In the previous article, we examined The Error of Legalism. In discussing legalism, one issue that always emerges is the place of the Law (Moral Law) in Christian living. If a Christian is saved by grace through faith and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), then what is the place of the law or works in the life of the believer? If we are not under the law, can a Christian therefore live their life carelessly? These questions present us with another error, the opposite of legalism—antinomianism.

The word antinomianism comes from the Greek anti, against, and nomos, law. It is the unbiblical practice of living without regard to the righteousness of God, using God’s grace as a license to sin, and trusting grace to cleanse of sin. In other words, since grace is infinite and we are saved by grace, then we can sin all we want and still be saved. [1]

While legalism says “Law”, Antinomianism says “No Law.” In the creed of the antinomian, it is all grace and no obedience. Paul addressed this in Romans 6:1 after he had extensively spoken about the free gift of God’s grace through faith. In Romans 5:20, he made a startling statement: “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”(Rom. 5:20). This, if superficially read will appear as a license to sin. Perhaps by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul envisaged that and quickly retorted: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2). The King James presents us a weightier rendition of Paul’s own answer to his question: “God Forbid”. Yes, God forbid that those of us who have come to faith in Christ will live contrary to what we profess (1 Peter 1:14-19).

The grace of God calls us to a higher responsible living.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14).

Notice the last line of the text above: “a people… who are zealous for good works.” The believer is saved for good works which includes obedience to the commands of God. As Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 we are created for good works. The question I will attempt to answer is “What is the place of the law in a believer’s life?” I will turn again to the definition of legalism as supplied in the previous article and from there, examine the place of the law in a believer’s life.

Legalism is the excessive and improper use of the law (10 commandments, holiness laws, etc.). This can take different forms. The first is where a person attempts to keep the Law in order to attain salvation. The second is where a person keeps the law in order to maintain their salvation. The third is when a Christian judges other Christians for not keeping certain codes of conduct that he thinks should be observed. [2]

Notice the first line of the definition: “Legalism is the excessive and improper use of the law.” This tells us there is a proper use of the law. Among those of the Reformed Faith or Reformed Tradition, there is what is held as The Threefold Use Of The Law. This threefold use of the law is captured differently by various authors of the tradition yet they all converge on a threefold use. In this article, I will examine The Threefold Uses of the Law from John Calvin’s Institutes of The Christian Religion.

The Law Is A Mirror

This is the first use of the law. As a mirror, it reflects to us the righteousness and holiness of God and then shows us our own sinfulness. This use of the law reveals to us our wretchedness and need of a Saviour. Indeed, of ourselves, we are unable to meet up the standard of God’s holiness despite the fact that the law demands precisely that: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:16). So God’s law strikes us with our deadness and we seek out desperately where to find solace for our soul. The law, unfortunately is not able to give us that solace and to grace we must turn.

The Law is a kind of mirror. As in a mirror we discover any stains upon our face, so in the Law we behold, first, our impotence; then in consequence of it, our iniquity; and, finally, the curse, as the consequence of both. He who has no power of following righteousness is necessarily plunged in the mire of iniquity, and this iniquity is immediately followed by the curse.(Institutes of The Christian Religion 2.7.7) [3]

Calvin further quotes Augustine to buttress his point: “The Law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace”[4]

The Law Restrains Sin

Left on our own without the restraining power of God through his law we would, without hesitation live out our full evil inclinations. But the law of God restrains us. It checks us. We don’t live out our evil desires because we have in us a conscience which guides and restrains us from all evil possible under the sun.

The second office of the Law is, by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequence dread of punishment, to curb those who, unless forced, have no regard for rectitude and justice. Such persons are curbed not because their mind is inwardly moved and affected, but because, as if a bridle were laid upon them, they refrain their hands from external acts, and internally check the depravity which would otherwise petulantly burst forth. (Institutes of The Christian Religion 2.7.10) [5]

The Law Points Us To What Pleases God

But for the law, none of us would have the slightest idea of what pleases God. It is the law that tells us “Don’t murder” and hence we know murder displeases God. It is the law that tells us “Don’t commit adultery”. It is the law that tells us not to have any god apart from God. So in the law, we get to know what God demands of us. And for the believer, this is the most crucial use of the law. We turn to the law to know what God demands, then we turn to Christ for the grace to obey God’s demands.

Even in the case of a spiritual man, inasmuch as he is still burdened with the weight of the flesh, the Law is a constant stimulus, pricking him forward when he would indulge in sloth. David had this use in view when he pronounced this high eulogium on the law: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes(Ps.19:7,8)” (Institutes of The Christian Religion 2.7.12) [6]

Dear believer, grace doesn’t obliterate obedience to the commandments of God. Indeed the evidence of our love for God is our obedience to his commands: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). Don’t fall prey to any system of belief that demolishes obedience in the Christian walk.

