Law & Liberty: A Biblical Look at Legalism
About this ebook
John MacArthur shows, first that obedience to God is not an issue of legalism, but an issue of love. In his second chapter, he deals with the inevitable response of people who are confronted with Biblical standards, "Judge not that ye be not judged." Here MacArthur shows what our Lord meant when He said that, and shows what biblical discernment really is, that there is a vast difference between judgmental and holding people accountable to God's standards.
Phil Johnson, in his first chapter, deals with Christian liberty. In his second chapter, he takes a critical look at two kinds of legalism, then explores the relationship of Christian love and Christian liberty.
Joel Beeke shows that enthusiasm for God's law is not necessarily legalism. One can be zealous without being legalistic. As David wrote: "Oh, how I love Thy Law!"
Bruce Bickel explains that legalism is due to a weak understanding of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Jim Elliff makes clear that legalism is an attack on unity within the Body of Christ, particularly local congregations.
Ken Talbot helps us to see that legalism is inconsistent with and incompatible with the doctrine of justification by faith alone. He points out that the doctrine of "free will" leads to this dangerous position.
Rick Phillips explores the relationship to loving God and obeying His law. Some today believe that love is all that matters, and that the law as a guideline to love is extinct. Then this author shows that Biblical sanctification is the antidote to and the opposite of legalism.
Steven J. Lawson shows that legalism is the result of holding to man-made traditions over the truth of God's Word. Second, he points out how dangerous and deadly a thing legalism is and why.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: What Legalism Is, What Legalism Does - Don Kistler
2. Truth Vs. Tradition - Stephen J. Lawson
3. Love and God's Law - Richard D. Philips
4. The Cross Is Enough - Bruce Bickel
5. The Danger of Legalism - Steven J. Lawson
6. Obedience: Love or Legalism? - John MacArthur
7. Zealous But not Legalistic - Joel Beeke
8. The Plague of Free-Will Moralism - Kenneth Talbot
9. Judging Vs. Biblical Discernment - John MacArthur
10. Stand Fast in Liberty - Phil Johnson
11. Real Love and Real Liberty - Phil Johnson
12. What Freedom From the Law Accomplishes For the Local Church - Jim Elliff
13. Biblical Sanctification: The Antidote to Legalism - Richard D. Philips
About the author
Dr. Don Kistler founded Soli Deo Gloria Publications in 1988 and The Northampton Press in 2007. He has written two books and edited more than 400 books, most of those first-time reprints of Puritan writings.
Dr. Steven J. Lawson is senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. He is the author of 16 books and has pastored for over 30 years. Dr. Lawson is noted for his expository preaching.
Richard D. Phillips is the pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina. He chairs the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, founded by the late James Boice. He is the author of 21 books.
Dr. Bruce Bickel is the president and founder of Transformational Leadership Group. He is the author of Light and Heat: The Puritan View of the Pulpit.
Dr. John MacArthur has been the pastor/teacher of Grace Community Church in Southern California for 40 years. He also serves as president of The Master’s College and Seminary. He has authored over 400 books and study guides.
Dr. Joel Beeke is the founder and president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He serves as professor of systematic theology and homiletics. He is also pastor of Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids. He has written, co-authored, or edited over 70 books.
Dr. Kenneth Talbot is president of Whitefield College and Theological Seminary and serves as professor of theology and apologetics. He is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly (RPCGA) and is pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, Florida. Whitefield College and Theological Seminary has offered degree programs through distance education for the past 32 years. Whitefield operates whitefieldmedia.com offering radio programs, video productions, and published books on various theological and philosophical subjects.
Phil Johnson is the executive director of Grace to You. He has been closely associated with John MacArthur since 1981 and edits most of John’s major books. But he may be best known for several popular websites he maintains, including The Spurgeon Archive and The Hall of Church History. Phil has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Moody Bible Institute (class of 1975) and was an editor at Moody Press before coming to Grace Community Church where he is an elder and pastors the GraceLife fellowship group.
Jim Elliff is founder and president of Christian Communicators Worldwide (CCW). Since 1985 Jim has addressed Christian ministries, seminaries, Bible schools, universities, churches, and pastors’ meetings throughout most of the United States and in many foreign countries. He is the author of four books that have been published in the U.S. and overseas, Led by the Spirit, Pursuing God—A Seeker’s Guide, Going Under: Discussions on Baptism, and Wasted Faith, and was a co-author of Divorce and Remarriage: A Permanence View. In addition to his writing and travel, Jim began Christ Fellowship of Kansas City, Missouri in 2003, a unique church made up of numerous home congregations in the Kansas City metro area.
