8. The cause of the aberration in the doctrine of eternal election.
The cause of the aberration lies in the attempt to solve in this life a mystery whose solution can only be expected in eternal life. The same subject had already to be treated in the doctrines of universal grace and universal redemption, as well as in the doctrines of conversion and preservation in faith.1712) We repeat here, therefore, only briefly: it is, however, beyond the horizon which we men have at our disposal in this life, why, in the case of the general grace of God and in the case of the same total ruin of men, the whole world of men is not saved, but only a part of it. The attempt to explain this mystery has given rise to both Calvinism (the "denial of universalis gratia) and Synergism
1712) II, 21 ff. 582 ff. 594 ff. III, 118 f.
567 > Eternal election. [English ed. ~ 501-502]
(the denial of so1a gratia) in the world. Very correctly Thomasius says: "It [the Reformed doctrine] solves the problem before which we stand in such a way that it cuts away one side [universal grace].1713) Synergism, in the same interest, cuts away the other side, sola gratia. That the Synergists, too, have at heart the solution of the mystery indicated, they reveal, after Melanchthon's arguments, by the whole manner of their argumentation. The core and star of their multifaceted arguments always remains this: It is necessary (necesse est, Melanchthon) to assume a difference among men with regard to their behavior and their guilt before God. If there were no difference on the part of men before God, but the same guilt and the same evil behavior, then we could not declare the fact why all men believe and become saved, or, what is the same, why some believe and become saved and the others do not. However, this is so. We cannot declare this fact. We cannot, in view of the facts revealed in Scripture, that the grace of God is universal and that men are in the same utter ruin, answer the question, Cur non omnes? or, Cur alii, alii non? or, Cur alii prae aliis? But this position the Scripture instructs us to put the hand on the mouth. The Scripture speaks of "incomprehensible judgments and unsearchable ways" of God in relation to the guidance of the individual men and peoples and justifies the incomprehensibility and unsearchability of these judgments and ways with the fact that no man has given God anything in advance that will be repaid to him. The doctrine of Luther is that at this point there is a mystery, the solution of which we can only expect in eternal life.1714) The same mystery is taught by the Formula of Concord, in that it holds the same guilt and the same evil behavior on the part of the blessed and gives the instruction not to go beyond these limits of human knowledge in this life: Whoever is saved is saved by God's grace alone; whoever is lost is lost only through his own fault.1715) This mystery is also taught by the doctrines of the
1713) Dogmatik 2 III, 464.<w:t xml:space="preserve">1714) See the quotation II, 52, note 141.
1715) 717, 61. 62 [Trigl, 1083, ibid., 61, 62 🔗] Frank is thus mistaken when he thinks (Theol. der F. C. I, 124) that the Formula of Concord "made it matter whether scientific equalization was possible or not."
568 > Eternal election. [English ed. ~ 502-503.]
Lutheran theologians of the 16th century before the advent of the intuitu fidei theory.1716) This mystery was also taught by the Missouri Synod and the whole Synodical Conference in the controversy over the doctrines of Conversion and Election of Grace, and thus they held universalis gratia against Calvinism on the one hand, and on the other hand rejected the denial of sola gratis, which was present in the opposing assertion that conversion and salvation, and therefore eternal election, depended not only on God's grace, but also on man's different conduct and lesser guilt.1717)
It has been rightly said that the doctrine of Election of Grace is the final theological exam. The scriptural doctrine of the Election of Grace sweeps out the last remnants of Pelagianism and rationalism. Many boast bona fide sola gratia as the heart of Christian doctrine. But as soon as they approach the question of whether the men who become saved are equally guilty before God in comparison with those who are lost, and behave equally badly, they think they have to assume a good behavior and a lesser guilt on the part of those who become saved, and thus deny sola gratia. Furthermore: Many boast bona fide the Scriptures as the only source and norm of Christian doctrines. But as soon as they are expected to hold both truths, the universalis gratia and the sola gratia, without rational mediation, solely on the basis of Scripture, even those who count themselves in the Lutheran camp abandon the Scripture Principle and rationalize themselves with the later Melanchthon into the synergistic camp. Göschel remarks on the 11th article of the Formula of Concord: "In this article it really becomes more and more clear how the Formula of Concord vigorously campaigns against all rationalism, even the most subtle, the rationalism of the believers, without regard to the person. Precisely because of this, it has attracted opposition from many up to this hour; it is opposed to the rationalism of all levels, and therefore all rationalism is also averse to it, even the rationalism that does not consider itself to be so." 1718)
1716) Cf. II, 585, note 1367.<w:t xml:space="preserve">1717) Cf. II, 590, note 1372.
1718) The Formula of Concord etc., p. 144 f. Cf. F. P., Die Grunddifferenz, S. 12 ff. Zur Einigung 2, S. 29 ff. [English translation: Conversion and Election, p. 40 ff.]
569 > The Last Things. [English ed. ~ 507]