In the previous post I offered a very brief survey of some
controversies, pointing out that while there have been some true-blue
antinomians, the charge is often made by those tilting in a more
neonomian direction against faithful, apostolic, evangelical preaching.
For example, in spite of the fact that Lutheran and Reformed churches
have gone on record against antinomianism in no uncertain terms, that
has not kept them from being accused of holding at least implicitly to
antinomian tenets.
The Lutheran Confession
In his Small Catechism, Luther begins with the Ten
Commandments, concluding, “God threatens to punish all that transgress
these commandments. Therefore we should dread His wrath and not act
contrary to these commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing
to all that keep these commandments. Therefore we should also love and
trust in Him, and gladly do [zealously and diligently order our whole
life] according to His commandments.”
Settling the controversies in its own circles, the Lutherans confess
in the fourth article of the Formula of Concord (1577), “We reject and
condemn as offensive and detrimental to Christian discipline the bare
expression, when it is said: Good works are injurious to salvation.”
For especially in these last times it is no less needful to admonish men to Christian discipline [to the way of living aright and godly] and good works, and remind them how necessary it is that they exercise themselves in good works as a declaration of their faith and gratitude to God, than that the works be not mingled in the article of justification; because men may be damned by an Epicurean delusion concerning faith, as well as by papistic and Pharisaic confidence in their own works and merits (IV.2).
After affirming the civil and elenctic uses of the law (viz., to curb
public vice and to drive sinners to Christ), the sixth article defends
the “third use”: “..that after they are regenerate and [much of] the
flesh notwithstanding cleaves to them, they might on this account have a
fixed rule according to which they are to regulate and direct their
whole life…” (VI.1).
The following conclusions are worth quoting at length: Continue at Michael Horton
No comments:
Post a Comment