# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S448 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) GOSPEL AND SCRIPTURE Scripture as Source Election Probably nowhere in the Symbols docs the formal principle receive More emphasis ds the seurce of the material principle than in connection wath the Formuta of Concerd’s presentauon of the article of our eternal election in Christ Jesus te salvation (SD XT). This article of faith. which ts integral to the Chriscan Gospel. ts to be set forth according to “the pat- tern of the divine Word” (2). The mysters of predestination (Porsches is revealed to usin God's Word (Latin “Hols Seripture.” 431° In order to avord misunderstanding» this artigle must be explained “on the basis of Seripture.” (3) When we erganive our thinking ebout this arucle according to the Semptures. we can easily orient ourselves init C244. This possible to orga- nize our thoughts about this doctrine according to the Senptures because the Seriptures discuss this article not merely incidentally und superficially. but frequently and in great detail 12%. and also because “everything in God's Word [Latin “Hols Seripture”! is written down for us” (emphasis ours). (E2)°° Scripture itself teaches this doctrine in no other way than to direct us to the Word (VerAwn Der revelutum, 12) That is why we must care- fully distinguish between what God has expressly revealed in His Word {Latin “Holy Semptures”! and what He has not revealed ($2). The For- mula urges: “Cling te Hes revealed Word” (S51), “operate constantly with the Word” (S36), “adhere exclusively te the revealed Word” (53). Only from God's Word are we able to learn His will toward us and te retain the foundation of our comfort and consolation ¢36) Scripture As Norm ot Doctrine The Symbols appeal to the Senptures as the norm of doctrine not only for the article of election but aha for all the articles of faith The fol- lowing are some examples of this 1) The entire content of the Augsburg Confession, including the arte cle on justification (the material principle}, was “compiled out of the di- vine. prophetic. and apostolic Scriptures” (Preface to The Book of Con- cord, p.3). The electors and princes ordered this confession to be pre- pared “on the basis of God's Word” (Latin, “Sacred Scriptures”: FC $D Preface, 3). The doctrine confessed in the articles and chapters of the Augsburg Confession is “drawn from and conformed to the Ward of God” (FC SD Rule and Norm, £1.75 The Augsburg Confession is “grounded on the testimony of the immutable truth of the divine Word" (Preface to The Book of Concord, p &)* 2. When our futhers were preparing the documents that became the Formula of Concord. they asked for suggestions as to how “the Christian doctrine... might be fortified with the Word of God [Latin: "Sacred Scrip- tures] against all sorts of perilous misunderstanding” (Preface. The Book of Concord, p. 7). The Symbols are a summary of the doctrine which Luther set forth “on the basis of God's Word” (Latin: “Sacred Seriptures”: 19 gests that We must choose between mutually exclusive alternatives, A wboth and’ is turned atecan Cether or Lutheran theology has always afirmed the authority ofthe Bible on a two-fold basis. (1+ That as Gospel the Sacred Seriptures are the power of God unto salvation through which the Hols Spirit begets thy faith that grasps Christ and sets men free fram sinvgnd death ttt Thats God's inspired Word the Sacred Ser:ptures regu- Jute the faith that is believed, taught, and Gontessed in the church Gad has jorncd Gospel and Seripture together in an inseparable unity Lutheran theol whrchis doyal to the Confessions understands the rela- ton between Serptury and Gespel as follows: Seripture is to Gospel as sourge Is to summary. or, Gospel is to Senplure as summary is to source God had given us the Gospel im the Seriptures What God has iomed to- gether, Lutheran theology does not pur asunder. Much less dees contes- siedal Lutheran theology pit Gospel want Serpture. or Seripture against Gospel Can the summary be versus the source, or the source versus the summary?) Can the sourge deny the central thought, or the central thought nullify the source? Lutheran theology lets source and summary stand together as God's vers oven Word G1 be tor the Christian shurch hoth the orig mac norm of its doctring on nmoorits ite and NOTES ToIn thes study t Dro FOR Ma Tee source of dey Soop re used as he wrote nw Serra th yo oMatetal prises ple as fellows Wren spe: logs To trerans do mot have rovind a pe devel oped ow synopsis and sommary oft Aorist Featlon py faath as sate that all theal : ve minate int Ir Reo. es Beas corda Publishing Howse i960 0 pp Material Pring pies of Lutheran Co! Uoeting XNIN Ro August (USS) 2 President Pre Pies. with the rn i todas the © Gospel rere of aur tress As ckumpies ot neon Fe noted + ect the fact. oF t Ciospe? : rected if thes do net 2 Throughout this pape term “Gaospe imoakich its used on the Formula of Con veso'els the preach mire teach © Ths guotuben Tram t rd distingusst ef Gods eg Chstg ‘ FC SD Rule and Norm, 91. This summery of doctrine 1s normative be- cause tt is “drawn from the Word of God 7 (fard.. 10. see also 16) 2. That faith alone saves is manifest “from God's Word” (Latin “from the testimomes of the Sacred Serptures”. FC SD IV. 35). The Apology shows “both by testimomes of Scripture and arguments derived from Senpture that by faith vlone we obtain remissian of sins tor Christ's sake.” CIN. 1174 4 The doctrine of divine monergism im conversion is grounded in Ged’s Word (Latin “has solid testimenies in sacred Serprures”. FO SD HI. 28h and is thoroughly