Friday, February 05, 2010

Philip Paul Bliss (Revised) and Wade Burleson

Wade Burleson says he welcomes the charge of antinomianism (link) which I trust he simply means rhetorically. Of more interest than his main point, however, is how converts a 19th century poem from an orthodox sense to a legalist sense:
I love the following song, written by Philip Paul Bliss in the mid-1800's:
"Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all." (P. Bliss)
Our brothers who don't understand our freedom might sing the following:
"Bound to the law-oh, everyone listen!
Jesus did die, but we're on a mission;
Live by the law and try not to fall,
cause Christ did nothin for us at all." (S. Baptist)
What is interesting is that I had previously heard the same technique applied to this poem to make antinomian:
"Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
I can sin as I please, and still have remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all." (Antinomian)
Neither legalism (which Wade ascribes to Southern Baptists) nor antinomianism is proper. We are freed from the law, yes. Yet it is still our duty to follow the law, and if we love God we will obey his most holy commandments.

-TurretinFan
to the Glory of God, at

4 comments:

  1. The DudeMonday, February 08, 2010 1:23:00 AM

    "Yet it is still our duty to follow the law, and if we love God we will obey his most holy commandments."

    How do you qualify obey since obviously you do not mean "perfectly obey" given the "you cannot balance out sins with virtues" post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TurretinfanMonday, February 08, 2010 1:53:00 AM

    I do mean that it is our duty to perfectly obey God's law.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The DudeMonday, February 08, 2010 5:40:00 AM

    Yes, there is a duty - do you believe that duty can be fulfilled or is it meant to drive to Christ? But "if we love God we will obey his most holy commandments"; when you do not obey, does that mean you do not love God?

    ReplyDelete
  4. TurretinfanMonday, February 08, 2010 12:59:00 PM

    "Yes, there is a duty - do you believe that duty can be fulfilled or is it meant to drive to Christ?"

    It can't be completely fulfilled in this life.

    "But "if we love God we will obey his most holy commandments"; when you do not obey, does that mean you do not love God?"

    It shows an imperfection in one's love of God, yes.

    ReplyDelete

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