The Subversion of Our Human Identity

Chapter 4 “The Subversion of Our Human Identity” pp. 77-100

Kolb and Arand turn their attention to Luther’s understanding of Law and Gospel. As fallen humans we frequently seek a righteousness not within God’s command but beyond it. Rather than accepting the righteousness God gives by grace, we insist on earning something. This essentially exalts us to the level of the creator. We redefine God’s role, our own role, and the role of our neighbor in our good works All this leads to self-deification. Kolb and Arand discuss this in terms of new-age spirituality, postmodern thought, neo-Gnosticism, and Kantian philosophy. Again and again we are comforted by situations in which we redefine God’s grace and our condition. To recapture a biblical view we return to Luther’s concept of divine monergism and man’s repeated putting of the old man to death by daily repentance

An adequate view of Law and Gospel will guard us from a very wide variety of evil.