At the heart of many problems in the church, at the bottom of many strained relationships between Christian brothers and sisters, and the reason many inactive members stay home on Sunday, or leave the church altogether is the issue of the proper handling of the Law and the Gospel. 

Without a good understanding, the Scriptures often make no sense,

Some may have no idea why we go to church (or even worse, go for the  wrong reason)

Learning to understand this distinction can help us understand why different church groups see the New Testament of our Lord so differently.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul instructs us, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,  a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth.” Pauls instruction makes it clear that study of the Bible is work. It takes effort.

At the time of the late middle ages during 1500’s and 1600’s –(the time of the reformation),  Confusion about God’s Law and Gospel contributed to scattered religious practices and belief. Many claimed that while we become justified by grace alone, we then need to maintain our salvation by works.

But then we read things like this reality in (Rom. 3:10) “No one is righteous, no not one”,

or these painful words from (Isaiah 64:6) “Even our righteous deeds are as filthy rags”.

Or the very threatening (Rom. 6:23) “The wages of sin is death”.

And if even St. Paul in (Rom. 7:19) expresses sorrow about himself, saying “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ”

Wow, if we hear these Biblical truths, where does that leave us?

We can’t have a thought, an action, or any of our physical, or spiritual being that is not affected by the reality of sin.

And sin as we already know, damns, right?

That idea can be suffocating for the Christian. Even our best works lack a perfect heart and intentions.

Christians know this.

There is a huge problem with denying that there is a clear distinction between Law and Gospel intertwined in the Fulness of God’s Word for us. If we don’t keep a clear distinction between the Law and the Gospel, and we mix them together, we will then lose both the Law, and the Gospel.

When we mix Law and Gospel, the Gospel becomes, “Jesus died for you, but you need to add your own imperfect good works to be justified.” And the Law becomes, “You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to do your best and try hard to keep the law to be justified.”  

That’s not the Christian faith.

 It robs Christ of His glory in justification through the Gospel, and it destroys the foundation of our obedience through the Law.

Consider this teaching of (Romans 5:20) But the Law came to increase and expand the awareness of the trespass by defining and revealing sin, but where sin increased, God’s remarkable, gracious gift of grace, His unmerited favor, has surpassed it and increased all the more,

So even back in the early 1500’s, the judgment of God became a fearful thing that burdened anyone with a conscience, but thanks be to God, through reading and teaching Scripture, Paul’s emphasis on the Law and Gospel was re-discovered by the great reformers.

In the Gospel itself, God reveals His righteousness.

In (Rom 1:16-17) Paul says “For (in the Gospel), the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” That meant (and still means) that, in Christ, His righteousness, the righteousness of God….. clothes us at the very moment we believe. We do not need to earn God’s approval. He accepts us in Christ forever, by grace, through faith.

Good works then flow out of a good heart—or a good tree produces good fruits as read in (Matthew 7:17) The law, on the other hand, condemns. When we speak of Law and Gospel, we can use these terms to describe a biblical pattern of commands and promises.

 Through a deep study of this subject, we will discover “that the entire Scripture that is inspired by God, is divided into two parts: His commands and His promises.”

In other Words “All of Scripture contains both Law and Gospel.” Commands and promises.

The Law refers specifically to the Law of Moses but overlaps with other commands of God in Scripture.

The Gospel refers specifically to the good news about Jesus Christ, but Old Testament Scripture often contains promises of the gospel as well (For example Genesis 3:15). After all, the complete message of scripture is that God Himself, through the seed of a woman will crush the head of that ancient serpent, who is called the devil, and Satan, and the deceiver of the whole world.

For the writers of the scriptures, the Law carries the basic functions of revealing sin. (Romans 7:9) says “I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came,  sin came alive,  and I died.” And the law has the function of  increasing sin. In (Romans 5:20).  ^“Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,”

The Law also restrains evil when used properly “First, to curb sin even for non-believers, and then to reveal and increase knowledge of sin in believers.”

In the end, the Law is meant to show us our need for the Gospel. And it has the ultimate function of terrifying the unrepentant sinner with the wrath of God, and to drive them to repentance, the comfort of the Gospel, and the promises of Christ.”

Through faith for the Christian, the condemning power of the Law is no longer a burden, or a yoke around our neck. Jesus said My yoke is easy and my burden is light. but is there Old Testament background for this? In Isaiah 47 in verse 6 we read about how the Babylonians have placed on the elderly, a yoke that is exceedingly heavy.

