It’s going to be quite hard to answer some questions I have on this topic without flying over the interest of most of my readers, but I’m hearing a tension in the discussion of sanctification in the Lutheran blogosphere. Maybe this tension isn’t supposed to be resolved. I hope to ask questions in the way that doesn’t oversimplify or lead to a pat answer unless I miss something. :) I also (unfortunately that I have to, I might add) add that I don’t have a secret agenda against any of the parties I may mention in this post, and I in fact have a lot of respect for all of them.

So now that I’ve whetted your appetite for a topic that may taste as nasty as a Slim Fast bar: :)

Pastor Paul McCain on his blog has posted a topic twice now, “Aversion to Sanctification“. In addition to including an essay from the sainted Dr. Kurt Marquart, McCain makes the point:

I read sermons and hear comments that give me the impression that some Lutherans think that good works are something that “just happen” on some sort of a spiritual auto-pilot. Concern over a person believing their works are meritorious has led us to neglect clearly talk about good works. It seems some have forgotten that in fact we do confess three uses of the law, not just a first or second use and that this is nothing at all inappropriate about talking about the third use of the law. Our Lutheran Confessions make this very clear. The Apostle, St. Paul, never ceases to urge good works on his listeners and readers.

Another blogger, “Kobra,” has been reading Gerhard Forde’s essay in Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification. He gave a Forde quote on IRC:

Now, living morally is indeed an important, wish and good thing. There is no need to knock it. But it should not be equated with sanctification, being made holy.

Is there a tension here (well, there goes my goal for pat answers)? Are the preaching of good works and the desire to follow the Law elements of sanctification?

I’m pretty solid on justification, simul justus et peccator, 100% sinner and 100% saint, declared righteous only by the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. I thank God for that. :)

We Lutherans confess in the explanation of the Third Article to the Apostles’ Creed, Small Catechism:

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true. (emphasis mine)

If on my own all my deeds are as filthy rags (I believe this, Isaiah 64:6), and we are exhorted by St. Paul not to continue in sin even though we have been baptized (Romans 6:1-14), do we not acknowledge that the Holy Spirit enables us to do good works, not to receive salvation which we didn’t earn, but for the benefit of our neighbors, especially those who have yet to believe?

I am free to do good works, but my mortal side needs instruction on what are good works. What instruction I may receive from my natural conscience is tainted with concupiscence. If this sanctification that we confess doesn’t make us able in Christ to do works that we can compare to objective Biblical teaching and find good, then perhaps my perspective is a little off. I will never fulfill the Law. If it wasn’t meant to be followed, though, then it wouldn’t have been given.

Then I wander into the Large Catechism, where I see this on the Third Article:

36] For there are, besides, many kinds of spirits mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, as, the spirit of man, heavenly spirits, and evil spirits. But the Spirit of God alone is called Holy Ghost, that is, He who has sanctified and still sanctifies us. For as the Father is called Creator, the Son Redeemer, so the Holy Ghost, from His work, must be called Sanctifier, or One that makes holy. 37] But how is such sanctifying done? Answer: Just as the Son obtains dominion, whereby He wins us, through His birth, death, resurrection, etc., so also the Holy Ghost effects our sanctification by the following parts, namely, by the communion of saints or the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting; that is, He first leads us into His holy congregation, and places us in the bosom of the Church, whereby He preaches to us and brings us to Christ.

(skipping)

39] Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive this good, to which we could not attain of ourselves.

So which is it? Is sanctification the instruction in doing good works so that we sin less, or is sanctification the reception of holy communion, the forgiveness of sins, etc.? Or is it both?

Thanks for your time.


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