ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University

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.