Considering the Marrow Controversy

The Marrow Controversy is one of those obscure questions that appears on the ARP examinations.  Many a student has little knowledge of this controversy that involved, among others, the Erskine brothers.  As a result of the Erskine brother connection, the ARP holds to the “free offer of the gospel”.  The Marrow Controversy shaped the groups that would one day shape the ARP.

I heard of the Marrow Controversy while in seminary, but it was not discussed or examined in any great detail (I can think of a few guys who were examined in Central Florida Presbytery who wish it had so they could answer R.C. Sproul’s questions about evangelism as Calvinists).

One of my favorite Puritans, Thomas Boston, was central to the Marrow Controversy.  The Controversy involved The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher.  Thomas Boston witnessed its censure by the Church of Scotland and saw this as an attack on the gospel itself.  He and the Erskines were among “the Marrow Men” who believed Fisher’s book defended true Christianity against both anti-nomianism and legalism.

Phil Ryken’s introduction to a recent (and needed) reprinting of this book is helpful to put some of this together.  This new edition includes Thomas Boston’s explanatory notes.  Even more helpful is Sinclair Ferguson’s lectures Pastoral Lessons from the Marrow Controversy.  It has 3 lectures that examine its history, the twin problems of license and legalism, and their resolution in the free grace of God.  In many ways, Tim Keller’s book The Prodigal God is a modern defense of free grace against license and legalism.  It is the Marrow Controversy applied to today.

“Anyone who comes to grips with the issues raised in The Marrow of Modern Divinity will almost certainly grow by leaps and bounds in understanding three things: the grace of God, the Christian life, and the very nature of the gospel itself.”– Sinclair B. Ferguson

It seems strange to think of license and legalism as twin deviations from the gospel of free grace.  Ferguson notes that both involve the same type of error, that of separating Christ from His benefits.  The antinomians, who were largely Arminian in their theology, created a conditional salvation.  Christ, they argued, died for all men.  But salvation is not granted to all men, but is conditioned upon faith.  This view often lapses into neo-nomianism wherein faith is the new law.  People are forgiven of their sins by Christ, but are sent to hell for unbelief or enter heaven by faith.  This neglects the fact that unbelief is itself sin for which there must be some atonement.

The legalist also separates Christ from His benefits.  They do this by making conditions that must be met prior to being offered the gospel.  This error is often called hyper-Calvinism.  Calvin held to the free offer of the gospel in which there are instrumental means which take place (faith) but not conditions that must be met (sorrow for sin, repentance etc.).  So, as Ferguson notes, they hold to unconditional election but conditional grace.  This is another version of the Galatian error of adding something to Christ in order to be saved (Christ + circumcision, Christ + anything).

We often find that one extreme begets the other.  In arguing against lawlessness, many a man sounds an awful lot like a legalist (and may in fact be).  In Scripture, the problem of lawlessness is the grace of God.  But in most books that seek to expose lawlessness the answer is more about what we do than what Jesus has done.

Ferguson strongly argues that this is one of the most pastorally vital controversies.  As pastors we deal with lawlessness and legalism constantly.  We find ourselves caught between them, accused of being a legalist by the lawless and lawless by the legalists.  Yep, been there and have the scars to prove it.

We pastors and elders would do well to study this controversy as a result.  Our ministry is all the weaker when we do not.  So, pick up that Ferguson series, Keller book or Fisher’s book.  Wrestle with the license and legalism in your own heart, and find God’s sufficient answer- the Christ who came to save sinners of all stripes.

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