ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
John R. Wllch: ARRAM IN EGYPT: SINNER OR SAINT? 19 Luther also paid tributc to Sarai's faith as extraordinary, not only for obeying her husband, but also "she was not disturbed by hcr own danger. ... in pure faith both of them commended themselves to the mercy of God." He praised Abram as a most considerate husband, for he "spcaks amicably to Sarah ... he entreats her; ... he adds those words about her beauty. ... nothing tyrannical, nothing dictatorial; everything is affectionate and lovely? the way it ought to be ...lt (see Ecclus. 4:30). Luther adds: "... these are outstanding examples. ... sincc the Holy Spirit wanted this to be committed to writing, the student or the Holy Scriptures will regard nothin as so insignificant that it is not helpful, at lcast as a guide for our lire and conduct." 86 Since Abram's choice did put his wife into potential danger, it is similar to the decision that any Christian may be called upon to make in a conflict situation: "Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy o C Me" (Matt. 10:37). Abram exhibited his faith, according to Elert, "daring against rcason, against appearances, renouncing the finite ..." For "all works of daring are good works if they are done in faith. "27 The Christian must not refuse to do the lesser evil in a conflict situation with the excuse that he must stand on his self-righteousness, like the moralist or non-Chsistian. The moralist presumes the fallacies that moral choice involves a simplc, rational issue betwccn absolute right and wrong; that the central issue is the preservation of one's own moral purity; and lhat virtue is always rewarded and truth always triumphant. For the non-Christian, wliethel. Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim, one's sclf-perfection is the religious ideal and purpose of sanctification. In either case, this is essentially deism, for both the inoralist and the non-Christian arc dcaling with an abstract concept that has no reference to God. 28 To criticize Abram for sinning by lying, yet to praise him [or his fear of God, as, for example, Calvin did, is rejected by Rousas Rushdoony. For that violates the unity 29 of life. The action must be considered as one indivisible deed: either he sinned or he did not. On the basis 01 Jolm 14:6 ("I am the Way, the Truth and thc Life"), John Murray stated that the true is thc absolute in contrast to the relative, for it refers to the sanctit of the being of God as the true God; thus, all truth derives its sanctity from God. 36 Similarly, Bonhoeffer defines Lhe lie as "primarily the denial of God as Hc has evidenced Himself to the world." For "the lie is a contradiction of the word of God, which God has spoken in Christ, and upon which crcation is founded. Consequently, thc lie is the ... deliberate destruction of the reality which is created by God ... The assigned purpose of our words, in unity with the word of God, is to express the real, 26 AE 2:295-296. 27 Elea 257-259. 28 Rushdoony 542-543,549. 29 Rushdoony 542.547. 30 Pri~zciples of Condi~ct (Grand Rapds: Eerdmans. 1957)123, 125.
20 LUTHhKAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW as it exists in God ..."31 In this sense, then, Abram did not lie. 11 was rather thc Egyptians who were hving a lie by their denial of the true God as the Creator and Saviour (cf. Gen. 20:l l), while Abram's priority was to be true to the real as God had revealed it to him. Thcrefore, Abram actually told the truh 3. TO DECEIVE EVIL PERSONS Luther bcgan his defense of Abram by identifying his action as an "obliging lie" (or, as Helmut Thielicke would describe it, a "lcgitimatc illegality"),32 which he defined as being donc "for thc sake of someone's good ... It not only sesves the advantagc of someone else, who would olherwise suffel. harm or violcncc, but also prevents a sin. ... it is rather a virtue ..., by which both the fury of Satan is hindered and the honor: life. and advantages of others are sesved." By contrast? it "is a lie whcn ,,33 our neighbor is deceived by us to his ruin and our own advantagc. Acknowledging that Abrarn suffered a struggle with his faith and a conflict of conscience, Luther may havc bccn thinking of his own experience when he pointed out that Abram, whcreves he went. was a foreigner with "a new religion." Suffering under the "scandal of par~icularity,"74 could he bc certain that he is "the only one who is holy ... the only object of Cod's concern?" 35 Otherwise, Lulher is only concerncd about the possibility of criticizing Abram "for having evil suspicions about the Egyptians ..." For every "suspicious person is a slanderer in his heart ... Slander is a great sin" (see 1 Tim. 6:4; Matt. 7:l). "Every suspicious person sets himsclf up as a judge over others and condemns them."36 But on the othcr hand, Luther demonstrated that, because Scripture also plainly teaches that "all men are by nature evil and thereforc arc all liars" (PS. 116:l l), Scripture "demands that we not put our trust in a human being, for it can happen that he will fail us." Against human reason, which "thinks that the good ... dcscrvc not only love but trust," Scripture declares that "we should lovc all human beings equally ..." (Matt. 5:45), and should consider "not simply the conduct OS mother person but the Word and the fear of Cod. Where we find these, the people arc no do~lbt pious ...u~' Thus, Abram did not hate the Egyptians, but neither could he trust them, because not only "nature per sc is evil ... [but] also Egypt is devoid oS the Word and thc truc religion." Thus, "love ... (l Cor. 13:4,7) is not suspicious, but is hopeful even about evil things. ... those who are evil can improvc. ,,35 In short, because the Egyptians lacked the Word and true rcligion of God, Abram could expect them to be lustful, unjust and tyrannical, that is, to kill him in order to Bunl~uelTer 369-370. l%eological Ethics, Vol. l: F~uizd~t~~~t.~, tl.. .l. W. L)o/)esste~~l (Grand Eerdmans, 1979) 583. AE 2292. See Horacc D. Hummcl, /ha Wo~dGeco~niiig Flesh (SL. Louis: Concordia, 1979) 67. AE 2:29R. AB 2296.297. AE 2:298-299. AE 2:299-300.
