At the opening of Galatians, Paul pronounces a curse on an
angel who would bring another Gospel. Many Protestants say
that means: Cursed be anyone who says we need to obey to be
saved.
But we must not neglect the context: Paul is dealing with the
Judaizers who said circumcision and the law of Moses were
needed for salvation. The Council of Jerusalem in 49 (cf. Acts
15) decided that is not required.
This did not mean that we are not required to obey anything.
It merely means that although we must not disobey, our
obedience does not <earn> salvation. Paul says in Romans 6.23:
"The wages [what you earn] of sin is death - the free gift of
God [what you do not earn] is eternal life." In 1 Cor 6.9-10
Paul gives a list of the chief sins and sinners and says those
who commit such sins "will not inherit the kingdom". He does
the same in Galatians 5.16-25 where he gives two lists, the
works of the flesh, the fruits of the Spirit. If we do the
works of the flesh we will die we,"will not inherit the
kingdom". That word <inherit> is important. When we inherit
from our parents, we do not say we earned what we get. We get
it because the parents were good, not that we earned it. Yet
we know we could have earned to lose it by being bad too long.
So Jesus also said: "Unless you change and become like little
children, you will not enter the kingdom." Children know they
do not earn the love and care they get - they know they could
earn punishment.
In Romans 1, 5: Paul speak of the "obedience of faith" that
is, the obedience that faith is. A standard Protestant
reference work, <Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible,
Supplement>, p. 333 describes Pauline faith as including
belief, confidence, obedience and love. It says of
Romans 1.5 what we have just said: "the obedience that faith
is."
In contrast, Luther said if we have faith, we need not obey.
Luther in a letter to Melanchthon of August 1, 1521 (American
Edition, 48. 281-82) wrote: "If you are a preacher of grace,
then preach a true and not a fictitious grace; if grace is
true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does
not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner
and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more
boldly... as long as we are here [in this world] we have to
sin... . No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we
commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day."
What a monstrous error! Faith includes obedience, as Paul said
in Romans 1.5, 1 Cor 6.9-10, and Gal 5.16-25. and as the
<Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible>. Yet Luther said if
you have faith, you need not obey at all.
In passing, what would become of the Holiness of God, that
quality which loves all that is right and good.
Tragically, most Lutherans have no notion of what Luther
really taught. He himself said his chief work was <Bondage of
the Will> (tr. James J. Packer and O. R. Johnston, F. H.
Revell Co. , Old Tappan, N. J, 1957 - a Lutheran translation).
On p. 273 he flatly denies that we have free will. So then:
why talk of obeying? On pp. 103-04 he says our will is like a
beast, and either God or satan will ride it, so that we do
good or evil, and then go to heaven or hell. But we have
nothing to say about which rider we get. Yet on p. 101, God
"saves so few and damns so many" even though they have nothing
to say about it. Those who go to hell are (p. 314)
"undeserving". --that would not be a god, but a monster. Why
then talk about obedience?
Cf. also in the library of CRNET files by Wm. Most: luthfal -
luthmor - luthver - luthmry. Also <The Thought of St. Paul> a
full commentary on all of the Epistles, published by
Christendom College Press, Front Royal, Va, 22630.
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