Nick Batzig and I had the privilege of recording an episode of the Reformed Media Review recently and the topic of how to preach biblical imperatives came up for discussion. As a preacher I am constantly aware that when I preach the commands of Scripture I need to couch them in the general context of grace and the specific context of union with Christ. That is, biblical commands can only be fulfilled (in a limited and sinful way) by those who have trusted in Christ by faith and are united to him. I ought never to assume grace. It ought to be explicit. For instance, Paul in Colossians 3:1-17 grounds his commands (put off sin and put love, etc) in the fact that his readers have been seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. This is so for the Christian.
Of course when I preach I do not assume that everyone in the congregation is saved, although I do think with a judgment of charity. However given the likelihood that someone within earshot of one of my sermons is unsaved I try to stress law in its capacity to make us accutely aware of our sinfulness and need of a Savior. There is no holding back about the fact that the unsaved sinner is in a dreadful state. It is not possible for the unbeliever to perfectly and perpetually keep the law. The unsaved sinner is under God’s judgment and so faces an eternity in hell. There is no doubt about it.
What does all this mean? It means this. I will preach the law in all its starkness to drive the sinner out of himself and into the arms of Christ (of course the Holy Spirit actually does this using the Word and not me), but I will not preach the law without concluding my message with reference to Jesus Christ. For the unbeliever the law only condemns. It does not offer life. Only Christ does that. For the Christian I will not preach the commands without recourse to the ground of the believer’s ability to endeavor after new obedience: the work of Christ for us and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
At the end of the day, we need to understand and appreciate the fact that Christ has perfectly kept the law for us and that he calls us to a life of obedience. Because our best efforts at obedience are mixed with sin we will always need the objective work of Christ for us. There is no point at which we outgrow our need for Christ’s righteousness. But because we are united to the righteous Lord by faith (engendered by the Holy Spirit at work in us) we also will strive after a life of obedience to our living and loving Lord. Our obedience does not earn for us acceptance with God but follows after.
In the end, the law drives us to Christ but it is Christ who saves. Therefore, it is him we proclaim.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. (Romans 16:17-18)