4. THE CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.

While the Law and the Gospel are radically distinct from each other so far as their content is concerned, they nevertheless must be closely conjoined in their practical application. Luther writes of this St. L., IX, 454: "Although these two (doctrines) are most remote so far as their content (re ipsa) is concerned, yet at the same time they are most intimately linked together in one and the same heart. Nothing is more fastly bound together than are fear and faith, Law and Gospel, sin and grace. They are indeed so united that one is swallowed up by the other (absorbeatur). Therefore there can be no mathematical conjunction which is like to this."

This close connection of the Law and the Gospel becomes apparent when we consider the sinner's conversion. As we have shown in a previous chapter, conversion takes place in the very moment when a penitent sinner personally trusts in the gracious promises of the Gospel; or we may briefly say, his conversion is effected through the Gospel. However, in order that the Gospel may accomplish its comforting and saving function, the Law must first convict the sinner of his sin and guilt, terrify and humble him, and cause him to despair of his own efforts to save himself, Rom. 3, 19. 20. 23. 24. Thus the conversion of a sinner requires and presupposes the preaching of both the Law and the Gospel. The Law must first point out to the sinner his spiritual death in order that he may rejoice in the spiritual life which the Gospel gives. 'I'he Law must convince him of God's righteous demand in order that he may be willing to accept by faith the free gifts of the Gospel. The Law must proclaim sin in order that the Gospel can proclaim grace.

When speaking of the second use of the divine Law, our dogmaticians rightly distinguish between its usus elenchticus (the revealing and convicting of sin, Rom. 3, 20) and its usus pedagogicus ("our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ," Gal. 3, 24). However, it must be borne in mind that the Law itself does not lead to Christ, but only to despair. But it serves the coming to Christ (compulsus indirectus) by pointing out to the sinner his need. When the Law has terrified the sinner, Christ is at hand to proclaim to him the comfort of the Gospel. That the Law by itself does not produce any moral change and improvement in the sinner's heart, predisposing it for the reception of the Gospel, is taught in such passages as 2 Cor. 3, 6 b; Rom. 7, 5. 8. The Gospel must therefore go hand in band with the Law if the sinner is to be converted and saved.

This intimate connection between the Law and the Gospel the Antinomians denied when they tried to relegate the Law out of the Church. But in the final analysis their opposition to the Law was opposition to the Gospel; for as Luther rightly says St. L., XX, 1646: "If the Law is removed, no one can know what Christ is or what He has done when He fulfilled the Law for us." The great Reformer clearly perceived that "the devil through this enthusiasm (Antinomianism) meant to remove not the Law, but Christ, the Fulfiller of the Law" XX, 1614.

Again, the close connection of the Law and the Gospel becomes apparent also when we consider the sanctification of the believer. It is true, according to the inward, or new, man the believer does not require the Law, 1 Tim. 1, 9, since, as a new creature in Christ, he has the divine Law written in his heart, Jer. 31, 33; Ezek. 36, 26, and obeys it as cheerfully and willingly as Adam did before the Fall, Ps. 110, 3. The Formula of Concord rightly declares Thor. Decl., VI, 17: "But when a man is born anew by the Spirit of God and liberated from the Law, that is, freed from this driver, and is led by the Spirit of Christ, he lives according to the immutable will of God comprised in the Law and, so far as he is born anew, does everything from a free, cheerful spirit."

However, the situation becomes quite different when we view the believer according to the flesh, which still cleaves to him, Rom. 7, 14-24. According to the old man the believer neither knows the Law thoroughly nor does he fulfil it willingly, Rom. 7, 15, but he constantly opposes and transgresses it, Rom. 7, 18.

Luther says St. L., IX, 881: "According to the spirit the believer is righteous, without any sin whatsoever, and does not require the Law; but according to the flesh he still has sin .... Since, then, sin still exists (in us), Scripture judges us to be equal to the unrighteous and sinners, so that according to the flesh we must have the Law just as much as they."

So also the Formula of Concord remarks Thor. Decl., VI, 18 ff. : "Since believers are not completely renewed in this world, but the Old Adam clings to them even to the grave, there also remains in them the struggle between the spirit and the flesh. Therefore they delight indeed in God's Law according to the inner man, but the law in their members struggles against the Law in their mind; hence they are never without the Law and nevertheless are not under, but in the Law and live and walk in the Law of the Lord and yet do nothing from constraint of the Law."

Together with the Gospel the believer must therefore also use the divine Law, namely, a) as a curb, to crucify his evil flesh, Rom. 8, 7; 1 Cor. 9, 27; b) as a mirror, which constantly reveals his sins, Rom. 7, 7. 13; Gal. 5,19-21; and c) as a rule, according to which he must regulate and direct his whole life, Gal. 5, 22-25. Hence even the regenerate must continually employ the Law in close connection with the Gospel: the Law to curb his flesh outwardly, the Gospel to destroy it inwardly; the Law to point out good works, the Gospel to give him power to do good works; the Law to show him his sins, the Gospel to teach him how he may be cleansed from sin.

There is, of course, no contradiction between such passages as 1 Tim. 1, 9: "The Law is not made for a righteous man" and those which apply the Law in all its uses to the Christian, e. g., Rom. 7, 23. 24; 1 Cor. 9, 27; etc. In the former passage the Christian is described according to the new man; in the latter, according to his old, corrupt nature. Luther rightly says: "Ein Christ ist zwischen zwei Zeiten geteilt. Sofe·rn er Fleisch ist, ist er unter dem Gesetz; sofern er Geist ist, ist er unter der Gnade." (Cp. St. L., IX, 452. 880.)

Conversion and sanctification are therefore the result of the cooperation of the Law and Gospel. The preaching of the Law alone results in hypocrisy or despair; the preaching of the Gospel alone results in indifference and security. (Cp. Luther, St. L., V, 988; also Dr. Engelder, Dogmatical Notes.)

For the sake of completeness we may here add that our dogmaticians speak of a fourfold use of the divine Law, each of which applies also to the believer. The Law holds in check the flesh of the Christian and coerces it to external discipline (usus politicus); it reveals to him, and convinces him of, his sin (u.sus elenchticus); it is his schoolmaster to bring him unto Christ (usus paedagogicus); it furnishes him with a safe rule of life (perpetua vivendi regula, Matt. 5, 17; usus didaticus).

Overview chap. 20