Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: harry@atmos.washington.edu (Harry Edmon) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Nuances of the Law in the New Testament Message-ID: Date: 24 Nov 89 03:25:26 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington Lines: 65 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I think it would be very enlightening to explore the different definitions of law that denominations have. In Lutheran theology you usually talk about the law and Gospel together. In the Lutheran Cyclopedia (Concordia Publishing, St. Louis, 1975) there is no listing for Law by itself (or Gospel for that matter). Here is part of the entry labeled "Law and Gospel": "The law is a divine doctrine which reveals the righteousness and immutable will of God, show how man ought to be disposed in his nature, thoughts, words and deeds in order to be pleasing and acceptable to God, and threatens the transgressors of the law with God's wrath and temporal and eternal punishment. For, as Luther says against the nomoclasts, 'Everything that rebukes sin is and belongs to the law, the proper function of which is to condemn sin and to lead to a knowledge of sin' (Rom. 3:20; 7:7). Since unbelief is a root and fountainhead of all culpable sin, the law reproves unbelief also." (Formula of Concord, Solida Declaratio V 17) "The Gospel, strictly speaking, is the kind of doctrine that teaches what a man who has not kept the law and is condemned by it should believe, namely, that Christ has satisfied and paid for all guilt and without man's merit has obtained and won for him forgiveness of sins, the 'righteousness that avails before God' (Rom 1:17; 2 Cor 5:21), and eternal life." (Formula of Concord, Epitome V 4) ... Law and Gospel do not differ if Law is taken in a broad sense, as in Is 2:3, or if Gospel is taken in a broad sense as in Mark 1:1. They do not contradict each other. Both are God's Word; both are in the OT and NT; both are to be applied to people everywhere, including Christians. The fact that Law and Gospel differ in their narrow sense is suggested or indicated, e.g., Zch 11:7; Mt 13:52; Lk 12:42; Ro 10:4; Gl 3:24. The difference was used, e.g., 2 Sam 12:1-14; Lk 7:36-50; Acts 2:27-39; 16:27-31; 1 Co 5:1-5; 2 Co 2:6-8. Differences: (a) The Law was written into man's heart; the Gospel is not known by nature, but was revealed through Jesus and the Word of God. (b) The Law contains commandments of what we are to do and not to do and how we are to be; the Gospel reveals what God has done and still does for our salvation. (c) The Law promises eternal life conditionally; the Gospel promises it freely. (d) The Law demands perfect fulfillment and pronounces curses and threats if there is no perfect fulfillment; the Gospel has only promises and comforting assurrances. (e) The purpose of the Law is to serve as a curb, mirror and rule; the purpose of the Gospel is to forgive sins and give heaven and salvation as a free gift. Law and Gospel are both operative in conversion. But the very nature of justification excludes the Law and leaves the Gospel as the only means whereby God justifies the sinner. The incentive power of the Gospel and the criterion of the Law are operative in sanctification. P.S. Concordia Publishing is owned by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Formula of Concord date from 1576-1580 and is part of the Lutheran Confessions, which are accepted by all major Lutheran bodies in the U.S. -- Harry Edmon INTERNET: harry@atmos.washington.edu (206) 543-0547 UUCP: uw-beaver!atmos.washington.edu!harry Dept of Atmospheric Sciences, AK-40 University of Washington