The Law is Not of Faith, Post 2

Notes on the reading material for Presbytery

Bryan D. Estelle, John V. Fesko and David VanDrunen, editors, The Law is Not of Faith, Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 2009

Comments on the Introduction from pages 19-20, see also p. 25

With this post, I look at the topic of expectations. Specifically, in what manner do our editors, Estelle, Fesko and VanDrunen  (EFV), want us to take up this study at their side? They

acknowledge that working through the points of this book call for academic sweat. It’s work! We’re urged to read the essays thoughtfully, carefully. They provide a suggested order in which to move chapter by chapter.

I find this paragraph here to be key regarding their approach and expectations:

Here we go, “…we also wish readers to recognize that this volume does not intend to thrust a single, monolithic view of the Mosiac covenant upon Reformed churches. The Reformed tradition has always acknowledged and tolerated a variety of positions on the Mosiac covenant. This volume, therefore, does not wish to squelch debate but instead to encourage and catalyze discussion about what we believe are important issues for the doctrine and life of the church. Careful readers will even perceive subtle differences among the contributors to this book. No particular view expressed by one contributor should be automatically imputed to any other contributor. Though all of the contributors share a general sympathy with the republication idea and a general desire to recover serious theological reflection on issues related to it, not all share exactly the same sentiments on how best to express the relation of works and grace under Moses or the relations of the Mosiac covenant to the Adamic and new covenants. We hope that the various essays in this volume will serve to renew significant conversations that have not been taking places in recent years, toward the goal of seeing Reformed churches come mutually to a richer understanding of the Old Testament in God’s larger redemptive plan.” pp. 19-20.

Sumpter: I like this. We need to jump up and down on this quote. It’s a conversation. That means we can have some back and forth. We can engage point by point with open Bibles. As well, I like that the authors are conversing with each other. The contributors share general convictions about the republication notion. But any one given writer and his positions should not be seen as a perfect match, hand for hand, on the points and applications of another’s. I think, too, we can infer that they’re teachable. They want us to pitch Bible verses and theological points back at them. This I intend to do.

In thinking about the matter of approach and expectations, I went back and pulled up a comment from Mike Horton, who is a contributor to this book. He reminds us that the subject material of this book calls for big boys to play with big theological toys. Listen to what Mike knocked down back in 2006 in Table Talk magazine: “By far the question that has been taken up the most in the history of Reformed theology is whether the covenant that Israel made with God at Sinai is a re-publication or renewal of the covenant of works made with humanity in Adam.”

Boom! There it is! “By far the question that has been taken up the most in the history of Reformed theology…” There are two things on this for me. 1) Sumpter, breathe. 2)  Sumpter, are you ready to play in this sandbox? Big boys play here. They have big toys. Big boys have been playing here for a long time.

Our presbytery has started to play in this sandbox.

The Presbytery of the Northwest of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, some 20-25 churches and chapels that are located in the region of the Northwest USA, will meet soon and matters relative to this book’s topic will be part of our business. Over the past couple of years, we as ministers and elders, serving in our various stations—pastors, evangelists and teachers—have started to express positions about this teaching. What drives us about this? What’s our concern? We desire to honor Christ, God’s Word, God’s Gospel and His people. We want to serve well in preaching and ministering the Word.

Since this 2009 publication hit the book shelves, our men have been taking up the significant conversations hoped for on the part of EFV. Three of our ministers decided it was time to seek Presbytery’s advice about how to proceed. We are accessing study resources and we hope to gain clarity on our approach and how to work well in tackling the subject material. In this pursuit, we want to be the church—the regional church. We want to be men who go to work taking up doctrine for faithful application for faith and life. God has been good to us. I am grateful for the men around me; a good number of these brothers have mentored me since the late 70s. Here’s a web site which provides an overview of what’s before us as a presbytery.

This approach on the part of the editors of the book is a good one. Here are OPC brothers telling us that they don’t want to “thrust a single, monolithic view…upon the Reformed churches.” That’s helpful. When we as church leaders read books like these, with topics like these, we can take a deep breath and say, “Here are positions being explained from Scripture, History, Theology and the Church’s Creeds. Good. My goal is to see them as positions. I am to learn and interact.” And then I can take another deep breath. “Remember, these are brothers. I want to try to understand their views. I want to measure their views against the Bible and confessional theology.” There will be places where I agree and disagree. It’s to be seen as a conversation for learning and for growth.

