the whole christ by sinclair ferguson - accelerate books · the whole christ is a glance back at...

S U M M A R YTHE WHOLE CHRISTBY S INCLAIR FERGUSON

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A c c e l e r a t e B o o k s . c o m

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The Whole ChristO V E R V I E W

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OVERVIEWSince the days of the early church, Christianshave wrestled with the relationship betweenlaw and gospel. If, as the apostle Paul says,salvation is by grace and the law cannot save,what relevance does the law have for Christianstoday?

By revisiting the Marrow Controversy—afamous but largely forgotten eighteenth-century debate related to the properrelationship between God’s grace and ourworks—Sinclair B. Ferguson sheds light on thiscentral issue and why it still matters today. Indoing so, he explains how our understanding ofthe relationship between law and gospeldetermines our approach to evangelism, ourpursuit of sanctification, and even ourunderstanding of God himself. Ferguson shows us that the antidote to thepoison of legalism on the one hand andantinomianism on the other is one and thesame: the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ, inwhom we are simultaneously justified by faith,freed for good works, and assured of salvation.

Sinclair Ferguson is a Reformed Scottishtheologian who earned a Ph. D at the Universityof Aberdeen. He is the Chancellor’s Professor ofSystematic Theology at the ReformedTheological Seminary in the U.S., and he is thehonorary evening preacher at St Peter’s FreeChurch of Scotland, Dundee. Ferguson is well-known for his teaching forLigonier Ministries. He has also authored orcontributed to numerous books, including: TheChristian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction (2013),Devoted To God (2016), Some Pastors andTeachers (2017), The Holy Spirit (1997). His

Author: Sinclair Ferguson

Publisher: Crossway

Date: January 31, 2016

Pages: 256

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

https://amzn.to/2MhS9ht


The Whole Christ is a glance back at TheMarrow Controversy (1717-1722) in order tohelp Christians move forward on the path ofbiblical grace recovered during thatcontroversy. The Whole Christ traces the footsteps ofThomas Boston and the Marrow Men as theysought to recover the necessities ofunderstanding the heart of the gospel—ChristHimself.

preaching can even be found on Christian hip-hop albums such as “The Attributes of God” byShai Linne. “The Whole Christ” began as a series of lecturesoffered by Ferguson in 1980 at a conference inIndianapolis. At the request of people whoheard about the original addresses and hisdesires to eventually publish a book on thetopic, Sinclair set out to edit and improve theoriginal transcripts into written form some 36years later. Ferguson’s main desire for publishing TheWhole Christ arose from a desire to radicallyshape the ministries of his readers as TheMarrow Controversy shaped the ministry ofThomas Boston, one of the most prominentfigures involved in the controversy.

Through this lens, it becomes clear thatantinomianism and legalism are two sides ofthe same coin—a distorted view of God and Hislaw as it relates to humanity. It is true then that“…legalism and antinomianism share acommon root that has invaded not only mindbut heart, affections, and will—how we feeltoward God as well as the doctrine of God weprofess.” (p. 84-85) Both legalism and antinomianism can behidden beneath the surface of soundconfessions of faith. Legalism treats the law ofGod in daily life as if God’s love is maintainedthrough a covenant of works. Antinomianism,on the other hand, treats obedience to the lawas if it is separate from freely enjoying God.Neither of these extremes is the answer to theother, and neither can provide real assuranceof salvation. Assurance can only be found in the gloriousGod of the gospel. When the gospel is warped,assurance is sure to be warped with it. It is onlywhen Christians have deep faith in the Father’slove, trust in Jesus’ work on the cross, andcontinual experience of the Spirit’s presencethat can they have biblical assurance. Thejourney ahead for every believer is to know andshare the Totus Christus—the whole Christ.

MAIN IDEA

M A I N I D E A The Whole Christ


Too often, legalism is narrowly defined as thebelief that salvation is gained by works apartfrom grace. Traditionally, the picture thatcomes to mind with legalism is a RomanCatholic or Judaizer seeking to be justified bydoing good works and keeping the law. Thoughthis is legalism at its worst and a very realpicture of legalism, it is only a picture oflegalism at the surface level. Legalism is dangerous for a multitude ofreasons, especially because ”it distorts andmay actually destroy the gospel. It is inimical tothe grace of God in Christ. It lies at the heart ofmany pastoral problems and is one of the mostcommon spiritual sicknesses. Unfortunately, it is an infectious disease,especially if a pastor or preacher hascontracted it.” (p. 123) So it is important to beable to recognize some of its commonsymptoms.

