LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 464

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464

REPORT ON DISSE

Jesis knew that death cou'd not annihilate Him but that He woulda
arise and through His rising destroy the power of death (John 11-25 #1.
146, Mark 9:30-32; see Acts 2:22-28: Rom. 1:4. Eph. 1:20). St. Paut
cherishes this same confidence (Phil. 1:23: 2 Cor. 5:8). Other Passages
Cescribe the departed faithful as being with God. (Matt. 22:29-32. Rev
69-14)

The New Testament speaks of the derarted faith‘u: as existing in
Sc 2-8 2°G Diessec state which at the very ieast can be descrined
© pers stance of the ndividual’s identity before God Tre fa:tnfu:

are cesc”.bec as being in the presence of God and of eyodying peace
and rest witn Him. They are also described as s'eeping (1 Thess 4:13}
or of berg in the tombs (John 5:28 f.. Matt 2751-53) The insoired
writers soeak of death variousiy as the separation of body ard sou!
(Gen 35 19} or ag the departure of the spirit (Acts 759: Luke 23 46)
or as the passing of the “|.” the total person (Phil. 1 23). to be with
Crist Tre New Testament also teaches the physical resurrection of
the body 1" several passages ; John 5.281: Rom 811.1 Cor.15 51-54)
Finaity tne New Testament atirms that the physicai bodies of the de-
Partec fa:tnfu: will be glorified. (1 Cor. 15 §1-54: Phil. 3.20-21) ¢ & Stare-
ment cr Death. Resurrection and Immortality pp. 1-2)

in this same documer: the Commission on Theology and Church

Reiations has a'so said

The Lutneren Confessions. the normative statement of Biblical doc-
trne for Lutherans. speaks. ‘ixe Scriptures. of man as having a body
ang a sou: /Formuia of Conserd, Epitome IX. 1° Large Catechism
Baptism 45, Sma'caid Articies Part lll, Af. i 11). But the references
citea here clearly teach that man’s body anc soul are imegraity united
both are covrupted by sin anc subject to death (FC. Eo 1 4.8)
12.464. S 4. Partill. Art i *1). Togetne: they constitute mans esserce
or nature (FC. SO. i. 2} According to the Athanasian Creed the
rational so. and the fiesh are cne man as God anc man are one
onrist (35)

The Confessions agree with Scripture anc the a! but unanimous
traditor. cf the Church in ass-gring significant theologica’ mearings
tc death Tre Confessions rule out the corte porary view trat ceath is
@ pleasant ard pa-niess transitior into a perfect worid. For them death
S destruction the destructic” of the s.nfu! ‘esh go tnat believers may
ase comp.etely renewed 'Ano/ogy XIl 153 FC.. Epit : 12) Deatnis
also the divine eterna: judgment on bedy and sou'~2 horr-o'e and
frighterirg sroscect to comtema'ate—exces! ‘or those wre vive in
Jes.sCr-st

The Cerfess.ons afirm tne persistence c! perscnal ICertty pevond
death. ©cr example. the Sra‘cad Artic-es refer to the sa in teir
graves and .n “eaven” iPart li Art |! 28. il Ill 26 see aisoFkF OS. SO
i 37: Apotogy XX1, 9;

oO

immutable wil’ and speaks in the first place of its use ‘to bring men to
a knowledge cf their sins.” it echoes the language of the Formula of Con-
cord which says “We unanimously believe. teach, and confess .. ‘that.
Strictly speaking. the 'aw is a divine doctrine whicn revea's the righteousness
and immutable will cf God’ and which then Quotes Luther's words, The
Proper function of which [the law! i3 to condemn sin and to tead te a knowi-
edge of sin. (FC SDV. 17)

Wnen “4 Statement” then goes on to affirm in the second place the
instructiona. funciion of the jaw. this is by no means to be understood as in
some way Olayirg down the accusing function of the !aw which is attirmed in
tne first piace. it “A Statement’ had inverted the order in which it designates
the uses of the ‘aw. then it might justly be said that its formulation leaves
tne impressicr that the instructional function is Primary and the accusing
functon or'y inc:oental. As it is the language of “A Statement property
understood cannot justly be construed as in any way contrary to the con-
fessional empnas:s tnat the iaw always accuses |Ap iV, 38, 128. 167, 204
250. 270. 285. 295 319) and trat “tc reprove '$ the rea: function of the
faw. (FC SD Vi. +4;

2, The Law and The New Man In Christ

‘t iS aileced a'so that the sentence ‘9 question implies that the ‘new

man in Christ ss without mora! direction unti! the iaw is prociaimed ts him

A Statement’ says the law provides Christians with instruction about

gOCG works: it does not say that the law provides the ‘new man” with in-

Struction about good works. This entire matter is clearly exolaneo in the
folowing quotation from the Formula of Concord

It ig also necessary to set forth distinctly what tne Gosce! does

creates. and works in connection wth the rew obedience of beviavers

and wnat function the law performs in this matter, as far as the good

works of betievers are cor.cerned. The law indeed tel!s us that it is

God's will and command that we shouid waik in the new lite. but it

does not give the power and ability to begin it or to doit. Itis the Holy

Spirit. who is not given and received through the jaw but through the

ereaching of the Gospel! (Gai. 3:2 14) who renews the heart. Then he

empioys the law to instruct the regenerate out of it and to show and

indicate to them in the Ten Commandments what the accentabie wii!

of God is (Rom. 12.2) and in what good works. which God has prepared

beforerard they should walk ‘Eph. 2°10}. He aiso admonishes trem

to do these and when because of the flesh they are lazy negligent.

