ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
Thomas M. Winser: AUGSBURC CONFESSION IV Rr V 39 The connecting phrase "to obtain such faith", taken from thc Schwabach Articles, carries with it all the fi-eight we have discovered concerning the content of "such faith". "Faith" is the unifying thcmc through AC TV-VT. As the Roman objections have de~nonstrated, the issue was not whether a man need "only believe" over against "bclieve and do world. Rather the entire dehitiori oSl'aith was dil'krent. For Kome, faith was a quality in man (although poured in by God), which was viewed as meritorious when formed by love and works.36 For the Reformers, "faith" was a gift of the Holy Spirit, and was interchangeable with its object: Christ and his work. The real dichotomy was between justification depending on "something in man" and all of justification "outside of man". AC V describes the means by whicl~ faith comes from the outsidc. In the early draft Na, "justification" phrases were removed from the discussion of thc Means of Grace. The new order in the final form OS the AC allowed them to be inserted again. Thus AC IV-V1 is tied togcthcr by thc repetition of justification "by grace, fix Christ's sake, through faith". THE MEANS OF GRACE Clearly, AC V e~nphasizes the Means of Grace as the way to obtain justification by faith, in opposition to the Anabaptists "and others". Rut why are the Means of Grace the necessary way? This question can be answercd by turning to Luthcr's grcat work against the Srhwiki-mu-: Aguirlsl /he Heuvenly Prophets, in the Mattel. of Irrlnges and Sne-arnent (1 Accordiug to Luther, Karlstadt and his followers claim that God speaks directly to them, informing their tloctrine.38 This is in line with Karlstadt's constant emphasis on internals. His iusole~lce leads llim to set up a contrary order and, as we have said, seeks to whorriinate God's outward order to an inner spiritual one. Casting this order to the wind with ridiculc and scorn, hc wants to get to the Spirit first. . . . But should you ask how one gains acccss to this same lofty spirit they do not refer you to the outward gospel but to some imaginary realm, saying: Remain in "sell-abstraction" [dcr lung weyle] where I now am and you will S6 Heck (39) cxpla~ns how tlccp the difference was as he describes Eck's objection: "If Chistians would accept that hth alone 1s sufficient and no ~vork? arc ncccssary, they would not do good worlts and consequently would not acquire mel-its. Wilhout Inerrts, howevel., they would not ohtain calvation. Tf Christians would presume that pdith aluue juslifies and for th~s leason would disregard love and works, theu tmth would remain ineflcctivc and lhey wuuld not be justiSied; Sol-ouly the hit11 whichdoes good works on account of love is ahle to juztity, lwm Eck's perspective, 'fdilll alone' and ik sequels theaiened the co~e of 'Catholic' sute~iolugy." 37 WI&T die i7in7miisclici1 Proplieten, v011 deii Bildem ~ind Sncr'ornenf. W.4 18:62-214=AE 40:73-223. 40:lU: WA 18:138'=~~ 40:l48. 38 WA 18:lN2'=;l~
LUTHERAN TIIEOLOGICAL REVIEW have the same experience. A heavenly voice will come, and God himself will speak to you. 39 In this way Karlstadt actually rernovcs any way for thc Spirit to come to men: With all his mouthing of the words, "Spirit, Spirit, Spirit", he tears down the bridge, the path ancl the way [steg und wcg], the ladder, and all the means by which thc Spirit might come to you, namcly the outward order of God in the material sign of Baptism and the oral [mundliche~i] Word of God. He wants to teach you: not how the Spirit comes to you but how you come to the Spirit. 40 Luther responds with the proper order of the Spirit's work, by distinguislling that which is outsidc from that inside. Now as God sends forth his IIoly Gospel he deals with us in a twofold manner, Grst oulwardly, then inwardly. Outwardly he deals with us through thc oral [mindliehe] Word of the Gospel and tluough material [leypliche] signs, that is, Baptism and the Sacrament. Inwardly he deals with us through the Holy Spirit and Saith, together with other gifts. But whatcvcr thcir mcasurc or order the outward factors should and must precede. And the inward comes aftcr and through the outward, since he [God] has determined to give the inward to no one except through the outward. For he wants to give no one the Spirit or Sailh outside or the outward Word and sign, which hc has instituted for this . . . . 41 The Means of Grace are stressed because they are external; they direct man to God for the savlng laith which God gives. Luthcr dcscribcs justification thc samc way. Karlstadt directs one to the cross through inwa~d med~tation. Luther responds: Christ on [he cross with all his suffering and death do not help, even if, as you teach, they are "acknowlcdgcd and mcditated upon" w~th the utmost "passion, ardour, heartfeltness". Something else must always be there. What is it'? The Word, the Word. the Word. 42 Karlstadt not only makcs cvcrything inward, but also confi~ses Christ's earning of justification with its application to the individual. We treat of the forgiveness OS sins in two ways. First, how it is achieved and won. Second, how it is distributed and givcn to us.
