With extensive scholarship and Scriptural clarity, Schreiner discusses the nature of biblical law and its relationship to Christians. By addressing 40 unique questions, Schreiner is able to keep each answer brief and self-contained, yet there are clear themes that emerge as the law is traced through the pages of God’s Word. Schreiner’s book is a powerful help to Christians, and is structured as to be straightforwardly read and digested. Without hesitation, this book is highly recommended.   

The notion that the Mosaic covenant is legalistic is not borne out by a careful reading of the biblical text. The giving of the law was not the basis upon which the Lord entered into covenant with Israel. The giving of the law followed (and does not precede) God’s great redemption of Israel from Egypt. The call to obey the Lord functions as a response to the Lord’s saving His people from Egypt. [27]

The purpose of the law is to reveal human sin so that it will be clear that there is no hope in human beings. The law puts us to death so that life is sought only in Christ and Him crucified. [84]

Even though the Old Testament law is not literally binding upon believers, we see principles and patterns and moral norms that still apply to us today since the Old Testament is the Word of God…They are God’s will for human beings because they represent God’s character. [99]

Paul often calls attention to the importance of faith, but this expression goes beyond saying that people need to believe. Now that Jesus Christ has come and accomplished atonement, human beings need to put their faith in Him as the crucified and risen Lord to be saved. The Christological focus of faith is stressed. [137]

Biblical writers did not believe that moral norms necessarily quenched life in the Spirit. They were convinced that moral exhortations could be used by the Spirit to inspire believers to trust in God and to live lives that are pleasing to Him. Moral exhortations do not necessarily lead to legalism or works-righteousness. [229]

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Christians have often wondered how to reconcile God’s promise to keep all of His people until the end with His command that His people must persevere until the end. Must Christians endure by their own strength? Thankfully, Schreiner addresses this puzzle with doctrinal clarity and pastoral concern. Though brief at times (since this is a pared-down summary of Schreiner’s The Race Set Before Us), Run is exceedingly helpful in unpacking the layers of this critical question.  

Running the race to the end means that we look to Christ for righteousness, instead of ourselves. What it means to persevere, then, is not to gauge how far we have come but to keep clinging to Christ until the end. The good fruit comes not as we look to ourselves but as we deny any self-righteousness and find our righteousness in Christ. The call to perseverance, in other words, is a call to faith, not a call to work up the energy to make it to the end by our own strength. [74]

Keep clinging to Christ to the end. Remarkable failures may occur along the way, but they are not the same thing as apostasy if one repents and turns to Christ anew…those who please God are those who continue to trust Him, even though their lives continue to be tainted by sin. [84]

Warnings are addressed to believers and threaten them with eternal destruction if they fall away. I would contend that all true believers (all the elect, all those who have the Holy Spirit and enjoy the forgiveness of sins and are members of the new covenant) heed the warnings and are thereby saved. In other words, the warnings are one of the means God uses to keep His own trusting Him and preserving in faith until the end. [95]

We have a condition: believers must pray to be delivered from the evil one. We also have a promise: God will protect believers from the evil one. The promise for final protection from the devil will certainly be answered in the lives of all the elect, but such a promise does not mean believers do not need to pray the last petition in the Lord’s Prayer. This petition is one of the means God uses to fulfill the promise. The promise and the petition are not enemies but friends. [102]

The warnings do not quench assurance but are one of the means the Lord uses to strengthen it. When parents warn a child, ‘Don’t run into the street,’ the child is not supposed to ask himself, ‘I wonder if I am alive.’ The warning is intended to preserve the child’s life, not to raise questions about whether the child is truly alive. [112]

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