Once more, are true believers delivered from the commanding, condemning, and irritating power of the law as a covenant? Let them then, amid all their trials and all their conflicts with spiritual enemies, be of good comfort. Oh, let them rejoice exceedingly in that almighty, compassionate, dear Redeemer who, in His love and pity, has redeemed them from the dominion and curse of the broken law (Gal. 3:13). You, O believer, have become dead to the law by the body of Christ and are married to another husband, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that you may bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. 7:4). You are dead to the law of works; nevertheless, you live. You live to God as your own God, your covenant God, and you serve Him in newness of spirit. In union with your living Redeemer, who loved you and gave Himself for you, you live a life of justification, and consequently, it is your privilege as well as your duty to live a life of sanctification and consolation. Being justified by faith, you have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and, in some measure, peace of conscience. If then the law as a covenant of works should at any time enter your conscience again and require perfect obedience from you as the ground of your title to eternal life, saying, “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:28), present to it, in the hand of faith, the perfect obedience of your divine Surety in answer to that demand. And as often as the law in your conscience repeats the high demand, renew your application of His consummate obedience and trust firmly that it was performed for you in order to entitle you to eternal life. The righteous law, magnified and made honorable by that meritorious obedience, will, in proportion as you do so, cease to disturb the peace of your conscience. The spotless obedience of the second Adam is, as was observed above, the only obedience that you should present to the law as a covenant of works; and your own personal obedience is the only obedience that you ought to exhibit to it as a rule of life.

John Colquhoun | A Treatise on the Law and Gospel (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books), 223–24.

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Post authored by:

• Tony Phelps

  

  Tony grew up in Rhode Island. He was educated at BA (University of Rhode Island) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He worked in the insurance industry for ten years. He planted a PCA church in Wakefield, RI where he served for eleven years. In 2015–18 he pastored Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Colorado Springs. He is currently pastor of Living Hope (OPC). Tony is married to Donna and together they have three children.

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