There is, you see, a twofold conversion—that of the Gospel and that of the Law. The Law merely gives the command, but nothing is accomplished; something is accomplished, however, through the Gospel, when the Spirit is added. He renews hearts, and then God turns toward us. This is the conversion of peace, that is, that we are not merely righteous but also filled with joy and find delight in God’s goodness.—Martin Luther on Zechariah 1
The end sounds good, but the process is flawed. “…when the Spirit is added. He renews our hearts, and then God turns toward us.” Is not the Spirit God? The idea that “God” turns to us only after our hearts are renewed fails to take into account that, Romans 5, “6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
ReplyDeleteWhen John writes, “for God so loved the world” he writes about the world before our Lord redeemed it. No individual member of the Most Holy Trinity had to appease another so that “God would turn toward us.” Hebrews 10, “10 And it is by God’ will that we have been sanctified through an offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Peace and Joy!
George A. Marquart