Salvation and Scripture

For it ought above all to be settled and established among Christians that the Holy Scriptures are a spiritual light far brighter than the sun itself, especially in things that are necessary to salvation - Martin Luther

Theology Vectors

So, one of my gripes with theology is that a lot of people rationalize salvation in deductive terms, as if a doctrine can be derived as the result of an equation. Put any two doctrines together and you can produce a third one. The pull with this theology is that you can always have a systematic solution to every "problem". It's attractive for any thinking or conscientious christian. The downside with this approach, God never promises to answer every conundrum we run into, this side of life. His ways are above our ways. Some things are left to mystery.

At the same time, mystery isn't just a cop out to avoid coming to a solid stance on Scripture's teaching. That would be the other side of the ditch. However, true mystery is attractive for a couple reasons. It draws us in, and the further you dive into the mystery the greater the story becomes. And like any mystery movie or story, the more involved you become, the more you understand what is happening. Mysteries don't deal only on subjective clues, but also deals with solid objective facts. But at the same time, the more involved you become, the more, at times, you become confounded by it. But it doesn't leave you completely stranded either way. Once you're in, you're in, but it doesn't leave you where you are.

Assessing Scripture Throughout One's Life Pt 1.

Every once in a while, I think it’s a good thing to test your own beliefs by asking questions, mining the scriptures, and making sure that what you hold to be truth is scriptural, and fitting for God’s people. Nothing is off limits. If you have the truth on your side then you have nothing to fear. Keeping an open mind isn’t about accepting anything and everything, but it is a humble thing to do, if you are willing to grow in your understanding of scripture, or at least come to a fresh understanding of what you already know, and why you believe it. It can also help your discourse with other people, Christians, sects, and maintain respectful engagement over hot button issues. And perhaps, it will help overcome obstacles or road barriers. Certainly, it was through such wrestling with scripture that I came into contact with who God really is, and how he changes me, and continues to change me.

One important thing that I have learned in the growth of my faith is to be patient with myself, with God and with others. It seems whenever someone holds onto a new set of propositions they enter the cage stage and become impatient with everyone else. I imagine them holding their presuppositions like prison bars, and occasionally ringing the cuffs across them to make noise. It’s just creating a stir to get a negative reaction. It makes me wonder if that’s why Jesus told the demons to stop proclaiming him as the Christ, since the people’s expectations still needed to be reformed. And perhaps, there is something to be learned from that. But I find for the most part, people aren’t going to listen right away, and that includes myself.

But it was a fateful night, when one such staunch Calvinist, burst my little Sunday-School-Bible-Stories-Bubble. Predestination? What? I had never even heard of predestination, let alone considered it. Once saved always saved? You’ve got to be kidding me! I soon realized, I hardly read my Bible. Yet at the same time, it completely baffled me how a Christian can come to so many different conclusions than me. And is this really what God is like? I soon realized I hardly, if ever, opened my Bible. But through this experience, I became so tortured by certain scriptures that I came to a place where I started reading the Bible for my own benefit.

From there, it took me four years to really understand what I managed to get myself into. I went from being an Arminian/Lutheran to an Arminian, to being a Lutheran, then to being an Arminian again, to a Calvinist and back to a Lutheran. On that point, I definitely did a lot of “converting.” Sure, I might have flipped and flopped a lot, I was still growing up. But on the positive side, I learned a lot from being on both sides of the spectrum. And I came across a lot of things that I didn’t expect to find in the Bible. I still find that to be true.

One of the things that I learned by going around in circles: the benefits and weakness of both positions. Arminianism makes a solid confession that God wills the salvation of all, and that he is truly love for all humanity. Calvinism, on the other hand, makes a clear confession that God should receive all the glory for our salvation - there is no room for boasting, even in our own choices. And yet on the downside, all the assurance in election is lost in a limited atonement. And Arminianism has a downside too, and leaves the most ultimate choice that there is resting on our own sinful devices - and there have been a lot of crazy things done in the name of growing the church to appeal to the sinful nature, ironically to make converts.

In each instance, I came to both positions through the magisterial use of reason. That is to say, if you find any one of the five points of Calvinism to be true then the rest of the 5 points will be true. Find any one of them to be false, and the rest of the points will be false, and you’ll be an Arminian. It’s that simple really. Or so I thought. But I came back to Lutheranism because I found out that I didn’t have to do this logic chopping with scripture.

Theology doesn’t need to be as intellectually satisfying as much as it needs to be faithful to all of the scriptures. In this way, reason needs to take a ministerial function in theology and serve under scripture; whereas the magisterial use of reason would have itself imposed above scripture, and that I find to be dangerous. I also find it attractive that the Lutheran Confessions foresaw this significant debate, but of both positions upheld some of these unparallel points in polar tension. It is clear that such a position was not in order to compromise or take “the middle” way (like the Anglicans), but rather to affirm what scripture affirms and take the “paradoxical” way.

Interpreting Scripture.

Interpreting scripture can sometimes be hard. Especially since we still deal with our sinful nature, and it likes to take hold of the words and make it say what it wants to say. Our sinful nature never wants deal with repentance. But living in the Spirit, the Scriptures keep us in check. At times the devil wants to tempt us, did God really say? Did God really mean it? It worked on Eve, and it works on us.

