...that if you pull out all the citations from the Lutheran Symbols dealing with the matter of the conscience, you end up with almost 40 pages worth of notes. Conscience. It was what the Reformation was all about.
So what? The great heretics of the church all had consciences. That doesn't make them right either.
Besides, I thought the Lutheran revolt was about the gospel, not about choosing what you want to believe and do as far as the spiritual life is concerned.--Chris
"For the doctrine of repentance and justification are very closely related.
When the adversaries speak of faith, saying that it comes before repentance, they understand faith this way: not that faith justifies, but that, in a general way, it believes that God exists, that punishments have been threatened to the wicked, and so on. In addition to this faith, we require that each one believe that his sins are pardoned. We are arguing about this specific faith, and we contrast it to the opinion that asks us to trust not in Christ’s promise, but in the outward act (opus operatum) of contrition, confession, satisfactions, and so on. This faith follows terrors in such a way as to overcome them and make the conscience peaceful. We attribute justification and regeneration to this faith, since it frees from terrors and produces not only peace and joy, but also a new life in the heart. ‹With God’s help,› we shall defend ‹to eternity and against all the gates of hell› that this faith is truly necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and so place it among the parts of repentance. Nor does Christ’s Church believe otherwise, although our adversaries contradict us."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession: art. xii, par. 60
So what? The great heretics of the church all had consciences. That doesn't make them right either.
ReplyDeleteBesides, I thought the Lutheran revolt was about the gospel, not about choosing what you want to believe and do as far as the spiritual life is concerned.--Chris
"For the doctrine of repentance and justification are very closely related.
ReplyDeleteWhen the adversaries speak of faith, saying that it comes before repentance, they understand faith this way: not that faith justifies, but that, in a general way, it believes that God exists, that punishments have been threatened to the wicked, and so on. In addition to this faith, we require that each one believe that his sins are pardoned. We are arguing about this specific faith, and we contrast it to the opinion that asks us to trust not in Christ’s promise, but in the outward act (opus operatum) of contrition, confession, satisfactions, and so on. This faith follows terrors in such a way as to overcome them and make the conscience peaceful. We attribute justification and regeneration to this faith, since it frees from terrors and produces not only peace and joy, but also a new life in the heart. ‹With God’s help,› we shall defend ‹to eternity and against all the gates of hell› that this faith is truly necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and so place it among the parts of repentance. Nor does Christ’s Church believe otherwise, although our adversaries contradict us."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession: art. xii, par. 60
Bingo! The consolation of the terrified conscience, a consolation that only the Gospel can bring.
ReplyDelete