The Warp and the Woof

Thus says the Lord [Who is speaking? What does He say?]: ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness [grace], justice and righteousness [the law] on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23, 24. NASB

“Mighty truths have been committed to human agencies, truths which, when unfolded, quicken into activity the minds of men and women who are in the darkness of error, and call to them, ‘Come; for all things are now ready’ [Luke 14:17]. The knowledge of truth is the great power of God unto salvation to all who believe. The atoning sacrifice, the righteousness of Christ, is to us the vital center of all truth. In the cross of Calvary, mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The law and the gospel are in perfect harmony; they are interwoven as the warp and the woof.” The Review and Herald, September 29, 1891.

The last expression in this quote caught my attention, and since I was not familiar with it, I decided to look it up. In the craft of weaving, the warp yarn is the vertical yarn. The weft or woof yarn is woven through the warp yarn to create the cloth.

To illustrate, let’s consider the law as the warp yarn, and the gospel, the true gospel, as the woof yarn. Neither can function independently of the other. If you were to remove all the warp yarn, there would not be any fabric; in fact, all that would be left is a pile of loose, tangled, useless yarn. In just the same way, if the law is removed from faith, there is no foundation, no basis, no cloth of faith left. And the same is true of the woof yarn. Remove it and again there is nothing left but loose yarn, nothing left that can be used as fabric. So it is with the law. Without the gospel, the true gospel, there is no foundation, no basis for our faith. There is no salvation.

Now let’s take this illustration one step further. Let’s say that the weaver used only half thickness yarn, or damaged, frayed yarn for the warp yarn. The fabric would be weak and unable to stand up to regular use. So it is with the law. If only part of the law is used, the fabric of our faith will be weak and unable to endure the test.

By the same token, even if there is a complete law, without the gospel, it produces a legalistic religion, the husk without the kernel. What a perfect illustration of the wending and weaving together of the law, and the gospel is presented in the “warp and woof” of the weaver’s craft. (And I need to emphasize here that it is crucial, eternal life or eternal death, to understand that there is a false gospel and to study out what is the true and what is the false.)

From the original meaning of warp and woof, another meaning, a metaphorical meaning, has evolved based on the initial usage. The expression “woof and warp” (“warp and weft”) is sometimes used metaphorically as one might use the word “fabric.” To give an illustration of this usage, if I were to speak of “the warp and woof of a student’s life,” what I mean is “the fabric of a student’s life.” The expression is used as a metaphor meaning the underlying structure on which something is built.

In this metaphorical meaning we find a very accurate representation of what the law and the gospel are to faith. They are the very basis, the very foundation of faith; the very basis of the mediation of Jesus on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary. As Jesus is ministering in the heavenly sanctuary, let’s think a moment. If there was no law, there would not be any need of His ministration. And what if there was a law, but there was no gospel. Jesus would not be ministering on our behalf. The two are irrevocably twined together, and the two form the very fabric, the warp and the woof of our faith.

Now let’s return to The Review and Herald quote. The continuation provides an explanation of what the law and the gospel does for us.

“They [that is, the law and the gospel] shed a flood of light amid the moral darkness of the world, stimulating, renovating, sanctifying, all who will believe the truth, all who will gladly and gratefully accept the light coming from the throne of God.” Ibid. That is quite a statement. Do you want stimulating, renovating and sanctifying light shed in your life? Well, this statement explains where to find it and that is through the law and the gospel, the warp and woof of our faith.

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness [grace, in the gospel], justice and righteousness [the law] on earth; for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23, 24. NASB For in what does the Lord delight? Yes, the law and the gospel. Why would the Lord delight in these things? It is because, as we read earlier, “They shed a flood of light amid the moral darkness of the world, stimulating, renovating, sanctifying, all who will believe the truth.” This is and has been the purpose of God and of Jesus since sin first entered the world.

What is to be our relation to this stimulating, renovating, sanctifying light; the law and the gospel?

