God's Word Takes Form as His People Convey It to One Another

Chapter 9 “God’s Word Takes Form as His People Convey It to One Another” pp. 205-220

God has given a priceless gift in the Word. It is through the Word of God that his people receive new life and find their identity and purpose. Luther therefore recognized the teaching of the Word of God as being of critical importance. If God’s Word is something other than God’s way of communicating himself to us we have neglected God’s gift and cannot remain steadfast.

Luther and Melanchthon viewed God’s Word not as a series of doctrines but as one body of truth. Nothing can be removed or left idle. All must work together or the whole body suffers. It is all organically connected. When we communicate God’s Word, then, sometimes it takes the form of proclamation, while at other times it may take the form of explanation. But the power of God is primarily found in the proclaimed good news of forgiveness.

We rightly respond to God’s Word in prayer, trusting that our Lord can care for all our needs. The life of prayer benefits from both written and improvised prayers. God’s conversation also includes the structures of liturgy which keep us focused on Christ crucified for us. In all our Christian walk, God gives his Gospel and we respond by depending on him. This is the conversation we have with God.

The Means of Grace as Forms of God's Word

Chapter 8 “The ‘Means of Grace’ as Forms of God’s Word.” pp. 175-203

God works in this world through words. He speaks and things happen. The Reformers saw that God also used material elements, especially clearly in the Old Testament, to accomplish His will. So God’s Word was often combined with a physical element as God gave grace. Luther therefore identified “means of grace” as ways God would use words and physical elements to accomplish his will. These means of grace are specifically recognized as baptism and communion, as well as the absolution which accompanies confession. These are all occasions when God’s words of forgiveness and life are proclaimed and a certain physicality is present. As opposed to a mystical or magical view, Luther saw the pastor as bearing responsibility, not merely power. There is also an interpersonal element in the means of grace, as in every case God’s Word is transferred from one person to another. As God’s Word is proclaimed, considered and shared the Lord speaks his power and grace into the believer. Against opponents in the Roman church and in the radical Reformation, Luther refused to address how God’s grace is imparted. He insisted rather that God be permitted to make his own rules of engagement, including imparting gifts via Word and Sacrament.

The Enfleshed and Written Forms of God's Word

Chapter 7 “The Enfleshed and Written Forms of God’s Word” pp. 11-173

The idea of God’s Word exists in several distinct guises. In this chapter Kolb and Arand discuss the written Word of God and the “enfleshed” Word of God. God has revealed himself through the documents of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. This revelation is sufficient to lead us to faith in Jesus, who is illustrated in detail. Jesus, the Word of God in flesh, is the one in whom we trust. He is the one who holds all creation together. How do we understand him? Only by way of the written Word of God.

We confess the one person of God the Son as possessing two complete natures, divine and human. The two are not mixed or confused, but dwell together in the person of Christ. To grasp this relationship with Jesus rightly, we embrace both natures as described in Scripture.

For Luther and the other Reformers the written Word of God was our sole authority for all doctrine. It is only in the Bible that we come to understand Christ rightly. Yet we do not reject other authorities. While we read Scripture we also bear in mind the way our historic confessions have viewed the Scripture. We also accept input from those who have shown themselves to be responsible interpreters of Scripture. These are safeguards to our reading of the Bible.

The Functions of the Word

Chapter 6 “The Functions of the Word” pp. 131-159

God’s Word was of great importance to Luther’s theology. But how did the Reformers understand God’s Word and its functions? In Luther’s world many expected words to have power, even divine performative ability. Luther rejected the idea that God’s Word would be used as a  sort of magical formula. However he did view God’s Word as an agent of his power. When God speaks, things happen. God uses his Word in creation, to re-create and save from sin, and to communicate with His creation, establishing his law and his means of grace. God uses his Word to create and sustain faith. God reveals himself in and hides himself behind his Word. He uses it to kill and to bring to life. In short, all God does in this world he accomplishes by His Word.

Kolb and Arand discuss Medieval views of words more than they do modern views. This is fitting, as the book is about Luther’s theology, not ours. When we consider our modern world we often lose the value of words and the gravity of communication found in Luther. Words are dashed off as sounds, meanings are relativized, and communication is easily devalued. How do we recapture the majesty of God’s communication with us? This challenge faces us in this day and age.

