What Do I Mean By a Gospel-Driven Life? by John Fonville Part 1 Over the past ten years, the Lord in His grace and mercy has been slowly taking me off the “treadmill” of Neonomianism (i.e., new law, legalism)! Learning to live a Gospel-Driven life has been for me what Francis Schaeffer wrote in 1971, “…when a man does learn the meaning of the work of Christ in the present life, a new door is open to him. And this new door then seems to be so wonderful that often it gives the Christian, as he begins to act upon the knowledge of faith, the sense of something that is as new as was his conversion.” The Gospel is not just what we preach to unbelievers in order to get them “saved” from the penalty of sin. The Gospel is much more than that! The Good News is that Christ not only saves us from sin’s guilt but also delivers us from its slavery. The Gospel is the principal energizing and driving force for living the whole Christian life. The Gospel is not just for non-Christians. It is also for Christians (cf., Rom. 1:15). Believers never grow beyond their need of the Gospel because they never grow beyond their need of Christ. It is not accurate to think of the Gospel as that which saves unbelievers and what matures believers is a life of slavish obedience and law keeping. It is simply wrong to think (and sadly many Christians believe this) that the Gospel is what gets us into the Christian life and then once we are in we grow by trying as hard as we can to live a life of discipleship according to Biblical principles alone. The Gospel is the principal energizing and driving force for living the whole Christian life. There are so many Christians who think that a person is justified by faith and sanctified by works/law keeping/obedience. This is a completely wrong view of the Christian life. Paul, in Galatians, refuted this very notion (e.g., Gal. 3:3). We are justified by faith in Christ and we are sanctified by faith in Christ. Only the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (cf., Rom. 1:15-17; the whole package) not the law. So, it is more accurate to say that we are saved by believing the Gospel and then we are transformed in every part of our heart, mind, and life by believing the Gospel more and more deeply as our life goes on (cf., Gal. 2:20). In Galatians 2:20 Paul states that he lived every day by faith in the shed blood and righteousness of Christ. Every day he looked to Christ alone for his acceptance with the Father. This then is what I mean by a Gospel-Driven life. We would not need Gospel-driven motivation, if the principles and commands of Scripture were sufficient to enable us to live a holy life. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with God’s
law (cf., Rom. 7:7-12). Paul spoke in 1 Timothy 1:8 of the law being good IF it is used lawfully. The problem is not God’s law. The problem is the fallen nature of man! If we seek to live according to the Bible’s commands only, we are walking according to the flesh, our corrupt old man. We are acting like non-Christians who daily seek to be made perfect in the flesh. But, the only thing we can produce in our lives if we try to pursue holiness/obedience in our own strength and wisdom is corruption (cf., Rom. 7:5, 8). Thus, we must seek to obey (i.e., pursue a life of good works/holiness) in a Gospel-driven way. Most believers today understand their obligations to God’s law very well. For many years, I knew the law/commandments well. In fact, that is all I focused on. Regrettably, I was never taught that the death of Christ was also a death for Christian failure (i.e., the power of sin/sanctification). I just knew Christ’s death as applying to the penalty of sin (i.e., what most Evangelicals commonly think of as “getting saved”). Though I didn’t voice it, I lived with the hidden assumption that the Bible was largely a rulebook to follow in regards to my sanctification. I was never taught that the death of Christ was also a death for Christian failure. Throughout much of my Christian life I was a professing Evangelical but in practice a functioning Roman Catholic (cf., Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV. xvii. 41). What do I mean by that? I would habitually turn inward to conduct personal “fruit inspection” and then wallow and mope around for long periods of time in despair, guilt and a troubled conscience. I would beat myself up with self-focused thoughts (“How could you do this and say you are a Christian? You are such an idiot!”). I would seek to expiate my sin with self-imposed acts of contrition thinking that if I felt bad enough for a long enough period of time, I would then “get right” with God (or at least do enough to sense that God and I were once again on acceptable grounds once again). By God’s grace through the work of the Holy Spirit, I have come to understand that if the Bible is only a rule book for Christian living/on how to follow Jesus, we are all in big trouble! Why? Because none of us can follow Jesus’ example, He was without sin! Jesus’ example only condemns us! Furthermore, rules are law and law only points out one’s duty and condemns. Law has zero power to change us or produce holiness and obedience! If the Bible is nothing more than a code of moral principles for Christian living/principles on how to follow Jesus, it is no different than the Koran! Thankfully, the Lord graciously opened my eyes to see the Good News, to understand that the Bible is more than law/moral principles for “following Jesus.” The Bible is primarily the message of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ. Everything in Scripture before the cross points to God’s redemptive work and everything after the cross–including our sanctification–flows from that work. Faith is the foundation for all of one’s obedience to God. Faith is the work of works because all other works proceed from faith. Faith in Christ is the sole basis for living a holy life. Faith is the gracious gift of God that brings us into union with Christ.