Whenever I use to come across a hard passage in scripture, I didn't want to believe it. I'd pray about it, then try to think of every possible way to make the Bible say the opposite. Sometimes I'd feel really good when I thought I made an insightful discovery. Aren't I so clever? I thought that feeling must be the Holy Spirit. In fact, I must be right, because it feels so assuring!

However, my method turns scripture into play dough. I build with it what I want to build. Feelings are great when I truly see the scriptures for what they are, and I come to conclusions legitimately. But feelings themselves don't make an interpretation legitimate. If I have philosophical explanations and rational deductions as the content of the message then I am dodging the words. I have put myself as a master over scripture. Does the Bible really need my help? Am I smarter than the Bible?

"That's impossible," is never a viable excuse to ignore scripture. Do I use my reason or God's reason? Who am I to say what is impossible with God, especially when the issue is with God's word? The matter is one of exegesis or eisegesis. Am I drawing out God's truth from the text, or am I reading my own ideas into it? Sometimes "damage control" ends up causing more damage. If I violate the perspicuity of scripture, I am only muddying something that is intended to be clear. Just some things to remind myself when answering the question, Did God really say?

If at times it doesn't appear to be clear, what do I do?

Well, what does the Church teach? Ideally, the Church has all the right teaching. But in reality, churches can and do err. But at the same time, scripture and the church go together. The Church is way older than me, and has way more people than just me. The Bible is a community book. That is the best start. Two heads are better than one. I don't have to reinvent the wheel all by myself.

Luther on How to Study Theology - Prayer, Study of God's Word, and Trials

I would have been quite content to see my books, one and all, remain in obscurity and go by the board. Among other reasons, I shudder to think of the example I am giving, for I am well aware how little the church has been profited since they have begun to collect many books and large libraries, in addition to and besides the Holy Scriptures, and especially since they have stored up, without discrimination, all sorts of writings by the church fathers, the councils, and teachers. Through this practice not only is precious time lost, which could be used for studying the Scriptures, but in the end the pure knowledge of the divine Word is also lost, so that the Bible lies forgotten in the dust under the bench (as happened to the book of Deuteronomy, in the time of the kings of Judah)


Although it has been profitable and necessary that the writings of some church fathers and councils have remained, as witnesses and histories, nevertheless I think, “Est modus in rebus,” [There is reason for the way things happen. Horace] and we need not regret that the books of many fathers and councils have, by God’s grace, disappeared. If they had all remained in existence, no room would be left for anything but books; and yet all of them together would not have improved on what one finds in the Holy Scriptures.


It was also our intention and hope, when we ourselves began to translate the Bible into German, that there should be less writing, and instead more studying and reading of the Scriptures. For all other writing is to lead the way into and point toward the Scriptures, as John the Baptist did toward Christ, saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease” [John 3:30], in order that each person may drink of the fresh spring himself, as all those fathers who wanted to accomplish something good had to do.


Neither councils, fathers, nor we, in spite of the greatest and best success possible, will do as well as the Holy Scriptures, that is, as well as God himself has done. (We must, of course, also have the Holy Spirit, faith, godly speech, and works, if we are to be saved.) Therefore it behooves us to let the prophets and apostles stand at the professor’s lectern, while we, down below at their feet, listen to what they say. It is not they who must hear what we say.


I cannot, however, prevent them from wanting to collect and publish my works through the press (small honor to me), although it is not my will. I have no choice but to let them risk the labor and the expense of this project. My consolation is that, in time, my books will lie forgotten in the dust anyhow, especially if I (by God’s grace) have written anything good. Non ere melior Patribus meis. [I am no better than my fathers. I Kings 19:4] He who comes second should indeed be the first one forgotten. Inasmuch as they have been capable of leaving the Bible itself lying under the bench, and have also forgotten the fathers and the councils—the better ones all the faster—accordingly there is a good hope, once the overzealousness of this time has abeted, that my books also will not last long. There is especially good hope of this, since it has begun to rain and snow books and teachers, many of which already lie there forgotten and moldering. Even their names are not remembered any more, despite their confident hope that they would eternally be on sale in the market and rule churches.


Very well, so let the undertaking proceed in the name of God, except that I make the friendly request of anyone who wishes to have my books at this time, not to let them on any account hinder him from studying the Scriptures themselves. Let him put them to use as I put the excrees and excretals of the pope to use, and the books of the sophists. That is, if I occasionally wish to see what they have done, or if I wish to ponder the historical facts of the time, I use them. But I do not study in them or act in perfect accord with what they deemed good. I do not treat the books of the fathers and the councils much differently.


Herein I follow the example of St. Augustine, who was, among other things, the first and almost the only one who determined to be subject to the Holy Scriptures alone, and independent of the books of all the fathers and saints. On account of that he got into a fierce fight with St. Jerome, who reproached him by pointing to the books of his forefathers; but he did not turn to them. And if the example of St. Augustine had been followed, the pope would not have become Antichrist, and that countless mass of books, which is like a crawling swarm of vermin, would not have found its way into the church, and the Bible would have remained on the pulpit.


