Embracing God's Grace: The Whole Christ Explored

 

Summary

In today's session, we explored the profound themes encapsulated in "The Whole Christ," a book that delves into the intricate relationship between God's law and His grace. This exploration is rooted in the historical context of the Marrow Controversy, a theological debate from early 18th-century Scotland. The controversy revolved around the book "The Marrow of Modern Divinity," which sought to clarify the gospel's essence and how it should be presented to avoid the pitfalls of legalism and antinomianism. These issues remain relevant today, as they touch on the core of how we perceive God's character and His offer of salvation.

The Marrow Controversy highlighted the tension between legalism, which suggests that God's love is conditional upon our adherence to the law, and antinomianism, which dismisses the law entirely. This tension is vividly illustrated in the Genesis account of the Fall, where Satan's deception led Eve to question God's goodness and generosity. This distortion of God's character planted the seeds of legalism and antinomianism in humanity's spiritual DNA. The parable of the prodigal son further exemplifies this struggle, showing how both legalism and antinomianism stem from a misunderstanding of the father's unconditional love.

The essence of the gospel, as revealed through these narratives, is that God's love and grace are offered freely, without precondition. This truth challenges us to reevaluate our understanding of God and His relationship with us. It calls us to embrace the fullness of His grace, recognizing that everything He has is ours through Christ. This understanding transforms our relationship with God, moving us from a mindset of earning His favor to one of receiving His abundant grace.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Marrow Controversy and Its Relevance: The Marrow Controversy serves as a historical backdrop to understanding the balance between law and grace. It reminds us that the gospel is not about earning God's favor but receiving His grace freely. This understanding is crucial for avoiding the extremes of legalism and antinomianism. [05:44]

2. The Deception in Eden: The Genesis account reveals how Satan's deception led to a distortion of God's character, planting the seeds of legalism and antinomianism. This narrative challenges us to see God as He truly is—gracious and generous, offering His love unconditionally. [18:38]

3. The Prodigal Son's Lesson: The parable of the prodigal son illustrates the dangers of both legalism and antinomianism. It shows that both stem from a misunderstanding of the father's love, which is freely given and not earned. This parable invites us to embrace the fullness of God's grace. [26:08]

4. God's Unconditional Offer: The gospel is the declaration that everything God has is ours through Christ. This offer is made before we have done anything to earn it, highlighting the unconditional nature of God's love and grace. [27:31]

5. The Importance of God's Character: Understanding God's true character is foundational to our faith. Our perception of God influences how we live and relate to Him. Recognizing His grace and generosity transforms our spiritual journey and our ministry to others. [28:19]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:26] - Introduction to "The Whole Christ"
- [01:03] - The Book's Theme and Relevance
- [02:12] - Backstory of Writing the Book
- [03:22] - Early Life and Unexpected Journey
- [05:11] - The Marrow Controversy Explained
- [07:02] - Characters in "The Marrow of Modern Divinity"
- [09:00] - Theological Debate in Scotland
- [10:12] - Thomas Boston's Influence
- [12:47] - Impact of the Marrow Controversy
- [15:16] - Legalism and Antinomianism
- [18:06] - Genesis 3: The Serpent's Deception
- [21:14] - Twisting God's Character
- [23:25] - The Prodigal Son's Misunderstanding
- [26:59] - The Gospel's True Offer
- [28:54] - Conclusion and Reflection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:1-7
2. Luke 15:11-32 (Parable of the Prodigal Son)

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the nature of the deception that the serpent used on Eve in Genesis 3, and how did it distort her understanding of God's character? [18:38]

2. In the parable of the prodigal son, how do the actions of both sons reflect a misunderstanding of the father's love? [26:08]

3. How does the Marrow Controversy illustrate the tension between legalism and antinomianism, and why was it significant in the context of 18th-century Scotland? [05:11]

4. What role does the character of God play in the way the gospel is presented, according to the sermon? [27:51]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the distortion of God's character in Genesis 3 lead to the development of legalism and antinomianism in human nature? [18:38]

2. In what ways does the parable of the prodigal son challenge our understanding of grace and unconditional love? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about God's offer of salvation? [26:08]

3. Why is it important to understand the historical context of the Marrow Controversy when discussing the balance between law and grace? How does this historical event continue to influence modern Christian thought? [05:11]

