Dr Paul Allen

There are only two ways of salvation: by the law or by grace. If salvation is to happen by the law, perfect obedience is necessary. There can be no blemishes or shortcomings, for the law will never show mercy. It knows nothing of grace or forgiveness. It demands perfection, because whoever transgresses in one tiny detail transgresses the whole of God's law : "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it" (James 2:10). Getting to heaven through obedience to the law requires perfection. Merely doing your best will prove insufficient; good intentions are not enough. It is vitally important to grasp exactly how much the law demands if we think we are going to be in a right relationship with God through law-keeping. Simply put, "By works of the law no one will be justified" (Gal. 2:16). Related articles God's Laws acting in our lives (gailsingle.wordpress.com) Lenten reflections: women and obedience (jess...

Jews praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur. (1878 painting by Maurycy Gottlieb) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) From one perspective the law was intended to give life to Israel . Paul says in Romans 7:10 that “the commandment was intended for life” (my translation). If one kept the law, then the law would be a vehicle for life. If one looks at the law from this restricted perspective, then the law was given to grant life for those who observed it.  Nevertheless, what Paul emphasizes repeatedly is that God sovereignly intended the law to reveal transgressions and to bring about death. Are these two perspectives contradictory? Not at all. It is simply a matter of looking at the purpose of the law from two different perspectives. From an immanent perspective, the law was intended to give life; but from a transcendent perspective, it was given to increase sin. The former is not falsified or trivialized by the latter. The promise of life through the law was frustrated by human sin...

A bible from 1859. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Legalism has been defined in a number of ways, but here is my attempt: Legalism is the tendency to regard as divine law things that God has neither required nor forbidden in Scripture, and the corresponding inclination to look with suspicion on others for their failure or refusal to conform. . . . 2. Do you elevate to the status of moral law something the Bible does not require? . . . Hold your conviction with passion and zeal, but do not seek to enslave the consciences of others who may disagree with you. . . . One unmistakable sign of a legalistic spirit is the tendency always to be looking for what’s wrong in other people’s lives in order to judge them, instead of looking for what’s right in order to encourage them. . . . Legalists feel good when they can identify another person’s errors. It reinforces their feelings of superiority. They actually think themselves more spiritual, more godly, and more favored and loved by God. ...

Restless. Epic. Crazy. Every word we read these days seems to call us to the "next—best—thing," if only we would change our comfortable, compromising lives. Instead, many of us end up feeling disillusioned and disappointed, simply burnt out. In fact, the greatest fear most Christians have is boredom—the sense that they are missing out on the radical life Jesus promised. One thing is certain. No one wants to be “ ordinary .” Our attempts to measure our spiritual growth by our experiences, constantly seeking after the next big breakthrough, have left many Christians disillusioned and disappointed. There’s nothing wrong with an energetic faith; the danger is that we can burn ourselves out on restless anxieties and unrealistic expectations. What’s needed is not another program or a fresh approach to spiritual growth; it’s a renewed appreciation for the commonplace. Far from a call to low expectations and passivity, is it not time to recover our sense of joy in the ordinary....

English: "Christ in Triumph over Darkness and Evil", stained glass window by French artist Gabriel Loire in memory of Earl Mountbatten, at St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa Français : "Christ in Triumph over Darkness and Evil", vitrail par Gabriel Loire (un mémorial pour Louis Mountbatten), à la cathédrale St. George, Le Cap, Afrique du Sud (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "And God divided the light from the darkness ." Genesis 1:4 A believer has two principles at work within him. In his natural estate he was subject to one principle only, which was darkness; now light has entered, and the two principles disagree. Mark the apostle Paul 's words in the seventh chapter of Romans : "I find then a law , that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, wh...

When we think of the law of God , the first thing that should come to mind is love— God 's love for us as fallen sinners, directing us to love Him, enjoy Him, and glorify Him. God's law is a gracious gift to us, and it has three primary uses.  First, the law functions as a teacher by showing us God's perfect righteousness and our unrighteousness and sin, and it shows our danger of God's judgment, leading us, by God's grace, in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ who fulfilled all the righteous demands of God's law (Rom. 3:20; 4:15; Gal. 3:19–24).  Second, the law functions to restrain evil in all realms of society, preserving humanity and, thus, serving God's overall plan of redemption for His covenant people ( Deut. 19:16–21; 1 Tim. 1:8–11).  Third, the law functions a s a guide to righteous living for all men, and it directs us as God's beloved children by teaching us what pleases our heavenly Father and fulfills the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:...

