For Jesus' Sake
by
Hywel R. Jones |
Dear Alumni,
We are all involved in helping Christians to grow in holiness whether by way of preaching or counseling. In doing
this it is very easy for us to make more use of the law than the gospel thinking that it might have greater effect.
One of Aesop's fables has something to say that it is useful to remember in this connection. It concerns the Wind
and the Sun and it goes like this:
The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down
the road and the Sun said "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take
off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin" .
So the Sun retired behind a cloud and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler.
But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveler wrap his cloak round him till at last the Wind had to
give up in despair.
Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler who soon found it too hot to
walk with his cloak on.
Enough said — I think! But as you know we do not need Aesop and much less a fable to help us in this regard.
We have a gospel and a living Lord Jesus as its sum and substance and even the mention of his name has an effect
on the believer. There are no more powerful words to a believer than "for Jesus' sake" (see 2 Corinthians 4:5)
No one who truly believes in him wants to sit loose to any one of the Ten Commandments which have become
"the law of Christ" (see Gal. 6:2) and it is a sense of his love to them that motivates them to live obediently
for him. No law can give life (see Gal. 3:21). It is Christ's living, dying, rising again and intercession for
each of his people that brings them the Spirit's power in all their needs and for all their duties.
But when those who have professed faith show a noticeable lack of growth in grace over a period of time how are
they to be addressed? Or how are Christians to be exhorted to mature? It is here that the law may seem to offer
more leverage as it reminds professing believers specifically and forcefully of their duty but:
i) The apostles' base their appeal for growth/holiness on having received the gospel not the law
e.g. Rom. 12:1-3; Eph 5: 32; 1 Pet. 1:13; 1 Jn.2:1.
ii) It is through the gospel that the Spirit is donated to the believer (Gal.3:14) and without
his ministry no holiness is attainable and without the grace of love no commandment can be fulfilled
however much activity is performed (Rom. 13:11).
iii) Whenever the moral law (Decalogue) is used it is always filtered i.e. enhanced through the
gospel (Gal 6:2) providing a framework for godly living.
It is the gospel therefore that promotes a life of holiness. It provides resources for dealing with sin in the
life of the believer and it exposes an "empty" faith (see James 2: 14-26) more glaringly than the law can.
So let us let "the sun" shine! Let us proclaim sola fide, solo Christo and sola gratia clearly and
repeatedly so that those who profess faith in Christ cannot think of the Gospel (their salvation)
without also being aware of how the Law was (had to be) honored in it (Rom. 3: 31) and of their being
assured of irrevocable acceptance with a holy God without also a realization of sin's sinfulness and
the costliness of Christ's self-sacrifice. An exhortation to holiness couched in such terms will not be
devoid of moral authority. Instead it will carry a greater sense of obligation than the law can convey.
With Christian greetings and good wishes,
Hywel R. Jones
Professor of Practical Theology
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