Justification by Faith alone is to distinguishing the Law and the Gospel

 By saying that the law and gospel distinction is a secondary matter, one is leaving the door open for the idea that one is justified by faith and works or faith and the law of obedience. The gospel is not a secondary matter bit as Paul says it is a matter of first importance - "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;" 1 Corinthians 15

By knowing the law and gospel distinction believers are better equipped to understand and ground their assurance rightly by what Christ alone did.

Again, the elect are justified by faith alone. What is this faith alone if it doesn't distinguish between our sins which are many, which procures the wrath of God outside of Christ, and the only righteous thing that makes the elect acceptable before God?

If the law and gospel is merely a secondary matter then Paul would not have said did we receive the Spirit by the works of the law or did we receive the Spirit by the hearing of the word through faith?

If one gets the law and gospel distinction wrong they get God's act of justification wrong and vise versa. They two are intertwine. For by faith the elect believe the gospel and so are justified.

The Law and its usage

The law is good. It's not bad. The problem is that we are sinners and so the use of the law for salvation is unattainable. Perfection is what the law demands. The declaration of law should cause fear in them who seek to be justified. Notice that the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:13 - 21.

The result of the law preached to the rich young ruler was that it caused him to sorrow because he knew the law as the mirror of what righteousness God demanded he did not meet.

So one use of the law is that it is a school master to lead us to Christ who alone saves from sin and death and hell.

The second use is that it is used to deter further sin in society. In this use it is for the elect alone, to protect them from the actions of the reprobate. Consider for example Abraham in Genesis 12. The Pharoah, who saw Abraham's wife, wanted to take her for his own. But God caused a plague.

The third use of the law is that of a rule of Christ for those who believe in Christ alone for justification. This rule can be seen as in the Bible from Romans 13 where we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus also gave his disciples a new command to love one another. The rule of life however to be clear does not save us. As Paul says, the Law is good if one uses it Lawfully. 1 Timothy 1:8

Of course, to be certain that in all three usage of the law in no sense is it said that the law is meant to save anyone. For that the gospel alone is what saves.

Some Churches Don't like the Law and Gospel Distinction

 Spoke with one of the guys at that church again. I think about what he said. But basically he said that the law and gospel distinction isn't a primary issue (I disagree). He said that someone to be saved doesn't need to know the law and gospel distinction, though it's helpful, there are other criterias to which one can read the Bible ( I would ask what does he mean?)

Overall it seems like he is wanting to keep it a secret. Some like to keep the doctrine of election a secret because ignorant is bliss and if someone doesn't know then how can they reject it?

Of course, the Bible has lots to say about how a person is saved. If a person believes they are saved by faith and works then can we say they are saved? The issue is probably muddied in the sense that when a hearer hears the gospel message for the first time or second time it is assumed that the speaker knows what is the gospel and what is the law. If the speaker or preacher doesn't know these things then as the Bible says the preacher or teacher or speaker will be judged more harshly. I think of the warnings in Ezekiel or the Parables of Jesus.

Theodore Beza says, "We must pay great attention to these things. For, with good reason, we can say that ignorance of this distinction between Law and Gospel is one of the principles sources of the abuses which corrupt and still corrupt Christianity.

The majority of men, blinded by the just judgement of God, have indeed never seriously considered what curse the Law subjects us to, nor why it has been ordained by God. And, as for the Gospel, they have nearly always thought that it was nothing other than a second Law, more perfect than the first. . . ." - The Christian Faith, Page 37

Jesus alone is our hope and stay and rest

 Three times does Noah send the dove. The dove found no rest in Genesis 8:9.

The second time the dove comes back with an olive leaf. This olive leaf is a representation of peace.

The Bible elsewhere talks about the dove resting on Christ who is our peace before God in Matthew 3. Notice the dove doesnt land on Christ and someone else or something else. The dove lands on Christ alone our Rock. The wise man builds his house upon the rock.

Noah A Scripturalist

 One of the things we can glean from Noah in Genesis 6:22 and 7:5 is that Noah was a Scripturalist. He wasn't like some today that say yeah the Bible is good but we may use our senses, or we may use whoredom in our worship, or offer up sacrifices to other gods.

The Bible tells us that Noah did according to all that God commanded him. Noah wasn't charismatic.

