The Orthodox Presbyterian Church

What do the Scriptures principally teach? How can you answer such a broad question? With all that there is to be found in the Bible, what is it in the Scriptures that is of most importance and of highest value? How can you summarize the priorities? Our Shorter Catechism does just that, with the answer–“The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.”

What you are to believe, and how you are to live. That is what God has revealed to us, principally. That two-fold summary of all biblical teaching is easily seen in some of Paul's letters, in which he writes about matters which we are to believe at the beginning and the transitions into what duty God requires of man at the end. Romans 12:1 is the most obvious of those transitions, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” “Therefore” is the key transition point. Therefore, on the basis of what you believe, this is how you are to live.

It is a crucial task of those who teach in the church, in every age, to maintain the connection between faith and life, doctrine and duty. Sadly, the church is perpetually plagued by the problem of a disconnect. On the one hand is the danger of separating the call to duty from the glorious context of the grace of the gospel promise in terms of the legalism of self-salvation or works-righteousness. Or on the other hand, there is the opposite danger of a disinterest and de-emphasis upon the call of duty all in the name of the grace of the gospel. In this regard, a false tension or supposed contradiction is placed between law and gospel as if they were mutually exclusive. Thus it is often common in our day for the church to avoid the law nearly altogether in her teaching ministry, since what God's people really need is grace. Therein is the false dichotomy, for rightly understood it is the grace of the gospel that teaches us obedience to the law! We obey as beloved children seeking to honor our Father, who has loved us with an everlasting love. As recipients of God's grace, we are called to learn obedience, and the means of that grace is the Word of God, which itself includes exhortations and commandments.

Our Confession of Faith gets the balance right, with language of marvelously pastoral insight. The first half of the Confession focusesupon doctrine, what we are to believe concerning God. Then comes the transition in chapter 19, “Of the Law of God.” After clearly articulating the importance and essential truth that “true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned,” the Confession continues with this exposition of the use of the law: “...yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly...So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace.” And then the conclusion: “Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.”

So far from a contradiction between the exhortations of the law and the grace of the gospel, they do sweetly comply. They agree, they complement one another, they fit together, they harmonize, blend, coordinate and integrate. And they do all of that sweetly! Not even the slightest tension. Because of grace, never do we fear the curse of the law or the condemning wrath of God's justice. Never do we have the burden of the necessity of sufficient conformity to the law as the basis upon which we are accepted by God and make ourselves acceptable to him. Instead, because of grace, the law loses all those burdens! (1 John 5:3) Our obedience becomes the expression of our love for God. And rather than despise the law, we delight ourselves in it. Because the law is living and active, God the Holy Spirit actually enables us to obey it. And of those commandments, we sing with joy, “More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:10) “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)

If I could measure the success of my teaching and discipling ministry among you, it would be in this context, that you would so rightly and fully understand the glorious grace of the gospel that you would then learn to love the law in your heart and lives. And in practicing obedience to that law, that you would show forth your devotion to God and the fullness of your love for him, ever and always grateful for the freedom that you have in Christ for the redemption that is yours by virtue of the finished and completed work of our Lord Jesus. Thus it is my pastoral zeal that you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.” (2 Peter 3:18)

5/4/08
AM Worship: 
Tony Monaghan, preaching
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:1-4

5/11/08
AM Worship: Revelation 20:1-3
  PM Worship: Colossians 3:5-7

5/18/08
AM Worship: Revelation 20:4-6
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:8-11

5/25/08
AM Worship: Revelation 20:7-10
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:12-13

6/1/08
AM Worship: 
Revelation 20:11-15
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:14-15

6/8/08
AM Worship: Revelation 21:1-4
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:16-17

6/15/08
AM Worship: Revelation 21:5-8
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:18

6/22/08
AM Worship: Revelation 21:9-21 
 PM Worship: Colossians 3:19

6/29/08
AM Worship: Revelation 21:22-27
  PM Worship: Al Tricarico, preaching