Law and Grace

Are Christians somehow under obligation to keep the "moral" law? Do Christians need to be exhorted that, even though Christ fulfilled the law both by His perfect obedience as well as by His atoning death, that they are still under the "moral" law? The answer to these questions is an unreserved, passionate "NO! " There is not even a Biblical basis for such a division of the law (I must admit I once applied this division to my biblical interpretation). Alva J. McClain, the founding president of Grace Theological Seminary, has written a short treatise on the Christian's relationship to the law. This book is a quick-read and very helpful. I am currently studying Galatians 3:10-22, so the reading of this book is particularly timely. Bottomline, the message of the New Testament is that the Christian is no longer under the Law. However, one will find NT appeals to the theological principles found in that Law because "the moral essence of the immutable Lawgiver was reflected therein" (see article by Nathan Busentiz at http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/28/wrapping-up-the-law/). We are not under the law, but because that law itself is inspired scripture, it is full of valuable doctrine and useful lessons for believers. It falls in the in the "All scripture is....profitable" of 2 Tim 3:16-17. McClain suggests that the Christian should approach the will of God as follows (Chapter 9): a. The will of God b. in the context of grace c. given in our Lord Jesus Christ d. revealed in the entire Word of God written The chapters are as follows: 1. "The Law" in NT Usage 2. how the law could give eternal life 3. law unable to save men 4. the divine purpose in giving the law 5. God's written law and israel 6. the mosaic law and gentiles 7. the Christian and the Law 8. the dangers of putting Christians under the law 9. the standard of life for Christians 10. objections, questions, and problems

In this era of rapidly encroaching legalism and liberalism, the Church sorely needs to rediscover Alva McClain's concise work on the true biblical relationship of Law and Grace. If it were required reading in every Theology 101 class and church, there would likely be a lot less infighting between believers. This would not only increase the biblical unity God desires for His children, but also our testimony to the world. Upon looking closer at the breadth of Scripture, I must concur with McClain that while the Law contains components, it was an indivisible unity that cannot be taken apart piecemeal to suit one's theology. This is revealed to us not only in the biblical record, but in also the Jewish traditions as well. Many past and present doctrinal misinterpretations come from well intentioned but myopic mono-cultural theologians who only interpret Scripture through their western cultural grid. C. Gordon Olson in his books on a mediate view of salvation also recognizes this cultural ignorance or chauvinism as well. Getting the Gospel Right: A Balanced View of Calvinism and Arminianism There are too many verses that describe the contrast/distinctions between Law and Grace (esp. Romans & Galatians) to just ignore, or treat as some kind of spiritual allegory that replaces Israel with the Church. Galatians is still alive and well in the Church today. Paul's experience in Romans 7 and his rebuke of Peter and Barnabas for reverting back to the Law should be a reminder to us of just how easy it is to go backwards! What of the legalist's infamous charge of Antinomianism? As Dr. McClain points out in Chapter 10, the preacher who proclaims a gospel of grace should not be surprised at this false charge, as the Apostle Paul was accused of the same thing in Romans 3:8. He goes on to say that if you are not falsely charged with antinomianism you are probably not teaching the gospel of grace as it should be. He adds; "For in the gospel of salvation by grace alone in Christ we are honoring the law and establishing the law. By His death our Lord Jesus Christ satisfied in full all the law's holy and just demands. The real antinomians are the legalists, for they either take only one element of the law, or they strip it of its penalties or they soften and relax its demands; to this extent they are "against" (Greek "anti") the law." I highly recommend this book and when you are done with it be sure to check out another of Dr. McClain's classics; Greatness of the Kingdom.

It was Augustine who said "Love God and then do as you please." That is definitely not McClain's position. After reading and re-reading "Law and Grace," I think its message is right on. It promotes neither legalism nor licentiousness. It is one hundred percent in favor of holy living, and not of throwing the Law out the window, but yet being ever so careful as to NOT commit the grievous mistake of the legalists of divorcing the commands in Scripture from all the concrete examples of the grace, mercy, and love of our Lord that we see mingled throughout its pages, and thereby failing to see THAT (as opposed to sterile duty) as the very modus operandi for any obedience to those commands. In no way is this booklet advocating that notion that "love is all you need." But where some people only know one extreme or the other, McClain, by exegesis, has found the proper balance between the two unbiblical extremes. The Christian is neither in debt to keep the Law, nor free to do his own will. Rather, he lives wholly in the sphere of grace. And yet, grace does not embrace sin; grace renounces sin! So the more we see Christ, the more we see grace. But the more we see the Law, the more we see Christ!

This small work, by the Founding President of Grace Theological Seminary, is an excellent work by a classical dispensational writer. McClain, is known for tremendous scholarly work as is remembered by those who have read his magnum opus, "The Greatness of the Kingdom", which even got the likes of George Ladd fuming. Law and Grace is divided into 10 chapters which helps to understand McClain's approach. 1) "The Law" in New Testament Usage, 2) How the Law Could Give Eternal Life, 3) Law Unable to Save Men, 4) The Divine Purpose in Giving the Law, 5) God's Written Law and Israel, 6) The Mosaic Law and Gentiles, 7) The Christian and the Law, 8) Dangers of Putting Christians Under the Law, 9) The Standard of Life for Christians, 10) Objections, Questions and Problems.McClain, having been a dispensationalist, holds the common view that Christians are not under the law. He even goes as far as to go against the modern trend to divide the law into three sections: moral, ceremonial, and civil. Since he does not trichotimize the law into these sections, he does not feel we can place a Christian under just the moral law because one cannot divide the law.One must read this book when studying law and grace. While it is just a brief treatment, it is an excellent starter to this subject. McClain was a brilliant writer and that is affirmed even by his opponents. He is missed as he has gone to be with the Lord. In conclusion, read this book. It will stimulate and perhaps provoke your thinking, which is what Christians need.