Law and Gospel - Part 6

Previously, we discussed how during the sanctification process, God may discipline us to bring us closer to him. In these cases, the law is the standard for our behavior and the Lord works to make us become more righteous, to become more and more like Jesus in our lives. Jonty Rhodes writes:

If this [God's discipline] does happen, I'll need to remember I'm not back under the covenant of works again, and that Christ alone is my righteousness. I'll therefore respond first and foremost by repenting and believing the gospel promises again, rather than simply trying to sort myself out. Only after I've gone to God for forgiveness, can I, through his strength and encouraged by his love, begin to make progress in my holiness battles.

Being under the covenant of grace, not works, means that every single action God takes towards me, without exception, will ultimately be an act of love [Romans 8:28]. Yes, even discipline: God disciplines those whom he loves (Hebrews 12:6).

If I forget the legal, justification side of union with Christ, I'll find myself falling into a kind of sub-Christian karma - be good and God will bless you; be bad and he'll get you. If I forget the organic, sanctification side of union with Christ, I'll end up thinking how I live is completely irrelevant, and fail to listen to the many different passages in the Bible that tell me otherwise. Legal bond and organic bond, justification and sanctification: all inseparable fruits of union with Christ.

There is much more that could be discussed on this topic, but I hope these few posts were helpful to you in understanding how law and gospel interact with your life.