Description
1. Does our being made free by Christ free us from the law?
2. Does our being made free by Christ deliver us from all punishments or chastisements for sin?
3. Is it consistent with Christian freedom to be under obligation to perform duties because God has commanded them?
4. May Christ’s freemen come into bondage again through sin?
5. Is it consistent with Christian freedom to perform duties out of respect for the recompense of the reward?
6. Does the freedom of a Christian free him from all obedience to men?
The True Bounds of Christian Freedom is a clear, scriptural exposition of the place of the law in the life of the Christian. One of the few works currently available which shows the danger of Antinomianism, while also avoiding legalism.
Table of Contents
PUBLISHERS' INTRODUCTION 9
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER 13
1 TRUE CHRISTIAN FREEDOM 17
The nature of Christian freedom 19
The quality of Christian freedom 21
The branches of Christian freedom 22
1. Freedom in its negative aspects 22
(i) Freedom from Satan 22
(ii) Freedom from sin 23
(iii) Freedom from the law 28
(a) Freedom from the law as a covenant 28
(b) Freedom from the curses of the law 30
Five reasons why the law cannot condemn the believer 32
True and false appeals from the court of the law 33
(c) Freedom from the accusations of the law 34
(d) Freedom from the rigour of the law 40
(iv) Freedom from obedience to men 44
(v) Freedom from death 45
(vi) Freedom from the grave 46
2. Freedom in its positive aspects 47
2 THE MORAL LAW A RULE OF OBEDIENCE 51
QUERY 1: Are Christians freed from the moral law as a rule of obedience?
The Scriptural uses of the word 'law' 54
Proposition 1: The law remains as a rule of walking for the people of God 59
The testimony of the Reformed Confessions 59
The testimony of the New Testament 61
Five proofs of the binding nature of the law 64
Five further arguments for obedience to the law 66
Application (i) Against Papists 69
(ii) Against Antinomians 70
(iii) To all believers 73
3 LAW AND GRACE 77
Proposition 2: The law is not incompatible with grace 77
Seven purposes for which the law was given 78
Five reasons why the law is not incompatible with grace 84
Objections answered:
(i) That the law as a covenant is incompatible with grace 88
(ii) That the law is not the covenant of grace, nor a third covenant and must therefore be a covenant of works 93
(iii) That as the covenants of law and of grace are opposites, the law cannot be linked with grace 101
4 CHASTISEMENTS FOR SIN 110
QUERY 2: Are Christians freed from all punishments and chastisements for sin?
Does chastisement pertain to the Old Testament only? 112
New Testament teaching about chastisement 115
Various cavils answered 117
Main arguments against chastisement stated and answered 121
Five reasons why God chastens His people 123
Concluding considerations 125
5 PERFORMANCE OF DUTY 130
QUERY 3: If a believer is under the moral law as a rule of duty is his liberty in Christ infringed?
Three mistakes with regard to the performance of duty 131
(i) The case of such as wait for the Spirit to move them to obedience 132
(ii) The case of such as think they are to do nothing else but pray 136
(iii) The case of such as think they are to perform duty because their own hearts incline them to it 136
Four ways in which the believer is free from duty 138
Nine differences between legal obedience and evangelical obedience 140
Delight in duty 144
6 PARTIAL BONDAGE 148
QUERY 4: Can Christ's freemen sin themselves into bondage again?
Two kinds of bondage: 148
1. Universal bondage 148
2. Partial bondage 149
(i) A bondage in respect of comfort 150
The five-fold peace of a Christian man 156
(ii) A bondage in respect of the manner of obedience 157
7 OBEDIENCE FOR THE SAKE OF REWARD 159
QUERY 5: May Christ’s freemen perform duties for the sake of reward?
Three opinions respecting this stated and examined 159
What is meant by rewards? 163
What is meant by the eyeing of rewards? 164
Is the eyeing of rewards an infringement of Christian liberty? 165
1. With reference to temporal blessings 166
2. With reference to spiritual benefits 178
3. With reference to eternal rewards 190
(i) The lawfulness of it 195
(ii) The necessity of it 201
8 OBEDIENCE TO MEN 206
QUERY 6: Are Christians freed from obedience to men?
Two kinds of subjection 206
Obedience to the civil magistrate 208
9 THE APPLICATION TO BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS 211
The miserable bondage of the unbeliever 211
(i) To sin 211
(ii) To Satan 214
(iii) To the law of God 215
The duty of the believer 218
(i) To maintain Christian liberty 218
(ii) Not to abuse Christian liberty 223
Product Details
Title: The True Bounds of Christian Freedom
Author: Samuel Bolton
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Pages: 224
Binding: Paperback
Size: 18.1 x 12.0 x 1.2 cm
ISBN: 9781800402997