A yoke can be used either literally or metaphorically. Literally is refers to the yoke that is placed on the neck of oxen so they would pull a plow or a wagon. But it’s also used metaphorically, or figuratively, but when it’s used that way it is almost always in a negative way. So when Solomon died and Rehoboam took over, the people complained that Solomon had made their yoke exceedingly heavy. When people were conquered by a foreign power such as Israel, by the Babylonians, often the metaphor of a yoke was used to describe how these people now carried a heavy burden upon them. That’s what’s reflected there in the Book of Isaiah.

Later Rabbi’s would talk about taking upon them the yoke of the Torah, which was the responsibility to keep the Law of the Torah. Now, Jesus says My yoke is easy and My burden is light. That doesn’t mean that the Christian life is just carefree. But it means that in Christ, He doesn’t come to lay on our shoulders all of these oppressive burdens or Laws, but to free us from that, so that we serve Him in perfect freedom. So we walk as children of light, in the freedom and the grace, and the mercy that He has poured out upon us.

So His yoke is easy.

In the new covenant, the Gospel promise means that God gives us the Holy Spirit, so we can live righteously without the Law’s condemnation and not for the purpose of earning God’s acceptance of us but simply because it is good to do, it serves our neighbor, and it pleases God, but without being counted as merit for the purpose of earning our way into heaven.

The Law should be kept in its God given place. It threatens and restrains sinners, so we can better understand the promises of the Gospel. 

The Bible is full of Law and Gospel, commands and promises. In the Gospel, we give up entirely our sin and Christ gives entirely his righteousness. We are then by this union justified by faith. A righteousness that is not ours, becomes ours by faith. Christ is our righteousness. Any works done after our justification matter, because it pleases God (not for salvation) but because we need to love our neighbors. Again, a good tree, produces good fruit.

The Law does not need to threaten us anymore. The moral Law, however, still guides us in our Christian walk.

Scripture teaches that God intends His Law to function in three ways,

Its first function is to be a mirror,   reflecting to us both the perfect righteousness of God and our own sinfulness and shortcomings. The Law calls us to try to fulfill its requirements, and we become weak under its burden, The law is meant to give knowledge of sin as it is clearly written in (Romans 3:20; 4:15)For no person will be justified,  as freed of guilt,   and declared righteous in God’s sight by trying to do the works of the Law. For through the Law we become aware of sin and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but the Law provides no remedy for sin. And (Romans 4:15) For the Law results in God’s wrath against sin, but where there is no law, there is no violation of it either. And the Law’s function as a mirror shows us our need of pardon and our danger of damnation, in order to lead us in repentance and faith to Christ as recorded in (Galatians 3:19-24). Which says: Why, then, the Law, what was its purpose?  It was added after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to the people their guilt because of transgressions, that is, to make people aware of the sinfulness of sin, the Law has become our teacher and our disciplinarian. To guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified, that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God by faith.

A second function of the Law, it’s “civil use,” is to restrain evil. This is not only for Christians, but for the whole world, and it is accomplished through the appointment of civil government. Though the civil Law cannot change the heart, it can to some extent restrain lawlessness by its threats of judgment, especially when backed by a civil code that administers punishment for proven offenses. As harshly taught to Israel in Deuteronomy 13, If anyone entices you to worship other god’s, you shall not listen to him, and you shall not even be quiet about it, but you shall execute him so that all of Israel will hear about it and be afraid and never do that again.

And in Romans 13  ^“For government authorities are not a source of fear for people of good behavior, but for those who do evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval. For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, you should be afraid;for he does not carry the sword for nothing. In this way the Law keeps civil order, and serves to protect the righteous from the unjust.

The Law’s third function is to guide the regenerate into the good works that God has planned for them (Ephesians 2:10).  The Law tells God’s children what will please their heavenly Father. It could be called our family code. Christ was speaking of this third use of the law when He said that those who become His disciples must be taught to do all that He had commanded, and that obedience to His commands will prove one’s love for Him. The Christian is free from the Law as a way of salvation (Romans 6:14) Tells us; For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

but a Christian is “under the law of Christ” as a rule of life as we can see in (Galatians 6:2).” Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.

Yes, We believers enjoy Christian freedom. A freedom that no one else in the world enjoys. There is a biblical pattern, and we need to grasp the ideas of God’s grace, and His commands to help us understand the Gospel. And our need for it. The freedom of the Christian means that God freely grants us all things for our salvation. The duty of a Christian means that while we live in the flesh, we must serve others and those in authority over us.

Scripture stands as the authority over both of these overlapping areas of life. But again, confusing Law and Gospel creates a massive problem for Christians. It makes the Law into a “must” for Christians even though Christ set us free from the yoke of the law. “Unless the Gospel is plainly discerned from the Law,” the true Christian doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt” The Gospel gives the Spirit of freedom to the Christian so we can obey from the heart. The law is not thrown out, but kept in its place.

