The Book at a Glance
This book revisits the 18th-century "Marrow Controversy" to diagnose two timeless errors in the Christian life. It is structured in three parts: defining the historical context, diagnosing the dual problems of Legalism and Antinomianism, and presenting the "Whole Christ" as the singular cure.
The 11 chapters are split across three distinct, yet deeply related, sections. The "Cure" (Part III) comprises the largest portion of the book, focusing on the pastoral solution.
The Core Problem: A Flawed Foundation
The book's central thesis is that Legalism and Antinomianism are "non-identical twins" that spring from the *same root error*: a distorted view of God that separates Christ's person from his benefits (like justification and sanctification).
The Root Error (Ch. 3)
Separating Christ from His Benefits
Path 1: Legalism (Ch. 4)
"I must obey the law
to get Christ's benefits."
Path 2: Antinomianism (Ch. 5)
"I have Christ's benefits
so I don't need to obey the law."
The Order of Grace (Ch. 6)
This core error often manifests as a misunderstanding of the relationship between faith and repentance. Legalism places repentance *before* faith as a condition, while the gospel sees repentance as a *fruit* that flows from faith.
The Legalistic View (Wrong Order)
Here, repentance is a work we must perform to qualify for faith and justification.
The Gospel View (Correct Order)
2. Union with Christ
[Justification + Sanctification]
Here, faith unites us to Christ, and we receive *both* His righteousness (justification) and His Spirit (who produces repentance/sanctification) at the same time.
The Single Cure: The "Whole Christ" (Ch. 7-8)
The book argues that there aren't two different cures for these two errors. The single cure for both is the "Whole Christ"—a full reception of His person, in whom we find both perfect justification and gracious sanctification.
This radar chart shows how both Legalism and Antinomianism are deficient, falling short of the complete life found only in union with Christ.
The Antidote
1
Gospel Cure
Union with the "Whole Christ" is the single, all-sufficient answer to both errors.
The Fruit: Gospel Assurance (Ch. 9-11)
A life cured by the whole Christ leads to genuine assurance. This assurance has a primary, objective foundation (Christ's work *for* us) and a secondary, reflexive confirmation (the Spirit's work *in* us).
Assurance is primarily built on the rock-solid foundation of Christ's promises and finished work. The "marks of grace" in our lives serve as a secondary, confirming evidence of that reality.