LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Sheet 465

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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