Delighting in the Law of the Lord : God's Alternative to Legalism and Moralism

God's people have neglected God's law. We are steeped in a culture in which people hate being told how to live and idolize uninhibited "freedom." What's more, many Christians seem to think the law only leads to legalism and therefore doesn't have a role to play in the Christian life. Yet, regardless of what society or even fellow believers say, we need guidance to truly honor God in everything we think, say, and do. Professor Jerram Barrs helps us recognize and articulate the immense importance of God's commands for godly living as he clears away unbiblical ideas that have crept into our thinking. Looking to the teachings of Jesus, this book will lead you to delight in the eternal beauty and life-changing significance of God's perfect law. The good life (1) : do we need God's laws today? The good life (2) : found in Christianity or postmodernism? The source of law : humanity or God? The beauty of the law The giving of the law at Sinai Law and the image of God (1) Law and the image of God (2) The spirit of the law Jesus expounds the law Jesus fulfills the law Jesus overcomes the curse of the law How substantial is the healing we can expect? How have different traditions understood the law? Jesus challenges additions to God's law Jesus's attack on legalism Rules for the family and church? Jesus applies the law Jesus shows amazing grace Lessons from Jesus's two approaches To whom ought we to show and yell the law? The law of God and our secular society Living as salt and light in and for the world Old Testament law : how should we view it? The new covenant and the law Our culture has a few catch phrases: Be who you want to be; Do what makes you happy. We are told to do our own thing and follow our own rules, which often makes the Bible appear to be oppressively restrictive and hopelessly outdated, even to Christians! Responding to the misdirection of our society and misperceptions the church has of God's law, Professor Jerram Barrs helps readers recognize the beauty in and purpose of God's rules for living healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. From the Old Testament to the New, Barrs demonstrates how God's commands to his people were intended to protect them from sin and direct them in godliness. Rejecting the idea that we can earn God's favor through good works, Barrs nevertheless highlights how God's commands should spur us to obedience and ultimately remind us of grace. God's people have neglected God's law. We are steeped in a culture in which people hate being told how to live and idolize uninhibited "freedom." What's more, many Christians seem to think the law only leads to legalism and therefore doesn't have a role to play in the Christian life. Yet, regardless of what society or even fellow believers say, we need guidance to truly honor God in everything we think, say, and do. Jerram Barrs helps us recognize and articulate the immense importance of God's commands for godly living as he clears away unbiblical ideas that have crept into our thinking. Looking to the teachings of Jesus, this book will lead you to delight in the eternal beauty and life-changing significance of God's perfect law. - Publisher. Jerram Barrs helps us recognize and articulate the immense importance of God's commands for godly living as he clears away unbiblical ideas that have crept into our thinking. Looking to the teachings of Jesus, this book will lead you to delight in the eternal beauty and life-changing significance of God's perfect law. --from publisher description Sometimes the Bible's rules can appear to be outdated and overbearing, even to Christians! In this eye-opening book, Barrs highlights the wisdom and beauty of God's perfect law, demonstrating its crucial importance for living healthy and fulfilling lives