Characteristics of this legal spirit include, butare not limited to: viewing the law as primarilynegative; viewing God primarily as an unloving,forbidding God; divorcing God’s graciouscharacter from His revealed will; submission tothe law with no connection to the Father; Nojoy in Christ while claiming that your chief endis to “enjoy Him forever”; No affections for theLord in your strict obedience; A self-righteoustemper; Comparison with others. The “legal frame” is very dangerous because itenters churches and pulpits very stealthily. Itcan correctly confess the doctrine ofjustification by faith alone, apart from works,but only in confession and not conduct. Thelegal frame is multidimensional and multi-layered, so it is easily masked by narrowdefinitions and extreme forms of legalism. Having “an evangelical head and legalisticheart” is a reality for many believers—especially those who are doctrinally sound andconfessionally trained. It matters not what isbelieved with the mind if it is not lived out inthe heart. Guarding against legalism in practicewill always be much more difficult thanprotecting oneself from it in theory. Theremedy for this is a proper view of God and Hisgrace.

KEY INSIGHT #1

Legalism is more subtlethan justification byworks.

Legalism is Subtle

K E Y I N S I G H T S The Whole Christ


INSIGHTGRAPHIC #1



Antinomians are traditionally understood asthose who are so against the law that theyactually deny that it is necessary for theChristian. They are characterized by looseliving and license to do whatever they desire.However, like legalism, antinomianism can betraced by to a distorted view of God and Hislaw. Antinomians, like legalists, can wear differentfaces which can make them difficult to identify.Just as the legalist has a legalistic frame, “somewho propositionally have held the antinomianview have nevertheless had reputations forgodly living.” (p. 140) The antinomian is similar to the legalist in thathe or she: views the law in a negative light; seesGod as a forbidding God in the giving of His law;finds no joy or affection in keeping the law;divorces God’s gracious character from His

revealed will. In fact, “it cannot be too stronglyemphasized, therefore, that everyone is alegalist at heart. Indeed, if anything, that is themore evident in antinomians.” (p. 86) Though a legalist at heart and similar inexpression, the antinomian differs from thelegalist in that he or she: denies the importanceof the law in the life of believers for fear oflegalism; overstates the distinction betweenIsrael and the Church in order to avoid the law;opposes the law rather than obeying it;believes the law to be something that deprivesGod’s people of good. Whereas the legalist remains in an improperbondage to the law, the antinomian allowstheir legalistic view of God and His law to drivethem to disobedience rather than grace. Forexample, “it bears repeating: in Eve’s caseantinomianism (her opposition to and rejectionof God’s law) was itself an expression of herlegalism! When this distortion of God’s character iscomplete, we inevitably mistrust him; we losesight of his love and grace; we see himessentially as a forbidding God.” (p. 83)

KEY INSIGHT #2

Antinomianism is the fruit andexpression of legalism.

Antinomianism expresses Legalism



INSIGHTGRAPHIC #2



Too often Christians lack assurance ofsalvation. Both legalism and antinomianismcontribute to lack of assurance. Christ is at theheart of full assurance of salvation, and whenHe takes a backseat in our theology, assurancewill be sure to follow. During the Middle Ages, the idea of Christianassurance came under attack by the CatholicChurch. The Council Of Trent (1545-1563) laidout doctrine that considered the notion ofassurance for all believers as “vain confidence”. The Council Of Trent taught that no Christianshould doubt the mercy of God, the merit ofChrist or the efficacy of the sacraments.However, they also taught that no one canknow with certainty of faith that he hasobtained the grace of God. The councilconsidered the Protestant teaching onassurance as the “principle heresy” ofProtestantism. Along with the Council of Trent, many are

opposed to any assurance of salvation becausethey believe that faith is subject to error. Alongwith this fear comes the fear that assuranceleads to antinomianism rather than a life ofobedience. For the Roman Catholic believer, assurancewould overthrow the extended sacramentalprocess required to attain final justification.However, none of these reasons for opposingassurance of salvation are biblical. Assurance is a reality for the Christian becauseit is tied to the finished work of Christ. Further, it is not nourished by works of men butrather by a deepening knowledge of Christ andHis work in the gospel. Assurance, then, isgrounded not in the temporal but in theeternal. Though assurance is attainable and beneficialfor the Christian, there are enemies whichassail God’s children and keep them from asense of their security in Christ. One majorenemy to assurance is the tendency to forgetthat salvation is all of grace and none of ourmerit. Another enemy of assurance is difficultyin seeing the triune God as loving. Lastly, failure to see justification as a final andcomplete work of God can contribute to a lackof assurance in the life of the believer.

