Understanding Grace: Navigating Legalism and Antinomianism
Summary
In our time together, we explored the profound themes surrounding the Marrow Controversy and its implications for our understanding of grace, legalism, and antinomianism. This historical debate, which took place in early 18th-century Scotland, revolved around a critical question: Is it orthodox to teach that one must forsake sin to come to Christ? This question was designed to uncover whether individuals believed they needed to achieve certain qualifications to receive God's grace. The controversy highlighted the tension between legalism and antinomianism, two extremes that often arise from a misunderstanding of God's character and grace.
Thomas Boston, a key figure in this controversy, found great insight in "The Marrow of Modern Divinity," a book that helped him and others navigate these theological challenges. The book, structured as a dialogue among different characters, addressed the free offer of the gospel, the relationship between works and grace, and the assurance of salvation. Boston's preaching, infused with a "tincture of grace," stood out because it emphasized Christ's sufficiency and the Father's love, which are central to overcoming both legalism and antinomianism.
The essence of legalism, as noted by Geerhardus Vos, is the dislocation of God's law from His person. This dislocation leads to a suspicion of God's character, which can manifest as either legalism or antinomianism. Both are symptoms of the same disease: a mistrust of God's grace. The antidote lies in understanding the fullness of Christ and the Father's love, as demonstrated in John 3:16 and Romans 5. The Father’s love is not contingent upon Christ's sacrifice; rather, Christ's sacrifice is the demonstration of the Father's love.
This understanding dissolves the barriers of legalism and antinomianism, leading to a joyful communion with God. It is crucial for preachers to grasp this truth, as their understanding will inevitably shape the spiritual health of their congregations. The assurance of salvation and the free offer of the gospel are rooted in the profound love of the Father, demonstrated through the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Marrow Controversy highlights the tension between legalism and antinomianism, both of which stem from a misunderstanding of God's grace and character. Understanding the fullness of Christ and the Father's love is essential to overcoming these extremes. [07:49]
2. Legalism and antinomianism are symptoms of the same disease: a mistrust of God's character. The essence of legalism is the dislocation of God's law from His person, leading to a suspicion of His grace. [21:23]
3. The antidote to legalism and antinomianism is found in the assurance of the Father's love, as demonstrated in Christ's sacrifice. This understanding leads to a joyful communion with God and a healthy spiritual life. [24:59]
4. Preachers must grasp the fullness of Christ and the Father's love, as their understanding will shape the spiritual health of their congregations. A tincture of grace in preaching can bring spiritual deliverance to hearers. [26:53]
5. The free offer of the gospel and the assurance of salvation are rooted in the Father's love, demonstrated through the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit. This understanding dissolves legalism and antinomianism, leading to a happy bondage to the love of the heavenly Father. [28:05]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:29] - Introduction and Context
- [01:17] - The Whole Christ Overview
- [02:19] - First Visit to the U.S.
