Monergism Books

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Description: Explains the crucial connection between the law and the gospel while avoiding both the pitfall of legalism and the slippery slope of antinomianism.

Chapter One, Value Gone Awry, reminds us of the darkness of man's heart and relationships apart from the redemption of Jesus Christ. In this chapter we are shown the futility of man's endeavor's without both grace and the law. While mankind instinctively knows that he is in need of the righteous standards of God, he plunges headlong away from those standards at every turn.

Chapters Two and Three further explore the truth that the law was written on man's heart long before it was written on tablets of stone. Reisinger masterfully details how every one of the Ten Commandments was revealed and then broken in the book of Genesis. We are also reminded that even though man had the law written on his heart from the time of creation, his understanding of that law was marred by sin and the fall.

Chapters Four through Six deal with the giving of the law at Sinai and the difference in the moral, ceremonial and civil law. New Testament believers are not bound to the civil and ceremonial laws but are bound to the moral law. In, The Importance of the Moral law, we are given six reasons why the moral law and the gospel are essential to the Christian. Spurgeon's word sum up Reisinger's thoughts: "The law is the needle which draws after it the silken thread of blessing, and you cannot get the thread into the stuff without the needle." The law is the needle and the thread is grace.

Chapters Six through Nine acknowledges that there are difficulties in dealing with the law. Some stress law and lessen grace. They end up with a salvation by works masquerading as a salvation by grace. Others stress grace apart from the law. They end up in Antionomianism (denying any need for the law) espousing a salvation unaccompanied by works.

Chapters Ten through Twelve examine the law and God's Love, the law and Grace, and the law and the Savior. A detailed exegesis of Romans Six helps us to understand the nature of sin and the purpose of the law in leading us to the Savior. It is the law's job to show us the sinfulness of sin so that we will see the need for the goodness of grace in Jesus Christ.

Resigner concludes this fine work with a comparison and contrast of Moses and Christ. The Gospel is not a message of freedom to ignore the law but rather freedom to obey the law in Christ. The Old Testament reveals that the law pointed people to a Savior who could obey the law. In Christ, we too can obey the law through Him.

The law and the Gospel is a fairly quick read. But once you set it down you will be drawn back to its words again and again. God has indeed blessed us with this book. Chapter summaries from 'The Baptist Page'