KEY INSIGHT #3

A natural and actual fruit offaith in Jesus Christ.

Assurance of Salvation



INSIGHTGRAPHIC #3



The Whole Christ is a discussion of gospelpreaching and gospel living understood withinthe framework of “The Marrow Controversy”. Itrepresents a reflection of the theoretical andpastoral implications found by Thomas Bostonand the controversy surrounding his discoveryand understanding of The Marrow of ModernDivinity by Edward Fisher. This book is not primarily a study of “TheMarrow Controversy”. Rather, it is a launchingpoint from which to consider the importance ofthe gospel and how it impacts legalism,antinomianism, and assurance in the churchtoday. Since understanding the gospelintimately affects the lives of believers,conversations and reflections such as these areof high importance.

A poorly worded creed—the AuchterarderCreed—sparked a major controversy inFebruary 1717. The creed carried a simplesentence that shaped what would becomeknown as the Marrow Controversy. What wasthe sentence? “I believe that it is not sound and orthodox toteach that we forsake sin in order to ourcoming to Christ, and instating us in covenantwith God.” (p. 28).

the Marrow Controversy was about how wepreach the gospel; what role, if any, God’slaw and our obedience play in the Christianlife; and what it means to have assurance ofsalvation.” (p. 34)

INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER

C H A P T E R S U M M A R I E S

“Perhaps the best way to describe it is byborrowing from the world of classical music:The Whole Christ might well be subtitled,‘variations on themes from The MarrowControversy.’” (p. 19) “There are reasons for interest in thisapparently recondite topic. On the surface

QUOTES

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

How has legalism shown itself in your heart?How did you address it? Do you see antinomian tendencies whenyou read scripture passages that you don’tlike? Why do you respond in that way? What can you do if you discover that youhave a deficient view of the gospel?

CHAPTER 1: HOW AMARROW GREW

The Whole Christ



“Turn the question over in your own mind.How would you respond? Do you agree that‘it is not sound and orthodox to teach thatwe forsake sin in order to our coming toChrist?’” (p. 28) “At the root of the matter lay the nature ofthe grace of God in the gospel and how itshould be preached.” (p. 35)

QUOTES

The gospel offer was at the heart of the MarrowControversy. Can Christ truly be offered tounbelievers, even if they are not the elect?Better yet, should the gospel offer be Christ’satoning sacrifice or Christ Himself? To offer Christ to all is not a denial of limitedatonement. Boston was not denying limitedatonement or the fact that only the fruit ofelecting grace is repentance. Rather, Bostonand the Marrow Men felt that Christ, the centerof the gospel, should be offered when thegospel is presented. To argue for preparation isto argue for repentance to proceed grace.

CHAPTER 2: GRACE INTHE GOSPEL

This creed was ruled as unsound andunorthodox by the Scottish general assembly,but the Marrow Men, led by Thomas Boston,fought against such a charge. While on apastoral visit, Thomas Boston found a little-known Puritan book called The Marrow OfModern Divinity. This book would greatly shapehis views of legalism and the offer of thegospel. The Marrow Of Modern Divinity would alsostoke the fire of the Marrow Controversy as a“chance” conversation led to the republishingof the book. The book was eventually bannedand Boston and the Marrow Men wereconsidered antinomian. Thus, a war was wagedto debate legalism and antinomianism inScotland. The Marrow Controversy became the greatestcontroversy in the history of the church inScotland.

The Whole Christ

If you had to affirm the Auchterarder Creed,what would you answer be? Why or whynot? Does it matter how the gospel is preachedas long as it is preached? How would you know if legalism orantinomianism were making their way intoyour view of the gospel? Who in your lifewould be honest enough to let you know?




For the “Marrow Men”, the gospel ought to beoffered to all people, and unbelievers shouldbe freely offered the totus Christus (The WholeChrist) not just His benefits. This, however, was beyond orthodoxy for theChurch of Scotland.

