The founder of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Dr. C. F. W. Walther, gave a series of lectures starting in 1884 on the distinctions between Law and Gospel. These are published as a set of thesis in a book entitled, “The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel“. The book provides a set of six rules/guidelines for determining whether a particular passage is Law or Gospel.
Walther presents his distinction as an absolute one and states that an interpreter of the Bible must always start any exegesis with making this distinction. Walther is not alone in this, many other Reformed exegetes follow the same distinction. Walther freely credits Luther as the source of his understanding of Law and Gospel. Lutheran Seminaries today still use his book as a textbook in hermeneutical methods courses.
This distinction remains a guiding principle in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod today:
We believe that the two chief doctrines of Holy Scripture, Law and Gospel, must be constantly and diligently proclaimed in the church of God until the end of the world, but with due distinction.
The Law, as the expression of God’s immutable will, is to be used by the church to bring men to a knowledge of their sins as well as to provide Christians with instruction about good works.
The Gospel receives the primary emphasis in the ministry of the New Testament, for it is the message that ‘God forgives them all their sins through Christ, accepts them for His sake as God’s children, and out of pure grace, without any merit of their own, justifies and saves them.
Six Guidelines to Distinguish Law From Gospel
Walther provides six guidelines to rightly divide any passage of Scripture. These guidelines are:
The Law and the Gospel differ in:
1 – These two doctrines differ as regard the manner of their being revealed to man;
2 – As regards their contents;
3 – As regards the promises held out by either doctrine;
4 – As regards their threatenings;
5 – As regards the function and the effect of either doctrine;
6 – As regards the persons to whom either the one of the other doctrine must be preached.(p. 7)
Generally, these distinctions are helpful, but there are some serious issues that can be raised with them.
Explanations/Analysis of the Six Guidelines
The explanation of each of these according to Walther is:
Point 1
1a – Man was created with the Law written in his heart and the Law may be preached to every man since it is already revealed as true in his heart (p7).
1b – The Gospel is not revealed in the heart of every man (p8).
One verse that challenges 1a and 1b is Colossians 1:23 since the passage says that the “gospel was preached to every creature which is under heaven”. Here the exegete has to distinguish the preaching of the Gospel to each man in Colossians from the revealed in 1b. Yet, this passage cannot be referring to actual preaching of the Gospel since it had not been preached to every person. It must refer to the revelation of God to every person, much like John 1:9 “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
Point 2
2a – The Law tells us what to do (p9).
2b – The Gospel reveals to us only what God is doing (p9).
There are verses which show what God is doing and tell us what to do. One such verse is Revelation 14:6-7 – And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
This passage produces a challenge to the rules of distinction that Walter presents since it states that the message of the angel, which is called the eternal gospel, is to fear God. This forces the understanding that the passage is about Law, not Gospel. Yet what is preached by the angel is clearly Gospel.
Point 3
3a – The Law promises everlasting life and salvation (p 10). But the promises of the Law are conditional on perfect obedience.
3b – The Gospel is a free gift and has no conditions (p 10).
Galatians says something quite different about the Law when it says that the Law was not able to give eternal life. Galatians 3:21 – Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
Point 4
4a – The Law contains threats (p 11).
4b – The Gospel contains no threats, only words of consolation (p 11).
The criticism of this point from Revelation 14:6-7 applies here as well.
In Matthew 14:27 Jesus comes to the disciples and says “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” This is a command using the imperative “Take” courage. It is also not a threat but a word of consolation. Which is it, Law or Gospel?
Point 5
5a – The effect of the Law is that the Law tells us what to do but does not enable us to comply with its commands. The Law uncovers a man’s sins. The Law does produce contrition. But it has no comfort.
5b – The Gospel demands faith but it provides that faith. The Gospel takes away all terror and fills man with the Holy Spirit.
The Law says in Deuteronomy 30:11-14 – “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
Acts 13:39 – and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
Point 6
6a – The Law is preached to secure sinners.
6b – The Gospel is preached to alarmed sinners.
This is often said as afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted. It is basically sound pastoral advise but it is not often found in this way in Scriptures.
The final point is not one of determination but of method. Jesus went and preached the Gospel to everyone. When Jesus came He preached – Mark 1:15 – saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” This seems to be both Law and Gospel.
Conclusion
This method has some value. It is useful to understand that this is the paradigm used by Lutherans and other Reformed. Dialog with many Reformed and Lutherans can be greatly helped by understanding that they see the Bible in such black and white categories. It also helps to understand how they can be dismissive of commands as “that’s just law”. For many, since it is impossible to follow the Law completely, to put something in the category of Law gives them a free pass. The reason that they do this is admirable, they want to give all the glory to God. But the result can be that while something is commanded by God, accomplishing the command is impossible. If something is impossible, why even try? Rather than grace being present when we fail, there is a pre-admission that this exercise is bound to fail. Few would put it in such a crass manner, but often this is the result of the system.
There are many verses which mix Law and Gospel such as:
Romans 8:2 – For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Galations 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Perhaps the reason that many exegetes confuse the two categories is that it is not quite as straightforward as they would like to say. The Law of Christ is the Gospel in this case.
Another problematic passage is:
1 Corinthians 15:2 – by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
Clearly this passage is right in the middle of the great text which defines the Gospel for Paul, but the passage has a threat in it so this part of the passage is Law. If the danger against the Gospel is to add works to the Gospel, then why is the threat here against no longer believing? Is no longer believing secret code for substituting works in place of belief?
Confused?
An ordinary distinction is to ask whether something is Old Covenant or New Covenant. The radical Law-Gospel distinction as presented by Walther blurs this distinction for there is much in the New Covenant which is Law. In the end, it is questionable just how helpful this distinction might be in practical pastoral ministry.
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