Now that we have
defined the authority of Scripture and the meaning of the Gospel
as our Confessions use these terms, we must address ourselves
to the relationship between the Scriptures and the Gospel.
There is much discussion
today in Lutheran circles about the relationship between Scripture
and the Gospel. Certainly there is a relationship! The Gospel
we preach and teach and confess is set forth in the Scriptures
and normed by them. At the same time, the Scriptures, inspired
by God, were written for the sake of the Gospel.
However, the idea
seems to be current among some Lutheran theologians (perhaps
because they have lost confidence in the inerrancy and absolute
authority of Scripture) that Scripture is not the norm for Christian
doctrine and therefore also for the doctrine of the Gospel.
Rather the Gospel which, according to our Lutheran Confessions,
is "the delightful proclamation of God's grace and favor acquired
through the merits of Christ" (FC Ep, V, 7) is such a norm.
This is a dangerous idea, not only because it is wrong and utterly
confusing, but because it sounds so pious. The Gospel is the
norm, the saying goes. There is an attractive, though deceptive,
evangelical ring to that statement.
For instance, one
Lutheran scholar today tells us that according to the Lutheran
Confessions the Scriptures are authoritative not because of
their divine origin but because of their power to judge and
pardon. And another theologian says that the authority of Scripture
is the power conferred upon it by God to save and to judge.
The implication in both ,,cases is that the authority of Scripture
is nothing but the ,power of the Gospel it proclaims.
Now such a position
utterly confuses the function of the Gospel with one of the
functions of Scripture. It confuses the power of the Gospel
with the authority of Scripture. And thus it undermines
both.
Scripture is the
authority for the Gospel according to our Lutheran Confessions.
When Melanchthon debates with the Roman Catholics on the nature
and content and function of the Gospel of justification by faith
in his Apology of the Augsburg Confession (IV), his authority
is always Scripture. And Scripture is authoritative, according
to our Confessions, not because it contains and proclaims the
Gospel-the Gospel is proclaimed in many writings-but because
it is God's Word (Ap, IV, 108; XV, 14; LC, 1, 121; FC SD, Rule
and Norm, 10). Although our Confessions use the term "Word of
God" in a number of senses, there is no doubt that they again
and again identify the Scriptures with the Word of God. And
that is why the Scriptures are authoritative for the teaching
and preaching of the Gospel.
But if Scripture
is not authoritative because the Gospel is contained
therein, it most certainly is authoritative for the sake
of the Gospel. In other words, the Scriptures were written
for the sake of the Gospel (John 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:15). And so
were our Lutheran Confessions. The authority of Scripture is
not an end in itself. Our great Lutheran Confessions do not
just assert their confidence in the divine authority of Scripture
and then leave it at that. Their concern is always that the
church under the Scriptures might propagate the Gospel Word
"that alone brings salvation" (Preface to the Book of Concord,
p. 13). And so it is the function of Scripture to be the divine
authority for evangelical teachers and teachings in the church.
And it is the function of the Gospel to be the power for such
teachers and teachings.
It is significant
that the New Testament never calls the Gospel an authority or
a norm-nor do our Lutheran Confessions. Rather it calls the
Gospel power, spiritual power, power to save us forever (Rom.
1:16; 15:16; 1 Cor. 2:1-5; Eph. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim.
1:10). And so do our Confessions.
According to our
Confessions it is the Gospel that creates faith in someone's
heart, brings him the Holy Spirit, and comforts him with the
treasure of salvation (SA, III, iv; AC, V, 2; Ap, IV, 73; LC,
11, 38). It is the Gospel that offers and confers consolation
and continual forgiveness (SA, III, iii, 8). It is the Gospel
by which the church lives and flourishes (Ap, VII, 20; Tr, 25;
LC, 11, 43, 56). It is the Gospel that incites true piety which
is pleasing to God (Ap, IV, 122 ff.). And it is for the sake
of the Gospel that God's fallen creation still exists (LC, 11,
61 ff.).
The infallible authority
of Scripture does not diminish the wonderful and saving power
of the Gospel, but supports it. And the power of the Gospel
does not vitiate the divine authority of Scripture. Let us leave
the Gospel its power-not only when we may read it in Scripture,
but wherever it is preached and taught in the church. And let
us leave Scripture its authority. Then we will not only be talking
sense, but we will be talking like confessional Lutherans.
Source:
Getting
into The Theology of Concord by Robert D. Preus
(St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1977), pgs. 7-29.
Order
a copy of this book