“…Jesus Christ is the gospel.” (p. 40) “Ostensibly—as becomes clear from thecriticisms leveled against the Marrow—thecontroversy was about the offer of thegospel. But much more than the semanticsof gospel presentation was at stake. Theissue was the heart of the gospel itself. TheMarrow Men were concerned to stress theimportance, and true nature, of God’s grace.This they saw is rooted in a yet deeper issue:the nature and character of God himselfrevealed in the gospel.” (p. 37-38) “What was at the heart of their gospelmessage? Calvin has a beautiful expressionthat summarizes it: the gospel is Christ‘clothed with his gospel.’ This, to use anAugustinian term, is totus Christus, thewhole Christ, the person in whomincarnation has been accomplished and inwhom atonement, resurrection, ascension,and heavenly reign are now realized.” (p. 46)

QUOTES

When you present the gospel, do youpresent Christ or just His benefits? If you consider limited atonement to be abiblical truth, how can you truly offer Christto any unbeliever? How has your view of the gospel beenfocused less than the Whole Christ?


The Whole Christ

Preparationism teaches that sin must beforsaken before the Christ is offered and gracereceived. In essence, preparationism says, “youcan have Christ and all His benefits once youhave sufficiently shown that you genuinelydesire it.” However, how much is enough?From where does the power to receive gracecome? These issues were at the core of theMarrow Controversy. Preparationism stems from a distortion ofGod’s love. The distortion is still very prevalenttoday, and it says that Christ died to persuadethe Father to love us, and sinners must show

CHAPTER 3:PREPARATION,DISTORTION, POISON



“…the warrant for justifying faith in Christdoes not lie within.” (p. 61) “A misshapen understanding of the gospelimpacts the spirit of a minister and affectsthe style and atmosphere of his preachingand of all his pastoral ministry.” (p. 71) “When people are broken by sin, full ofshame, feeling weak, conscious of failure,ashamed of themselves, and in need ofcounsel, they do not want to listen topreaching that expounds the truth of thediscrete doctrines of their church’sconfession of faith but fails to connect themwith the marrow of gospel grace and theFather of infinite love for sinners. It is agracious and loving Father they need toknow.” (p. 72)

QUOTES

Legalism is subtle and more dangerous thanmost people imagine. Typically, legalism islikened to trying to earn salvation by goodworks. While this is certainly true, there aremany legalists who would deny this definitionwhile remaining in their legalism. Legalism is a web of deceit which can even leadto antinomianism because it begins bydistorting the character of God and His love.Since the garden of Eden, legalism has plaguedhumanity, and can even rest in the hearts(actions) of people who have evangelical heads(doctrine). Legalism, whether in the head or the heart,divorces the true character of God from the law

CHAPTER 4: DANGER!LEGALISM

that they are worthy of that love. Worse yet,this distortion of God’s love forces sinners tolook inward for a condition to merit grace. Preparationism is a dangerous poison whichchokes out grace and makes it more about thesinner than the Savior. When this poison entersthe pulpit, preaching loses efficacy because itloses grace.

The Whole Christ

Have you ever felt that some people arecloser to salvation because they want itmore than others? Why is this a subtle formof preparationism? How does a pastor’s view of grace affect hiscongregation? Have you seen this positivelyor negatively in your own church?




“Legalism is embedded in the human heartvirtually from the very day of man’s creationand resides in us from conception.” (p. 86) “What is legalism? The generic answer ofevangelical Christians would probably besomething like, ‘Trying to earn yoursalvation by doing good works.’ But aroundand underneath that, there gathers a webthat extends more widely, which is wovenintricately and invisibly to trap the unwary.And the web is always much stronger thanwe imagine, for legalism is a much moresubtle reality than we tend to assume.” (p.75) “It is failure here that leads to the mistake ofprescribing a dose of antinomianism to heallegalism, and vice versa, rather than thegospel antidote of our grace-union withChrist.” (p. 86)

QUOTES

The ordo salutis (order of salvation) is of highimportance when considering salvation. At theforefront of this discussion is in what order dorepentance and faith come into play in thesalvation of believers. Biblically, repentancemust not have priority logically orchronologically before faith. Legalism seeks to include repentance (work) inthe mix with justification (by faith alone). Thiswas seen with the Roman Catholicunderstanding of penance. It can also be seenin how Protestants view the gospel offer as wellas the relationship between justification andsanctification.