- [02:55] - Marrow Controversy Introduction
- [04:17] - Impact of the Marrow Controversy
- [06:03] - Historical Background
- [07:17] - The Trick Question
- [08:23] - The Controversy Unfolds
- [09:33] - The Marrow of Modern Divinity
- [10:40] - Key Theological Questions
- [11:45] - Assurance of Salvation
- [13:06] - The Book's Impact
- [14:06] - The Ban and Its Legacy
- [15:25] - Personal Reflections
- [17:39] - The Garden of Eden Insight
- [20:44] - Legalism and Antinomianism
- [24:59] - The Father's Love
- [28:05] - Conclusion and Gratitude
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 3:16
2. Romans 5:8
3. Genesis 3:1-5
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the central question of the Marrow Controversy, and how did it aim to reveal beliefs about God's grace? [07:17]
2. How did Thomas Boston's discovery of "The Marrow of Modern Divinity" influence his preaching and understanding of grace? [09:33]
3. According to the sermon, what is the essence of legalism as described by Geerhardus Vos? [21:23]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between the Father's love and Christ's sacrifice? [24:59]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the Marrow Controversy illustrate the tension between legalism and antinomianism, and what does this reveal about common misunderstandings of God's grace? [07:49]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that a mistrust of God's character can lead to both legalism and antinomianism? [22:31]
3. How does the understanding of the Father's love, as demonstrated in Christ's sacrifice, serve as an antidote to legalism and antinomianism? [24:59]
4. What role does the assurance of salvation play in overcoming the extremes of legalism and antinomianism, according to the sermon? [28:05]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own understanding of God's grace. Have you ever felt the need to earn God's favor through your actions? How can you shift your perspective to embrace the fullness of Christ's sufficiency? [07:49]
2. Consider a time when you may have been suspicious of God's character or grace. How did this affect your relationship with God and others? What steps can you take to rebuild trust in God's love? [22:31]
3. How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of the Father's love in your daily life? What practices or habits might help you experience joyful communion with God? [24:59]
4. Think about the way you share the gospel with others. How can you ensure that your message reflects the free offer of the gospel and the assurance of salvation rooted in the Father's love? [28:05]
5. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with either legalism or antinomianism. What practical steps can you take to address this struggle and align more closely with the truth of God's grace? [22:31]
6. How can you support your church community in understanding and embracing the fullness of Christ and the Father's love? What role can you play in fostering a healthy spiritual environment? [26:53]
7. Reflect on the assurance of salvation in your own life. How does this assurance impact your daily decisions and interactions with others? What can you do to strengthen this assurance? [28:05]
Devotional
Day 1: Understanding Grace and Character
The Marrow Controversy, a significant theological debate in early 18th-century Scotland, centered on the question of whether one must forsake sin to come to Christ. This question revealed a deeper issue: the tension between legalism and antinomianism, both of which arise from a misunderstanding of God's grace and character. Legalism emphasizes strict adherence to the law, often at the expense of understanding God's grace, while antinomianism dismisses the law entirely, misunderstanding the transformative power of grace. The controversy highlighted the need to understand the fullness of Christ and the Father's love to overcome these extremes. By recognizing that God's grace is not contingent upon human actions, believers can find freedom from the constraints of legalism and antinomianism. [07:49]
Galatians 5:1-2 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you."
Reflection: In what ways have you experienced the tension between legalism and antinomianism in your own spiritual journey? How can you seek a deeper understanding of God's grace and character today?
Day 2: The Essence of Legalism
Legalism and antinomianism are two sides of the same coin, both stemming from a mistrust of God's character. The essence of legalism, as noted by theologian Geerhardus Vos, is the dislocation of God's law from His person, leading to a suspicion of His grace. This dislocation causes individuals to view God's commands as burdensome rather than life-giving. When God's law is separated from His loving character, it becomes a tool for self-righteousness rather than a guide for holy living. Understanding that God's commands are rooted in His love and desire for our well-being can transform our approach to obedience, moving us from a place of fear to one of trust and joy. [21:23]
1 John 5:3-4 (ESV): "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."
Reflection: Reflect on a command of God that you find burdensome. How might viewing this command through the lens of God's love change your perspective and response?
Day 3: Assurance in the Father's Love
The antidote to both legalism and antinomianism is found in the assurance of the Father's love, as demonstrated in Christ's sacrifice. This understanding leads to a joyful communion with God and a healthy spiritual life. The Father's love is not contingent upon Christ's sacrifice; rather, Christ's sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of the Father's love for humanity. By embracing this truth, believers can experience freedom from the fear of condemnation and the pressure to earn God's favor. This assurance allows for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God, characterized by trust and joy rather than fear and obligation. [24:59]
Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Reflection: How does the assurance of the Father's love impact your daily walk with God? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding and experience of this love today?
