Food for Thought: The Denial of the Law/Gospel Distinction as a Fundamental Division an Understandable Mistake or Irresponsible Behavior?

The signers of the document A Joint Federal Vision Profession made this denial:

We deny that law and gospel should be considered as hermeneutics, or treated as such. We believe that any passage, whether indicative or imperative, can be heard by the faithful as good news, and that any passage, whether containing gospel promises or not, will be heard by the rebellious as intolerable demand. The fundamental division is not in the text, but rather in the human heart.

The question for us to think about today is whether the denial of the distinction between Law and Gospel as the fundamental division of Scripture is just an understandable mistake by theologians who are at an early stage in a conversation or an act of theologically irresponsible behavior?

Martin Luther once said, "Hence, whoever knows well this art of distinguishing between Law and Gospel, him place at the head and call him a doctor of Holy Scripture." Whether Martin Luther interpreted Paul correctly is a matter for another post. However, the idea of Law and Gospel as the fundamental division in Scripture is a matter easily addressed by examining a few passages from the Apostle Paul. As we look at these passages we should keep a couple things in mind: good news is good news whether one receives it as such, and law is still law whether one obeys it or not.

What does Paul consider good news? Does he consider "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" to be good news? What about "And the Law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live by them" is that good news to Paul?

What about the distinction between Law and Gospel? Does Paul think that this is a fundamental division in Scripture? Here's a sample of his own thoughts on this matter:

The gospel according to Paul is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth" not to everyone that doeth. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith." Rom 1:16,17

When you see faith and works in Paul think Law and Gospel. "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4:4,5

Watch the Law/Gospel distinction at work here: "For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all." Rom. 4:14-16

What about those rebellious people who hate both Law and Gospel? Is the Law/Gospel distinction for them as well? What does Paul say?

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Rom. 3:19-31

Well, there you have it, folks, from the mouth of the Apostle Paul himself. The gospel is about the free and unmerited salvation wrought for us by Jesus Christ and received by faith alone. It is about being justified freely by His grace apart from works of the Law. Paul says it quite clearly, "The law is not of faith." Is this a distinction only for those who accept the Bible as the Word of God? No! The last passage shows quite clearly that even the Gentiles who did not have the Law must make a distinction between Law and Gospel. If you are going to evangelize (proclaim the good news) to the lost, do yourself and the lost a favor, don't be irresponsible: tell them the good news; tell them that they cannot hope to be justified in the sight of God by works of the Law; tell them that justification and the forgiveness of sins comes only through faith in Christ. At least make that distinction for them.