The Gospel Driven Life is all about growing in holiness by living in union with Christ by faith. The whole purpose of a Gospel Driven Life is to learn how God has taught us in Scripture to live by faith in Christ in order to live a holy life. Part 2 Before I grasped the truth of a Gospel-Driven Life, I was a slave to legalism and I didn’t even know it. My problem was not that I failed to understand what God required of me in His law. Nor was my problem that I lacked sufficient “practical and relevant,” tips, steps, or purposes to live the Christian life. Scores of purpose focused, step-laden books fill the shelves of Christian bookstores. “Practical, relevant” tip oriented sermons are the commonplace in the majority of Evangelical churches today. But, in reality, practical, relevant tips and purposes are nothing more than laws (and to be sure not even God’s law)! So, my problem was not that I needed to be told what to do. What I needed was life, strength and motivation to do it (i.e., obey the law)! A Gospel-Driven believer comes to understand that he cannot keep God’s commands until he receives Christ’s life and strength (cf., Gal. 2:20). So, when you are confronted with God’s law (e.g., 1 Peter 1:15-16, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”), you don’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps, make some resolutions, and say to yourself, “Just do it.” No! That is walking according to the flesh, the old man! Rather, God’s law (1 Peter 1:15-16) moves us first to flee to Christ by faith (Gal. 3:24). “It is okay to be purpose directed but we must be Gospel-driven!” Then, after we flee to Christ (i.e., preach the Gospel to ourselves), our faith is renewed and strengthened. Our affections are burning (i.e., gratitude) and then we will be able to live a holy life! It is only as we consider the privileges of our new state in Christ that our hearts are moved to love God and others, renounce sin, and obey His commandments. Dr. Michael Horton has well stated that it is okay to be purpose directed (i.e., the 3rd use of the law) but we must be Gospel-driven! Walter Marshall captured this truth when he wrote, “…believers should not act for life, but from life.” How then does a believer come to love and obey God? Again, Marshall writes, “…believe steadfastly, that all your sins are blotted out, and that you are reconciled to God, and have access to His favor by the blood of Christ; and that He is your God and Father, and altogether love to you, and your all-sufficient everlasting portion and happiness through Christ. Such apprehensions as these, do present God as a very lovely object to our hearts; and do thereby allure and win our affections, that cannot be forced by commands or threatenings, but must be sweetly won and drawn by allurements. We must not harbor any suspicions that, God would prove a terrible everlasting enemy to us, if we would love Him: for there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has
torment; he that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:18, 19).”
