Spirituality of the Cross -- Law and Gospel

Crucifixion (Città di Castello Altarpiece)
Raffaello, 1502-03

Notes on Chapter 2

Justification
Law and Gospel

• "There is no one righteous, not even one [so much for moralism!]; there is no one who understands [so much for speculation!]; no one who seeks God [so much for mysticism!] Romans 3:12

• A genuine confrontation with God's Law destroys complacency, security, and every shred of self-righteousness.

• For Lutherans, God's Law has many 'uses' -- to restrain evil in society; to serve as a guide for Christians; to cut through our layers of self-deception so that we realize just how lost we really are. In biblical language, the Law brings with it the 'conviction of sin', inspiring 'repentance'.

• The Law is the prelude to the Gospel. Those broken by the Law are convinced of their need and of their inability to save themselves. Then the message that God does it all comes as an astounding relief, as good news.

• Faith itself is considered by Lutherans to be a gift of God, created in the human heart as His action through the Holy Spirit. Properly speaking, it is Christ on the cross who saves. Faith is simply dependence on that sacrifice.

• The pattern of conversion is repeated every Sunday, in the confession and absolution, in the pastor's sermon which is always a proclamation of Law and Gospel.

• He [Luther] said that we should be broken by the Law and animated by the Gospel every day: "The old Adam in us, together with all sins and evil lusts, should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance and be put to death."

• Those who have been justified by Christ are changed from the inside. Good works flow unconsciously from the work of Christ.

• Christians, however, have a double nature -- indwelling Christ [Luther's new man] and the old sinful nature from Adam ["the old Adam"]. These are in constant conflict.

• The disciplines of prayer, confession, and the ministry of Word and Sacrament, enable the Christian to grow in holiness and good works -- a process known as sanctification.

• There is a dynamic oscillation between lows and highs, knowledge of sin and knowledge of forgiveness, repentance and assurance. The Gospel is to predominate.