Distinction between Law and Gospel: Fact or Fiction? Matters Much or Little? (Part 5)

In part four, we were describing the distinction as to how we relate to the law of God as it is administered in the unconditional covenant framework. In this section, we want to continue this part of the law and gospel conversation. Here are a few more things that are important to consider as we distinguish the law of God in the covenant of grace framework.

Distinction between Law and Gospel: Fact or Fiction? Matters Much or Little? (Part 4)

Now that we have established (1) both the case for distinguishing God's conditional law covenants and unconditional grace covenants, (2) how we are under the law of God in both but in a different way, (3) and have established the primacy of this, let us now talk about what this looks like. Does the law and gospel distinction really lead us to see the law of God rooted in God's character to be irrelevant or some negative thing to avoid while we discuss nothing but the gospel? Is this distinction the secret guise for the antinomian?

Distinction between Law and Gospel: Fact or Fiction? Matters Much or Little? (Part 3)

You may be seeing how separating the law in different covenants has biblical validity, but do not understand why we must see these distinctions everywhere in scripture and see it as a matter of primary importance. Here is why this is not only true but essential and not simply essential somewhere, but in all places:

The key to understanding all the Bible and the Gospel is in distinguishing Law and Gospel.

Distinction between Law and Gospel: Fact or Fiction? Matters Much or Little? (Part 2)

The second main concept about the Law is that the way the law is administered is not mixed between the different covenants. This is where the phrase “distinguishing law and gospel” comes from. We do not mix the way the law is seen in the the covenant of works (means of meriting and keeping covenant) in the same way it is seen in the covenant of grace, nor vice-versa.

Distinction between Law and Gospel: Fact or Fiction? Matters Much or Little? (Part 1)

Due to all the recent controversy about sanctification, it seems that the law and gospel distinction has become a vital part of this discussion. It seems that some think that this is the key to solving our sanctification conversation while others believe that it is the error that diminishes and or negates sanctification. Some think this is an invention imposed on the bible to cater to wrong views while others feel as if it is nothing less than what scripture teaches. In this two-part series, I would like to make a biblical case for the law and gospel distinction as biblical, clarifying what it is and what it is not, and also state its significance as a clarifier in all the justification/sanctification conversations. Let us begin this journey into the law and gospel distinction conversation by asserting this prime point:

Law is always administered in a covenantal framework.

Often times when we talk about law we talk about it in ways like this: The Old Testament is law and the New Testament is gospel. Or we say things like “Jesus is all about grace and not law and Moses is all about law and not grace.” Or “Jesus and Moses are both about grace and law.”