Allow me to share a ‘reformed moment’ with you from earlier this week, as I think it was on Monday driving to work in the morning, when I generally tap into, for better or worse, the sermon audio site. Their featured sermon or message of the day was by some ‘reverend’ from a Protestant Reformed Congregation entitled the “Conclusion of God’s Law.” I decided to give it a spin, after all, I love God’s law, and I know that Christ is the conclusion and fulfillment of that law, so of course, I’m interested, let’s hear what this guy has to say?
Needless to say, I knew before he uttered his first word, that unless in this message he abandons his confession of faith, leaves his congregation, and outright denies his reformed heritage, &c., that I would most likely not agree with everything he has to say, but regardless of how we agreed or disagreed on certain tenets of “the faith,” Jude 1:3, it was hoped that we both, and all listening to this message, would at least be somehow directed to that straight gate and that narrow way which leadeth unto CHRIST, Matthew 7:14, but unless I’m completed confounded on the basic ABC’s of Christianity, I’m fairly certain that somebody missed a major signpost at some point along the way, which actually is not that difficult to see it all, for it clearly reads this: “FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST.” John 1:17.
My comment regarding the message was short but enough perhaps to grab someone’s attention. (Apparently it did because it was deleted a few hours later.) My title to the comment was: REFORMED CHRISTIANITY AT ITS BEST! And the comment was, “what an eloquest message by this one representative of what the world calls reformed christianity! It’s a mockery of the grace of Christ, and the gospel of free justification. Congratulations on adequately hacksawing God’s Holy Law into little fragments so that we can all keep whatever remains of it, and by stripping the Law of all its sanctions, and then calling the ‘death’ of Christ a provision.”
I mentioned the ABC’s of Christianity, because it’s difficult to understand how this can be missed, as the contrast between LAW and GOSPEL are so clearly delineated in the scriptures. The law, one law, as such was “given by Moses,” John 1:17, and was “added because of transgressions, till the SEED should come to whom the promise was made.” Galatians 3:19. The law was “not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient.” I Timothy 1:19. Believers are “dead to the law by the body of Christ.” Romans 7:4. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:4. It points invariably to HIM; it terminates wholly in HIM who has obeyed its every precept; sustained its entire penalty; and satisfied all its requirements. Matthew 5:17. The Law as a schoolmaster drives us to God’s mercy which is found nowhere but in Christ alone, and after that faith / CHRIST is come, “we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Galatians 3:24.
Additionally, it is unambiguously declared that believers are dead with Christ, and that their life is hidden “with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3. They have been “delivered from the law,” being legally joined to him that is risen from the dead, Romans 7:4, and now serve the Lord “in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Romans 7:6. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14. In Colossians we discover that Christ blotted “out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross,” Colossians 2:14, so that it can no longer be seen or read unto condemnation “to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1. Again, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.” Galatians 3:13. Either we are under it or we are not under it! There is no middle ground! Deuteronomy 12:32. It is impossible for anyone to be under only a part of the Law! James 2:10.
The truth is that righteousness does not come by the law at all, under any circumstances, or by any scheme. No, it comes by the gospel, it stands exclusively in the death of Christ, and it is called “the righteousness of God without the law.” Romans 3:21. The law is referred to as a “killing letter,” II Corinthians 3:6, and “administration of death,” II Corinthians 3:7, it gives the “knowledge of sin,” Romans 3:20, it pronounces a “sentence of death,’ Romans 7:24, it “worketh wrath,” Romans 4:15, it was “added because of transgressions,” Galatians 3:19, it’s called the “oldness of the letter,” Romans 7:6, the “strength of sin,” I Corinthians 15:56, as it stops every mouth, and brings in “all the world guilty before God.” Romans 3:19. “The law made nothing perfect.” Hebrews 7:19. “The law is not of faith.” Galatians 3:12. Where is the disconnect? It’s either a salvation that is based upon Law keeping or upon the Law Keeper! This is not rocket science! It’s as plain as the nose on your face! I’ll go as far as to say that I’m fairly certain that it doesn’t even require any depth of thought or special revelation, as truth has a way of defending itself almost effortlessly, whilst error (in the sense of a fallacy, misconception or delusion) and falsehood (in the sense of an intentional act of deception, where someone knowingly presents untrue information,) both require much attention, constant maintenance and frequent reinforcement.
This would certainly explain all the fuss about Catechisms and Confessional Classes prior to formal church membership, (as if somebody could join themselves to the ‘body’ of Christ,) and let’s not forget about all the theological seminaries and bible colleges which are all necessary ingredients in order to prop up this ‘faith’ and maintain the reformed tradition. It’s sort of like “beating the same dead horse” over and over again and getting nowhere closer to Christ. Galatians 5:4. In one sense, it’s nothing more than reformed folklore! Religious traditions and beliefs that are passed on through generations by confessions and creeds, and now in this day, as the ‘floodgates’ of reformed theology have opened, and new disciples (“Moses’ disciples,” John 9:28) are born in rapid succession each day, Isaiah 37:3, it becometh us “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Romans 8:1, who “rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,” Philippians 3:3, to “not sleep, as do others” but “watch and be sober,” I Thessalonians 5:6, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices,” II Corinthians 2:11, and to be made aware lest we too be spoiled “through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8.
I’m without doubt mistaken about many points of scripture, but it’s impossible to be mistaken about the clear distinction between the law and the gospel unless you are blinded by tradition, and have some bias towards this “theological clock” that in the reformed mindset stopped running either in 1561 (Belgic Confession of Faith) or 1646 (Westminster Confession of Faith) and like a mechanical wristwatch that has been overwound has stopped working altogether. “Woe unto you, lawyers, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” Luke 11:52.
This tenacious deathgrip to the law despite the clear testimony of scripture, must be a bit like infant baptism I suppose, a papist stronghold that those of the reformed movement refuse to relinquish at whatever the cost! Acts 28:27. After all it’s chiseled in stone as embedded in their 400 year old confessions & catechisms, (Moses himself wouldn’t be able to break one of these tablets, Exodus 32:19,) which we know can’t be wrong as they define ‘the faith’ of their fathers, &c., in the reformed tradition. It’s something you have to really want to see in the scriptures in order to make it appear, which may in one place be called ‘wresting’ the scripture unto your “own destruction?” II Peter 3:16. Thank the LORD that he “knoweth them that are his,” II Timothy 2:19, those that may be found within their circles, a poor and afflicted people that are calling upon the name of the LORD, Zephaniah 3:12, who have been brought unto ZION “to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24.
Indeed, what once was veiled and transient, like the fading glory on Moses’ face, has now been revealed in full, permanent brilliance in Christ, Matthew 17:2, a glory not merely reflected, but intrinsic to Christ as the eternal Son of God. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Corinthians 4:6. “This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” I John 5:21. MPJ