Delighting in the Law of the Lord [eBook]

God’s Alternative to Legalism and Moralism

God’s people have neglected God’s law.

We are steeped in a culture in which people hate being told how to live and idolize uninhibited “freedom.” What’s more, many Christians seem to think the law only leads to legalism and therefore doesn’t have a role to play in the Christian life. Yet, regardless of what society or even fellow believers say, we need guidance to truly honor God in everything we think, say, and do.

Jerram Barrs helps us recognize and articulate the immense importance of God’s commands for godly living as he clears away unbiblical ideas that have crept into our thinking. Looking to the teachings of Jesus, this book will lead you to delight in the eternal beauty and life-changing significance of God’s perfect law.

Jerram Barrs (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary) is the founder and resident scholar of the Francis Schaeffer Institute at Covenant Theological Seminary, where he teaches apologetics and outreach as professor of Christianity and contemporary culture. He and his wife also served on staff at English L’Abri for many years. He is the author of Learning Evangelism from Jesus and Echoes from Eden.

“Jerram Barrs has given us a gripping account of how God’s 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 naïveté, 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 times—confusing for the culture, confusing for the church. We’ve lost the compass, and, truth be told, when it comes to personal or societal issues, most of us Christians simply don’t 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 God’s greatest gifts. Churches will love this resource!”
—Nicholas Perrin, Dean, Wheaton College Graduate School

“Jerram expounds the true nature and purpose of God’s law from the Psalms, which extol God’s 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 God’s 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

“Jerram Barrs gently but decisively charts a course that falls into neither the ditch of meaningless moral relativism, on the one side, nor the choking grip of Christian legalism, on the other. 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. 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 God’s good creation.”
—Michael Williams, Professor of Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary