1. Law and Gospel.
Frank has pointed out that one doctrine treated very carefully by Luther and the ancient theologians has pretty much disappeared from modern theology and is downright dismissed.278) This is the doctrine of Law and Gospel and specifically of the difference between Law and Gospel. " Ritschl has stated in the most definite way that the traditional distinction between law and gospel with all its consequences
276) Luther on Is. 7:9; Erl., Dat. XXII, 83; St. L. VI, 70.
277) Luther on Deut. 4:12. Erl., Lat., XIII, 137. St. L. III, 1417.
278) Dogmatische Studien. Erlangen and Leipzig, 1892, pp. 104-135.
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is incorrect." 279) Recently we read again: "To treat under the title 'Wort of God' the division into Law and Gospel and the relationship of both, as the old dogmatics did, there is no reason to do so." 280) Frank is right is saying: "It is characteristic of the state of things at the present time that this matter of Evangelical doctrine is also found to be unsuitable and contrary to right Evangelical knowledge." 281) This is indeed "characteristic" of the state of things in the present. But at the same time, it is also very self understood, because a necessary consequence of the denial of the satisfactio Christi vicaria which has become general. For the factual situation is this: If God has not, by placing Christ in the place of man under the duty and penalty of the law given to man, completely reconciled all mankind to Himself, the necessary consequence is that man must still somehow, by his own action and by his own goodness, reconcile God, or supplement the reconciliation which has taken place through Christ. And modern theology also teaches this very abundantly. Even theologians who belong to the positive trend let the reconciliation made by Christ be supplemented by human sanctification. One of them says: "We are directed to include the transformation of mankind in the concept of the work of reconciliation." 282) This then removes the distinction between law and gospel. "Things are," as Frank puts it, "stirred together into a porridge." 283)
According to the Scriptures, it is extremely important that we do not "mix the Law and the Gospel into one porridge", but that we sharply distinguish between them. As is well known, the Scriptures deal with the important subject of how a sinful man can obtain forgiveness of his sins and salvation. At the same time, it says in a very certain way that this can only be done in one way, namely in such a way that the law is completely eliminated and only the gospel comes into effect. God's method of forgiveness of sins and bestowal of salvation is "without law",
279) Frank, op. cit., p. 124.
280) Horst Stephan, Glaubenslehre, 1921, p. 183.
281) op. cit., p. 104.
282) Kirn, RE.3 XX, 574. Likewise Ev. Dogmatik 3, p. 118. Cf. the section "Closer Description of Modern Theories of Reconciliation" II, 429 ff.
283) op. cit., p. 124.
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"without works of the law" — "through faith in Jesus Christ", "through the gospel" (χωρίς νόμου, χωρίς έργων νόμον — διά πίστεως, πίστει, διά τον ευαγγελίου).284) All who, for the attainment of grace and salvation, do not want to cut off the law, remain under the curse of the law, because the law pronounces the curse on every man who has not remained in all that is written in the book of the law, that he should do it.285) Therefore, Luther rightly says that every Christian must understand the art of distinguishing between the law and the gospel. "Where this matters is lacking, a Christian cannot be recognized before a heathen or a Jew."286) A man is a Christian and remains a Christian only by comforting himself in his conscience against the accusations of the law with the gospel, which promises him the forgiveness of his sins "without law." Also, sanctification and works are possible only among men who are not under the law but under grace.287) All this is explained in detail following the doctrine of the means of grace under the section "Law and Gospel".288) Here, where it is a question of the "classification" of the teachings of Scripture and the characterization of the right "theology" and of a right "theologian", the following brief outline may find place.
The Word of God in Scripture is divided into two parts: the Law and the Gospel.289) The theologian must teach both unabridged and unchanged. He must neither reveal anything of the law nor make any change to the gospel. Concerning the Law it is said, "Till heaven and earth pass away, not the least letter nor tittle of the Law (ιώτα εν η μία κεραία) shall pass away, with the added warning, "Whosoever shall dissolve one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven." 290) And concerning the gospel, the apostle Paul pronounces a curse on anyone who teaches a different doctrine than the one he himself taught.291)
284) Rom. 3:21, 28; Gal. 2:16; Rom. 3:22; 1 Cor. 15:2; Eph. 2:8.
285) Gal. 3:10.<w:t xml:space="preserve">286) St. L. IX, 798.
287) Rom. 6:14.<w:t xml:space="preserve">288) III, 259 ff.
289) In all of Scripture God's law is taught (Matt. 22:37-40); likewise in all of Scripture God's gospel is taught (Rom. 1:1, 2; 3:21; Acts 10:43). Hence The Apology (M., 87, 5 [Trigl. 121, 5. 🔗]): Universa Scriptura in hos duos locos praecipuos distribui debet: in legem et promissiones. Alias enim legem tradit, alias tradit promissionem de Christo.