I will be 55 years old this year. I tell you—I feel like I’m a nine-year-old at second base. The reading I’ve done in the book has been fun—and challenging. I’ve almost completed the full 336 pages of content. I am already forming convictions and pulling together responses.

As an Orthodox Presbyterian for almost 35 years, I’m dialed into what one of the editors, John Fesko, said in reflecting on the historical Presbyterian backdrop, he reminds me:

“Among the Westminster divines [the ones who wrote the historic Presbyterian creeds of the 1640s in London] there were a number of views represented in the assembly: the Mosiac covenant was a covenant of works, a mixed covenant of works and grace, a subservient covenant to the covenant of grace, or simply the covenant of grace. One can find a similar range of views represented in more recent literature in our own day.” p. 25.

Let’s go to work. I want to take up the study aiming at the approach outlined by EFV. Give and take. Give and take. Let’s go to work.

G. Mark Sumpter

The Law is Not of Faith, Post 1

Notes on the reading material for Presbytery

Bryan D. Estelle, David VanDrunen, John V. Fesko, editors, The Law is Not of Faith, Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 2009

Three brothers of the OPC edited the eleven essays which make up The Law is Not of Faith—Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant. Bryan Estelle and I have shared a ton of chips and hummus. DVD and JF are dear OP men, whom I do not know.

OK

“…the divines saw that the law given to Adam was of a piece with that given to Israel at Sinai. In other words, in some sense, the covenant of works was republished at Sinai. It was not republished, however as the covenant of works per se, but as part of the covenant of grace, which pointed to the person and work of Christ.” p. 11

Sumpter Comment: the divines noted here are the writers of the Confession, Larger Catechism and Shorter Catechism at the Westminster Assembly in the 1640s. The law as a mirror always reflects God’s holiness; and the law always reflects upon man and his sinful, miserable spiritual condition. It always points to the person and work of Christ—His sinlessness and His holy, harmless and undefiled ways. By His life—by Christ’s active obedience—we rest secure on the ground of God’s favor of eternal life. Also, the other significant thing to keep in view centers on their comment about the covenant of works, “It was not republished [re-presented, taught, revealed], however as the covenant of works per se, but as part of the covenant of grace...” That dog will hunt. That’s good stuff. Let’s stay tuned looking for more on how the covenant of works is a part of the covenant of grace. I like that.

Not so OK

“In terms of the classic threefold distinction on the uses of the law, the republication of the covenant of works falls under the pedagogical use of the law, that which drives the sinner to Christ by bringing the requirement for perfect obedience before the fallen creature, forcing him to turn to the only one who has been obedient.” p. 11

Sumpter Comment: Let’s bring in these summaries of The Larger Catechism. Take a look at these questions and answers:

Q. 94. Is there any use of the moral law since the fall?
A. Although no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness and life by the moral law; yet there is great use thereof, as well common to all men, as peculiar either to the unregenerate, or the regenerate.


Q. 95. Of what use is the moral law to all men?
A. The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and will of God, and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly; to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives: to humble them in the sense of their sin and misery, and thereby help them to a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience.


Q. 96. What particular use is there of the moral law to unregenerate men?
A. The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from the wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; or, upon the continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof.


Q. 97. What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works, so as thereby they are neither justified nor condemned; yet besides the general uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use, to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good; and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness, and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.

Sumpter Comment: I agree with the catechism’s take at question 94, “…yet, there is great use thereof…” Estelle, VanDrunen and Fesko (EVF from here forward) introduce the concept of usefulness. I am guessing they will have a lot more to say about usefulness. They start out by locating usefulness at the point of pedagogy. They mean that the law is our teacher—of God, who is holy, of Christ, the righteous provision, and man, the needy sinner. Christ is man’s only answer for his guilt and condemnation. Let’s see if when we read ahead we’ll find more on the lessons of usefulness. I’m sure we will. As well, on this topic of the pedagogical use of the law, I want to keep in mind that EVF might be presenting their interpretation of the position of the Westminster theologians and not their own. I will leave room for that. It appears that EVF draw our attention to a specific conlusion, “In terms of the classic threefold distinction on the uses of the law, the republication of the covenant of works falls under the pedagogical use of the law...” Is this the primary place where the republication of the covenant of works falls? Is there wiggle room for other uses? I want to keep in mind the Larger Catechism questions 94-97. Those questions point out more uses.  

A local Lutheran pastor reminded me recently of the law’s three classic uses: 1) a mirror, 2) a curb and 3) a map. EVF are focusing, so far, on the mirror.