The Dynamics of Faith

Chapter 5 “The Dynamic of Faith” pp. 101-128

Kolb and Arand begin this chapter by dealing with the allegation that Lutherans are weak on sanctification. On the contrary, Lutherans have always stressed God’s demands that Christians bear fruit of righteousness. Being partakers of passive righteousness, i.e., that righteousness given us by God, does not negate our responsibility for active righteousness, i.e., that care we give to our world. This is where faith enters in. By faith in Christ we are given new life. This life of faith recognizes that our world is God’s creation, a creation for which He cares. Because of that relationship with the world, faith embraces everyday life. It is not inconsistent with faith to spend one’s life caring for God’s creation, especially the people, places, and events which are closest to us. Since we live in the created order in this way we end up living out God’s design for our fellow man. This has a positive impact on our society. But at the same time, it is no longer our responsibility to save the world. This is what God does. We simply do what is in our power. Thus, by faith, while we do not do God’s work, including saving us, we care for our world, engaging in good works to love our neighbor. Embracing passive righteousness and active righteousness frees us up to act in faith.

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.

The Shape of Human Performance

Chapter 3 “The Shape of Human Performance” pp. 53-76

When we consider human performance we often get ideas about perfectionism or some sort of progressive sanctification. The Lutheran Reformation did not conceive of it in this way. Christ’s righteousness makes us righteous in God’s eyes, period. There is nothing we can bring to the table. However, in relation to the created order, we do bring something - our good or bad works. Luther considered that all humans bring their works to bear in society. Some works are good, some bad. Some are purposeful, some unwitting. All are part of this world.

Luther assigned to human life various stations or orders. Counter to the typical Medieval view which listed church and state as most important, Luther recaptured the family as primary, with the other orders supporting the family. Next was civic and economic life which provides all we need in the market. Next came temporal government which protects economic peace. Finally is organized religion which enables families to live out their Christian life in community.

Luther also addressed God’s Law and the response of human wisdom. He affirmed that there is a distinct natural law which is analyzed and applied by the Bible and our wisdom. True wisdom and godliness are found as we live within the natural law, including its dynamic of sin and salvation.

The Core of Human Identity

Chapter 2 “The Core of Human Identity” pp. 33-52

Kolb and Arand discuss our identity as humans, particularly as sinful humans faced with the righteous God. In Medieval thought, the perfect righteousness of God implied that he would punish all sin. This resulted in preaching and teaching intended to increase human obedience. We had to reach up to God’s perfection so he could look upon us. Luther and the other Reformers came to understand that, in harmony with God’s grace, he gave believers his perfection. It was never something we could obtain. Christians are given the benefit of the righteousness of Christ because God has spoken it into them. When he has declared that sins are forgiven they really are. Luther also compared salvation to a marriage agreement in which all the property of the wife belongs to the husband and vice-versa. This means that Jesus takes my sin and I take his righteousness. We remain in this state until the last day. Our faith, therefore, is not based on our feeling or any emotional perception. It is based on God’s Word of promise. Looking to the promises allows us to see reality.

Luther's Anthropological Matrix

Chapter 1 “Luther’s Anthropological Matrix” pp. 23-32

A study of anthropology includes analysis of the presuppositions of life in the target time and culture. Kolb and Arand assert that few people consider their own anthropology. This leads to a weak understanding of people in toher places and times. After examining modern and postmodern anthropology they suggest a “theological” view of anthropology. In this discussion the Reformation matrix of two kinds of righteousness comes to bear. The Reformers recognized a “passive righteousness” which comes from God without human contribution, as well as an “active righteousness” in which we act within society for good. Luther and his followers saw that an excessive focus on either was unhealthy. They also saw that the Roman church had conflated the two. When rightly considered, we need to be full of both passive and active righteousness at the same time, cultivating both the vertical and the horizontal life. This allows us to preserve the proper relationships with God and man, living our humanity to the full.

Kolb & Arand, 2008

The Genius of Luther’s Theology: A Wittenberg Way of Thinking for the Contemporary Church Robert Kolb & Charles P. Arand  Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008