4. How does the sermon suggest that our perception of God's character influences our spiritual journey and ministry to others? [28:19]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you may have viewed God's love as conditional. How did this affect your relationship with Him, and what steps can you take to embrace His unconditional grace more fully? [24:15]

2. Consider the ways in which you might be living with a legalistic mindset. What practical changes can you make to shift towards a grace-centered approach in your faith journey? [25:25]

3. How can the lessons from the Marrow Controversy help you avoid the extremes of legalism and antinomianism in your own life? What specific actions can you take to maintain this balance? [05:11]

4. In what ways can you better reflect God's true character of grace and generosity in your interactions with others? Identify one relationship where you can apply this understanding. [28:19]

5. Think about a situation where you might have misunderstood God's intentions, similar to Eve in Genesis 3. How can you seek clarity and truth in your understanding of God's character moving forward? [18:38]

6. How does the message of the prodigal son inspire you to extend grace and forgiveness to others? Identify a person in your life who might need to experience this grace from you. [26:08]

7. What steps can you take to ensure that your presentation of the gospel to others is rooted in the true character of God, as discussed in the sermon? [27:51]

Devotional

Day 1: The Balance of Law and Grace
The Marrow Controversy serves as a historical backdrop to understanding the balance between law and grace. It reminds us that the gospel is not about earning God's favor but receiving His grace freely. This understanding is crucial for avoiding the extremes of legalism and antinomianism. The Marrow Controversy, a theological debate from early 18th-century Scotland, revolved around the book "The Marrow of Modern Divinity." This book sought to clarify the gospel's essence and how it should be presented to avoid the pitfalls of legalism and antinomianism. Legalism suggests that God's love is conditional upon our adherence to the law, while antinomianism dismisses the law entirely. Both extremes distort the true nature of the gospel, which is about receiving God's grace freely. Understanding this balance is essential for a healthy spiritual life, as it allows us to embrace God's love without the burden of trying to earn it. [05:44]

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you found yourself leaning towards legalism or antinomianism in your spiritual journey? How can you embrace the balance of law and grace in your daily walk with God today?


Day 2: Recognizing Deception in Our Perception of God
The Genesis account reveals how Satan's deception led to a distortion of God's character, planting the seeds of legalism and antinomianism. This narrative challenges us to see God as He truly is—gracious and generous, offering His love unconditionally. In the Garden of Eden, Satan's deception caused Eve to question God's goodness and generosity, leading to a misunderstanding of His character. This distortion has continued throughout history, influencing how we perceive God's law and grace. By recognizing this deception, we can begin to see God as He truly is—a loving and generous Father who offers His grace freely. This understanding helps us to avoid the pitfalls of legalism and antinomianism, allowing us to embrace the fullness of God's love. [18:38]

"But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" (Genesis 3:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: How have you been deceived in your perception of God's character? What steps can you take today to align your understanding of God with His true nature of grace and generosity?


Day 3: The Prodigal Son and Misunderstanding God's Love
The parable of the prodigal son illustrates the dangers of both legalism and antinomianism. It shows that both stem from a misunderstanding of the father's love, which is freely given and not earned. This parable invites us to embrace the fullness of God's grace. In the story, both the prodigal son and his elder brother misunderstand their father's love. The prodigal son believes he must earn his way back into his father's favor, while the elder brother thinks his obedience entitles him to his father's blessings. Both perspectives miss the point that the father's love is unconditional and freely given. By understanding this, we can avoid the traps of legalism and antinomianism and fully embrace the grace that God offers us. [26:08]

"And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you misunderstood God's love as conditional or earned? How can you embrace the truth of His unconditional love in your life today?


Day 4: Embracing God's Unconditional Offer
The gospel is the declaration that everything God has is ours through Christ. This offer is made before we have done anything to earn it, highlighting the unconditional nature of God's love and grace. The essence of the gospel is that God's love and grace are offered freely, without precondition. This truth challenges us to reevaluate our understanding of God and His relationship with us. It calls us to embrace the fullness of His grace, recognizing that everything He has is ours through Christ. This understanding transforms our relationship with God, moving us from a mindset of earning His favor to one of receiving His abundant grace. [27:31]

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32, ESV)

Reflection: How have you been trying to earn God's favor in your life? What would it look like to fully embrace His unconditional offer of grace today?