Part 3 My journey from Neonomianism (lit: new law) to a Gospel-centered, Evangelical (in the historic sense of that term, see Reformation Essentials) understanding of Christianity has been a long, hard journey (and I am still learning everyday!). For years my problem was like numerous Christians who believe that even though they have been justified by a righteousness produced totally by Christ, they must be sanctified by a holiness produced totally by themselves. Broadly speaking, American Evangelicals do not believe (and most likely are not even aware) that faith and the Gospel alone are sufficient for a believer’s sanctification. As a result, the grace of justification is set aside and a system of sanctification by works is put in its place. Among other ill effects, this removes the Gospel’s ability to assure people that they are indeed accepted by God. However, “discovering” (i.e., a gracious revealing) that faith and the Gospel are sufficient for both our forgiveness/justification and our growth in holiness/sanctification has made all the difference! The message of Walter Marshall’s book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, has been an unspeakable source of encouragement to me after years of struggling, failing and striving unlawfully on the Galatians 3:3 treadmill of Neonomianism. “The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that union with Christ by faith is necessary and sufficient for both one’s justification and sanctification.” You do not and cannot produce holiness/obedience out of yourself. Pietism, like Neonomianism, has had detrimental affects within Evangelicalism’s understanding of sanctification and discipleship. Believers most certainly cooperate with the Holy Spirit in God’s work of sanctification (cf., Philip. 2:1213). Yet, they do not obey God’s law out of their own resources, self-discipline, resolutions or will power. Countless believers sorely misunderstand this point. In order to be satisfied in God, live holy lives, mortify sin, love God, obey His commands, and love others, one’s heart must be empowered out of the fullness of Christ. The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that union with Christ by faith is necessary and sufficient for both one’s justification and sanctification. Moreover, though believers cooperate with the Holy Spirit in sanctification they do not thereby merit or earn in any way God’s favor or blessings. Works are God’s gift and thus cannot become the basis for a believer’s self-confidence or boasting (Eph. 2:9-10). Calvin’s words are instructive, We now see that the saints have not a confidence in works that either attributes anything to their merit, since they regard them solely as gifts of God from which they may recognize his goodness and as signs of the calling by which they realize their election, or in any degree diminishes the free righteousness that we attain in Christ, since it depends upon this and does not subsist without it. Augustine expresses this idea in few words but elegantly when he writes: “I do not say to the Lord, ‘Despise not the works of my hands.’ *Ps. 138:8; cf. Ps. 137:8 Vg.+ ‘I have sought the Lord with my hands and am not deceived.’ *Ps. 77:2; cf. Ps. 76:3 Vg.] But I do not commend the works of my hands, for I fear lest, when Thou lookest
upon them, thou mayest find more sins than merits. This only I say, this I ask, this I desire: despise not the works of thy hands; see in me thy work, not mine. For if thou seest mine, thou wilt condemn it. If thou seest thine own, thou wilt crown it. For whatever good works are mine are from thee.” He gives two reasons why he dared not vaunt his works before God: because if he has anything of good works, he sees in them nothing of his own; and secondly, because these are also overwhelmed by a multitude of sins. From this it comes about that his conscience feels more fear and consternation than assurance. Therefore, he would like God to look upon his good deeds only that, recognizing the grace of his own call in them, he may finish the work he has begun.” (Institutes, 3.14.20) When self-confidence is banished, all boasting must also depart so that the Glory of God may fully shine forth (Eph. 1:3-14; 2:9-10). We must not ascribe any merit or glory to our cooperation with the Spirit in sanctification. We must put no confidence in the righteousness of works. The Scriptures proclaim that Christ is for us both righteousness and life (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:4). This double benefit is possessed by faith alone. Whatsoever then is of faith excludes all boasting and merit! My burden is that in the context of the typical Evangelical congregation today law is given precedence over Gospel. The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that Gospel should be given precedence over law. To put it another way, the church should not define itself primarily by law but rather by grace, the Gospel. The indicatives (i.e., the Gospel) are what define the church’s identity outside of herself as we are “in Christ” (i.e., in union with Christ). While the imperatives (i.e., law) direct the church’s mission and conduct in the world. The Gospel has precedence not because it over-rules the law, but because by God’s grace we have Christ’s righteousness imputed to us so that the law itself cannot fail to declare us righteous. Arguing for the Gospel’s primacy over law is in no way intended to diminish law (cf., Gal. 3:21). But we must recognize that the Christian life begins by grace and ends by grace. Thus, grace must always have the final word (cf., Rom. 1:7; 16:25-27; 1 Cor. 1:3; 16:23; 2 Cor. 1:2; 13:14; Gal. 1:3; 6:18; Eph. 1:2; 6:24; Philip. 