Law & Gospel

 

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

(Acts 2:36 ESV)

 

As we reach out to the lost, we tend to make one of two mistakes. One mistake is that we preach only, or primarily, the law. We focus primarily on God’s commands. And the end result is that people are left believing that salvation is to be earned. The end result is that people are left in despair.

 

As the law is emphasized, people are left uncertain of their standing before God. They feel as though they must live up to his commands. And, because of their ongoing failures, they’re left unsure of whether they’ve done enough. In short, they have no assurance of their salvation.

 

The other mistake we make is to preach only gospel, which makes no sense apart from the law. We often do so, wanting to proclaim a positive message. We do so, wanting to encourage others.

 

However, unless we realize that we need to be saved, and from what we need to be saved, the gospel is meaningless. It ceases to be good news. People are left believing that their sin is acceptable to God. They are left believing that they are enough, and that they have done enough, to merit God’s blessing.

 

Both sides of this message are needed. Both law and gospel must be proclaimed. Then, and only then, will we be enabled to receive the grace of God and to possess the assurance of our salvation.

 

We see an example of this in the second chapter of Acts. As Peter was preaching to the crowds, he pulled no punches. He told them quite clearly that, although it was the desire and the intention of God, they had crucified the Christ. They had killed the very one attested to them by God.

 

We, then, see their response to this message. They were cut to the heart.  And they responded to him, asking what they should do.

 

At this point, Peter proclaimed to them the gospel. He told them to repent and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, assuring them that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Although they were guilty of murdering the Christ, forgiveness was offered to them. And so too was the blessing of God’s indwelling and power.

 

In the same way, we must proclaim both law and gospel. We must proclaim law to those who do not know their sin. We must preach law, by which our sin is made plain. We must proclaim law, by which we are enabled to see the punishment we deserve.

 

We must, then, proclaim gospel to the afflicted. We must proclaim gospel to those who see their sin and who are burdened by it. We must deliver them from their despair with the comforting balm of the gospel, that they might receive the forgiveness and the salvation of God, and that they might have the assurance of their salvation.