When it comes to the content of Christian preaching there are, in the most general sense, two options: (1) preaching either law or gospel, vs. (2) preaching both law and gospel. Obviously, within option (1) law and gospel are viewed as two mutually exclusive options, whereas in option (2) they are distinct, but are neither separated nor confused. Let’s see how this works out in the details:
(1) Preaching Either Law Or Gospel
(1a.) Preaching Law Without Gospel
There are several ways that this is done. Sometimes law (“do”) and gospel (“done”) are so fused together that to preach imperatives is seen as really just preaching the gospel. The failure to distinguish between the event of the gospel from the rest of Scripture leads this group to believe that the preaching of any portion of Scripture is preaching the gospel. As a result of hearing imperatives (law) apart from the indicative (gospel) the law is ironically relativized. The law, rather than being a pedagogue that leads us to Christ, becomes an end in itself. Rather than drive sinners to absolute despair in themselves, the law is a source of gracious self-improvement that helps sinners to become “better”. The preaching ends up being moralistic without anything explicitly Christian (except the vocabulary). While the intention of (1a) is commendable for seeking to show God’s holiness, the problem is that, ultimately, the law of God is muted. The thundering voice from Sinai that caused Israel to fear and tremble is transformed into a manageable to-do list. The sinfulness of sin is misunderstood, the goodness of the good news is lost, and messages become inherently semi-Pelagian.
(1b.) Preaching Gospel Without Law
Here, the gospel is preached exclusively without the law. Any preaching of God’s commandment is seen as legalistic. While the previous group fails in distinguishing law and gospel, this latter group errs by failing to see any relationship between the two. The consequence of preaching gospel without law is that the holiness of God is undermined. No longer are Christians aware of their sinfulness in light of God’s law. People here know/think that they are saved and that they are loved by God, but they have little idea why this is good news. Ironically, despite the fact that (1a.) and (1b.) are always reactions against one another, they function on the same ground: neither side is able to see how both law and gospel can be preached together. The results of (1b) is similar to (1a): the sinfulness of sin is misunderstood, the goodness of the good news is lost, and messages become inherently semi-Pelagian. In both, the holiness of God in the law and the grace of God in the gospel are hushed.
(2) Preaching Both Law And Gospel
This group functions on different assumptions from both (1a) and (1b). While seeing a necessary distinction between law and gospel, the relation between the two is neither severed nor confused. The voice of God thunders as his perfect law is proclaimed and it is preached in such a way so as to point despairing sinners to Christ. Like the Sermon on the Mount, hearers are told that God requires perfection, not simply good intentions. The law is not relativized but preached as it is in order to humble proud sinners. The pharisee who boasts in group (1) is unable to stand here. All are shut up by the law, and like the publican, we can only beat our breasts and plead Christ’s righteousness. Unlike group (1a) sinners are not pointed to the law as an end in itself, but are pointed to Christ through the law. And obviously unlike (1b) the gospel is not some random message about a loving God, but a message of redemption from sin and death. And rather than obeying out of fear, the motivation is gratitude in light of the gospel. The errors of the moralist (1a) and the antinomian (1b) are thereby avoided as well as the error of snatching passages of Scripture from their canonical context and preaching only bits and pieces (left to the preacher’s discretion). The choice is not either preaching the gospel or preaching the law, nor is it a balancing act between the two. Rather, both are preached to their fullest extent.
If the voice of God is to be heard, then both his law and gospel must be preached. The utter holiness of God’s law must not be suppressed, for when this is done the glorious grace of the gospel of Christ is inevitably silenced.
Tags: Law, Law and Gospel, Preaching