CHAPTER 5: THE ORDEROF GRACE

of God, thus making both God and the lawseem unloving and unenjoyable. It robsbelievers of their enjoyment of God, Hisrighteous ways, and His graciousness. Only hearing and responding to the gospel willcure the heart of legalism. It is not only needfulto have gospel doctrine but also gospel-inspired practice. Where there is one withoutother, legalism will always be pervasive.

The Whole Christ

When you read the parables of the legalisticPharisees do you see aspects of yourself inthem? Do you have an evangelical head and alegalistic heart? How do you know? How is it that we are all legalists at heart?How has God transformed your life in thatregard?




“Repentance is suffused with faith;otherwise it is legal. But then withoutrepentance, faith would be no more thanimagination.” (p. 103) “Free justification by grace alone throughfaith alone in Christ alone lies at the heart ofthe application of redemption. The faiththat unites us to Christ also sucks in everyspiritual blessing in him: peace with God,exultation in the hope of the glory of God, intribulations, and even in God himself.” (p.108) “Believers are free now from the law “as acovenant of works.” Christ has both keptGod’s commandments for us and paid thepenalty of their breach in our place. We arefree from the condemnation and the reignof sin. Paul has already made this clear inRomans 3:21–6:23.” (p. 121)

QUOTES

Legalism creates a self-righteous temper andbondage in the soul because it treats the law asa contract, and God as angry judge simplywaiting to destroy believers who fail. There is a bondage of the soul in legalismbecause it robs the believer of joy and gospelfreedom. Though Moses is deeply associatedwith the law, it is ultimately Satan who uses thelaw to berate believers with shame and failure.It is Satan who undermines the believer’srelationship with God. Christ Himself—God’s grace to us—is the cure

CHAPTER 6: SUSPICIOUSSYMPTOMS

Repentance must be preceded by faith, thoughthe two are often presented as chronologicallyinseparable. This view of the order of salvationmust guide the believer’s daily life as well.Salvation by faith, apart from works, needs tobe a constant companion of the believer.

The Whole Christ

When you present the gospel, do you callpeople to repent and believe? Why is itimportant not to lose either call? Do you live today as though your workswarrant your justification? How does thegospel prevent this from happening? Is your justification final? How do youknow? How does that shape your reading,meditation, teaching, counseling, orpreaching of God’s Word?




“It should shock us because evangelicalChristians may existentially have more incommon with the Pharisee than with the taxcollector.” (p. 125) “Legalism produces what our forefatherscalled a self-righteous ‘temper.’” (p. 123) “Grace lances the boil of merit.” (p. 128) “What, then, is the remedy for legalism? Atthe stage we have reached in reflecting onthe Marrow, it scarcely needs to be said. It isgrace. But it is not ‘grace’ as commodity,grace as substance. It is grace in Christ. ForGod’s grace to us is Christ. Yes, it is theatonement; but not atonement as theory, oras an abstract reality, something that has anidentity of its own outside of and apart fromthe Lord Jesus. For Christ himself, clothedas he is in his gospel work, is the atonement—’He is the propitiation for our sins.’” (p.134)

QUOTES

There are several strands of antinomianism,some of which may not be recognized aslegalism. Dogmatic antinomianism is the formof antinomianism that most people are familiarwith. This form boldly (and wrongly) assertsthat the importance and authority of the law istotally removed from the life of the believer. The exegetical strand of antinomianism usesthe misinterpretation of scripture to abrogatethe law. This strand typical denies that multi-faceted use of the law in scripture and arguesfor a flat view of the law which denies themoral, ceremonial, and civil aspects of the law. Experimental antinomianism is licentious living

CHAPTER 7: THE FACESOF ANTINOMIANISM

for legalism. His atoning work on the cross andits application to the saint’s soul is the cure forthe poison of legalism.

The Whole Christ

How have you seen the self-righteoustemper in your “good” deeds? Do you believe you have more in commonwith the Pharisee than the tax collector?How do you know? When have you seen the gospel used as abalm to cure your self-righteousness?