1:2; 4:23; Col. 1:2; 4:18; 1 Thess. 1:1; 5:28; 2 Thess. 1:2; 3:18; 1 Tim. 1:2; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:2; 4:22; Titus 1:4; 3:15; Philemon 1:3, 25; Rev. 22:21). Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me,” (1 Cor. 15:10). In many instances law and Gospel have been so commingled and conflated the law is no longer seen as full demand and the Gospel is no longer seen as Good News. The thunder has been taking out the law and the sweetness has been taking out of the Gospel. Michael Horton refers to this conflation as “Golawspel,” which is neither law nor Gospel but a sort of hybrid mixture of both. Thus today, Horton points out that we get, “…kind, gentle sayings from the pulpit. Law as exhortation but more along the lines of, ‘You will not be as happy if you don’t do this rather than you will go to hell. You are not going to be as fulfilled. Kids are not going to have as much self-esteem.’ This is not exactly hell-fire brimstone preaching but it is still law.” This confusion of law and Gospel has resulted in the elevation of law over Gospel. On any given Sunday morning, the primary
source of reference for believers is overwhelmingly law-centered (e.g., practical, relevant tips, steps to a fulfilled life, or ethical exhortations for discipleship void of Gospel motivation, calls for excessive selfexamination, etc…). It is disturbing over the ease in which law has become so out of proportion and injured Gospel. Such imbalance has resulted in undermining the assurance of God’s people (this was definitely the case for me while I was captive to Neonomian, Lordship doctrine). In addition, the elevation of law has deprived God’s people of true Evangelical motivation that enables them to go forward to keep the law and pursue holiness (this again was definitely true for me while I held to a defective view of Lordship teaching, which confuses faith and repentance). Countless Evangelicals are performance-driven, guilt-driven, self-help-driven, purpose (i.e., law) driven, fear-driven, relevant-practical tip-driven, disciplined-driven, slavishly obedience-driven but very few are Gospel-Driven. Believers nowadays have no wind in their sails. They have lost their primary source of reference for living the Christian life not only in terms of guidance and direction but also in terms of power and motivation (i.e., drive; see Gal. 2:20 for Paul’s daily point of reference for living). The Gospel always meets us where we are as we are and asks of us nothing in terms of a condition to meet or fulfill in and of ourselves. Rather, the Gospel comes to us and freely gives what the law requires and thus the newly formed man (Eph. 2:14-16) by grace begins to look like what the law demands (Gal. 5:22). Paul Zahl writes, “When grace is heard and received, when it is not confounded in any degree by the law, it paints a masterpiece: a person unconditionally affirmed who becomes instantaneously the expresser of love, joy, peace, meekness, kindness, and creativity. This graced human being becomes the flesh-and-blood example of the thing the law had wanted of him. Yet the law is gone from his or her mind. Grace produces the appearance of what the law says it wants, but only when grace is able to act unilaterally. Looking at this man or woman, who has been given grace unconditionally, we see established in him or her the very faithfulness and chastity and hopeful spirit that the law had sought to pound into that person.” “It is imperative for the Evangelical church to begin placing significant emphasis upon the Gospel leading to the law.” This is to say we must recover the truth that the Gospel not only provides us with the free grace of justification but also all the resources (because of grace alone) to keep each and every command (the third use of the law). Without this Gospel motivation, believers begin to feel the weight and burden of the unyielding demands of God’s law, their joy quickly turns to despair, their consciences begin to accuse them and they are overtaken by an acute sense of their failures. No believer will ever experience a greater sense of freedom to obey God’s law (thus fulfilling the third use of the law) unless they are Gospel driven! The Christian’s life begins with the Gospel and is sustained by this same Good News of grace over and over again.
Here is how Walter Marshall put it, “…you have to be totally assured that you have sufficient strength both to will and to do what God calls you to do. You have to have both the desire and the power to do the will of God…Most people do not realize their own powerlessness. Most people do not realize that what they need most for living a holy life is sufficient strength to do so. Above all else, you have to understand your need for strength from God if you are going to live a holy life…Anyone who thinks it is easy to obey God apart from God’s empowering grace shows that they do not understand what most Christians and non-Christians have experienced in their lives- failure! It is easier to move a mountain than it is to obey God, unless God is at work in your heart!…in His wisdom, God has assured you that He will give you sufficient strength to enable you both to will and do what you are called to do.”
