A Subtle Form of Works Righteousness

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NRSV)

The doctrine of justification by grace through faith apart from works of the law is absolutely central to Lutheran theology. We cannot make ourselves right with God. Only God can save us. Lutheranism stands or falls on the truth of this doctrine.

Lutheran pastors, preachers and theologians must guard this doctrine closely because it is not easy to maintain. Children of Adam and Eve that we are, we like to imagine ourselves in control. We desire to be like God (Genesis 3:5).We like to think that we can justify ourselves.

Works righteousness is the false idea that we can save ourselves by our own good deeds. Works righteousness is appealing to us. We like to think that we can do the right things, say the right prayers, perform the right rituals, and God will reckon it to us as righteousness.

I have even heard subtle forms of works righteousness proclaimed from Lutheran pulpits. Anytime the Law and Gospel are confused, anytime a preacher tells us what we "must" or "ought" or "should" do to please God, it is probably works righteousness being proclaimed.

Sometimes I hear it said that one cannot be a “gay Christian” as if, somehow, a sexual orientation is the opposite of a religious faith. There is an apples and oranges logical fallacy at work here. One cannot be a gay heterosexual. One cannot be a Christian Muslim. But there is no contradiction in being both gay and Christian.

I recently listened to a sermon in which I heard the preacher say that God will heal Christians of homosexuality. The problem with this idea is that homosexuality is not a disease. Homosexuality is an innate sexual orientation. It is not something to be healed of. Besides, from what I have read, neither conversion to Christianity nor long-term “reparative therapy” is effective in straightening gays.

Again, sometimes I hear it said that one can be gay and Christian but, because homosexual acts are “inherently sinful,” a gay Christian must refrain from having sex. Homosexual Christians must remain celibate. Do you see the subtle works righteousness in this notion? It is as if refraining from gay sex makes a homosexual right with God.

That is not good theology. At least it is not good Lutheran theology.








The picture of Martin Luther’s seal in stained glass was taken from the website of Oakbrook Esser Studios.

How to Read the Bible Like a Lutheran. Part 2

LAW AND GOSPEL

For part one of this series, see the previous post below.


On Tuesday mornings, I study the Scripture readings assigned for the next Sunday with a group of pastors. All but one of us are Lutherans. The remaining member of our group is a pastor of the United Methodist Church. She finds it funny—both odd and amusing—that we Lutherans make such a big distinction between Law and Gospel. We can’t help it. We got it from Martin Luther.

Luther taught us that the word of God is both Law and Gospel and that these two categories should not be confused.

The Law is all of the musts and shalts and shalt-nots. It’s all of the demands and commands and precepts that God lays upon us. The Law serves two purposes. One: it gives order to our life together. Two: because we cannot live up to all of the Law’s demands, it convicts us of our sinfulness and drives us to seek God’s mercy.

The Gospel is the good news that, for Jesus’ sake, God forgives our sins and reconciles us to himself.

Law and Gospel are the bad cop and good cop of Scripture. The Law kills. The Gospel makes alive. The Law convicts. The Gospel justifies. The Law is bad news. The Gospel is good news.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Law is the Old Testament and the Gospel is the New Testament. Both Law and Gospel are found throughout all of Scripture. There is Law in the New Testament, and Gospel in the Old.

Sometimes the same passage of Scripture may be Law or Gospel depending upon who hears it, or even when they hear it. For example, Mary’s words in Luke 1:53, God, “has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty” is Gospel to the hungry and Law to the rich.

The reason that Lutherans are so adamant that the Law and Gospel must not be confused is because we, along with Luther and the Apostle Paul, believe that we are made right with God by grace, through faith, apart from works of the Law. Our salvation is God’s doing, and only God’s doing. When Law and Gospel are confused, we are given the mistaken idea that we can, in some way, save ourselves.

A friend of mine says, “If it doesn’t sound like good news, it’s not the Gospel.”





To review: Lutherans read the Bible through Jesus goggles. We expect to meet Jesus in the Scriptures. We understand the Scriptures to be both Law and Gospel, but we are careful not to confuse the two.