and recaic:trant. the Holy So:rit repreves them through the iaw !n this

way the noly Spirit simultanecusly derforms both offces ne niiis

and Drings to ‘ife. he brings down into Snec! and raises uc” is office

IS Not aione to comfort but also to rebuke. as 'tis written Wren the

Holy Spirt shal: come. he will convince tne wor'd (to which the Cid

Adam bdeiongs) of sin and of righteousness and of judgment” Sin is

everything that is contrary to the law of God and St. Pau: says. “Ali

Scripture is imsaired by God and protitabie for teacning. for reprcat'

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vT

The Lutheran Confessions permit the use of the expression which is
so deepiy embedded in Christian piety: ‘The soul of the departed has
gone to heaven to be with its Maker.” But they require that this phrase
be used in a context which includes a true. Scripture-based under-
standing of the meaning of death of the resurrection of Jesus Christ
and of the nature of man’s eternal existence

Concerning the resurrection of the flesh. the Confessions are crystal-
ciear Tne Formula of Concord speaks of our flesh rising (FC. S.0
1 46) The Large Catecnis™ aHirms that ou: flesh wil! be out to death
witli be borad anc wil core forth gicrovs'y and ase. (Creed.
57) (Dd, p 2)

This same document includes among its ‘summary observations
the statement that tne Scriptures and the Lutneran Confessions compel us
to reject the teaching that tne sou! sleeps between death and the resur-
rection in Such a way that itis not consc'ous of bliss’ (/bid, p 3)

B. CRITICISM OF PART II
There are two principa! criticisms of Part | of A Statement

1. Use of the Law

Part |i conta:ns the foliowing sentence The Law. as the expression
of God's immutable will, is to be used by the church to bring men to a knowl-
edge of their sins as well as to provide Christ:ans with instruction about
good werks.

tt 1s alleged that to speak tn this way of the instructional function of the
‘aw is to imply that the jaw is merely a set of regulations Providing Christians
with pious directives which they are able to observe and to lose sight of the
iaw s function to reprove sin and accuse the sinner. It is alleged that the
sentence in question separates a purely instructional function of the law from
tS accusing function

A Statement does not separate the accusing and instructional func-

tions of the law: it distinguishes these functions just as the Formula of
Concord does when it says: The true function of the law remains. to rebuke
Sin and to give instruction about good works’ (FC SD V. 18). “A Statement”
and the Corfessions teach that the law always accuses, but they do not teach
the iaw only accuses. It is confessional doctrine that the law accuses ‘as
we'' as’ provides instruction about good works

The ‘o.lowing statement of the Formuia of Concord teaches that while
the law accuses :t 'nstructs. wane it instructs it accuses’ But the Law of
Sod prescribes tc believers good works in this way. that it shows and indi-
Cates at tne same tyme. as +n a Mirror. thatin this tife they are stil imperfect
and impure 'r ss. / ‘Aber Gesetz Gottes schre:bt den Giaubigen die
guten Werke aise vor. dass es zugierch (Latin’ simu!’ } we in einem Spiegel!
219 UND west. Cass sie in UNS In diesem Leben Och UNVOlikommen und
unrein seen (i (FC SO Vi, 21. Concordia Trg cotta 9.969 emphasis ours)

When A Statement’ refess to the law 25 the expression af Gods

But to reprove is the ree! function of the law. As often, therefore. as
Christians trip. they are rebuked through the Spirit of God out of the
law. But the same Spirit raises them up again and comforts them with
the preaching of the holy Gospel. (FC SD VI, 10-14: emphasis ours)

C. CRITICISM OF PART iil

The Primary Mission of the Church

The princ:pal objection to Part Ill of "A Statement.” expressed in a great
rumber of communications, is that it speaks of the church's ministry to
men's physical needs as serving the primary mission of making disciples
trrough the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacra-
ments. The objection is that if the cnurch performs works of charity for the
Durpose of promoting some cther objective. this corrupts love at its very
heart.

Deeds of love have their own integrity and certainly ought to be done
‘or their own sake Nevertheless. it is in accord with the Scriptures to remind
Christians that by their good works they prove the sincerity of their love
.2 Cor, 8:8). give a winning witness to the transforming power of their faith
it Peter 3:1-2). and lead men to glority God in the day of visitation (1 Peter
212). The Lutheran Confessions remind ug that it is by our service to the
neighdor in our regular caliings 1n life that Christ shows His rule before the
word. celebrates His victory cve: the devil. and’ in order to keep the Gospel
a™ong men. he y sibly pits the witness fof the good works] of the saints
against the rule of the devil.” (Ap IV. 189-192)

When the church meets the challenges that God offers for ministry
to men’s physical needs. such Gospel-motivated service glorifies God
2 Cor. 9:13) and is one way for the church to become “slave of all” for the
sake of the Gospel that it may share in the Gospel's blessings and by all
means win the more and save some (1 Cor. 9:19-23). The apostie Paul
admonishes the Philippians (Phil. 2'12-16) to exercise their new life in Christ
so that their whole conduct as children of God will be an observable testi-
™ony to the wor'd adout the renewing power of the Gospe! which they con-
fess and so that by a manner of life worthy of the Gospel (Pnil. 1 27) they will
70.0 forth the word of life and shine as lights in the world

Since a redeemed life lived to the glory of God and in loving service
to the neighbor 1s a powertu! testimony to the transforming grace at work
among those who acclaim Christ as Savior and Lord. “A Statement’ might
we'll include in Part Il anotney antithesis which rejects any view of the
church's mission. that fais to recognize the witness vaiue of deeds of love
wricn flow from faith,

0. CRITICISM OF PART IV

The crit cism of Part lV of A Statement” 1s that large sections of its
teacning about tne Scriptures ara neither Scriptural nor confessional: they
are merely traditional. Particularly it is asserted tnat there 1s no Scriptural

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