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Thomas M. Winser: AUGSBURC CONFESSION IV Rr V 39<br />
The connecting phrase "to obtain such faith", taken from thc Schwabach Articles,<br />
carries with it all the fi-eight we have discovered concerning the content of "such faith".<br />
"Faith" is the unifying thcmc through AC TV-VT. As the Roman objections have<br />
de~nonstrated, the issue was not whether a man need "only believe" over against<br />
"bclieve and do world. Rather the entire dehitiori oSl'aith was dil'krent. For Kome,<br />
faith was a quality in man (although poured in by God), which was viewed as<br />
meritorious when formed by love and works.36 For the Reformers, "faith" was a gift<br />
of the Holy Spirit, and was interchangeable with its object: Christ and his work. The<br />
real dichotomy was between justification depending on "something in man" and all<br />
of justification "outside of man". AC V describes the means by whicl~ faith comes<br />
from the outsidc.<br />
In the early draft Na, "justification" phrases were removed from the discussion of<br />
thc Means of Grace. The new order in the final form OS the AC allowed them to be<br />
inserted again. Thus AC IV-V1 is tied togcthcr by thc repetition of justification "by<br />
grace, fix Christ's sake, through faith".<br />
THE MEANS OF GRACE<br />
Clearly, AC V e~nphasizes the Means of Grace as the way to obtain justification<br />
by faith, in opposition to the Anabaptists "and others". Rut why are the Means of Grace<br />
the necessary way? This question can be answercd by turning to Luthcr's grcat work<br />
against the Srhwiki-mu-: Aguirlsl /he Heuvenly Prophets, in the Mattel. of Irrlnges and<br />
Sne-arnent (1<br />
Accordiug to Luther, Karlstadt and his followers claim that God speaks directly<br />
to them, informing their tloctrine.38 This is in line with Karlstadt's constant emphasis<br />
on internals.<br />
His iusole~lce leads llim to set up a contrary order and, as we have<br />
said, seeks to whorriinate God's outward order to an inner spiritual<br />
one. Casting this order to the wind with ridiculc and scorn, hc<br />
wants to get to the Spirit first. . . . But should you ask how one<br />
gains acccss to this same lofty spirit they do not refer you to the<br />
outward gospel but to some imaginary realm, saying: Remain in<br />
"sell-abstraction" [dcr lung weyle] where I now am and you will<br />
S6 Heck (39) cxpla~ns how tlccp the difference was as he describes Eck's objection: "If Chistians would accept<br />
that hth alone 1s sufficient and no ~vork? arc ncccssary, they would not do good worlts and consequently would<br />
not acquire mel-its. Wilhout Inerrts, howevel., they would not ohtain calvation. Tf Christians would presume that<br />
pdith aluue juslifies and for th~s leason would disregard love and works, theu tmth would remain ineflcctivc and<br />
lhey wuuld not be justiSied; Sol-ouly the hit11 whichdoes good works on account of love is ahle to juztity, lwm<br />
Eck's perspective, 'fdilll alone' and ik sequels theaiened the co~e of 'Catholic' sute~iolugy."<br />
37 WI&T die i7in7miisclici1 Proplieten, v011 deii Bildem ~ind Sncr'ornenf. W.4 18:62-214=AE 40:73-223.<br />
40:lU: WA 18:138'=~~ 40:l48.<br />
38 WA 18:lN2'=;l~
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