Preaching Both Law and Grace is a Recipe for Disaster
It is widely taught in the church that before someone can really appreciate the grace of God found in Christ Jesus they must first really know the depths of their sin or depravity. This thinking has led preachers of the gospel to preach “law” before preaching “grace,” to tell the bad news before they tell the good news. To proclaim the wrath of God toward man before they proclaim the wrath of God toward the Lamb for man. It sounds logical. But is that what Jesus taught? Is that how the apostles preached the gospel? Jesus never instructed His followers to go forth in all the world and preach the bad news and then follow that up with the good news. In every single example of the gospel being preached in the book of Acts we find the good news of Jesus being proclaimed and no effort on the part of the apostles or others proclaiming the gospel to somehow put their hearers “under law” first or somehow make their hearers deeply aware of their great sinfulness first, before proclaiming the goodness of God in Christ Jesus. The scripture says that it is the revelation of the goodness of God that leads a person to repentance and faith. Jesus said that if He is lifted up on the cross to take our judgment for us that He would draw all men to Him. It is the great love of God revealed in Christ that draws men to Jesus. So which is it? Are we to tell people how sinful they are before we tell them their sins have been forgiven through Christ? Or does the scripture teach that we are too simply preach Jesus the Son of God who through His death has forgiven us of all our sins, calling them to simply believe on Him? I believe the scripture is clear that it is the latter.
– James Barron
“Of Him (Jesus) all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives the forgiveness of sins. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.” (Acts 10:43-44)
You make some interesting points in this article.
I believe the scriptures are clear that the Law has one single purpose (as it always has) to lead people to Christ. Galatians 3:24-25 states that the Law was our “schoomaster” to bring us to Christ, but once the faith in Christ came, we are no longer under a schoomaster.
The rich ruler who came to Jesus, boasted in his own abilities and lawkeeping, so Jesus elevated the Law to show the ruler that even though the man thought he was good enough, he really still needed Jesus. (Mark 10:17, Matthew 19:16) This was why the law was given. Even from the very beginning in Exodus 19, the Law was first given because prideful man boasted in their own ability to obey God perfectly.
Now, the problem comes when when pastors and leaders try to mix law and grace, not understanding that as believers in Christ, that Jesus is the mediator of a *better covenant* with *better promises*, and this is where people get stuck. They try to continually mix the two covenants even after coming to Jesus — and this is why Jesus said that you cannot put new wine into old wineskins, or a patch of new cloth onto an old garment (Matthew 19:16, Mark 2:21)
The Law and Grace cannot be mixed. Peter was rebuked by the Father’s thunderous voice from Heaven in Matthew 17, for trying to put Jesus on the same level as the Law or the prophets. Jesus is much higher and much better than the Law. And we as believers need to have a proper understanding and appreciation for the New Covenant that He has ushered us into.
Again, good post here. And I am glad that you wrote it.
Be blessed,
–James
Addendum, in my third paragraph I cited Matthew 19:16, when I meant Matthew 9:16