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Antinomianism: Reformed Theology's Unwelcome Guest? by [Mark Jones]

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Mark Jones

Antinomianism: Reformed Theology's Unwelcome Guest? Kindle Edition

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an·ti·no·mi·an noun [an-ti-ˈnō-mē-ən]
One who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation. —Merriam-Webster’s dictionary

Hotly debated since the sixteenth century in the Reformed theological tradition, and still a burning issue today, antinomianism has a long and complicated story.

This book is the first to examine antinomianism from a historical, exegetical, and systematic perspective. More than that, in it Mark Jones offers a key—a robust Reformed Christology with a strong emphasis on the Holy Spirit—and chapter by chapter uses it to unlock nine questions raised by the debates.

“The problem of antinomianism is a hardy perennial for the church. A mischievous movement is afoot at the moment—its soaring rhetoric about grace is matched by an equally casual presumption on grace. Mark Jones’s book is thus to be welcomed: it is biblically grounded, historically sensitive, and above all timely.” —Carl R. Trueman, Paul Woolley Professor of Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary
“We are living in a deeply encouraging day when the sovereignty of God’s grace is being rediscovered far and wide. But as has happened in the past, the error of antinomianism has made its appearance. This new work by Mark Jones is rich in scriptural argument, illustrations from church history, and vigorous application.” —Michael A. G. Haykin, Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Mark Jones (Ph.D., Leiden Universiteit) is Minister at Faith Vancouver (PCA) in Vancouver, British Columbia; Research Associate, Faculty of Theology at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa; and Lecturer in Systematic Theology at John Wycliffe Theological College in cooperation with North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

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"The problem of antinomianism is a hardy perennial for the church. A mischievous movement is afoot at the momentits soaring rhetoric about grace is matched by an equally casual presumption on grace. Mark Jones's book is thus to be welcomed: it is biblically grounded, historically sensitive, and above all timely." -- Carl R. Trueman "Paul Woolley Professor of Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary"

"We are living in a deeply encouraging day when the sovereignty of God's grace is being rediscovered far and wide. But as has happened in the past, the error of antinomianism has made its appearance. This new work by Mark Jones is rich in scriptural argument, illustrations from church history, and vigorous application." -- Michael A. G. Haykin "Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary" --This text refers to the paperback edition.

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ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00GM3WQZ6
Publisher ‏ : ‎ P&R Publishing (Nov. 10 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 601 KB
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Print length ‏ : ‎ 172 pages

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Mark Jones

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Rev. Dr. Mark Jones (PhD, Leiden Universiteit) has been the Minister at Faith Vancouver Church (PCA) since 2007. He speaks worldwide on many different topics and is currently starting a seminary in Cape Town called Reformed Theological College that will seek to provide free theological education to the continent of Africa and beyond.

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4.4 out of 5

76 global ratings

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S

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 16, 2018

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Awesome and insightful

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SpoiledMilks

Great critique of this faulty doctrine

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 3, 2015

You can read my full review here: spoiledmilks wordpress com

Anti- means ‘opposite, against’ and nomos means ‘law.’
Therefore, an antinomian would technically be one who is 'against' God's 'law.'

"[T]he key error of antinomianism in all its forms has been to treat our union with Christ as involving in effect some degree of personal absorption into Christ, such that the law as a voice from God no longer speaks to us or of us directly. Thus, with regard to justification, antinomians affirm that God never sees sin in believers; once we are in Christ, whatever our subsequent lapses, he sees at every moment only the flawless righteousness of the Savior’s life on earth, now reckoned as ours" (ix-x).

Antinomians think that once one is justified in Christ, he is all set and ready to go. Basically, believers don't need to live a better life because Christ already did it for us. Of course, this poses a problem not only in daily life, but in reading the Bible as a whole (Rom 6.1,22-23; 2 Cor 5.10).

Jones' intends his readers to "see, [that] a Reformed understanding of Christ’s person and work—not necessarily more imperatives, though they belong in our preaching—is the true solution to the problem of antinomianism. This issue is above all a pastoral one, and there would be no reason to write a book on such a controversial subject if people’s souls were not at risk. But love for Christ demands that his glory and honor be defended" (xvi).

Jones places a large Christological focus in his book, and what better way to attack the antinomian ideal than to point to Christ and what he has done for us? And I would have to say that Jones does a terrific job at this point. Chapters 2-8 place the emphasis on what Christ has done for us giving us all the more reason to live for Him, rather than to live as Antinomians and think ourselves to always be in the right solely because we are justified.

