5. THE ART OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.

While it is comparatively easy to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel in theory, it is extremely difficult to apply the distinction in practise. Luther very correctly remarks that the true distinction between the Law and the Gospel in practise lies beyond the natural powers of man and can be accomplished only through the operation of the Holy Ghost. The reason for this is to be I i found in the natural disposition of man, who persistently clings to the opinio legis, that is to say, to the desire to save himself by work-righteousness. To this basic error also the believer is subject, namely, in so far as he is flesh. Hence he is constantly tempted to misapply the Law and the Gospel, so that he must ceaselessly pray God for illumination by His Holy Spirit, Ps. 143, 10.

However, still more difficult is the task of the Christian pastor, who must rightly divide the Word of Truth in his official capacity as a minister of Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 2, 15. Here the words of Luther hold: HWhoever knows well this art of dividing the Law from the Gospel, him put in the first place and call him a doctor of Holy Scripture." The Christian minister must constantly teach the Law and the Gospel side by side, with proper regard for both their distinction and their connection, so that the secure are terrified and the terrified are comforted. He must never commingle t.he two doctrines, but teach the Law in all its severity and the Gospel in its full sweetness.

Those who earnestly apply themselves to this task will readily agree with Luther, who says (St. L., IX, 798 ff.): "Without the Holy Ghost it is impossible to make this distinction sc., between the Law and the Gospel. I know it from my own experience and also daily perceive it in others how hard it is to separate the doctrine of the Law from that of the Gospel. Here the Holy Ghost must be the Master and Teacher, otherwise no man on earth will be able to understand or teach it. The art is easily taught; it can be quickly said that the Law is a word and doctrine different from the Gospel; but to distinguish them practically and to apply the art is labor and sorrow."

But while it is very difficult to distinguish the Law from the Gospel, it is absolutely necessary to do so, since without a proper distinction of the two doctrines there can be no saving faith and therefore also no true Christianity. Luther draws attention to this fact when he writes (St. L., IX, 798 ff.): ''If a mistake occurs at this point, it is impossible to tell a Christian from a heathen or a Jew; so important is the distinction."

Luther's reason for this verdict is not hard to understand. The cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith is that of justification by grace, through faith (sola gratia; sola fide). In order to teach this doctrine in its Scriptural purity, it is necessary to exclude from it every demand of the Law, or every good work. As Luther says, justification must not be made to depend even on a pious Lord's Prayer if the full truth of the Christian doctrine is to be preserved. If at this point the severity of the divine Law is modified and the Gospel of divine grace in Christ is not presented in all its Scriptural sweetness, the sinner will never be truly contrite, nor will he cast himself entirely upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus for his salvation. In short, unless the Gospel is strictly distinguished from the Law, it is impossible to teach justification by faith.

From this it furthermore follows that it is also impossible to comfort a sinner with the assurance of salvation if Law and Gospel are commingled. In other words, if in the article of justification the Law is mingled into the Gospel, so that man's salvation is made to depend on his fulfilment of God's righteous demands, he must forever doubt his state of grace; for it is then taken out of the almighty hand of God and placed into his own impotent hands. The mingling of the Law and the Gospel at this point therefore deprives a person of the greatest blessing which Christianity offers to the world, namely, the certitudo gratiae et salutis by faith in Christ Jesus, for whose sake God freely justifies the sinner who comes short of the glory of God, Rom. 3, 23. 24.

