Why Complementarianism Can’t Be a “Gospel” Issue

For those who have not been following this discussion, here is a quick rundown as a preface to my point. On August 16, 2012 Denny Burk posted a Gospel Coalition video on his blog in which he noted that Tim Keller suggested . . . Continue reading →

Perkins on the Two Covenants in Gal 4:24-25

(HT: Particular Voices) The two testaments are the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace, one promising life eternal to him that does all things contained in the law; the other to him turns and believes in Christ. And it must . . . Continue reading →

Bavinck On Gospel In The Narrow Sense

And indeed, strictly speaking, there are no demands and conditions in the gospel but only promises and gifts. Faith and repentance are as much benefits of the covenant of grace as justification (and so forth). Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 4.454 (HT: James . . . Continue reading →

The Attraction Of Legal Preaching: The Interview

As a follow-up to the post on legal preaching Chris Gordon and I sat down in the Abounding Grace Radio studio to talk through the issue of the attraction of legal preaching. Once again, neither the post nor the episode is a . . . Continue reading →

Was Calvin A Lutheran?

By this answer Christ declared that he did not deliver any other rule of life than that which had formerly been delivered in the law of the Lord. Thus he both bore testimony to the divine law, that it was a doctrine . . . Continue reading →

Do The Reformed Distinguish Between Law And Gospel?

As a preliminary reply to Mark Jones’ recent post at Ref21 here are some resources to help clarify the picture regarding the Reformed appropriation of the law/gospel distinction: “Law and Gospel in Early Reformed Orthodoxy: Hermeneutical Conservatism in Olevianus’ Commentary on Romans,” . . . Continue reading →

Yes Virginia, There Is A Law-Gospel Distinction

When Martin Luther appeared before the Diet of Worms (1521), on the day after he asked for time to think, his examiner asked whether all the books stacked on the table were his. Luther began to answer by distinguishing between the various . . . Continue reading →

Romans 2:13—Justified Through Our Faithfulness? (3)

In part 2 we considered Romans 2:13 in its own context (Romans 1:18–3:20) and the impulse to distinguish between an initial stage of justification sola gratia, sola fide, on the basis of Christ’s righteousness imputed, and a final stage of justification in . . . Continue reading →

Law, Gospel, Law

I think, not only the content of preaching, but the order of the content is important; indispensable even. J. Gresham Machen, in Christianity and Liberalism, wrote, The consciousness of sin was formerly the starting-point of all preaching, but today it is gone… . . . Continue reading →

Mr Murray Distinguishes Law And Gospel

Recognition of this datum of awful sanctity, and republication of it with conviction and authority is the only path of repentance and restoration. As we recognize the awful sanctity that surrounds the law, we shall certainly be crushed with a sense of . . . Continue reading →

Peter Martyr On Law And Gospel (Revised)

There be some which divide the holy Scriptures into four parts, and describe some books as well of the Old Testament as of the New to laws, some to histories, some to prophecies, and other some again to wisdom. But it is . . . Continue reading →