But there is a huge place on historical names, places, and the beliefs of those individuals. This will pose a problem to readers/pastors who have no knowledge in church history, the reformed tradition, or antinomianism. Jones usually doesn't give much background on who he's talking about, and seems to assume that you'll know too.

Regardless, Jones' work is an excellent one, to say the least. He has certainly done his homework, and really cares for the hearts of believers and antinomians. He doesn't want believers to slip into antinomianism, thinking that they can live solely on the basis of their justification. But their faith should be shown by their works.

This book will not be for the layreader, and perhaps not even to the one who is simply inquisitive of Antinomian beliefs. But to those familiar with (or possessing 'expertise' on) church history, or those who have a yearning to know more about what constitutes antinomian beliefs and how it has developed through history, then this book was made for you.

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Mark Nenadov

Excellent Treatise

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 3, 2013

Right off the bat, Mark Jones wins a great deal of sympathy for tackling a tricky topic such as "Antinomianism". It's hardly ever been addressed, especially in the form of a recently released historical study. And yet, this is an important topic, with many pastoral implications.

When it comes to theology, balance and careful attention to biblical nuances is vital, and Mr. Jones does a good job of delicately treating this sensitive area. He affirms and upholds the classic Protestant doctrine of justification by faith apart from works, but with careful precision affirms and insists upon the necessity of works in regard to sanctification, and in a sense, salvation broadly considered.

It should be noted, however, that this book is more of a historical rather than exegetical treatment. Much of it focuses on looking at the subject from a post-Reformation perspective, particularly within the circles of the English Puritans. He draws heavily from Anthony Burgess, John Owen, Herman Witsius, and the like.

Jones shows how being an antinomian is far more than being simply "against the law". It is very much wrapped up in how we view other theological concepts, and ultimately how we view Christ himself. One of the best aspects of this book is its emphasis on the work of Christ and the work of the Spirit. Jones emphasizes the importance of having a proper Christology, and ties the error of antinomianism to a deficient Christology.

Antinomianism mocks the very idea of the "imitation of Christ". It attempts to drive a strict wedge between promise and duty. There is a incipient discomfort with the thought that the gospel makes demands. . It focuses on justification to the extreme of neglecting the doctrine of sanctification. It recoils away from the Biblical truth that the law, accompanied by the Spirit, has a role to play in sanctification. It is not satisfied to maintain a law/gospel distinction in regard to justification, it must bring it into sanctification as well. It avoids or downplays the idea that in Christ, the law is a friend. Though it refuses to admit it is "against the law", it ultimately has a negative and diminished view of the role of the law in the believer's life. It is also highly uncomfortable with emphasizing the importance and necessity of good works.

This book suggests that this incipient "antinomianism" is currently quite popular in some circles. He succeeds in showing, *almost* without naming any names, that some strains of thought at large in the broadly Reformed community have much more in common with the English Antinomians than it does with the Westminster Assembly.

In avoiding error in this regard, we need to be careful to preserve the biblical "both-and", rather than falling into either-or thinking. Jones, going against the grain of many current teachers such as Tullian Tchividjian, that "sanctification is not 'simply' the art of getting used to our justification" (a catchy but unhelpful and inaccurate platitude).

Jones offers a lot of good insights. He also gives a good analysis of the rhetoric of Antinomianism. Frequently, Antinomians are in more serious error in what they fail to say than in what they do say. And Antinomian preaching is actually fundamentally "boring"--it often repeats mantras and "cute" phrases without getting to the heart of Christ and His person and work.

Ultimately, Jones powerfully demonstrates that the error of Antinomianism will not be fixed by swinging over to the other extreme of Neonomianism, since "Swinging the pendulum too far in the other direction has never effectively combated error".

The solution, ultimately, lies in a careful balance and, ultimately, a good Christology! To Jones, the solution to antinomianism is "to understand and love the person and work of Christ". Jones concludes the book in a fitting way. He concludes that the way to fight against “the Golden white devil” (Samuel Rutherford's way of describing Antinomianism) is by means of Jesus Christ, the one who is “chief among ten thousand”.

I would say that Mr. Jones is, intentionally I think, a bit provocative at a few points. No doubt, some people will "cry foul". After all, this book is rather bold, but I believe it provides a much needed corrective. I look forward to seeing the fruits of the discussions this book will undoubtedly provoke.

Much of the controversy that will no doubt arise over this book will be unjustified. That is not to say that there wasn't a point or two that made me raise my eyebrows (which would be consistent with Mr. Jones' attempt to be a bit provocative). And there might be a few areas that might require a bit further discussion and hashing out. That said, it's a solid work and quite on the mark.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a relatively comprehensive and searching treatment of the subject, especially if you are most interested at approaching it from a historical perspective.

