The Great Divide: A Lutheran Evaluation of Reformed Theology

by Jordan B. Cooper

The statements about God’s preserving power with regard to his children are pastoral means to encourage those who are receiving the epistles. In a law-gospel context, one preaches warnings about apostasy when the hearers are seemingly content in unrepentant sin or are tempted by false doctrine. When they are confronted with sin and plagued by fear or doubt, gospel promises are to be proclaimed. This seems to be the same manner in which the Apostles utilize these concepts.

Works are a necessary fruit of conversion, and can even serve as a sign of assurance, but they never become the sole basis by which one judges the genuineness of faith and conversion.

The liturgy is primarily a combination of biblical statements and theology, along with thoughtful Trinitarian prayer and praise. The central elements commanded in Scripture to be involved in the worship service—prayer, singing, preaching, absolution, and the Eucharist—are the primary tenants of historic liturgical worship. Despite what advocates of the regulative principle may argue, liturgical worship is thoroughly biblically centered and infused.

There are several reasons why these Reformed arguments are unconvincing. First, the regulative principle fails to distinguish between the nature of the Old and New Covenants. Mosaic worship was typological, prefiguring the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ, as well as the nature of eschatological life.

Second, Jesus himself does not follow a strict regulative principle. The prevalence of the synagogue in the New Testament is not a reflection of God’s express command for Levitical worship, but is a later development. The synagogue is an intertestamental institution, created as a means by which those separated from the temple would have access to worship, public Scripture reading, and an educational facility.

A common form of absolution in Lutheranism involves the pastor declaring unto the repentant sinner, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”224 Absolution comes to the sinner as a declarative word, bringing the forgiveness it proclaims.225

In the instance of confession and absolution, Christ’s mediatory role is not being violated. Rather, it is being emphasized and enacted. This is apparent in the fact that Christ himself commands the leaders of the church to absolve and retain sins. This is apparent in the following two texts: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt 16:19) “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:23)

This does not mean that Christ is obscured, but that when the minister proclaims forgiveness, it is the act of God coming through the pastor to bring forgiveness. It does not point away from Christ’s mediatory role but points to the one who continues to be the church’s intercessor. It is not the pastoral office that makes the word effective. It is not that the pastor’s words and actions have magical powers. Rather, it is the word itself which is effective; the minister is merely a means to bring that word to people’s ears, and forgiveness to sinful saints.

There is a positive use of images which does not necessitate adopting the abuses of some which lead to unintended idolatry. Lutherans use images, icons, and statues as tools to instruct and remind people of central elements of their faith. The crucifix is a constant reminder of the gospel. It is often placed in the sanctuary to remind both the pastor and the congregation that Christ and his cross are the center of the church’s worship life. Churches use images of saints to remind the congregation of the great faith of those who have come before them, and to remind them of the unity of the church in heaven and on earth. It is a valuable picture of the communion of saints as expressed in the creed.

One may object that images of saints and angels are permissible, but images of God are not. John of Damascus refuted this argument by discussing the nature of the incarnation.241 Icons do not show the Holy Trinity in majesty (though Andrei Rublev’s famous painting of the Trinity is admissible because it pictures the Trinity in a specific form explained in Scripture through the story of Abraham), but they portray the incarnated God. In taking an image upon himself, Christ unites the divine to that which is created and can be viewed.

despite the agreements on the importance of the word and of preaching, the meaning and purpose of preaching differs in both reform movements. For the Reformed, preaching has typically taken the form of extended exposition and Bible study.

A distinction must be made, however, between different preaching traditions within the Reformed movement. Puritan preaching laid a heavy emphasis on Christian living, the nature of good works, and the experiential nature of grace.243 It has sometimes been said that the Puritans “have the theology of Augustine but preach like Pelagius.” This reflects the emphasis on the third use of the law in Puritan preaching. It is common for these sermons to contain extended discussions of specific sins which infect the lives of the congregants, along with practical advice as to how one should stop committing these particular sins. In later Puritan preaching, especially as Puritanism was formulated in early America, the focus soon became Christian experience.244 Preaching challenged the authenticity of one’s conversion experience and encouraged extensive introspection to gain assurance of one’s regenerate state.

In the Lutheran tradition, preaching is distinct from Bible study.249 The first mode of theologizing is important, and expositional Bible study is necessary and should be practiced. However, the pulpit involves something beyond a simple descriptive exposition of a text. Preaching serves also as proclamation. God’s word is to be delivered in two forms: law and gospel.250 This models the prophetic mode of speech, wherein theology is not merely descriptive, but the prophets proclaim both judgment and salvation to their readers. Similarly, the pastor declares God’s judgment over sin. The preaching of the law does not merely tell people of their sins, but the law itself crushes them under the weight of their sins. The word of God’s law convicts; it shuts the mouths of those who listen as they are confronted with their sin. The minister also proclaims the gospel. The message that one’s sins are forgiven does not just describe something which is true, but itself delivers that forgiveness. God calls by means of his word.

Preaching takes the form of proclamation wherein law and gospel are declared, crushing the old sinful selves of the listeners and granting forgiveness and raising the new self through proclamation of the gospel.