In my philosophy of preaching, I am more and more convinced that if all that is given in teaching and application is duty, the law and moral precepts that a flock is more wounded than healed. Why? The preaching of the law is null when given alone. In reading John Owen lately, I have found someone who can articulate such things better than I:
"The law was never ordained of God to convey grace or spiritual strength unto souls of men...
There is, therefore, no help to be expected against the dominion of sin from the law..."the strength of sin is the law" (1 Cor 15:56)...men under the law will attend unto their convictions and endeavour for a while to shake off the yoke of sin. They will attend unto what the law saith; under whose power they are...But, alas! the law cannot enable them hereunto - it cannot give them life and strength to go through with what their convictions press then unto; therefore, after a while they begin to faint and wax weary in their progress...to be freed from the dominion of sin is not to be freed absolutely from all sin, so as that it should in no sense abide in us any more. this is not to be under grace, but to be in glory...
The gospel is the means ordained and instrument used by God for the communication of spiritual strength unto them that believe, for the dethroning of sin (Rom 1:16)...We are absolved, quitted, freed from the rule of sin, as unto its pretended right and title, by the promise of the gospel...
There is, therefore, no help to be expected against the dominion of sin from the law..."the strength of sin is the law" (1 Cor 15:56)...men under the law will attend unto their convictions and endeavour for a while to shake off the yoke of sin. They will attend unto what the law saith; under whose power they are...But, alas! the law cannot enable them hereunto - it cannot give them life and strength to go through with what their convictions press then unto; therefore, after a while they begin to faint and wax weary in their progress...to be freed from the dominion of sin is not to be freed absolutely from all sin, so as that it should in no sense abide in us any more. this is not to be under grace, but to be in glory...
The gospel is the means ordained and instrument used by God for the communication of spiritual strength unto them that believe, for the dethroning of sin (Rom 1:16)...We are absolved, quitted, freed from the rule of sin, as unto its pretended right and title, by the promise of the gospel...
Nothing but the death of Christ for us will be the death of sin in us."
(from: The Dominion of Sin)
1 comment:
"Nothing but the death of Christ for us will be the death of sin in us."
That's so good!
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