why The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Matters)
  13. R. Scott Clark, Does OT = Law and NT = Gospel?
  14. R. Scott Clark, Is the Law/Gospel Distinction Only Lutheran?
  15. R. Scott Clark, The Indicative and the Imperative
  16. R. Scott Clark, Is the Gospel Preached or Lived?
  17. R. Scott Clark, Are Believers Under The Law As A Schoolmaster?
  18. R. Scott Clark, What Social Media Teaches Us About Law, Gospel, Forgiveness, And Grace
  19. R. Scott Clark, Concerns About The Rhetoric: “X Is A Gospel Issue”
  20. R. Scott Clark, Preaching As For The Free
  21. R. Scott Clark, The Attraction Of Legal Preaching
  22. R. Scott Clark, Hermeneutics Matter: Law And Gospel In Luke 18:18–30
  23. R. Scott Clark, They Turned The Covenant Of Grace Into A Covenant Of Works (Or Why The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Matters)
  24. R. Scott Clark, Canons Of Dort (27): The Reformed Distinguish Law And Gospel
  25. Harrison Perkins, An Introduction To The Psalter On The Law And The Gospel: Psalms 1–2
  26. R. Scott Clark, The Distinction Between Law And Gospel Emerged From Augustine’s Struggle With Pelagius
  27. Wes Bredenhof, The Gospel Is The Messiah, Not The Law
  28. Wengert, Timothy J. Law and Gospel: Philip Melanchthon’s Debate with John Agricola of Eisleben Over Poenitentia. Texts and Studies in Reformation and Post-Reformation Thought. Carlisle, Cumbria, U.K.: Paternoster, 1997.
  29. Linebaugh, Jonathan A, ed. God’s Two Words : Law and Gospel in the Lutheran and Reformed Traditions. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018.
  30. Colquhoun, John,  A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2024.
  31. Fisher, Edward, and Thomas Boston. The Marrow of Modern Divinity. Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 2009.

Media

  1. R. Scott Clark, Inaugural Lecture as Professor of Church History and Historical Theology, “Caspar Olevianus on Retaining the Law/Gospel Distinction” (2010)
  2. Conference Audio: Law, Gospel, And Galawspel
  3. With NoCo Radio On Reformation 101: Law And Gospel
  4. With NoCo Radio On Law And Gospel
  5. Abounding Grace Radio On The Attraction Of Legal Preaching
  6. The Attraction Of Legal Preaching: The Interview
  7. With The RenewalCast On Distinguishing Law And Gospel
  8. Bantering With Keith Foskey About Law, Gospel, Baptists, And More

MORE RESOURCES

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