demonstrated by clear passages of Holy Scripture (Phd. ST) S§ The communmestion of divine attributes to the human nature ot Jesus Christ is something that God hus revealed in His Word (FCO SD NUIT 83) “According te the statement of the Scriptures” divine and infinite qualities have been given to the man Christ. “according to the Seriptures” we should and must beheve that Christ received all this according to His human nature (ibid. SS und 60) The Formula affirms that wherever the Scriptures “give us clear, certain testimony. we shall [German sollen worl simply bebeve i and mot argue 7 i /id S39" 6 Frrors ure reieeted ay contrary to our doctrine which is based on God's Word (hat “Sacred Scriptures. of FO SD VIT 107. The ad- Versaries are rebuked for teaching vs theugh their notion of satisfactions authority in Sempture” when ig is “withour the authority of Scriptures ” shothar Ap NTE 122. 119 1 ey had Thes are asked. “Where does Seriprure t IS7y > 7 Without the suchority of Soripture itis not safe tea institute forms of worship in the church CAp XNIN. 92) S Teecannet be whrmed that be ee. poverty. and celibacy are Him when there ts services Which God approves as mahtcoustiess DeTore no proot fram God's Word. (Ap ANVIL 235 “Thos written” as a motte thats tound on virtually every page of the Symbols Conclusion The Gospels God's vers own Word of forgiveness for Christ's sake te lost and condemned sinners This Gospel Word comes to us in God's inspired Word. the prophetic and apesteke Senptures of the Old and New Testaments As bearer of the Gospel. the Holy Seriptures ure God's au- thoritatsve proclamation of pardon for fallen mankind which no power in heaven or hell can challenge or annul. and through which until the Last Des the Holy Ghost will call sinners te hath in Christ who gives life and salvation. As God's inspired Word, the Hols Scriptures are God's author tative rule und norm of all that His Church teaches and does in His name In asking about the relauen of Gospel und Serpture and about the nature of the Bible's authority, Lutherans do not formulate their question thus: Is the Bible God's authoritative Word because it proclaims the Gos- pelor because is inspired?) This way of putting the question falsely sug- a Or pericope must not be understoad. if says pothing about the way it may or ought to be tinderstood: Other factors come inte sonsideration at this pont & Sev AC NNVITPE HTH NN VE DO: NNVEE 28 STON Ui The work was accomplished ges Heten perc testes: on the eross LO AL oC reaton so pastand tedempoen is decommplished’ fe Ship tine rater wer mane me wor he Bk come em aiscericky The work is fine ed and compigred Christ has aequited amd won the treasure for us by hrs sufferings, death, ard teserrection” Gib 8s STs expression os empiosed py some advocates of What os usually called “process thealogy,” vw For the force of cof and de Arar or the Sympecs. note wrat Dro A © Piephorn has written with dote the meanmeg of these terms on Augsburg Confession N1oand XIN The verbs in AC 14 ve pote allow ne option: they are the same verbs which deseribe the indsspens. reahen of cood works to faith on AC A They base the forse of the sh must’ rather than ‘should *” Hin buchen ag An sae Dae rivtaund Minors 197 p tlk tod Lecheran Stane Tomund Cortemacnns Brvbal Srates published by the Commission on Theology and Church Re ns of The Lutheran Church — Mis Synod. MAT pp XS Nard li EAs doument is avatuble from the office of the commiss.on, 200 N Broadway. St beurs. Mo ets yo ded. pp 910 2 Schlink. Edmund mene ard HoT A Bo vo The t fogs ot the Larnerun Comtessans trans by PF Roeh Phiode pra Mobenmerg Press. i960 po# ruthfcress of Gospel does not depend upon the inerrancy of the se the Bible is inerrant t teavhes the truth of the Gospel iner ares assures that the Gospel Cabich is tree rer set is core e Scriptures An errant medium might distort the message Snve the trurk of the Gospel iy comm otis in words which God Himse provided. mateh terms ta conten [31, the content did not suffer persersion on the provess of transmssion bs men who were able to ere and be deserved Note t escaupable imp! vation of Ap XN NIV, 940 1s) Francs Pieper Cvr n Deweeote « VT trans by WOE Albrecht and others St Tous Coneord:s lishing House i498! p $24 See also FE Mayer Reena Bases om dererig 4th revised edison 1St Lous Concordia Publish: ne House. 19611, pp l48- 146 Tf Note atso thar Timothy is urged to “folio rhe pattern of sound words” (2 Tim “Us and thar ! thames Gad th he Romans “have become obedient to the standard of teaming” FRom @ 171 In cre case of the Gospel. what is said and the Way itis said go inseparably together t6 The content of the Gospel is this. that the Son of God. Christ our Lord. himself bore the curse of the law and explated and paid for all our sins, that through kim alone we reenter the good Sof God. obtain forgiveness of sins through fatth. are freed from death ar the punishments of sim. and are saved eter nally FO SDN. De 17 See AP NWT NNT TO te See how futher tes Serpture and Gospe: together “Whence do they know of forgiveness. and how cam thes grasp and appropriate it. except by steadfastly bpelies.ng the ures and the Gospel” LCV. 315 TS Atention is drawn Pere and in numerous other places on this study to the fact that when “God's Word” appears in the German text of the Fermula of Con- Holy Senpture” This. together notests of AC NNNHIL 38. makes it ish between Seripture and XXIV. S cord the Larn ‘recsation frequents with a compyrson of the German and 1. very doubtis frat Ap NNR 2s contends to diseng God's Word as bas been suggested on Coo nets PAC gast IYSEs pS ard NNIN TD danars a4 433