Moreover, I want to point out to you a correct way of studying theology, for I have had practice in that. If you keep to it, you will become so learned that you yourself could (if it were necessary) write books just as good as those of the fathers and councils, even as I (in God) dare to presume and boast, without arrogance and lying, that in the matter of writing books I do not stand much behind some of the fathers. Of my life I can by no means make the same boast. This is the way taught by holy King David (and doubtlessly used also by all the patriarchs and prophets) in the one hundred nineteenth Psalm. There you will find three rules, amply presented throughout the whole Psalm. They are Oratio, Meditatio, Tentatio.


Firstly, you should know that the Holy Scriptures constitute a book which turns the wisdom of all other books into foolishness, because not one teaches about eternal life except this one alone. Therefore you should straightway despair of your reason and understanding. With them you will not attain eternal life, but, on the contrary, your presumptuousness will plunge you and others with you out of heaven (as happened to Lucifer) into the abyss of hell. But kneel down in your little room [Matt. 6:6] and pray to God with real humility and earnestness, that he through his dear Son may give you his Holy Spirit, who will enlighten you, lead you, and give you understanding.


Thus you see how David keeps praying in the above-mentioned Psalm, “Teach me, Lord, instruct me, lead me, show me,” and many more words like these. Although he well knew and daily heard and read the text of Moses and other books besides, still he wants to lay hold of the real teacher of the Scriptures himself, so that he may not seize upon them pell-mell with his reason and become his own teacher. For such practice gives rise to factious spirits who allow themselves to nurture the delusion that the Scriptures are subject to them and can be easily grasped with their reason, as if they were Markolf or Aesop’s Fables, for which no Holy Spirit and no prayers are needed.


Secondly, you should meditate, that is, not only in your heart, but also externally, by actually repeating and comparing oral speech and literal words of the book, reading and rereading them with diligent attention and reflection, so that you may see what the Holy Spirit means by them. And take care that you do not grow weary or think that you have done enough when you have read, heard, and spoken them once or twice, and that you then have complete understanding. You will never be a particularly good theologian if you do that, for you will be like untimely fruit which falls to the ground before it is haft ripe.


Thus you see in this same Psalm how David constantly boasts that he will talk, meditate, speak, sing, hear, read, by day and night and always, about nothing except God’s Word and commandments. For God will not give you his Spirit without the external Word; so take your cue from that. His command to write, preach, read, hear, sing, speak, etc., outwardly was not given in vain.


Thirdly, there is tentatio, Anfechtung. This is the touchstone which teaches you not only to know and understand, but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, how comforting God’s Word is, wisdom beyond all wisdom.


Thus you see how David, in the Psalm mentioned, complains so often about all kinds of enemies, arrogant princes or tyrants, false spirits and factions, whom he must tolerate because he meditates, that is, because he is occupied with God’s Word (as has been said) in all manner of ways. For as soon as God’s Word takes root and grows in you, the devil will harry you, and will make a real doctor of you, and by his assaults13 will teach you to seek and love God’s Word. I myself (if you will permit me, mere mouse-dirt, to be mingled with pepper) am deeply indebted to my papists that through the devil’s raging they have beaten, oppressed, and distressed me so much. That is to say, they have made a fairly good theologian of me, which I would not have become otherwise. And I heartily grant them what they have won in return for making this of me, honor, victory, and triumph, for that’s the way they wanted it.


There now, with that you have David’s rules. If you study hard in accord with his example, then you will also sing and boast with him in the Psalm, “The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” [Ps. 119:72]. Also, “Thy commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep thy precepts,” etc. [Ps. 119:98–100]. And it will be your experience that the books of the fathers will taste stale and putrid to you in comparison. You will not only despise the books written by adversaries, but the longer you write and teach the less you will be pleased with yourself. When you have reached this point, then do not be afraid to hope that you have begun to become a real theologian, who can teach not only the young and imperfect Christians, but also the maturing and perfect ones. For indeed, Christs church has all kinds of Christians in it who are young, old, weak, sick, healthy, strong, energetic, lazy, simple, wise, etc.


If, however, you feel and are inclined to think you have made it, flattering yourself with your own little books, teaching, or writing, because you have done it beautifully and preached excellently; if you are highly pleased when someone praises you in the presence of others; if you perhaps look for praise, and would sulk or quit what you are doing if you did not get it—if you are of that stripe, dear friend, then take yourself by the ears, and if you do this in the right way you will find a beautiful pair of big, long, shaggy donkey ears. Then do not spare any expense! Decorate them with golden bells, so that people will be able to hear you wherever you go, point their fingers at you, and say, “See, See! There goes that clever beast, who can write such exquisite books and preach so remarkably well.” That very moment you will be blessed and blessed beyond measure in the kingdom of heaven. Yes, in that heaven where hellfire is ready for the devil and his angels. To sum up: Let us be proud and seek honor in the places where we can. But in this book the honor is God’s alone, as it is said, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” [I Pet. 5:5]; to whom be glory, world without end, Amen.

LW 34.279ff. HT: Matt Harrison