Jerram Barrs - Delighting in the Law of the Lord: Gods Alternative to Legalism and Moralism

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In simple, eloquent, and compelling prose, Jerram Barrs has given us a gripping account of how Gods law, understood through the grace released in Jesus Christ, is the best guide we could find. Barrs shows us the biblical path to a sane and balanced worldview, avoiding the pitfalls of utopian theocracy, libertarian navet, and cultural indifference. More than a guide, this book is an invitation to see God as our only comfort in life and in death. Delighting in the Law of the Lord is simply delightful!

William Edgar, Professor of Apologetics, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia

We live in morally confusing timesconfusing for the culture, confusing for the church. Weve lost the compass, and, truth be told, when it comes to personal or societal issues, most of us Christians simply dont think of the law of God as providing much guidance. Think again! says Jerram Barrs. In his winsome across-the-kitchen-table style, Barrs explains why we need to retrieve afresh one of Gods greatest gifts. Churches will love this resource!

Nicholas Perrin, Dean, Wheaton College Graduate School

Jerram characteristically begins with a relevant piece of cultural analysis, honed from his decades of outreach to unbelievers, in which he traces the declension in Western culture from deism to postmodernism. But God has not delivered his people from the hopelessness of secularism and relativism to have them render the joyless obedience of moralism and legalism. Jerram expounds the true nature and purpose of Gods law from the Psalms, which extol Gods law in light of the Bible story of creation and redemption, and he draws primarily on the Gospels for stories to illustrate how this perspective on Gods law works out in practice. All will find this book challenging and helpful, but I recommend it especially to those engaged in communication of the truth that is in Jesus, particularly preachers, Bible study groups, parents, and Christian schools.

David Clyde Jones, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology and Ethics, Covenant Theological Seminary; author, Biblical Christian Ethics

Equally committed to the graciousness of God, the goodness of his law, and the calling of human beings to embody Gods moral character in all that we do, Jerram Barrs gently but decisively charts a course that falls into neither the ditch of meaningless moral relativism nor the choking grip of Christian legalism. He convincingly shows the biblical importance of the law as an essential guide to Christian discipleship, service, and happiness, both personally and within the larger realities of the church and society. Immersed in Scripture, theologically sound, and pastorally driven, Barrs writes from a lifetime of ministry that is both insightful and pastorally engaging. This catechesis of the way of the Lord should be in every ministry toolbox and is an absolute must-read by every Christian who wants to find greater integrity of life and deeper relationship with Christ, our fellow human beings, and Gods good creation.

Michael D. Williams, Professor of Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary

D ELIGHTING in the L AW of the L ORD

Other Crossway Books by Jerram Barrs

Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts

Learning Evangelism from Jesus

The Heart of Evangelism

Through His Eyes: Gods Perspective on Women in the Bible

Delighting in the Law of the Lord: Gods Alternative to Legalism and Moralism

Copyright 2013 by Jerram Barrs
Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Studio Gearbox

Cover image: The Bridgeman Art Library

First printing 2013

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible ( The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked NIV are from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture references marked RSV are from The Revised Standard Version . Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-3713-4
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3715-8
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3714-1
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3716-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Barrs, Jerram.

Delighting in the law of the Lord : Gods alternative to legalism and moralism / Jerram Barrs.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-3713-4 (tp)

1. Bible and law. 2. Law and gospelBiblical teaching. 3. Law

(Theology)Biblical teaching. I. Title.

BS680.L33B37 2013

241'.2dc23 2013014375

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

VP 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 1 6 15 14 13

15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

I dedicate this book to my much-loved father-in-law,
my Dad since my own beloved fathers death in 1972.
Dad, you were a beautiful model of a man who loved the
Lord and who delighted in his law. Your service of firstfruits
has been an inspiration to people all over this world. Now with
full assurance, you know the Lords delight in you, and you,
I am confident, gladly cast your crown at his feet every day,
knowing that apart from Jesus all your labors would have
been in vain. You lived out Psalm 1 every day of your life
as you gave yourself to loving the Lord and following
his commandments. Of you it could truly be said:

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord ,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

Contents

Do We Need Gods Laws Today?

How do you think about the law of God? Many of Gods commandments were written down around thirty-five hundred years ago during the life of Moses; others come from the time of Jesus and his apostles, almost two thousand years ago. Do you sometimes think, I personally dont need laws written thousands of years ago to direct my life; I am quite capable of reflecting on the challenges I face each day and making up my own mind about what is right for me? Or do you perhaps assume that the culture in which we live today knows better about how we should live than people from such distant times and different cultures? After all, we might reason, our scientific knowledge has advanced so much in terms of our understanding of the individual and society that it is no longer necessary for us to obey a moral code written in a time of comparative ignorance about human life.