Speaking in reference to what John the Revelator was shown on the Isle of Patmos, we are told: “Here are themes worthy of our contemplation … . Behold the life and character of Christ [is not Jesus’ life and character the gospel?], and study His mediatorial work. [Remember, for mediatorial work there must be law and gospel.] Here is infinite wisdom [do you want to be wise?], infinite love [the gospel], infinite justice [the law], infinite mercy [grace]. Here are depths and heights, lengths and breadths, for our consideration. …

“We desire to lead the people to understand what Christ is to them and what are the responsibilities they are called upon to accept in Him. As His representatives and witnesses, we ourselves need to come to a full understanding of the saving truths gained by an experimental knowledge.

“Teach the great practical truths that must be stamped upon the soul. Teach the saving power of Jesus, ‘in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.’ Colossians 1:14. It was at the cross that mercy and truth met together, that righteousness and truth kissed each other. … Tell it over and over again. We may become the sons of God, members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. Let it be known that all who accept Jesus Christ and hold the beginning of their confidence firm to the end will be heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ ‘to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ I Peter 1:4, 5.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 59, 60.

Then the quote continues by speaking of the third angel’s message being given with power and intensifying in power with the “loud cry” of Revelation 18.

Let’s spend just a little time looking at the third angel’s message in Revelation 14. In the first part, verses 9–11, we simply find a warning to all who reject the messages of the first two angels. They are the ones who will receive the mark of the beast. But I want to focus on verse 12 which says, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Who are the saints? It says they are the ones who keep His commands [the law] and the faith of Jesus [the gospel]. How beautiful is this theme, this golden thread of the law and the gospel weaving through the entire Bible. This theme is also known as the plan of redemption, the plan of salvation; God calls it, “My covenant.”

The very essence of the law and the gospel are summed up in these few sentences from Patriarchs and Prophets, 63. See if you catch the warp and woof of the law and the gospel illustrated here. “Divine love had conceived a plan whereby man might be redeemed. The broken law of God demanded the life of the sinner. In all the universe there was but one who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its [that is, the law’s] claims. Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement [the gospel] for its transgression. None but Christ could redeem [the gospel] fallen man from the curse of the law and bring him again into harmony with Heaven.” Isn’t that beautiful? Isn’t that what the law and the gospel are all about, restoring man to harmony with heaven?

“Our message is a life-and-death message, and we must let it appear as it is, the great power of God. We are to present it in all its telling force. Then the Lord will make it effectual. It is our privilege to expect large things, even the demonstration of the Spirit of God. This is the power that will convict and convert the soul.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 61.

Here is another beautiful explanation of how the law and the gospel are intertwined in a beautiful whole. “The law and the gospel are in perfect harmony. Each upholds the other. In all its majesty the law confronts the conscience, causing the sinner to feel his need of Christ as the propitiation for sin. The gospel recognizes the power and immutability of the law. ‘I had not known sin, but by the law’ (Romans 7:7), Paul declares. The sense of sin, urged home by the law, drives the sinner to the Saviour. In his need man may present the mighty arguments furnished by the cross of Calvary. He may claim the righteousness of Christ; for it is imparted to every repentant sinner.” God’s Amazing Grace, 15.

There is one more quote that at first may seem to be on a different topic, but is very relevant. We have lost our foothold regarding truth. We have lost the tight weave of the warp and woof of our fabric of faith. We have lost this golden thread, the law and the gospel woven through Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and we must rediscover this present truth.

This quote from the Spirit of Prophecy gives much needed warning and counsel in this regard. Testimonies to Ministers, 30 says, “We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.”

We are running out of time. We are at the end of the end of time. Jesus is coming, soon. The message we so desperately need, the very same message that “turned the world upside down” in the apostles’ day, the message that is the warp and woof of the fabric of our faith is that of the law and the gospel; the plan of redemption. Time is short; awake and realize the dire situation and study deeply into the mysteries of the warp and woof of our faith, the law and the gospel.

Brenda Douay is a staff member at Steps to Life. She may be contacted by email at: brendadouay@stepstolife.org.