Preaching The Law And The Gospel

I appreciate Iain H.Murray . I don't agree with some things he has written . But I especially enjoy his biographies of Pink , Lloyd-Jones , Jn. Edwards , John Murray etc. One of his more recent works is " The Old Evangelicalism : Old Truths For A New Awakening " . He wants a return to the old paths ( and he doesn't mean of the last 100 or so years ) . He has some good quotes of men of the past who he thinks were more biblical regarding the proclamation of the Word of God . He develops his own thoughts as well as citing relevant scriptures .

Chapter one is Preaching And Awakening " . On page 37 he cites Dr.L-J as saying :

It is the law of God alone that really gives us a right conception of the true character and nature of sin . This is a tremendous proposition . The real trouble with the unregenerate is that they do not know and understand the truth about sin . They have their moral code , they believe that certain things are right and certain things are wrong ; but that is not to understand sin . The moment a man understands the true nature and character of sin he becomes troubled about his soul and seeks for a Saviour . It is the peculiar function of the law to bring such an understanding to a man's mind and conscience . That is why great evangelical preachers three hundred years ago in the time of the Puritans , and two hundred years ago in the time of Whitefield and others , always engaged in what they called a preliminary " law work " . In their preaching of the Gospel they generally started with a presentation of the Law . They knew that a man would not understand salvation unless he understood the nature of sin .

 

Continuing with Murray's book on The Old Evangelicalism , He cites L-J again from a message of L-J on the Sermon On The Mount . In chapter two of Murray's book ( 69 ) he quotes L-J as saying :

There is no true evangelism without the doctrine of sin , and without an understanding of what sin is . I do not want to be unfair , but I say that a gospel whch merely says " Come to Jesus " , and offers Him as a Friend , and offers a marvellous new life , without convicting of sin , is not New Testament evangelism . The essence of evangelism is to start by preaching the law ; and it is because the law has not been preached that we have so much superficial evangelism ... evangelism must start with the holiness of God , the sinfulness of man and the eternal consequences of evil and wrong-doing . It is only the man who has been brought to see his guilt in this way who flies to Christ for deliverance and redemption .

 

I have a book called : " 2200 Quotations From The Writings Of Charles H.Spurgeon . It was edited by Tom Carter and put out thru Baker Books . It's a valuable resource . This CHS quote is found in Volume 32 ( 1886 )of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit , page 27 .

I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the law . The law is the needle , and and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man's heart unless you first send the needle of the law to make way for it . If men do not understand the law , they will not feel that they are sinners . And if they are not consciously sinners , they will never value the sin offering . There is no healing a man till the law has wounded him , no making him alive till the law has slain him .