The Gospel According to Matt

Recently I was talking to a dear friend and mentor.  We were discussing the subject of God’s grace (or at least I was), and he said, “I think grace is an over-emphasized idea.”  My friend is a Bible Scholar and a defender of sound doctrine. He understands the content of biblical law and yet he apparently thinks grace should be deemphasized and law reemphasized?  I suppose he thinks that adherence to the law makes one holy; not saved, but holy once saved.  Therefore, I suspect that he sees obedience to the law as the existential center of the Gospel.

I don’t like to argue (as much as I used to) but I must disagree.  I believe that Grace, as the gifted extension of God’s love, is the existential center of the Gospel.  In fact, I am convinced it is our faithful acceptance of God’s grace that makes us holy.

Furthermore, I am convinced that Biblical Law (both Old and New) is utterly powerless to make us holy in any way, shape, or form.  Only the divine decree of God to justify (pardon) me will make me holy (different than Sinners on a collision course with hell).  And justification comes by grace through faith, not by keeping Biblical Law (see Romans 3:21-24 and Ephesians 2:4-10), if I am incorrect on this point then the Apostle Paul is a heinous liar and the Scriptures are not to be trusted.

What then is the purpose of God’s law, if not to make us holy?  For one, it is for the purpose of bringing order out of chaos, to bring civility out of barbarianism (a civilization cannot exist without rules).  But more pertinent to our discussion, the purpose of God’s law is to teach the unsaved that they are unholy (see Romans 7:6-13 and Galatians 3:24) so that they can repent and cry out to God in faith, calling on the name of the Lord, thus receiving the gift of God’s grace (which is normally applied at baptism, see Acts 2:38, but that is a discussion for another day).

For the Christian, the law further reminds us of our continuing need for God’s grace upon our life.  As we carry on in our struggle against our flesh, the law humbles us and reminds us that we need to remain connected to Jesus Christ (the True Vine, see John 15) if we are going to be productive and fruitful as Christians.

I conclude that God’s grace is the starting point, the continuing point, and the finishing point of our redeemed relationship with God.  God’s grace may not be the most fundamental aspect of His divine nature, but it is the most important aspect for the Christian.  It is the bridge in our relationship with Him and therefore the existential center.  And if it is the existential center, then it must permeate our lives and our churches.  Thus God’s grace, more than His law, governs and leads us, saves us, and motivates us into holy Christian living and effective Christian service.