290) Matt. 5:17-19.<w:t>291) Gal. 1:7-9.
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Now the law and the gospel are, according to their content, complete opposites, "plus quam contradictoria".292) How so? The law curses the man who has not kept it perfectly.293) According to the gospel, God does not impute the transgression of the law to man.294) What should the theologian do in this situation? He must know how to separate the law from the gospel so that he does not remain in confusion himself and cause confusion in others. The right distinction consists in limiting both to the certain areas determined by Scripture, in which they are valid according to God's will and order.
1. From the law the theologian is to teach the knowledge of sin, διά γάρ νόμον επίγνωσις αμαρτίας295) forgiveness of sins, on the other hand, or justification only from the gospel, λογιζόμεθα ovv πίστει δικαιονσθάι άνθρωπον χωρίς έργων νόμον.296) He who teaches the forgiveness of sins even from the Law is not a Christian theologian, but a deceiver who teaches apostasy from Christianity, κατηργήθητε άπό Χρίστον οΐτινες εν νόμω δικαιούσθε, τής χάριτος εξεπέσατε.297) He belongs to the clave of teachers in regard to whom the apostle expresses the wish because of their harmfulness: Όφελον και άποκόψονται oi αναστατοϋντες νμας.298) Related to this is the divorce of law and gospel according to the nature of persons. The law is to be held against men who are still proud and secure, that is, not guilty of the wrath of God and eternal damnation. What the law says, the apostle instructs us, it says to those who are under the law, ΐνα παν στόμα φραγή και νπόδικος γένηται πας δ κόσμος τφ θεω.299) The gospel, on the other hand, is to be presented to those who have hearts humbled and bruised by the law, πτωχοί εναγγελίζονται,300) εναγγελίζεσθαι πτωχοϊς. )30l
292) Luther on the Epistle to the Galatians. Ed. Erl. II, 105; St. L. IX, 447.
293) Gal. 3:10; Rom. 3:9-19; also 2 Cor. 3:9: ή διακονία τής κατακρίοεως.
294) 2 Cor. 5:19: μη λογιζόμενος αντοΐς τα παραπτώματα αυτών. Acts
20:24: τδ εναγγελιον τής χάριτος τον ϑεον. Also 2 Cor. 2:9: ή διακονία τής: δικαιοσύνης.
295) Rom. 3:20.<w:t>296) Rom. 3:28.<w:t>297) Gal. 5:4.
298) Gal. 5:12.<w:t>299) Rom. 3:19.<w:t>300) Matt. 11:5.
301) Luke 4:18.
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2) With regard to good works, the theologian should teach from the doctrine what are good works, that is, works pleasing to God, commanded by God, as Christ answers the question about good works from the law.302) This is still necessary even with Christians, inasmuch as they have the παλαιός ανϑρωπος about them and consider food and drink commandments, celibacy, etc., to be works commanded by God.303) But as to doing works commanded by God, the theologian must know and keep always present that he can bring about the desire and power to do such works, which are good in the sight of God, only through the gospel. This is the apostle's practice: "I exhort you, brethren, by the mercies of God, διά των οικτιρμών τον ϑεον, that ye present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, and acceptable unto God."304) Axiom: Lex praescribit, evangelium inscribit.305) Luther says in reference to the theological art of bringing about good works: "A scribe urges with threats and punishments; a preacher of grace entices and provokes with demonstrated divine goodness and mercy." 306)
3) Also, as far as the fight against sin is concerned, the theologian must know that through the doctrine of the Law, at best, he outwardly resists sin, but inwardly mobilizes and increases sin. Paul reports from experience: Οτε ημεν εν τη οαρκί [that is, υπό τον νόμον, τα παθήματα των άμαρτιών τά διά τον νόμον ίνηργεΐτο έν τοΐς μέλεοιν ημών εις το καρποφορηοαι τφ βανάτω.307) It is only through the gospel that sin is put to death in man: Κατηργήΰεμεν από τον νόμον, άποϑανόντες εν φ κατειχόμεδα, ώοτε δονλενειν ημάς εν καινότητι πνεύματος.308) Likewise Rom. 6:14: "Sin shall not be able to have dominion over you, because ye are not under the law, but under grace." Axiom: Lex necat peccatorem, non peccatum; evangelium necat peccatum, non peccatorem. "Therefore, whoever is well able in this art of separating the Law from the Gospel, set him on high and call him a Doctor of Holy Scriptures." 309)
302) Matt. 15:1 ff; 22:35 ff; 19:16 ff.
303) Col. 2:16-23; 1 Tim. 4:1 ff.
304) Rom. 12:1.<w:t>305) Jer. 31:31-34.
306) St. L. XII, 318.<w:t>307) Rom. 7:5.
308) Rom. 7:6.<w:t xml:space="preserve">309) Luther, St. L. IX, 802.
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