“But more than that, Marrow theologyinsisted that levels of sanctification canneither increase nor diminish ourjustification. To the legalist the gospel of theMarrow Brethren sounded suspiciously likeantinomianism.” (p. 138) “Although in one sense antinomianism isthe “opposite” error from legalism, inanother sense it is the “equal” error, for itsimilarly abstracts God’s law from God’sperson and character (which undergoes nochange from old to new covenant). It fails toappreciate that the law that condemns usfor our sins was given to teach us how not tosin.” (p. 141) “So we are confronted here with an oldproblem. Does the gospel dismantle thelaw? It was a consolation to the MarrowBrethren that the preaching and teaching ofboth Jesus and Paul aroused the samequestions and criticism.” (p. 138)

QUOTES

Antinomianism is antithetical to the gospel,and correcting it with legalism will fail.Legalism is the root cause of antinomianism, soadding law to a foundation of legalism will leadto more legalism. It is only by grace thatbelievers receive the power to obey the morallaw. That is the key to Paul’s argument inRomans 7. The law is good but the sinful naturein humans leads to rebellion and rejection ofthe law. God was gracious in giving the law. The morallaw was not made obsolete with the civil andceremonial laws, but is upheld by believersthrough the Spirit. This is clearly seen in the lawto love God and love others. In order to obeythe law of love, believers need guidance onhow to love.

CHAPTER 8: CAUSESAND CURES

which treats the law as unnecessary for thebeliever. Today, a dominant form of antinomianism isthe notion that God loves people as they areand anything that seeks to change them islegalism. Just like legalism, antinomianismseparates the grace of God from the law of God.

The Whole Christ

What is your view of the law? Does it fitwithin one of these categories ofantinomianism? How do you see antinomianism in theculture of the church in the West? Whatabout in your own church?




“The antinomian is by nature a person witha legalistic heart.” (p. 157) “There is only one genuine cure for legalism.It is the same medicine the gospelprescribes for antinomianism:understanding and tasting union with JesusChrist himself. This leads to a new love forand obedience to the law of God, which henow mediates to us in the gospel. This alonebreaks the bonds of both legalism (the lawis no longer divorced from the person ofChrist) and antinomianism (we are notdivorced from the law, which now comes tous from the hand of Christ and in theempowerment of the Spirit, who writes it inour hearts).” (p. 157) “This is a fundamental pastoral lesson. It isnot merely a matter of the head. It is amatter of the heart. Antinomianism may be

QUOTES

Just as it was not legalism for Christ to obey thelaw, it is not legalism for the Christian to keepit. Instead, the Spirit’s indwelling leads us touphold and obey the law because it is goodbecause its Giver is good. The cure to both legalism and antinomianismis the gospel—Christ Himself—and heartstransformed by the gospel.

The Whole Christ

couched in doctrinal and theological terms,but it both betrays and masks the heart’sdistaste for absolute divine obligation, orduty.” (p. 161) “Neither the Old Testament believer nor theSavior severed the law of God from hisgracious person. It was not legalism forJesus to do everything his Fathercommanded him. Nor is it for us.” (p. 173) “This full and free offer of Christ, thisdissolution of the heart bondage thatevidences itself in both legalism andantinomianism, this gracious obedience toGod to which our union with Christ givesrise as the Spirit writes the law into ourhearts—this is still the marrow of moderndivinity. Indeed it is the marrow of thegospel for us all. It is so because the gospelis Christ himself, clothed in its garments.”(p. 176)

How have you used antinomianism to curelegalism in your life? Why did it fail? Do you view the law as good and necessaryin your life? Why or why not? If you are free in Christ, why does God giveyou laws? What were the results of viewing God’s goodlaws wrongly in your life?



In the midst of the Marrow controversy, theMarrow Men also had to fight to prove theirview of assurance of salvation. Though it isclear that false assurance is a reality that wasaddressed in the scriptures, genuine assuranceis taught with as much certainty and clarity. Though perspectives on assurance evolved insuch a way as to nearly rule out its possibility,assurance of salvation was foundational to theReformation. The Westminster Confession of the faith heldthat assurance of salvation could be attainedwithout means of special revelation. However,one of the chief arguments against the MarrowMen was that the Marrow Of Modern Divinitytaught assurance as being of the essence offaith. Boston and his friends argued, with Calvin andthe Westminster Divines, that assurance waspossible for all saints primarily because faithitself is a firm confidence in the work of Christ. Though not every believer will alwaysexperience assurance and may have theirassurance assailed and weakened in this life,faith is sure because of its object—Jesus Christ.


Is assurance of salvation necessary for thebeliever? How does your answer impactyour counsel, teaching, or preaching?


