The Distinction Between the Law and the Gospel for a Correct Understanding of Holy Scripture
Marin Luther and C.F.W. Walther in Lutheran Theology
There are few topics in Lutheran theology that are as fundamental and at the same time as profound as the relationship between law and gospel. What exactly do law and gospel mean and how do they work together to bring us to God? Why is it so important to distinguish between them? I believe that this distinction is necessary for a proper understanding of Scripture, seeing our sinfulness and recognizing the saving grace of God which He reveals in Jesus Christ.
The Law
The law describes God's commandments and regulations that can be found in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. These include, for example, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and other moral instructions that show us humans how we should live according to God's will. However, these laws are not merely historical or cultural regulations, but have a profound significance for faith and our lives as Christians. The law fulfills several important functions, which are reflected in three customs: The Civil Use, the Theological Use and the Normative Use.
The first use (usus civilis or politicus): The law has a civil function in that it creates order in our society and regulates coexistence within society. It serves as a guideline for moral behavior and its regulations prevent people from harming each other and committing crimes, for example. This corresponds to the “civil use” of the law, in which it maintains external order and promotes social welfare. Luther describes that this first use of the law cannot in itself bring about anything good, but rather is evidence of injustice in the world. This argument is better understood when the doctrine of the two kingdoms is taken into account.
The second use (Usus elenchticus, spiritualis or theologicus): The law reveals sin and shows us our inability to completely fulfill God's commandments. This realization should lead to repentance and the insight that we are completely dependent on God's grace and that no works of our own can save us. This is the second use of the law, which constantly reminds us of our sinfulness and points us to our Savior Jesus Christ. As Paul describes it in his letter to the Romans: “Through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). It therefore serves more like a mirror by making us aware that we need forgiveness through the gospel.
The third use (Usus in renatis): For us Christians, who are already justified by faith, the law should also serve as a moral guideline and instruction for a life more pleasing to God. This is the third use of the law. It should be the guide for our daily lives and show us how we can live in gratitude and love for God and our fellow human beings. Not because our deeds will get us to heaven, but because we want to live a life pleasing to God. Why? Because Jesus loved us first. Jesus summarizes this use by saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. [...] You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). The law helps us to put our love for God and our neighbor into practice.
The law repeatedly calls on us to be honest, to help others and to exercise justice and mercy in all things. It shows us our own limits and weaknesses and calls us to repentance and conversion. At the same time, it also serves as a guideline for the Christian life and helps us to organize our everyday lives according to God's will. By understanding the law and trying to put it into practice in our lives, we recognize our own sins and transgressions and subsequently the need for the grace that comes to us through the gospel. It should therefore lead us directly to the gospel by showing us our mistakes and showing us the perfection and love of God. Let us now turn to this gospel.