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Top reviews from other countries

Roger Aubrey

Very good presentation of historic Antinomianism

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 29, 2014

Verified Purchase

I read this book as part of research into the so called hyper grace teachers currently on the scene. I found it informative and well presented, highlighting the historic development of Antinomianism, together with discussions of the various theological issues it presents.

2 people found this helpful

Rev WG Gardner

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 31, 2014

Verified Purchase

An excellent and thoughtful book. Clear and easy to read -highly commended.

PJ & Steph M.

Antinomianism– A Theological Iceberg

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 2, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a very helpful book on the subject of antinomianism. There is much to chew on and ponder in this work. I concur with Dr. Jones' thesis that antinomianism is, at its core, a Christological error. I appreciated the effort Dr. Jones took to draw out the nuances of antinomianism in that light. On the surface, I believe antinomianism can rightly be described as "anti-law", but this unorthodox system of theology is also much deeper than that. Dr. Jones did an excellent job in showing what those deeper and more nuanced issues are, and how they manifest themselves in practical theology. I believe the great danger of antinomianism lies in the fact that it is a theological iceberg. It masquerades itself as a herald and protector of free grace. Much of its error however, is found in what is beneath the surface in ommission, rather than what is seen above the surface in commission. Put more simply, many of the errors of antinomianism are implicit rather than explicit. This book is a helpful guide for understanding, recognizing, and combatting the many errors of antinomianism.

4 people found this helpful

Terry Ardeno

A complete mishmash

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

Two things to say first....I can't remember ever writing a negative review on a book, even though some were not very good. Second, my library of Christian books; theology, doctrine, biographies, etc, is over 3,000. That being said, this book is so confusing because the author tries to quote (mostly Calvinists) in nearly every paragraph as he simultaneously tries to explain two or three sides of something that he is constantly zig-zagging through. I had a very hard time plowing through this book, as there's so little cohesiveness. I also am very disappointed that he cites more Calvinists than he does scripture. I have hundreds of tremendous books by Calvinists. This wasn't even technical book, it was just a hodgepodge of sentences that were seemingly inserted randomly. The author slaughtered my ability to follow him.

Dr. Robert J. Vajko

One of the most helpful books on this important issue

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 7, 2014

Verified Purchase

Here is a book that needed to be written about balancing the wonderful doctrines of grace and the responsibility of true believers to live out that grace in their lives.

In nine dense chapters where every word counts, Mark Jones explains the following:

First, in chapter one he chronicles the history of an antinomian approach to the Gospel explaining that it is “more complex than simply being against God’s law, either doctrinally or practically” (2). He deals with antinomianism among Lutherans, in Puritan England, in New England, and in nonconforming England. The conclusion of this section explains that it is important to ask the right questions and to keep Christology central in the debate. The latter is a key to his understanding the antidote to antinomianism. This history of previous teaching on antinomianism is helpful in understanding the present trends.

Second, in chapters two to five Jones points out that if we understand how Christ is our model of sanctification, a proper understanding of the law is not against the gospel, and good works are important as a result of our faith we will avoid an antinomian approach to living and preaching.

Third, in chapter six he devotes a chapter to an understanding of the difference between “God’s love of benevolence (amor benevolentiae),” and then “God’s love of beneficence (amor beneficientae)” and finally “God’s love of delight of friendship (amor complacentiae vel amicitaei)” that seizes on three aspects of God’s love.

Fourth, in chapter seven he deals with antinomianism in terms of assurance—a very helpful chapter both in terms of theology and pastoral concerns.

Fifth, chapter eight explains the danger of our rhetoric in preaching and teaching the gospel and the danger of exaggeration when grace is preached. Pastors and teachers need to think through the implications of Jones’s concerns.

The final chapter (nine) seeks to come up with a clear definition of antinomianism other than seeing “antinomians as those who flatly reject the use and necessity of the moral law in the life of the Christian” (124). His answer to antinomianism is, as he sees it, “to understand and love the person and work of Christ” (128). He adds, “We are able to obey the law and please God, not because of something intrinsic in us, but because of Christ’s resurrection power at work in us.”

This reviewer has been challenged to think through not only this issue but also the way we teach and preach grace lest we slip into a gospel that does not change lives and makes believers more like Christ.

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Antinomianism: Reformed Theology's Unwelcome Guest? Kindle Edition

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