Part 4 When I finally came to understand that the Gospel is as much for believers (cf., Rom. 1:15; Gal. 2:20) as it is for unbelievers, the light switch went off in my mind and I finally made the necessary connection between Romans 1-11 and 12-16. Like most, I understood and taught that Paul moves from doctrine in chapters 1-11 to practice in chapters 12-16. But, as I learned from Michael Horton, it is easy to quickly pass over the way Paul culminates chapters 1-11 and thus miss a key truth for daily living. At the end of chapter 11, before beginning the great “therefore” of Romans 12:1, Paul breaks out into a heartfelt, Spirit-wrought doxology (i.e., satisfaction, worship, cf., vv. 33-36). Before moving to one’s duty, he first breaks forth in doxology. This is not an insignificant point. “The Gospel (i.e., Romans 1-11) is the foundation upon which the believer’s affections rest as well as the fire that ignites them (i.e., Romans 11:33-36).” In turn, ignited affections (i.e., gratitude) result in Gospel-Driven obedience and holiness of life (i.e., ethics, doing, Romans 12-16). The progression of the Christian life is not “doctrine” then “do.” The Gospel-Driven Pattern for Christian living is: “Doctrine > Doxology > Do.” Obedience is not slavish striving or even sincere attempts to work up desires that are not present. Christians are not called to try and live a holy life by motivating and compelling themselves to do it. Resolutions may give the appearance of godliness but they are useless in stopping the indulgence of the flesh (cf., Col. 2:23). Evangelicals today are given scores of principles, motives, steps, tips, insights, ethical exhortations, etc… on how to live a holy life. To be sure, some of these motivations are true to a certain extent. However, the problem is that ethical exhortations and moral motivations are not enough. Walter Marshall writes, “Those who try to cure the flesh, and make it holy by their own resolutions and endeavors, act totally contrary to the purpose of Christ’s death…Christ died so that you might live to God, not to yourself. It is not Christ’s will for you to live on the basis of the power of your resolutions to do better.” All the principles and practical, relevant tips believers receive ad nauseam are useless unless these laws stir them up to go to Christ for the strength to live a holy life. If this doesn’t happen, a believer’s life will be no different than a non-Christian who also tries to live a “good” life by following the advice of selfhelp gurus like Dr. Phil, Oprah or Tony Robbins.
If a sermon can be delievered by a Jew or a Muslim without substantial change, then it’s not really a Christian message. The question that needs to be asked is: Where does the Gospel and Christ figure in the sermon? Principles and practical tips may give the appearance of relevance and helpfulness. But, a believer must remember to continually go to Christ first by faith. By doing so, he will receive a Gospel motivation to pursue holiness and obedience. The Gospel is what drives and strengthens and empowers a believer to obey. Again, Marshall writes, “I am telling you to act according to your state in Christ. Obey God and do the works of the law by gospel principles and means. This is the rare and excellent art of godliness, in which every Christian should be a skilled expert.” The problem with most Evangelicals today is not that they lack relevant, practical, tips for daily living. The problem is that a great deal have no idea of how to live by Gospel principles and means. They do not know that the true way to live is to live by faith in Christ (cf., Gal. 2:20) not simply by stirring oneself up to live by principles and practical tips. Sanctification does not consist in trying to tame one’s flesh or conquer sinful urges by one’s own efforts. Believers are not called to make their fallen natures better by giving them an ultimate makeover. Believers will not be more inclined to holiness by struggling and wrestling with their flesh. The flesh will inevitably rise up and pin the believer to the mat! Many think that trusting in Christ to help them keep their resolution is the key to a holy life. “The problem with all of these approaches is that believers are trusting in their own acts of will instead of Christ.” The problem with all of these approaches is that believers are trusting in their own acts of will (i.e., resolve, purposes, practical tips, self-discipline, religious rituals) instead of Christ. This is walking according to the flesh. However, trying to be made perfect in the flesh is a lost cause (cf., John 6:63). Trying to pursue holiness by implementing practical tips will produce nothing but corruption because law only arouses our sinful passions (cf., Rom. 7:5, 8). Marshall provides this helpful insight, “…once you come to understand your own sinfulness and the deadness of your old nature, you will realize that you will never be able to bring yourself to holiness by worldly wisdom or moral principles. You will come to understand that moral principles place obligations upon you, but they give you no power, life or strength to keep them.” If all believers needed was practical, relevant, motivation and coaching, they would not need the Gospel, a new heart, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Even non-Christians to a certain degree can make progress in becoming better people. Walking by faith in Christ is the Gospel-means of putting to death sinful lusts. Authentic Gospel-wrought obedience is the overflow of one’s affections (i.e., gratitude) for God fueled by doctrine (i.e., the Gospel, Romans 1-11). Christians do not act for life but from life.
