In the message on Sunday, I mentioned that we wouldn’t be
answering every conceivable question regarding Christians and the law. Again, we did a more substantive series
on the law when we studied Matthew 5:17-20. Those messages can be found here.
I’d like to recommend a few other resources that I’ve found
very helpful and easy to read. The
first is a book by Dr. Tom Schreiner, entitled 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law. With a title like that I’d prefer not
to insult you by describing the format.
However, I will give you an idea of the kinds of questions
answered.
·
Does Paul distinguish between the moral,
ceremonial, and civil law?
·
Are Christians under the third use of the law?
·
Is perfect obedience to the law mandatory for
salvation?
I love this book because it’s thorough, but it’s written in
normal English. It’s also great in
that you don’t have to read the whole thing – just find your question and read
that answer. If you found yourself
irritated by the brevity of Sunday’s message and the volume of questions left unanswered, this is the book for you.
Another book by Dr. Schreiner dealing specifically with the
issue of Paul’s teaching on the law is TheLaw and It’s Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law. This is a bit more robust and reads
somewhat more like a scholarly work.
I would recommend it for theology nerds who are well familiar with the
issue, but who want a deeper treatment of Paul specifically, OR for those who have
worked through the 40 Questions book
and want to keep digging.
A third resource written by Dr. Douglas Moo is “The Law of Christ as The Fulfillment of the Law of Moses.” It’s great because it’s shorter than a full-length book, but
touches on all the major issues. It’s
one article from a larger work entitled, The Law, The Gospel, and the Modern Christian: Five Views. It isn’t the easiest read, but it’s manageable,
it’s online, and it will answer most questions.
Happy reading!
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