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John R. Wllch: ARRAM IN EGYPT: SINNER OR SAINT? 19<br />
Luther also paid tributc to Sarai's faith as extraordinary, not only for obeying her<br />
husband, but also "she was not disturbed by hcr own danger. ... in pure faith both of<br />
them commended themselves to the mercy of God." He praised Abram as a most<br />
considerate husband, for he "spcaks amicably to Sarah ... he entreats her; ... he adds<br />
those words about her beauty. ... nothing tyrannical, nothing dictatorial; everything is<br />
affectionate and lovely? the way it ought to be ...lt (see Ecclus. 4:30). Luther adds: "...<br />
these are outstanding examples. ... sincc the Holy Spirit wanted this to be committed<br />
to writing, the student or the Holy Scriptures will regard nothin as so insignificant<br />
that it is not helpful, at lcast as a guide for our lire and conduct." 86<br />
Since Abram's choice did put his wife into potential danger, it is similar to the<br />
decision that any Christian may be called upon to make in a conflict situation:<br />
"Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy o C Me" (Matt. 10:37).<br />
Abram exhibited his faith, according to Elert, "daring against rcason, against appearances,<br />
renouncing the finite ..." For "all works of daring are good works if they are<br />
done in faith. "27<br />
The Christian must not refuse to do the lesser evil in a conflict situation with the<br />
excuse that he must stand on his self-righteousness, like the moralist or non-Chsistian.<br />
The moralist presumes the fallacies that moral choice involves a simplc, rational issue<br />
betwccn absolute right and wrong; that the central issue is the preservation of one's<br />
own moral purity; and lhat virtue is always rewarded and truth always triumphant. For<br />
the non-Christian, wliethel. Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim, one's sclf-perfection is the<br />
religious ideal and purpose of sanctification. In either case, this is essentially deism,<br />
for both the inoralist and the non-Christian arc dcaling with an abstract concept that<br />
has no reference to God. 28<br />
To criticize Abram for sinning by lying, yet to praise him [or his fear of God, as,<br />
for example, Calvin did, is rejected by Rousas Rushdoony. For that violates the unity<br />
29<br />
of life. The action must be considered as one indivisible deed: either he sinned or<br />
he did not.<br />
On the basis 01 Jolm 14:6 ("I am the Way, the Truth and thc Life"), John Murray<br />
stated that the true is thc absolute in contrast to the relative, for it refers to the sanctit<br />
of the being of God as the true God; thus, all truth derives its sanctity from God. 36<br />
Similarly, Bonhoeffer defines Lhe lie as "primarily the denial of God as Hc has<br />
evidenced Himself to the world." For "the lie is a contradiction of the word of God,<br />
which God has spoken in Christ, and upon which crcation is founded. Consequently,<br />
thc lie is the ... deliberate destruction of the reality which is created by God ... The<br />
assigned purpose of our words, in unity with the word of God, is to express the real,<br />
26 AE 2:295-296.<br />
27 Elea 257-259.<br />
28 Rushdoony 542-543,549.<br />
29 Rushdoony 542.547.<br />
30 Pri~zciples of Condi~ct (Grand Rapds: Eerdmans. 1957)123, 125.
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