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Sola Scriptura G r a c e N o t e s February 2017 Volume 65, Issue 2 The Lutheran Ethos ~ Sola Scriptura: The “Norming Norm” Strangely, the Augsburg Confession has no article “On Holy Rome has the Pope, Pentecostals claim direct inspiration by Scripture.” It only comes at the end of the Confessions, in the Spirit, the East claims the rule of faith in Tradition, his- the Formula of Concord’s “Summary, Foundation, Rule, and torical critics claim reason, and enthusiasts of various Norm,” in which it says, stripes claim an emotion or feeling within the heart. It’s all We believe, teach, and confess that the only rule and norm very confusing if the Scriptures merely contain the Word of according to which all teachings, together with all teach- God. Thankfully, our Lutheran Confessions are clear: Scrip- ers, should be evaluated and judged (2 Tim 3:15-17) are ture is the Word of God. the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Why’s it matter? So you could be certain of who He is and Testament alone. what He’s done for you. St. Luke opens his Gospel saying: “Rule and norm” are the words given to Scripture (Old and “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of New Testament). Rules help us judge when something’s in the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those or out—a way of measuring, a guide, or standard. Norm, is who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the short for normal. It determines what follows. At seminary we word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, hav- learned the fancy, Latin phrase “Norma Normans Non Nor- ing followed all things closely for some time past, to write an mata,” or “the norming norm that cannot be normed,” or, Scrip- orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you ture is that which shapes and forms all Christians, confes- may have certainty concerning the things you have been sions, and churches, not the other way around. taught.” (Lk 1:1-4) This aspect of the Lutheran Ethos is Sola Scriptura – Scripture And John closes his Gospel with the purpose for writing: alone. But it can be misleading. Sola = alone. Does that mean “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disci- no hymns, only Psalms? Do we skip preaching, reading the ples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so Bible only? Do we reject all creeds and confessions, having that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Bible alone? In a word: no. and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31) For Lutherans, Sola Scriptura means two things: first, that all doctrine is plainly drawn from Scripture alone—in this way, Scriptures witness to Jesus. They preach who He is and the Church has no new teachings; secondly, that in any doc- what He’s done for us. And more than history, or telling trinal dispute, Scripture is the final arbiter and judge. the story, they actually draw you into the story of Jesus— When Lutherans confess Sola Scriptura, they are NOT deny- “faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of ing tradition (however that’s understood), nor are they re- Christ” (Rom 10:17). The Scriptures, as the Word of God, jecting liturgy, confessions, preaching, or hymnody. are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing Most simply: Sola Scriptura sets the whole faith (tradition, to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, liturgy, creeds, confessions, hymns, preaching, and how we and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb live) in accordance with the Scriptures as it’s rule and norm. 4:12) Why? Because Lutherans confess that the Scriptures (Old Scripture is the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). And like the and New Testaments) are the Word of God. Luther might’ve Spirit, takes what belongs to Jesus and declares it to you (Jn said it best: “Holy Scripture is God incarnate” (Scriptura sacra 16:15). The Word does what it says. est Deus incarnatus). Where His Word is, there He is; and Everything in our Church—every teaching and practice—is where He is, so goes His Word. Luther says in the Smalcald normed by the Scriptures. So every teaching and practice is Articles of our Confessions, normed by Christ. This is Sola Scriptura, Christ alone. “God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is The Lutheran reformers saw Scripture as the rule and norm praised as from the Spirit—without the Word and Sacra- for everything they said and did. And they knew that if it ments—is the devil himself.” (SA III,VIII.10) accords with Scripture, it remains, “for the Word of the Lord This is far different from the claim that Scriptures contain the remains forever” (1 Pet 1:25). The Latin for this became their Word of God. Sadly, it’s this that separates the LCMS from motto: Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum. These letters, the ELCA. If the Scriptures merely contain the Word of God, VDMA, were sown on flags and official court robes under Frederick the Wise in 1522. We, too, should regain such a who determines which is the Word of God, and which isn’t? When that’s the case, you need some other authority. love and certainty in the Scriptures, as the Word of God. Yours in Christ, the Word made Flesh, Pastor Boyle “But pastor, that man’s sermon was great. I heard him condemn sin and praise only Jesus as the way to salvation. How can he be a false prophet?” Now read these words. Do you know the orator, the preacher? I see him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities. Sounds good, doesn’t it. True doctrine. Pure teaching. A believer in the coming Messiah Jesus would have had his heart gladdened and his faith strengthened. Yet, these words, sent by God, came from the mouth of a false prophet. The Lord used this false prophet to speak truth, yet the children of God were not to follow nor praise this man. The words came from the mouth of Balaam. You can read the entire “oracle” in Numbers 24. The words indeed were “divine communication, an utterance of God.” The man was not divine, not holy, not a true prophet, even though the oracle, his words, his “sermon” were so good and so right. If this was all we had heard from Balaam’s mouth, we might indeed be fooled. Just as we might be fooled upon hearing only one ser- mon from a neighboring “Christian” pastor. Balaam’s words in Numbers 24:15-24 were God’s truth even though Balaam was not “God’s man.” Balaam was a heathen diviner. He was famous, probably wealthy too (Num 22:7). When the Israelites encamped in Moab, perched to enter their Promised Land, King Balak sought “spiritual” help from the “prophet” of the land, Balaam. The Holy One of Israel intervened. He came to false prophet Balaam and told Balaam not to curse the Israelites. Stubbornly he obeyed and gave the oracle of God regarding the star and scepter, kingly royalty invested ultimately in the Messiah. But Balaam was a hireling. He was influenced more by gold and silver than he was by truth. His name appears three times in the New Testament (2 Peter2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14) as a false prophet and bad example. After Balaam spoke God’s oracle against King Balak, he had an evil influence on Israelites. He influenced thousands of Israel’s men to lust (Num. 31:16) after Moabite women. To what end? Just marriage? Just children? No. That these families bowed down to the gods of the country of Peor. These men believed like their wives and taught their children to yoke themselves to Baal. Balaam certainly must have gloated in getting this “revenge” on the God of Israel. Beware of false prophets, like Balaam. Some of them predict the day or year of Jesus’ return (Pat Robertson, Hal Lindsey, Benny Hinn) Others predict the end of the world (Charles Taze Russell [founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses]). Others predict a new and better world around a New Jerusalem (Joseph Smith [founder of Mor- monism]) or even a new world order of government and society. Beware of those who date-set for Jesus, those who forecast doom and those who prophecy all-is-good-and-getting-better. You, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Let the true prophet follow this course: first preach rebuke; know sin, hate sin. Then let him preach sweet consolation, Jesus, sin’s cure. Luther remarks that the prophet who preaches “gently” at first, does so in order to deceive, “then he leaves a foul stench behind. God first terrifies and leads to hell; then He exalts.
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