Christians are to obey as those who are in union and fellowship with Christ. They are called to live a holy life by the means that belong to their new state. Law is good if it is used lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). In other words, law must be used in a Gospel-Driven way. Like most believers, I had an acute awareness of my obligations for living a holy life. But, what I lacked for so long was life and strength to do them and comfort and assurance when I failed. Gospel-Driven believers come to understand that one’s obligations for holy living are impossible without first receiving Christ’s life and strength as well as assurance that He indeed loves them and has given Himself for them. Hence, any law placed upon Gospel-Driven believers first moves them to go to Christ. Then, after they have been strengthened and assured by God’s grace as given freely in the Gospel, their hearts will be filled with gratitude which in turn will motivate them to pursue holiness (i.e., the works of the law) with a Gospel motivation. The Gospel-Driven Pattern for Christian living is: “Doctrine > Doxology > Do.”
Part 5 The question of assurance rests at the core of a Gospel-driven versus law-driven life. A GospelDriven Life is an assured life. The Gospel-Driven Life is simply a restatement of an old truth (i.e., the power of justificationbased assurance as the means to motivate growth in sanctification). Without this kind of assurance, a life of holiness is not possible. Horatius Bonar, in his book, God’s Way of Holiness, explains, “Every plant must have both soil and root. Without both of these there can be no life, no growth, no fruit. Holiness must have these. The root is “peace with God”; the soil in which that root strikes itself, and out of which it draws the vital sap, is the free love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord. “Rooted in love” is the apostle’s description of a holy man. Holiness is not austerity or gloom; these are as alien to it as levity and flippancy. Nor is it the offspring of terror, or suspense, or uncertainty, but peace, conscious peace, and this peace must be rooted in grace; it must be the consequence of our having ascertained, upon sure evidence, the forgiving love of God. He who would lead us into holiness must “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79)” (p. 30). A Gospel-Driven Life is an assured life. Before coming to understand the Gospel way of holiness, my assurance fluctuated between moments of tentative confidence and despair. Despair is the offspring of Neonomianism (i.e., new law). Despair comes from not understanding one’s union with Christ and all the spiritual blessings that flow from this union. It comes from not knowing that one is already dead to sin’s dominion (Rom. 6:2). Despair comes from failing to live with the understanding that Christ has already won the victory so that I don’t have to become a “victorious Christian” (there are no
victorious Christians, cf., Rom. 7; Christ is the only man, not Christian, who lived a victorious life). Instead of recognizing and living out of one’s union with Christ by faith, the law-driven believer trusts in his own acts of will to bring himself to holiness (e.g., “surrender more,” “lay it all on the altar,” “rededicate one’s life” etc…). But, as those who are in union with Christ, we are already holy, righteous, sanctified and reconciled to God (cf., 1 Cor. 1:30). Thus, we are not called to become what we are not yet. Rather, we are called to live what we are (cf., Eph. 4:1; Rom. 12:1). Living with a Gospel-Driven perspective takes the weight and burden off the desparing. It does so because for the first time, a law-driven, guilt-laden, despairing believer begins to understand that God, through the Gospel, gives him the very righteous status that he labored so hard to attain but could not through surrendering, yielding, letting go and letting God, coming to the altar, redicating, etc… “We are not called to become what we are not yet. Rather, we are called to live what we are.” Those who are driven by law rather than the Gospel can expect their assurance to wax and wane depending on their “performance” (i.e., obedience or lack thereof). Those who are driven by a legal method of salvation make all of God’s blessings and favor depend upon how well they keep