It’s live! My new book, The Hope That Beckons Home, is now available on Amazon. Get your copy here → amzn.to/42QIZyE

The gospel changes the believer’s status, motive, power, and relationship to the law. It does not alter the moral content of the law or transform imperatives into promises. “The law says, ‘Do this and live,’ yes. But the gospel does not say "Live and do this." “Live and do this” actually contains two different words. “Live” is gospel. “Do this” is law. The order has changed, but the nature of the imperative has not. The believer does not obey in order to obtain life. He obeys because life has been freely given to him in Christ. Nevertheless, the command that directs his obedience remains law. The gospel establishes the context in which obedience becomes evangelical, but it does not make obedience part of the gospel.

The antinomian error is not corrected by collapsing obedience into the gospel, nor is legalism corrected by abolishing the law completely. Rather, law and gospel must each be permitted to retain their proper office. The moral law does not change. It continues to reveal the holy and righteous will of God, and it continues to expose the believer’s remaining sin and direct him in the paths of righteousness. What changes is the believer’s covenantal relationship to that law. Outside of Christ, the sinner encounters the law as one who stands condemned by it. The law demands “Do this and live.” In Christ, the believer is no longer under the law as a covenant of works. However, the law remains.

The gospel produces obedience, but the obedience produced by the gospel is not the gospel itself. That is why the Marrow is so helpful in explaining that the gospel does not change, nor does the law change. Instead, the gospel changes the sinner’s relationship to the law.

Dear Believer, Self-examination has a necessary place within the Christian life. However, there is an important difference between examining yourself in the light of the gospel and examining yourself instead of believing the gospel. The former exposes sin, produces repentance, and returns the believer to Christ. The latter turns the Christian life into a continual search of the soul, locating either confidence or despair within the believer himself. So, confess what is sinful and pursue holiness, but do not remain turned inward. The answer to an accusing conscience is the proclamation of a sufficient Savior, the promise of the gospel, and resting again on the sufficiency of Christ’s obedience, death, and resurrection.

This simple book helps people with what the Reformers' called, "the Law/Gospel" distinction. The Law says, "Do." The Gospel says, "Done!" Do you want assistance in understanding the Bible, evangelizing and growing in your Christian faith? amazon.com/Law-Gospel-Primer…

Episode 2 is available wherever you listen

Episode 2 of Marrowcast is live. We’re continuing through The Marrow of Modern Divinity and getting into the problem nobody escapes: Man is addicted to the covenant of works. Listen to Episode 2 at marrowcast.com.

Scripture Alone, but Never Alone open.substack.com/pub/marrow…

Confessional Clarity without Confessional Fundamentalism

GRN is committed to confessional clarity without confessional fundamentalism. We want the confession to serve the churches, strengthen the churches, and help us proclaim Christ more clearly. —@GraceRefNet

Christ came for you. Christ lived for you. Christ died for you. Christ rose for you. Christ ascended for you. Christ reigns for you. Christ intercedes for you. Christ will return for you. The whole Christ is yours, and this is good news.

One of the great dangers in preaching is not denying the gospel outright, but blending it with everything that follows from it.

The strength of your faith may rise and fall, but the sufficiency of its object does not.

Episode 2 drops tomorrow 👀

Episode 2 drops tomorrow. And yes, you probably need the reminder. Not because Marrowcast is important in itself, but because the gospel is easy to forget. marrowcast.com

The church is where sinners bring no righteousness of their own and hear again that Christ is enough for all of them.

Everything built from dust will return to it. Beware shifting from the gospel.

This is helpful

The church is where sinners stop pretending and come empty-handed to stand together in the righteousness of Another.

Today is a good day to be reminded. We have a Shepherd who will guide us here below, and an Advocate who will receive and present us before the Throne above. Christ will hold us fast.