The Law versus the Gospel

In his Epistle to the Romans, contrasting the law and the gospel, he says, 'Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that a man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' Do you perceive how be thus discriminates between the law and the gospel,  that the former attributes righteousness to works, but the latter bestows it freely, without the assistance of works? -John Calvin,  The Institutes, 3.11.17. Pg. 669

Scripture alone is the alone infallible rule of faith

It is a constitutional rule of the great Bible Societies that they are to circulate the Bible 'without note or comment.' This is a noteworthy and significant fact. It indicates that the Bible is a self-contained and a self-explanatory book, a book which does not have and cannot have an authoritative introduction; and untold thousands have found the Saviour and been built up in our most holy faith by simple reading and study of the Word, under the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit. It is true of the Bible, as of no other book, that 'the infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself.' - Oswald T. Allis, The Old Testament Its Claims and Its Critics, pg. 1

The teacher does not teach new things to a pupil

A teacher does not teach anything. Of course they might say lies or false things but as it goes they cannot teach anyone anything. There is only one Teacher who has enlightened everyone. So what then what is the point of one person supposedly teaching another? Simply their job is to remind. That is what we are doing when we use propositions. Propositions are either false or true.


Someone responds, "Does a parent teach a child to walk? To talk? Do they 'remind' them to do so? Are we all 'enlightened'? Born with the ability of language and walking, just needing to be reminded?"

The question is what does it mean to walk; in other words, what is the definition of walking? By what way does a child become capable of walking?

The Bible says it is God who trains up a man for battle. I think David says God trains his hands for the bow.

Furthermore, God is said to make men blind, deaf, mute, and lame. So who teaches a man to walk? God alone.

Someone responds, "Does God teach you how to play the banjo? How to tie your shoes? What the capital of North Dakota is? No. Teachers teach those things. I have no idea what you mean. Perhaps you'll have to teach me."

 Well I didn't respond to your question because I think I've answered it. We only have one Father. He alone gives us knowledge. Since God is knowledge, logic, and truth. All knowledge comes from Him. No man knows unless God reveals. Have you read Exodus? I suppose you have not. What does it say about the men who made the tabernacle?
Since men, are created in the image of God, they are created with logic, knowledge, ability to speak in some cases.

We therefore say man is not tabula rasa.

Therefore, human teachers do not teach or discover new ideas. But ideas, propositions are understood prior. Therefore, teachers either speak lies or truth. But their job is to remind.

The diminishing Mind of Empiricism

Ayn "Rand maintained that the child - every child - knows nothing, his mind is 'unexposed,' and yet he has a conscious mind. The contradiction is inherent in the notion of a tabula rasa mind. A mind that is tabula rasa is simply not a mind. A consciousness conscious of nothing is simply not a consciousness. A mind that is empty is not a mind, any more than a geometrical figure that has no sides is a geometrical figure. This egregious contradiction lies at the foundation of Rand's epistemology - not only Rand's, but at the base of all empirical philosophies, including those of John Locke, Thomas Aquinas, and Aristotle." - John W. Robbins, Without A Prayer, Ayn Rand and The Close of Her System, pg. 30-31

There is nothing special in the sacrament itself

"In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and the sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given, and the Holy Spirit produces faith, where and when it pleases God, in those who hear the Gospel. That is to say, it is not on account of our own merits but on account of Christ that God justifies those who believe that they are received into favor for Christ's sake. Gal. 3:14, 'That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.'
Our churches condemn the Anabaptist and others who think that the Holy Spirit comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparations and works." - The Book of Concord, The Augsburg Confession, Pg. 31 Article 5 [The ministry of the Church]

Elijah the prophet during the time when man did what is right in his own eyes

No wonder Elijah thought himself alone. Gilead was part of  the tribe that was in the northern kingdom of Israel. During that time Ahab sinned as if it was a light thing for him to do. In his time Hiel rebuilt Jericho (Joshua in 6:26 curses the man who rebuilds the city). During the time then there would have seemed like there was a famine of the word of God.

No difference between the law of Christ and the decalogue

In sundry other places of their confessions they explain their meaning more fully thus: Many laws were uttered by Christ of which Moses knew nothing; for instance, the law to love our enemies, the law not to seek private revenge, the law not to demand back what has been taken from us, ect. All these matters the papists declare to be 'new laws.' This is wrong; for even Moses has said: ' Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with ...all thy might,' Deut. 6,5; and: ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' Lev. 19, 18. Now, Christ did not abrogate this law of Moses, but neither did He publish any new laws. He only opened up the spiritual meaning of the Law. Accordingly, He says in Matt. 5, 17: 'Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.' That means that He did not come to issue new laws, but to fulfill the Law for us, so that we may share His fulfillment. - C.F.W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, pg. 73-74

"The law is called the Decalogue, and the gospel is the doctrine concerning Christ the mediator, and the free remission of sins through faith." -Zacharias Ursinus, Commentary on the Heidelberg, pg. 2

 .