How free is free grace?

Marika and I have been discussing the question of the grace offered in Christ and particularly not that Christ offers us free grace, but how do we most faithfully offer it ourselves. Christ of course is not the problem. We are that is why he has to give grace and we receive it. In another blog I read the following;

"Melchior Leydecker, a theologian at Utrecht, wrote the preface to John Brown's "Life of Justification Opened"..."But what great iniquity is it now to neglect this grace, and, leaving the principles of Protestant religion, to rely upon, and trust to our own works for salvation? My brethren, how think ye to mingle the Law with the Gospel? the righteousness of Christ with your own? your faith, depending alone upon your Savior, with your works? What will ye say, when you will die, and this weighty case of conscience comes to be resolved, how shall my poor, guilty and sinful soul be justified before a righteous God? How can ye thus prepare the way to return, and lead your followers back again unto Babylon? What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness?"

I was part of a recent conversation where these two expressions "it is the law and gospel, not only the gospel" and "the law must do its killing work" were raised and discussed. I note them in the blog as a reminder to me and a point of musing to anyone interested that free grace does not need an anticipatory introduction or warning, but it simply introduces itself as free grace. Christ was clear "suffer the little ones to come unto me" "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden" "ye can do nothing of yourselves" etc. All these are the warnings to the preacher and the hearer that the gospel needs no preparatory work.

Firstly, that the gospel content includes the law is clearly necessary. That we need to talk often and much and clearly understand the relationship of the law to the gospel is necessary. What the gospel is not is not is not and cannot be is "law and gospel." It is the gospel and any role the law plays in it is subservient. Or to speak in an archaic way - the law is a handmaid to the gospel just as surely as we are bondservants to Christ.

Secondly, the law can do no killing work. We are dead in sin when outside of Christ and the law merely confirms that when sinful action is measured against that law. We can preach the law till the cows come home, but it means nothing without the regenerating or awakening work of the Spirit. When scripture tells us the "letter kills" and the Spirit gives life it means to inform us to rely on the spirit and not on the eloquent and continued exposition of law.

And so what do we preach the Gospel or "the law and the gospel?" Our message should not be to measure the snakes and study the snakes and consider how venemous they are and where they hide... no! no! we are to look up to that bronze snake elevated above all the other snakes and live. This is the context of John 3.

But does not this make light of sin? What about worldliness in the church? look at all the cool religion we have about us? All the hypocrites! Sure all this is of great concern, but when we rely on the law to do its "killing work." Or we mix gospel with law is this really the solution to our problem. Are we to give "free grace" with one hand and remove it with "warnings" on the other? Surely we should rather preach the fulness of the gospel of God's grace (with the necessary use of the handmaid of God's Law) and let "the Lamb of God" who is "the Lion of the Tribe of Judah" be our confidence to save the elect, purify His people, discover the hypocrite and punish the wicked.