Day 5: Understanding God's True Character
Understanding God's true character is foundational to our faith. Our perception of God influences how we live and relate to Him. Recognizing His grace and generosity transforms our spiritual journey and our ministry to others. The way we perceive God shapes our entire spiritual journey. If we see Him as a harsh taskmaster, we may fall into legalism, trying to earn His favor through our actions. If we see Him as indifferent to sin, we may fall into antinomianism, dismissing the importance of His law. By understanding God's true character as gracious and generous, we can live in the freedom of His love and extend that love to others. This understanding is crucial for a vibrant and transformative faith. [28:19]

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." (Psalm 103:8, ESV)

Reflection: How does your current perception of God influence your relationship with Him and others? What steps can you take to align your understanding with His true character of grace and generosity today?

Quotes


The "Marrow Controversy" was not an argument Scots had about how to work the vegetables in their garden. It was a controversy in the early 1700s that took place in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, over the influence of a book that had been written in 1645 entitled "The Marrow of Modern Divinity." And by "marrow," it meant "Let's get to the very heart of the best of Christian theology." [00:05:27]

And Evangelista, the pastor, walks these people through the story of the gospel, the way in which the law of God and the grace of God relate to one another. And he did so by means of many quotations from some of the best theological writers. And so this was the book, "The Marrow of Modern Divinity." And it raised a very heated controversy in Scotland in the early eighteenth century. [00:07:10]

They asked them if they thought it was orthodox to teach -- "Is it orthodox to teach that you forsake sin in order to come to Christ?" And what they were trying to ferret out was this question: "Does this person think that there is some standard I need to meet, some qualification I need to have, some measure of repentance that I need to have gone through before I can come to Christ?" [00:08:15]

And I discovered everywhere I went -- and this was true virtually without exception for the next 20 years, extraordinarily -- everywhere I went, somebody would come up to me and say "I've listened to those tapes of yours on the Marrow controversy." Tapes. Some of you don't know what a tape is. It was that long ago. But everywhere I went, this happened. [00:14:04]

How do we relate the grace of God and the gospel to the law of God, without either becoming legalists on the one hand, or reacting to all that and becoming antinomians on the other? And how is it that we actually present Christ in the gospel? And how does the gospel bring us the assurance of salvation? Those were the themes that The Marrow of Modern Divinity had dealt with. [00:14:55]

Now, my own sense is that if you are to ask the question about this passage, "What is it that the serpent is doing here?" in my admittedly limited experience, the standard and partially true answer largely given by Bible-believing evangelical Christians is "Satan is rejecting the Word of God. Satan is seeking to bring Adam and Eve to deny the inherency, infallibility, and authority of God's Word." [00:17:47]

The ultimate truth in this passage is "Yes, Satan is seeking to deny the authority of God's Word, but he's also doing something more sinister. He's seeking to distort the character of the God who has given the Word." So, in a sense, he's aiming beyond deceiving them about the authority of His Word, to deceiving them about the character of God Himself. [00:18:38]

And beginning to twist it in this way, that what the serpent is saying is this: "The kind of God you have is the kind of God who will bless you on the basis of the qualifications that you can earn on your way to His blessing." You see how that begins to turn on its head the way in which God has come to them. [00:21:14]

And the fascinating thing to me has for many decades now been, that this is exactly what the parable of the prodigal son is about, isn't it? It's the story of a legalistic son who does not see his father as gracious and generous to him unless he meets the standards, throwing over the traces. [00:25:41]

And, my children, that is the starting place for the relationship. And that actually is the gospel, everything, the Father has is yours. That's what He offers to you. All He has to offer to you is Himself, His Son, and His Holy Spirit, and He offers all of that to you before you have done one decent thing in your life. [00:27:31]

The most fundamental question that the Christian can ever ask and answer: "What is God really like?" And is it not true that the answer I give to that question is going to be reflected in my life? That's especially true, incidentally, if you're a minister of the gospel. That's what's at stake. [00:28:19]

And that's why The Marrow of Modern Divinity caused a controversy, and why some of the brethren in early eighteenth century Scotland thought they found some of the most profound answers to the deepest pastoral problems they faced in understanding what it means to believe in the grace of God, in Jesus Christ. [00:28:34]

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Transcript
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