Notes

1 Matt Slick, “Antinomianism”, https://carm.org/dictionary-antinomianism, accessed 14^th April 2019

2. Matt Slick, “What Is Legalism”, https://carm.org/what-is-legalism, accessed 7th April, 2019

3. John Calvin, Institutes of The Christian Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge (Peabody: Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, 2008), 222

4. John Calvin, Institutes of The Christian Religion, 222

5. John Calvin, Institutes of The Christian Religion, 224

6. John Calvin, Institutes of The Christian Religion, 225

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You may have heard of the teaching by some today that sin has been eliminated from the believer’s life as a result of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. These hold that believers have no need to confess their sins (even when they do sin). To such, sanctification is merely a function of one’s ‘acceptance of his sinless status’ and “confession”. Confess “I am holy”, “I am the righteousness of God” and that settles it. “Name it, and claim it”, it is as simple as that, we are told. In the same vein, these false teachers teach that the believer has received a supernatural body, which is immune to sickness and disease – because sin has been eliminated from the body. But has it really? Is this the Biblical teaching on sanctification? Have believers indeed obtained sinless perfection? Is this something the Bible promises to us whilst here on earth? If doctrine determines our practice, then it behoves us to carefully examine this question in the light of the Scriptural teaching.

We turn our attention to the book of Romans, chapters 6-8. Paul there deals with the subject of sanctification in his usual forceful way. He addresses a question that is often asked when sanctification is taught properly – “shall we continue to sin, that Grace may abound?” Paul is too shocked that the teaching of sanctification is misconstrued by others as antinomianism. His response is a bewildered “God forbid!”

The Bible does not endorse sin in any shape or form. The New Testament abounds with warnings to flee from every appearance of sin; as well as admonitions to keep sin under and walk in step with the Spirit. The Bible is clear on the fact that sin has not been eliminated from the body. Apostle John in his epistle pointed this out when he said the proof that we are walking in fellowship with Jesus is the fact that His blood “cleanses us from all sin” – clearly an admission that believers do sin, and need to be cleansed daily by the blood of Christ. He continues, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1John 1:8-10). Interestingly, preachers of sinless perfection skip this chapter in their interpretation of the rest of this epistle by John.

Paul tackles this subject thoroughly. He starts off with the union with the Lord in Romans 6. By this union, the believer participates in the death and resurrection of Christ – his ‘old man’ is crucified and he resurrects a new man; a regenerate soul. What the preachers of the elimination of sin don’t realise is that, while the believer’s soul or spirit is regenerate, his body remains unchanged, awaiting redemption at the last day – what the Bible calls ”glorification” (Romans 8: 23; 28-30; 1Corinthians 15: 48-54;  Philippians 3:21). This is the final stage of our salvation. Paul writes later on that “but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly, as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (8:23).

In this body we groan, says Paul, because it is not yet redeemed. That is why we age, and that is why we die. Similarly, because the body has not been redeemed, it is prone to disease and deterioration. The Bible does not teach that believers have obtained a supernatural body like that of the resurrected Christ; no, this is a future event (cf Philipians 3: 20-21)– and that is why we live in hope. Paul continues, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (8:24-25). If believers have already been glorified, then why do they need to wait in hope for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (2Peter 3:13; Rev 21)? Both it and the spiritual, glorified body are things that the Bible promises us will happen in the age to come (see 2 Corinthians 5:1-2).

Clearly the New Testament and indeed the entire Scriptural teaching does not support the erroneous notion that the bodies of believers have been immortalised or glorified whilst here on earth.

We have already established the body has not yet been redeemed. This means, the believer battles constantly with the flesh longing to express its sinful desires and the new man or the regenerated spirit also longing to express the new life. A careful study of chapter 7:7-25 will reveal how Paul agonises about this. He points us to this conflicting nature, the regenerated self and the residuals of indwelling sin, what he refers to as “this body of sin”.

These two are constantly opposed to each other. Does the fact that a residual sin dwells in the body even after redemption mean that believers don’t do anything about it? Paul’s response, as noted before is a grave, “God forbid!” We are called to renew our minds with the truth of God’s word (Romans 12:1-2). The fact that sin dwells in the body, and constantly wars against the regenerated nature calls us to daily rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh. It is also a sharp reminder that this fallen world is not our final destination. It calls us to hope for the world to come, and to endure the sufferings of this present time, in view of the eternal weight of glory that awaits us in heaven (8:18).

Though this body be destroyed by disease, and though it ages and dies, we eagerly await our eternal dwelling, a building not made with hands; prepared by God Himself, who in guarantee of this has given us His Spirit (Romans 8:11; 2Cor5:1-5).

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