“From one point of view, therefore, theReformation was born out of the womb ofthe rediscovery of certitude—spiritualcertainty or assurance.” (p. 182) “To use formal language, in distinction fromthe ‘direct act’ of faith in Christ, whichimplies a certain assurance of him (‘He isable to save to the uttermost those whodraw near to God through him’), assuranceof salvation is a ‘reflex act.’ It does not haveChrist as its direct object but the believerhim- or herself. The direct act of faith says,‘Christ is able to save,’ while the reflex actsays, ‘I am someone who has been savedthrough faith in Christ.’” (p. 186) “In Christ we are no longer dominated bythe flesh, but by the Spirit; but we are notyet delivered from the flesh. So long as thiseschatological tension exists for thebeliever, so long will there be—in Calvin’sview—a gap between the definition of faithand the actual experience of the believer…”(p. 189)

QUOTES CHAPTER 9: THEMARROW OFASSURANCE

The Whole Christ



Do you experience assurance of salvation inyour own life? How is that affected bycircumstances? Can you have genuine faith but consistentlylack assurance of salvation?

The Whole Christ

they have trusted in Christ through His witnessin their lives. Contrary to the views of some, the Holy Spiritbears witness with believers to God that theyhave trusted in Him. Even in weak faith, thebeliever has the Spirit who cries out, “Abba,Father”.

“It bears repeating: assurance of salvation isthe fruit of faith in Christ.” (p. 197) “In particular, assurance is nourished on aclear understanding of grace and especiallyof union with Christ and the justification,adoption, and regeneration that are oursfreely in him.” (p. 199) “Herein lies the paradox: we want to talkand think about how to get betterevidences; Boston is concerned that we geta better grip of Christ. Then the evidenceswill grow like fruit.” (p. 204) “Thus there are different strands ofinfluences that together make up thecomplex harmony that is Christianassurance. Actual assurance has apsychological as well as a theologicaldimension. Precisely for this reason, evenwhen we have developed a clear doctrine of

QUOTES

Assurance of salvation should never bedivorced from faith, for the very act of faithcarries at least the seed of assurance with it.The discussion of assurance, then, is whetherthe work of Christ has been applied directly tothe specific believer. Enemies of assurance include: legalism (even ifit is subtle), distortion of God’s love, and afailure to see justification as final andcomplete. It is true as well that high levels ofassurance are not found where there are lowlevels of obedience. Obedience to God,righteous living, killing sin, and walking in loveare vital signs of genuine faith and lead toassurance. The Holy Spirit gives believers assurance that

CHAPTER 10: HOWASSURANCE OF CHRISTBECOMES ASSURANCESOF SALVATION



Have you ever had to rely on the objectivereality rather than the experience ofassurance in your walk with God? Whathelped you through that season? Why, when searching for assurance, dopeople look to themselves rather thanChrist? How have you seen that struggle inyour own heart? How do legalism and antinomianism impactassurance? Which aspect affects yourassurance more?


assurance, our actual experience of it maybe prevented by numerous obstacles.” (p.212)

The Whole Christ

Since assurance ought to be characteristic of anormal and healthy walk with God, when thereis a lack of assurance, the symptoms need tobe diagnosed and the cure prescribed. What are the hindrances to assurance? The listis numerous. The most subtle hindrance toassurance is looking to progress insanctification to validate genuine faith. Asstated previously, faith in Christ must not beset aside in order to examine whether a personis in the faith, for it is by faith that sanctificationtakes place. Other hindrances to assurance include: walkingin disobedience, misunderstanding thepurpose of afflictions in life, misunderstandingthe relationship of the believer to sin (that thebeliever is dead to sin, but not sinlesslyperfect), natural temperament, attacks fromSatan, misinformed consciences, generalspiritual negligence, psychological andpsychosomatic illness. True assurance will produce godly fruit ratherthan legalism or antinomianism. The fruit ofassurance includes: boldness in witness,eagerness and intimacy in prayer, confidencein trials, and joy in worship.

