A Brief Note on Onus Probandi

(Ted Noel, October 25, 2000)

(This note was sent to a group of people who have been watching this discussion as it develops.)

To all on the Sabbath discussion list,

I am forwarding the latest installment in the discussion with Dr. Richard Bacon. A with some of his other posts, I find much to agree with, and some which is superbly stated. In particular, please note his statement, "What is the gospel of grace?" the answer, "that Jesus Christ kept the commandments fully in the believer's stead." This, I believe is perhaps the single clearest short definition of the gospel I have seen. By its brevity, it is necessarily incomplete, but what a witnessing tool that line can be!

It is also of interest that Dr. Bacon points out the succinct statement of the eternal moral law in Matt 22:37-40. I must for accuracy point out, however, that the statement of Jesus is actually a quotation in response to a lawyer's question in verse 36. Jesus proceeded to answer that the greatest commandments in the Torah were those stated in Deut 6:5 and Lev 19:18. In the account of this encounter in Mark 12 it is recorded that Jesus began his answer with Deut 6:4 "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;"

With that small note, I will again stand by to await for the next segment from Dr. Bacon. We will be breaking this exchange up into smaller bites. That way it will be easier for all to chew.

Ted Noel