THE DEATH OF LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE LIFE OF GOSPEL HOLINESS:
"I through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." Galatians 2:19.
Ralph Erskine's "Law-Death, Gospel-Life" presents a profound exploration of the Christian believer's transition from being bound by the law to living in the freedom offered through the gospel. Erskine uses the Apostle Paul's teachings to argue that true sanctification and holiness are attainable not through adherence to the law, which he posits as an instrument of death, but through faith in Christ, which brings life. This theological treatise considers the intricate relationship between law and grace, emphasizing the inadequacy of the law to produce righteousness and the necessity of dying to the law to truly live unto God.
In the book, Erskine highlights the liberating truth that believers are not justified by their adherence to the law but through faith in Christ. This underscores the gospel's power to free individuals from the law's condemnation, inviting pastors to reassure believers of their freedom in Christ. The book articulates that holiness and sanctification are the results of faith in Christ rather than the law's observance. This encourages pastors to focus on nurturing faith and reliance on God's grace among their congregation for spiritual growth. While the law reveals sin and God's standards, it is through understanding our inability to fulfill the law's demands that we are driven to Christ. Pastors can use this to teach on the purpose of the law as a guide that leads us to the necessity of salvation through Jesus, rather than viewing it as a means of salvation.