CHAPTER 11:HINDRANCES STREWALL THE WAY


C H A P T E R S U M M A R I E S The Whole Christ

“The New Testament regards the enjoymentof assurance of salvation as normal andhealthy Christian experience.” (p. 213) “Perhaps the single most subtle hindranceto assurance is also the most common, thetendency that has already been mentioned:confusing and compounding thefoundation of salvation with the means bywhich assurance of salvation is confirmedand developed.” (p. 213) “We are not the best interpreters of divineprovidence. Nor is our conviction of theFather’s love for us grounded in hisprovidential ways with us. The fatal mistakehere is to base our assurance of grace andsalvation on the fact that “God is blessingmy life.” When we do so, we have no anchorif life turns sour. No, God anchors us tohimself in Christ.” (p. 215) “Christian assurance is not self-assuranceand self-confidence. It is the reverse:confidence in our Father, trust in Christ asour Savior, and joy in the Spirit as the Spiritof sonship, seal of grace, and earnest of ourinheritance as sons and daughters of God.When these are the hallmarks of our lives,then the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ hascome home to us in full measure.” (p. 226)

QUOTES

Which of the hindrances of assurance areprevalent in your life? What has been yourresponse to them? Do you consider assurance to be animportant aspect of a daily walk with God?Why or why not? How have you seen the evidences ofassurance aid in your sanctification?


The Marrow Controversy was and is a litmustest and a catalyst. It is a litmus test to reveal alegal spirit hidden in the hearts of believers.Searching out whether there is gospel hardnessforming is a great need for all believers,especially ministers given that it affectseverything from personal devotion to teachingand preaching. The Marrow Controversy is a catalyst to causeChristians to look at its pastoral andtheological implications and drive them tolove, enjoy, preach, and live in light of thegospel. The Marrow Controversy and reflection

CHAPTER 12:CONCLUSION CHAPTER



“The Marrow emphasis on the grace of Godand on the God of grace, who in Christ is thegospel, functions as spiritual angiography—it injects a gospel dye into our spiritual heartarteries and reveals whether there has beenany degree of gospel hardening.” (p. 227) “You may have encountered that expressionbefore in its time-honored Latin form, TotusChristus. It goes back at least as far asAugustine. It is echoed by John Calvin whenhe tells us that Christ does not considerhimself to be complete apart from us. It islanguage that stresses that all our salvationcomes to us from God the Father in Jesus

QUOTES

upon it leads to a deeper enjoyment of thegospel—Christ Jesus, Himself. The essence of the gospel is offering salvationby offering Christ. Offering people the TotusChristus, the whole Christ, is to offer themsalvation by grace alone through faith alone inChrist alone. This salvation shaped thepreaching of Paul, Timothy, Thomas Boston,Robert Murray M’Cheyne, and countless othersthroughout church history. This “tincture”which greatly affected Thomas Boston canimpact pastors and church leaders today.

The Whole Christ

Christ and through the Holy Spirit. This issalvation by grace alone, in Christ alone,through faith alone. It is Ephesians 1:3–14,Christ-centered, Trinity-honoring, eternity-rooted, redemption-providing, adoption-experiencing, holiness-producing,assurance-affecting, God-glorifyingsalvation.” (p. 227)

How have you been tempted to let gospelhardness set into your heart? How has The Whole Christ become acatalyst to increase your love andenjoyment of Christ in your personaldevotion, teaching, and preaching?



C O N C L U S I O N

CLOSING THOUGHT

Faith in the gospel is at the core of trueChristianity. Too often, the gospel is taken forgranted and cloaked in cliches resulting inChristians perpetually plagued by legalism andantinomianism. Do you have the whole Christor have you settled for a cheap alternative?

CONCLUSION The Marrow Controversy served as an excellentlaunching point for reflecting on the themes oflegalism, antinomianism, and assurance ofsalvation. The Whole Christ is an excellenttreatment of the importance of the gospel inthe whole of the Christian life. Touchingevangelism, counseling, teaching, preaching,and personal devotion, Ferguson passionatelyappeals to faith in Christ, not just the benefitshe offers. Since legalism and antinomianism are twosides of the same coins or two fruits from thesame root, the answer to them both is simple—the gospel. Assurance of salvation is hinderedby both legalism and antinomianism, so thepursuit of assurance must also be a pursuit ofJesus Christ, the heart of the gospel. The Whole Christ offers some excellent andnoteworthy insights regarding legalism,antinomianism, and assurance:

Legalism Is Subtle: Legalism is more subtlethan justification by works. Antinomianism Expresses Legalism:Antinomianism is the fruit and expression oflegalism. Assurance Is Attainable: Assurance ofsalvation is a necessary and actual fruit offaith in Jesus Christ.

The Whole Christ

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