Paul explains, in (Gal 5:22–23) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law”. Paul commands good behavior, but we are motivated by the grace we already received, and the power to obey is from the Holy Spirit.  To live under the burden of the Law simply makes you a transgressor of the law as in (Galatians 2:18). “For if I, or anyone else should rebuild through Word or by practice what I once tore down (That is the belief that observing the Law is essential for salvation),  I prove myself to be a transgressor.

It also makes you a legalist.

Peter explains in (Acts 15:10), “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers, nor we have been able to bear?”. And in the next verse, Peter defines the difference that Christ brings, saying, “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as the gentiles will”.  Peter also puts the Law next to the grace of Christ. He tells us that that the law is a yoke that no one can bear. But the Gospel is grace which we can receive. In Paul’s words from (Galatians 5:1), “For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” Again some teachers even today, continue to burden believers with the idea that once we are “Born again’, we then stop sinning and must through obedience to the Law maintain our salvation.

Instead, the Gospel sets us free from that view. It frees us from having to obey human customs or the Law to remain in a state of justification. The law is a good guide for the Christian life, but a terrible master;

The Lord Jesus sets us free, not the law. 

Between legalism and the idea that there is no law, lies the Gospel of grace, if we rightly understand what Paul and the other Scriptural writers taught. The Law of Moses, has authority over the Christian under new terms, the terms of the New Covenant. And under this covenant, Christ sets us free from this Law or any human law as the hinderance to salvation it tries to hold over us.  He fulfills what the law pointed to as a good strict teacher “until Christ came”

We hear in (Galatians 3:24) “with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified, that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God by faith. And as promised in (Galatians 3:14), in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham, might also come to the Gentiles, so that we would all receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith.

Now that he has come,  and now that we have the promised Holy Spirit we can serve our Lord Jesus Christ as free men and women. 

What about the Gospel?

The Gospel of grace saves us apart from any works of the law. As an early church leader once wrote, “The Law shows the disease, the Gospel is the cure. The Gospel, makes no demands and even gives the faith needed to believe it (Eph. 2:8–9) tells us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. The Gospel is the forgiveness of sins.

Christ was slain from the foundation of the world for you (Matt. 25:34).

Christ was prophesied in the Old Testament for you (Isaiah 53).

Christ was conceived for you (Luke 1:26).

Christ was born for you (Luke 2).

Christ was circumcised and fulfilled the Old Testament ceremonial law for you (Luke 2:22).

John the Baptizer pointed to Jesus, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”—–For You! (John 1:29)

Jesus was baptized for you (Luke 3:21).

Jesus was tempted for you (Luke 4).

All of Jesus’ miracles, healings, words, promises, His Passion, His trials, His beating, His betrayal, His crucifixion, His ridicule, and His words on the cross—

“Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34);

And “Today you will be with Me in paradise!” (Luke 23:43)—

His death, His descent to hell in victory,  

and His glorious resurrection and ascension

are all,       all of it,     for you!     And that’s all Gospel! 

But there is even better news, but this is the point where the devil loves to harass us. What Jesus attained for us some 6,000 miles away and 2,000 years ago is delivered in the Word of preaching, in Baptism, in absolution, and in the Lords Supper.

 Some say  “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.”

Oh, yeah?

God says you do. “Do not give up meeting together.” (See all of Hebrews 10.)

But better than the Law (which says you should go to church) is the blessed Gospel!

We cry like the tax collector at church,  “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

The Scriptures are read, and they contain both Law (demands, and threats) and Gospel (forgiveness, and promises). The sermon is preached, and the texts explained. The Law threatens us and drives us to Jesus! The Gospel is not merely described or spoken about, it’s delivered! “The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation” right now, for you! (Rom. 1:16),

Most people who stop going to church,  or get church wrong think it’s about ethics. They think it’s about following the rules. No, in the end it’s about sinners receiving forgiveness (Gospel). And sometimes blessings as given by a Benediction like the one given in (Numbers 6:24-26) “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you”—That is Gospel!) and church is about all the forgiveness given. Forgiven sinners head back into their jobs or wherever in life, to be a beautiful witness to the Lord.

 After all, If I know I’m a real “hard-boiled sinner” who’s been forgiven, I cannot, be an unforgiving jerk,  to those around me. It’s a matter of Law and Gospel. I cannot do anything but speak forgiveness—the Lord’s own forgiveness—to others.

Amen.