John Calvin inherited the doctrines of the medieval Roman Church. In particular, he inherited that Church’s view of the law of God, given to Israel through Moses on Sinai. Calvin took the Church’s teaching on this, as it had been developed by Thomas Aquinas, and tweaked it to produce a Reformed threefold-use of the law in the new covenant. Some Anabaptists and others resisted him at the time, but they were heavily out-gunned, and Calvin’s system has dominated the Reformed and evangelical world ever since. Millions, who have never read a word of Calvin, many of whom would shudder at the very mention of his name, nevertheless, are, on the law, Calvinists – even though they may not know it.
David Gay contends that Calvin was wrong on the law, and this has had serious consequences. Gay is concerned, in particular, with the Reformer’s third use of the law – which is, said Calvin, to sanctify the believer. Gay disagrees. In this book, he probes Calvin’s system, exposes it to the light of Scripture, and shows where it departs from the New Testament. He also demonstrates the utter inadequacy of the escape routes used by the Reformed to get round awkward passages of Scripture.
Turning from the negative, Gay then looks at every major New Testament passage dealing with the believer and the law. Next, he sets out scriptural teaching on the true way of sanctification for the believer. This, he shows, is not by the law of Moses; rather, it is by the law of Christ in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, as Gay makes clear, the law of Christ is, ultimately, Christ himself. Hence his chosen title: 'Christ is All'. Having set out the believer’s rule, he then answers seven objections levelled against it.
Gay does not pretend that this book is an easy read. But he hopes it will prove a profitable read. And even if others do not agree with him on every point, until they have read what he has to say, it can hardly be fair, can it, to dismiss him out of hand as an antinomian?
David Gay contends that Calvin was wrong on the law, and this has had serious consequences. Gay is concerned, in particular, with the Reformer’s third use of the law – which is, said Calvin, to sanctify the believer. Gay disagrees. In this book, he probes Calvin’s system, exposes it to the light of Scripture, and shows where it departs from the New Testament. He also demonstrates the utter inadequacy of the escape routes used by the Reformed to get round awkward passages of Scripture.
Turning from the negative, Gay then looks at every major New Testament passage dealing with the believer and the law. Next, he sets out scriptural teaching on the true way of sanctification for the believer. This, he shows, is not by the law of Moses; rather, it is by the law of Christ in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, as Gay makes clear, the law of Christ is, ultimately, Christ himself. Hence his chosen title: 'Christ is All'. Having set out the believer’s rule, he then answers seven objections levelled against it.
Gay does not pretend that this book is an easy read. But he hopes it will prove a profitable read. And even if others do not agree with him on every point, until they have read what he has to say, it can hardly be fair, can it, to dismiss him out of hand as an antinomian?