His law (again the focus is self rather than Christ). As long as a believer is having a “good day” (so they think), they can then be assured of God’s favor and goodwill toward them. But, should a law-driven believer experience a “bad day” (or perhaps a bad week or month!), guilt instantly smothers his life like a black cloud. A law-driven believer lives with an acute awareness of his failures. Though he loves God’s law, he is deeply aware of his inability to conform perfectly to it. The demands of the law loom heavily upon his mind. His conscience kicks into overdrive reminding him of his ill performance. As a result, his sense of guilt and despair are only increased. On top of all this, the accuser of the brethren takes advantage of this poor soul’s plight and stokes the fires of his accusing conscience even further. Like Christian, in Pilgrim’s Progress, law-driven sinners are left to struggle alone with heavy burdens in the Slough of Despond. John Bunyan, describes this pit of despair as follows, “Guilt is not so much a wind and a tempest, as a load and burden. The devil, and sin, and the curse of the law and death, are gotten upon the shoulders of this poor man, and are treading of him down, that he may sink into, and be swallowed up, of his miry place…” (Saint’s Knowledge of Christ’s Love, vol. ii, p. 6) Having been taught a defective view of faith and Christian living I, like Christian, frequently found myself living in the Slough of Despond. The heavy burden of my daily sin, the unrelenting demands of the law and my failure to live according to them, the constant accusations of my
conscience for those failures and the enemy’s exploitation of these burdens robbed me of the joy and freedom that Christ freely gives in the Gospel. Despair is the offspring of Neonomianism precisely because Neonomianism remodels the Gospel into a conditional faith. The law always places the practice of holiness before life. The law says, “Do and live.” But, the Gospel says, “Live! Now do!” Law-driven sanctification reverses the order of the Gospel and destroys any possibility for true holiness. A conditional Gospel does not heal one’s sinful condition or lead to holiness. Rather, it actually stirs up sinful inclinations in those who pursue holiness by fleshly means. The strength of sin is the law (1 Cor. 15:56) and the strength of holiness is to be freed from the law (Rom. 7:6). Love, not law, drives the believer to live unto God (2 Cor. 5:14). A conditional Gospel destroys the means and power for holiness because it replaces the grace of the Gospel with self. Self rather than Christ becomes the focus of one’s attention. Am I in God’s favor or out of God’s favor? Is God pleased or displeased with me? Have I done enough? Do my good days outweigh my bad days? Thus, a conditional Gospel imprisons believers in a state of doubt and anxiety concerning their standing before God. A believer will never be motivated to obey God and pursue holiness without the assurance that God loves him. Trusting in Christ alone for salvation is the only way believers find acceptance with God (i.e., sola fide, solus Christus, Rom. 3:21-28; Eph. 2:8-9) as well as the means and power to pursue true holiness. In other words, a man is justified by faith and sanctified by that same faith. The Gospel-Driven message cannot be repeated too much. Jerry Bridges has correctly stated that we must learn to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day. A believer will never be motivated to obey God and pursue holiness without the assurance that God loves him. The root and soil of Gospel assurance and Gospel holiness is justification. Horatius Bonar writes, “The Gospel is the proclamation of free love; the revelation of the boundless charity of God. Nothing less than this will suit our world; nothing else is so likely to touch the heart, to go down to the lowest depths of depraved humanity, as the assurance that the sinner has been loved- loved by God, loved with a righteous love, loved with a free love that makes no bargain as to merit, or fitness, or goodness. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us!” (1 John 4:10)…He (i.e., God) knows that there is nothing in heaven or earth so likely to produce holiness, under the teaching of the Spirit of holiness, as the knowledge of His own free love” (p. 37).