Dispute of Jesus and the Pharisees over tribute money (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Tim Keller on the Law and grace of God from Galatians Law-obeying, law -relying. These people are under the law, and are usually very smug, self- righteous and superior. Externally, they are very sure they are right with God, but deep down, they have a lot of insecurity, since no one can truly be assured that they are living up to the standard. This makes them touchy, sensitive to criticism and devastated when their prayers aren’t answered. This includes members of other religions, but here I am thinking mainly of people who go to church. These people have much in common with the Pharisees of Jesus ’ day. Law-disobeying, law-relying . These people have a religious conscience of strong works-righteousness, but they are not living consistently with it. As a result of this, they are more humble and more tolerant of others than the “Pharisees” above, but they are also much more guilt-ridden, subj...

English: The Ten Commandments, illustration from a Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments ." ( Proverbs 3:1 ) It is vitally important that, even though we are saved by grace and not by the works of the law, we never forget that God's law is essentially a statement of God 's holiness. We should desire to know and follow God's commandments simply because they are "holy, and just, and good" ( Romans 7:12 ), not because we seek salvation through them. It is noteworthy that the anonymous writer of the longest chapter in the Bible ( Psalm 119 ), in which practically every verse refers to the Scriptures, stressed seven times that he would never forget the laws and commandments of his Lord . May the Lord teach us to share the same determination. Note: "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word" ( v. 16 )....

Moses with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, painting by Rembrandt (1659) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Westminster Catechism defines sin as "any want of conformity to or transgression of the law of God ." We notice here that sin is defined both in negative and positive terms. The negative aspect is indicated by the words "want of conformity." It points to a lack or failure in moral performance. In popular terms it is called a sin of omission . A sin of omission occurs when we fail to do what God commands us to do. The positive aspect of the catechetical definition of sin refers to overt, actual stepping over the boundaries of God's law . It is a sin of commission. Sometimes God expresses His laws in negative terms (do not . . .) and sometimes in positive terms (do . . .). The Ten Commandments contain both forms (do not steal; honor your father and mother). Both sins of omission and sins of commission are real sins. They incur real guilt . When we ...

English: Their are thousands of artworks created in the art world depicting St Paul. This painting was created by the famous artist called Rembrandt. It hangs on the walls of the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Study the excerpts from the apostle Paul that accompany this reading. Does this sound like a man who believed the law of God has no place in the Christian life? Read Paul’s writings carefully and you will find a man whose heart longed for the law of God as much as David ’s. The law drives us to the gospel. The gospel saves us from the curse of the law, but in turn directs us back to the law to search its spirit. The law of God is still a lamp to our feet. Without it we stumble and trip and grope in darkness. For the Christian, the greatest benefit of the law of God is its revelatory character. The law reveals to us the Lawgiver. It teaches us what is pleasing in His sight. We need to seek the law of God —to pant after it—and to deli...

Rev. Jonathan Edwards, a leader of the Great Awakening, is still remembered for his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God , nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:7–8 NKJV ). These verses fall like a hammer on any kind of Pelagianism , semi-Pelagianism , or Arminianism . Each of these positions in its own way teaches that somehow fallen man still has the ability to please God, or to choose salvation. These verses show that fallen man cannot please God. The carnal or fleshly mind is at war with God. This is because it is not subject to the law of God, and indeed it cannot be subject to God’s law. This is the doctrine of the total depravity of man. It does not mean that man is utterly depraved—that is, as bad as he possibly can be. Rather, the issue is this: Does man in his fallen nature have the moral a...

English: Saint paul arrested (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law ; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. ( Romans 7:21–23). In verse 21, Paul states a “law,” by which he means an axiom or proverbial truth. He says whenever he wants to do something good, evil is right there to trip him up. It seems in our most dedicated moments, in our times of greatest personal devotion to Christ , that’s when the most wicked of thoughts will creep into our minds. It seems such horrible temptations are cast up out of our hearts right when we are serving Christ most intensely. Verse 22 is the proof that Paul in Romans 7 is not describing a pre-conversion experience, or even an experience of being backslidden. Paul states that he delights in God’s law i...