Go back to Question 97: the writers of the Westminster Larger Catechism rightly introduce their answer on the special use of the law for the regenerate with the emphasis about God’s gift of eternal life coming as the declaration of reckoning sinners righteous, by imputation. But they do not stop there. They go on to speak on how God’s children are to find the law having the purpose “… to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.” There you go. There’s more than the pedagogical use in view here. The writers of the LC want us to keep our eyes on Jesus; and they want us to move forward in our union in Him to pursue application of living out God’s law. They speak to the map use. They speak of the will of God, the use of the law, for His children’s growth in obedience.

Some writers distinguish between men with their practice of a meritorious use of law-keeping in order to obtain God’s favor and the instrumental means of law-keeping as God’s own provision for receiving His blessings. This is interesting stuff. We’ll likely come back to this.

I’m guessing, too, that we’ll quote these same LC questions from time to time.

Let’s keep reading. These brothers from Westminster are incredible students. I hope I can stay up with them.

G. Mark Sumpter

Quick Take on When Sinners Say I Do

Boiling Water, Where's  the Tortellini


“Many marriage problems could move toward resolutions if husband and wife actually lived as if they were ‘sinners’ who said ‘I do.’ Sinners who are humble are growing more knowledgeable about their hearts.”

I skimmed a couple of the chapters; after reading the rest, I paused at many of them attempting to catch the author's message. I definitely say here's a solid piece to recommend to pastors, elders, counselors—most assuredly, to those preparing for marriage, for those married. The focus, patterned after the title, “When SINNERS,” aims at helping readers carry out necessary self-examination regarding one's own unquestioned contribution to messy relationships.

The vivid word pictures by Harvey color his illustrations.... “...couples can treat confrontation like a hand grenade--pop the pin, let it fly, and run for cover. But biblical reproof is not some kind of commando raid.” Here's another... [on the matter of an exchange when the husband interferes with his wife's plans already made; words like]: “Dear, could you... become his fingernails on the chalkboard of your [her] agenda for the day?” These are fun.

My biggest negative about the book circles around Harvey's bringing the reader’s knowledge of his sin to a boil. The pan is on the stove, the water is boiling—so very good; but I was waiting for the pasta to be added, and then the browning of the meat, the simmer of the butter and veggies, with the seasoning mix of the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is Lord and Savior. I wanted him to prepare a winsome, biblical dish with the doctrine of the sinner's union and communion with Jesus. We get the chapter on STUBBORN GRACE, Harvey's work on Titus 2:11-14; but where’s Being Raised in Him, Being a Sinner Seated w/ Christ and more. My concern is like what another author said about the absence of good, popularly written books on the doctrine of Christ's life, death and resurrection, something like..., “the professing church suffers from Ascension Deficit Disorder.” Harvey's positions, thesis and practical helps would look like a Major League MVP homerun champ if he knocked the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, His fruit for the believer, out of the park. When Sinners Say I Do calls for counter-balance of When the Savior Said I Did.


—G. Mark Sumpter

My Glasses Were Fogging Up

Read my first historical novel a few weeks back

I am not all that discerning about stories, after all, I've just now in my early 50s plowed through this first 513-pager. But let me cut to the chase quickly on one point. I wasn't ready for the steamy scenery in places. I think the grandfathers of Victor Books--the founders of the books division of Scripture Press over in Colorado Springs--are rolling 6 feet under. James Adair, God rest his soul, was the author of the old Scripture Press Power Papers that I used to use with 6th grade students up in Anchorage. Adair was one of the early men behind Victor Books. His Sunday School take-homes were great!

Anyway, when I read the Victor Books publication, The Puritans, by Jack Cavanaugh, the first volume in the American Family Protrait series, at times I had to roll down the windows and grab some ice-cold lemonade. It was getting a little hot.

On page 58, we read of a gal ducking under a bar so that she can emerge up between a man's arms, and now being face to face...

“Your crazy!” Marshall said with a smile.

“Crazy,” she replied with a playful peck on his lips, “when it comes to you.”

Marshall released the bar and pulled Mary Sedgewick to him. Any resistance he once had was gone as he passionately embraced his lover, who also happened to be his professor's daughter and his partner in crime...”

Whoa.

There's more in other places too. The book was a fun story and kept my interest. I wasn't prepared for the parts that included cars parked at the beach, where people were watching the submarine races.

G. Mark Sumpter