Job says, "Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." - 23:12

Christianity based on Doctrinal truth

 "It was less the miracles of the Apostles that gave to Christianity its outward extension and inward strength, than the substance, the truth of the doctrine itself. Christ himself says: 'Many will say to me at that day: Lord, Lord! . . .'" - G.W.F. Hegel, The Philosophy of History, Page 329

In a lot of ways Hegel was a great rationalist, but in a lot of ways he was a collectivist.

Francis Pieper on Intellectual Assent

 One common argument against the faith being only intellectual and assent is that it is a belief of Zane Hodges.

Basically this argument in short is that a doctrine or teaching is guilty by association. The response is that just because a person or group of people say or hold to a doctrine does not make that doctrine wrong.  Catholics teach justification and sanctification. However, Catholics don't teach it rightly. They teach that justification and sanctification are confused and that a man is saved by faith and works.

With that said the belief that Faith is intellectual and assent is Scriptural.

Lutheran theologian Francis Pieper, in his Christian Dogmatics Volume 2 Pag 430 says

"The Lutheran Confession follow the terminology of Scripture. Knowledge, according to their use, designates the entire justifying faith. The Apology thus writes: 'Faith which receives the forgiveness of sins . . . is the true knowledge of Christ' (Trigl. 133, Art. IV [II], 46). 'What is the knowledge of Christ unless we know the benefits of Christ, the promises which by the Gospel He has scattered broadcast in the world? And to know these benefits is properly and truly to believe in Christ.' (Trigl. 154, ibid., 101.) Regarding the 'assent' the Apology says: 'Faith, properly so called, is that which assents to the promise' (Trigl. 154, ibid., 113). 'That faith which justifies is . . . to assent to the promises of God' (Trigl. 134, ibid., 48). On 'confidence' the Apology says: 'To believe means to rely on the mercy of God, that He desires to be gracious for Christ's sake, without our merits' (Trigl. 207, Art III, 194). The Apology uses 'trust' and 'assent' as interchangeable terms. 'That faith which justifies is . . . to assent to the promises of God. . . . It is the certainty or the certain trust in the heart, when, with my whole heart, I regard the promises of God as certain and true.' (Trigl. 135, Art. IV [II], 48.)" - The Bold is my own for emphasis and clarity

According to Francis Pieper tohave faith is to believe and to believe is to assent, trust, rely. These things are simplistic

Our Confidence

 Our Confidence comes from knowing God as not only the sovereign Creator who created all things, and upholds it, but also in the fact that He sent his one and only son to die upon the cross for the sins of the elect alone.

How does providence help us?

The Heidelberg Catechism says

What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence doth still uphold all things?

That we may be patient in adversity; thankful in prosperity; and that in all things which may herafter befal us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father, that nothing shall separate us from his love; since all creatures are so in his hand, that without his will they cannot so much as move.

The purpose is so that we may be patient in suffering.

Ultimately the believers comfort lies in Knowing that their sins have been expiated and the wrath of God has been propitiated on their behalf.

Pythagoras on Brotherhood

 "The original purpose of the brotherhood which Pythagoras founded was undoubtedly a moral and religious one. Pythagoreanism, in its inception at least, was a 'way of life'; what its founder offered to the initiated brethren was a method of living whereby they might win their souls' salvation from the dep evils that infect human existence." - Martin, Clark, Clarke, Ruddick, History of Philosophy, Pg 21

What is the hearing and doing of James 1?

 Some people teach that Christians are to not just hear the word, but they are also to believe and do the word.

But the question is what does it mean to do the word if not to believe? How does one do a proposition? if the Bible is a propositional book revealed by God alone then how does one do it other than believe it? I mean no one can do the Gospel. And no one can do the Law.

James talks about hearing and doing of the word. James 1:19-24. But elsewhere it talks about hearing and receiving the word, Ezekiel 33:31. Elsewhere, Deuteronomy 4:6 it says hear and keep. And even still elsewhere in Revelations 2 or 3 it talks about hearing and receiving.

How do we receiving and keep God's word but by believing it.

We believe what the Bible alone tells us because it is God's word. The Bible tells us who God is and what He has revealed for the Salvation of the elect alone. Tell us who we are outside of Christ and how Christ alone saves us from sin.

No doubt the result of believing the word results in doing good works. Good works follow from faith. Good works are not the belief but the results of belief, of trust, of assent, of assurance.