“The Law of Christ” by Charles Leiter

This book by Pastor Charles Leiter is remarkable on a number of levels. First, it is every bit as helpful and clear as his previous book, Justification and Regeneration. Second, it is a very balanced and judicious treatment of some of the most frequently debated theological issues. Third, it is faithful to the Scriptures’ thrust of putting the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of everything in the believer’s life, fleshing out for the Christian how to approach issues such as ethics, law, Scripture reading, love, and many other things we encounter in the Christian life. Far from a tedious examination of the issues, Pastor Leiter has written a book that stirs the soul and encourages the saints with the joy, liberty, and responsibility of following the Lord Jesus Christ in both His selfless love for others and His complete devotion to the Father.

When Christians begin to search the Scriptures for guidance on godly living, they will eventually encounter trouble caused by the two major manifestations of God’s will. The first is the Law of Moses, given by God Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai amid thunder, flame, and terror. The second is the person of Jesus, the very Son of God, with His lofty teachings and bright example. When we begin to ponder these manifestations, questions arise and demand answers: Why are they so different, or seem so different, when they are both from God? Should Christians actively follow the Law of Moses, even though so much of it clearly does not apply directly to us? Does Jesus uphold the Mosaic Law as an abiding ethical authority? If so, why does He seem to depart from it sometimes?

This helpful book from Charles Leiter is an attempted answer to these questions. He addresses the issue in three parts. In Part One, he describes the broader question of how the Abrahamic, Old, and New Covenants relate to one another. He concludes that all Old Testament history and promise culminates in Christ, and he presents several rules for Bible interpretation derived from this fact. Part Two focuses on the freedom from the Law of Moses which Christians enjoy, as described in the New Testament. He demonstrates what this means and does not mean, shows how exactly the Law of Moses remains relevant for the Christian, and finally proves that Christ is superior to Moses and that He does give new principles for life in His new kingdom. Part Three is concerned with two ideas. First, Leiter explains “the Law of Christ,” which fundamentally is the “new commandment” to love one another as He has loved us: love informed by Christ’s own example. Second, Leiter shows that the Holy Spirit’s help is necessary for obedience to this commandment and that the Holy Spirit truly does create Christlikeness in the Christian. The books ends with several appendices, meant to address various important topics not discussed in the main text.

Though this book does interact with some age-long theological debates, Leiter keeps his treatment very clear and understandable, so that no Christian should pass up this book due to intimidation by the breadth of the issues. And this title is very pastoral in nature, warm in treatment and intended to help guide the believer into Christlike living. We do hope that many will read it carefully, for too often Christians have mistaken the Law of Moses as God’s ultimate rule for life, when in fact a much more wholesome and majestic guide exists in the person of Christ. Charles Leiter makes this evident.

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