Day 4: The Role of Preachers
Preachers play a crucial role in shaping the spiritual health of their congregations. By grasping the fullness of Christ and the Father's love, they can infuse their preaching with a "tincture of grace" that brings spiritual deliverance to their hearers. This grace-filled preaching emphasizes Christ's sufficiency and the Father's love, helping congregants overcome the extremes of legalism and antinomianism. When preachers communicate the free offer of the gospel and the assurance of salvation, they create an environment where believers can grow in their faith and experience the joy of communion with God. [26:53]
2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV): "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
Reflection: Consider the impact of grace-filled preaching in your life. How can you support and encourage your pastor in their ministry to communicate the fullness of Christ and the Father's love?
Day 5: The Free Offer of the Gospel
The free offer of the gospel and the assurance of salvation are rooted in the Father's love, demonstrated through the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit. This understanding dissolves the barriers of legalism and antinomianism, leading to a joyful bondage to the love of the heavenly Father. By embracing the gospel's free offer, believers can experience the transformative power of God's love, which compels them to live in obedience and service to Him. This joyful bondage is not a burden but a privilege, as it allows believers to participate in the divine nature and experience the fullness of life in Christ. [28:05]
2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
Reflection: How does the free offer of the gospel challenge your understanding of God's love and grace? What steps can you take to live more fully in the joyful bondage to the love of the heavenly Father today?
Quotes
And the question that students who were seeking to be licensed and ordained were always asked was whether it was orthodox doctrine to teach that we must forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ. Is it right and orthodox doctrine to teach that we must forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ? [00:06:45]
It was really meant to unearth whether people thought that there were certain qualifying marks you could attain in your life in order to prepare yourself for the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Those of you who are familiar with the Westminster Confession of Faith will remember how it emphasizes that it's not possible for an individual to do anything to prepare himself to come to Christ. [00:07:43]
And Boston said, "You know I have found great help for myself in a book called The Marrow of Modern Divinity." And this man got so interested in the book, he got a copy and some of the ministers made arrangements for this book to be republished. It was a book written in the seventeenth century by a man called Edward Fisher. [00:09:33]
There is a new convert, there is a legalist, there is an antinomian, and then there is a wise pastor. And during the course of two volumes of The Marrow of Modern Divinity, there's a series of really significant theological and pastoral points discussed. One is the free offer of the gospel. [00:10:14]
The third question was the issue of antinomianism, the kind of question that Paul raises in end of Romans 5, beginning of Romans 6. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Isn't the logic of that that if there is grace to cover all our sin, then it doesn't really matter whether we slip or fall. [00:11:11]
And in his autobiography and his memoirs, he expresses that at one point in a very interesting way. He says that people told him they noticed the difference between his preaching and the preaching of most other ministers. The way he puts it is that there was a tincture, a tincture, a tincture of grace about his preaching. [00:12:25]
Geerhardus Vos says that the essence of legalism, listen to this, the essence of legalism … what would you say the essence of legalism was? Listen to Vos, "The essence of legalism is to dislocate the law of God from the person of God." That's what was happening in the Garden of Eden. [00:21:23]
And as I read that and wrestled with this a little like Thomas Boston, it dawned on me that contrary to what we tend to think legalism and antinomianism are actually symptoms of one and the same disease, and that disease is at root cause, a suspicion of God, a mistrust of His character, an inability to take in and to act upon the reality of His grace. [00:22:31]
And the truth of the matter is that's almost a reversal of the gospel, isn't it? But you see what it insinuates into our minds. If the reason the Father loves us is because the Son died for us, then without the Son dying for us the Father would never have loved us. [00:24:23]
And it's incredible, but it's true, that the verse that says the very reverse of that is what? John 3:16. God, in John 3:16, is a reference to the Father because the antecedent of Son in John 3:16, is the Father. "The Father so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." [00:24:50]
And that therefore the remedies that had often been used in the evangelical church, an antinomian you know, sprinkle in some legalism, and they'll be fine. Or a legalist, sprinkle in a little antinomianism, don't take the law so seriously, would never produce spiritual health. [00:25:34]
But the knowledge of the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ would provide the pharmaceutical that would dissolve both legalism and antinomianism and lead to a happy bondage to the love of the heavenly Father demonstrated, as Paul says in Romans 5, in the death of his Son and sealed in our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit. [00:26:06]
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