Luther says of this (St. L., IX, 619): "It is impossible that Christ and the Law should be able to dwell together in the heart; for either Christ or the Law must depart." What Luther means is this: Man trusts for salvation either in works or in Christ; or, what is the same, he desires to be saved either by the Law or by the Gospel. Between the two there is no middle ground. But woe to the sinner who trusts for salvation in the Law, Gal. 3, 10; 5, 4! Since he is unable to keep it, he is forever under its curse. Thus the mingling of the Law and the Gospel deprives the sinner of that true comfort which alone can sustain him in life and console him in death- the sure hope of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Lastly, without the proper distinction between the Law and the Gospel it is also impossible to understand the Scriptures. The Formula of Concord directs attention to this point by calling the distinction between the Law and the Gospel "a special brilliant light, which serves to the end that God's Word may be rightly divided and the Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles may be properly explained and understood" Thor. Decl., V, 1. This statement of our Confession is no exaggeration; for, on the one hand, Scripture clearly says: "This do, and thou shalt live," Luke 10, 28, and, on the other: "A man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law," Rom. 3, 28. These statements are in themselves contradictory, just as contradictory as are yes and no. To remove the difficulty, the Antinomians endeavored to banish the Law from the Church to the court-house, so that within the Church nothing should be taught but the Gospel alone. But this procedure is unscriptural; for it is God's express will, set forth in His Word, that the Law (Moral Law) should be proclaimed without any qualification or abridgment to the end of time, Matt. 5, 18.

Modern rationalistic theologians try to do away with the contradiction by changing the Gospel into a law; but upon all who in this way empty the Gospel of its glorious content, God's Word pronounces the divine curse, Gal. 1, 8; 6, 14. In short, the contradiction must not be removed by discarding either of the two doctrines, but by properly distinguishing between the two and assigning each to its proper sphere. If that is done, we can readily understand why, on the one hand, Scripture says: "The man that doeth them (sc. the works of the Law) shall live in them," Gal. 3, 12, and, on the other: "A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ," Gal. 2, 16; for in that case we remember that the Law has been given us that we might come to the knowledge of our sins, Rom, 3, 20, and the Gospel, that we might obtain forgiveness of sins. In short, if we properly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel, the Bible will be to us a clear book; if we do not, it will forever remain dark and incomprehensible.

The truth of this statement is proved by the false attitude of the Romanists and of Protestant synergists toward the vital question of certainty of salvation (certitudo salutis). These errorists commingle the Law and the Gospel by denying the sola gratia and teaching, either directly or indirectly, salvation by works. In consequence they maintain that a believer cannot be sure of his salvation (monstrum incertitudinis). This means wilful rejection of a clear Scripture doctrine, Rom. 8, 38. 39; yet they attempt to base their false claim on Scripture, 1 Cor. 10, 12. They fail, however, to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel. Misled by their basic error, they forget that passages such as 1 Cor. 10, 12; Heb. 12, 14, etc., are Law, designed to warn and terrify the secure and indifferent, while passages such as Rom. 8, 38. 39; John 10, 27-29; 3, 16-18, etc., are Gospel, intended for the comfort of the contrite and penitent. According to the old man, believers always need the warnings of the Law, while according to the new man they rejoice in the sure hope of salvation held out to them in the precious Gospel, Rom. 5, 1-5. It is therefore absolutely necessary that the believer in general, as he privately judges his own state of grace, but especially the Christian minister, as he officially proclaims the divine way of salvation, clearly and sharply distinguish between Law and Gospel, 2 Tim. 2, 15.

But this can be done only when God bestows B is grace upon us and keeps us in His grace. His Holy Spirit must teach and lead us to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel and to apply both in the right order. Without the illumination and guidance of the Holy Ghost no one can appeal from the condemnation of the Law to the blessed Gospel promises of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation and trust in them. That is the Spirit's gracious work in us, Eph. 1, 19. 20; Phil. 1, 29; Col. 2, 12, just as perseverance in faith, by constant trust in the Gospel promises, is God's work in us, 1 Pet. 1, 5. Again, though the Law accuses and condemns man, nomism, which makes the Law the means of salvation by way of sanctification, is so deeply rooted in his flesh that as a born legalist he trusts in the works of the Law for salvation and refuses to appeal from the Law to the Gospel, which to the flesh is both a stumbling-block and foolishness, 1 Cor. 1, 23. Hence God must help and save us, working in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2, 13. Without His grace we can do nothing also in the matter of making the proper distinction between the Law and the Gospel. (Cp. Luther, St. L., IV, 2077 f.; IX, 446 fi.; XXII, 760 f.; v, 1171.)

Overview chap. 20