Richard Pratt on Legalism

One of my favorite essays by Richard Pratt is "I Want to Walk Free, But I Still Hear the Chains Rattling." The article describes three kinds of legalism: the first is the legalism which seeks to gain salvation by works; the second is the legalism which seeks to keep salvation by works; and the third is the legalism which builds a fence around the law (thereby adding additional laws) in order to be sure one does not break any commandments. In refuting the third kind of legalism, Pratt says:

[The Puritans] had another doctrine that is important to remember at this time. They called it the “liberty of conscience.” During the 17th century the Church of England tried to force a Prayerbook on all churches. Many Puritans refused to accept the Prayerbook because they felt it violated their freedom, their liberty of conscience. The argument went something like this. The Bible tells us to pray. It also tells us to pray in worship. But it does not tell us precisely when, how, or what to pray. For this reason, these matters must not be legislated. They are matters of freedom for Christians to pursue in different ways.

When the Bible does not tell us precisely what to think, do or feel in a particular situation, we have a measure of liberty. We must not use that freedom as an excuse to violate what Scriptures teach, but we also must never allow our conscience to be violated by the legalism of those who insist that we follow rules that go beyond the Scriptures.

Unfortunately, many Christians isolate liberty of conscience to just a handful of issues. For instance, we often speak of things like dancing, going to movies, and the like as matters of conscience. But in reality, there is a measure of liberty of conscience in every issue of the Christian life. The Bible guides us because it is God’s authoritative revelation. We must not ignore even the least of the commandments in the Bible. But we must also recognize that the Bible does not specify in utter detail what we are to do in the particular circumstances we face in our lives. It draws parameters, but it does not pinpoint issues in minute detail.

Why would God give us a revelation that left so much room for the freedom of conscience? I can think of at least two reasons. First, in many respects Christian freedom comes from the fact that God has given us revelation in a book. The apostle John admitted that “the whole world would not have room for the books” it would take to write down all that Jesus did (John 21:25). Can you imagine how many volumes it would take to give specific instructions for every situation human beings face? Judaism has tried to work out these details in the never-ending volumes of the Talmud. Happily, Christians have resisted the temptation to form a Christian Talmud. We seek to live by the one book God has given us. But this book only describes general policies; it gives broad brushstrokes of what God would have us do with our lives. Beyond these teachings we live with liberty of conscience.

Second, the freedom we enjoy in Christ also helps us see that our faith is more than a matter of rules and regulations. There is a personal, dynamic dimension of the Christian walk which must be nurtured if we are to live for Christ. In other words, even with the Bible in hand we have to be led by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. He illumines and convicts us of the ways in which Christ would have us apply the Bible to our lives. We have to remember that the Holy Spirit never leads anyone to violate Scripture, but we must also hold firmly to the belief that his personal ministry to each follower of Christ leads us into proper application of the Bible for the particular challenges we face.

The entire article is worth a read. For those in the area, Pratt will be speaking in Birmingham, AL, at Briarwood Presbyterian on Sunday, February 25th, at 8 AM, 10:55 AM, and 6 PM, as well as Monday, February 26th, and Tuesday, February 27th, at 6:30 PM.

On Spiritual Warfare (II)

I gave a presentation today on the necessity of dependence on God and deciding truth based on the word of God, not through independent logic, science or other processes. (This post will use language common in discussions of presuppositionalism, a method of apologetics; for more information, go to my post here.) My feeling is that my words largely fell on deaf ears; it was given to a group of people who had largely written off the Bible as errant, flawed and full of contradictions, who were committed to reading the Bible critically. After hearing a thirty minute response on why the Bible should be read critically, I was pretty discouraged. It wasn't that I had expected the message to be received well; I knew the students at large would have aversion to what I had to say. I had comfort from the Bible's statement in Luke that some people could see a person rise from the dead yet still not believe in God, and in John which says the unregenerate man has an aversion to truth. My sickness wasn't so much shock as discouragement.

Encouragement later that day came from many places, however. Sitting down after lunch, I listened to a recorded sermon from Dr. Gaines, who pointed out that the beginning of liberal theology was in Genesis 3 (in which Eve decided to test God's promises by listening to the serpent instead; this is essentially what liberals do, by setting themselves up as independent judges of truth, disregarding the word of God). Also, near the end of the day I was able to sit down with someone and have a very productive conversation regarding evolution and Calvinism (using the same methods I had presented that morning). God brought considerable peace to my heart about what I had presented that day and what I continued to hold true.

And just as I prepared to go to sleep (obviously I wasn't very successful, as I'm not asleep yet), I opened my Bible to 2 Corinthians 10, which talks about taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. But really the chapter is about much more than that; it's about spiritual warfare:

1I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!-- 2I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

7Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. 8For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. 9I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. 10For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." 11Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

I have done a couple things with this passage. First, I have italicized parts in the passage which I believe give us considerable insight into Paul's character. In my blog below, I discussed the fact that a remembrance of spiritual warfare affects the way we treat unbelievers or even believers who sin. I won't recap everything again, but basically, we're dealing with evil spiritual forces who are waging for the hearts of men.

Secondly, though, I have bolded parts in the passage which deal specifically with spiritual warfare. Verse 5 is probably what is most familiar to everyone in this passage. When we study the Bible, and judge our thinking in light of the Bible, we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. When we challenge those who don't believe the Bible as we do, we are challenging them to also take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ - for how can one have so much faith in his own ability to reason apart from God? Indeed, this verse is familiar to many apologists.

But what many people do not always remember is that taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ is a part of spiritual warfare. I don't know about you, but verse 4 brings shivers down my spine every time I read it -- the weapons of our warfare have divine power to destroy strongholds! These weapons at every Christian's disposal are prayer and the proclamation of the gospel, God's word. The spiritual strongholds are demonic opposition to the gospel.

This passage greatly humbles us, and reminds us of God's grace. Often apologetics is treated as some sort of game, a competition to see who is most eloquent and reasonable, etc. But instead we're engaging in spiritual warfare -- a serious matter indeed. We are reminded that there is no power in ourselves to convince others of the Bible and the gospel. Demonic strongholds are viciously opposing the gospel, and only the Holy Spirit, in using God's word, which is living and active, like a two edged sword, can change human hearts. But yet we are greatly humbled that God would both use us to present God's word and allow us to use the weapons of spiritual warfare. The passage also reminds us, again, to treat everyone with humility and respect, as everyone is created in the image of God, and we are dealing with much more than flesh and blood in presenting the gospel.

Thus, in view of God's commission to believers to preach the gospel and take our every thought to his obedience, I pray Psalm 139:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"