The Word, Communication, and Sanctification

This discussion will be focused on, and based off of the Formula of Concord's Solid Declaration, Article II: on Free Will. Article II is a fascinating work that is essential, not only for our understanding of justification, but also sanctification, and indeed, our whole existence. Having done a lot of research on the Lutheran understanding of sanctification, I can say that a good grasp of Article II is absolutely vital. It should be read over and over.

That being said, gaining a strong grasp of this Article is difficult. One may come to see many parts of it as being contradictory, or as being in conflict. My aim is to point out where these discrepancies may arise and show how they are, in fact, not contradictory but actually reflective of how we live our lives in respect to, in communion with, and from God. Indeed, Article II gives us an amazing picture of our whole lives in connection with God. This picture is based on the fact that God speaks, that is, God relates to us, he communicates himself to us through his Word, he creates and sustains us through his creative Word, and we live or die on that fact that we either receive, accept, and rely on this Word or whether we reject it.

First off, it should be noted that Article II is concerned with two questions: 1) the capability of the will (of fallen man) before conversion, and 2) the capability of the will after conversion. While I will be focusing on how they answer the second question it should be noted that the key point connecting both of these questions is that: the ability to grasp on to the Word of God always comes through the work of the Holy Spirit as he creates, sustains, and enlivens faith through Word and Sacrament. Or as Luther puts it: "I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church."

We see this large scope that encompasses our whole lives as we read:

"Holy Scripture ascribes conversion, faith in Christ, rebirth, renewal, and everything that belongs to the actual beginning and completion of these things, not to the human powers of the natural free will-- neither totally, halfway, somewhat, nor in the slightest and smallest bit-- but rather ascribes all this in solidum (that is, completely and totally) to divine activity and to the Holy Spirit alone, as the Apology says [XVIII, 7, 8]." (Par. 25)

They go on, citing Scripture to show the full extent of the Holy Spirit's work, which can all be summed up nicely by the final verse they cite: "'What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?' (1 Cor. 4[:7])" (Par. 26)

All of this boils down to faith, whether we grasp on to these realities or whether we reject them claiming we can, in one way or another, have "life in ourselves." As an issue of faith it then becomes an issue of the Word, whether we accept God's claims or reject them. This, then, is both the center of the question, and the breadth of the question, a question that can be asked from conception throughout our lives eternal: "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?"

We see the centrality and breadth that the Word becomes in Article II:

"Therefore, on the basis of God's Word we now want to give a further account of how the human being is converted to God; how and through which means (namely, through the oral Word and the holy sacraments) the Holy Spirit desires to be active in us and to give and effect true repentance, faith, and the new spiritual power and capability to do the good in our hearts; and how we should respond to such means and use them." (Par. 48)

"...God wants to call human beings to eternal salvation, to draw them to himself, to convert them, to give them new birth, and to sanctify them through these means, and in no other way than through his holy Word (which people hear proclaimed or read) and through the sacraments (which they use according to his Word)" (Par. 50)

Lutherans have an especially great understanding of the fact that God speaks. We understand the unique way in which God has decided to work. By his Word alone God creates all things, sustains all things, and gives all things (the Word made flesh, faith, the Holy Spirit, sanctification). Concerning the verse in 1 Corinthians: "'What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?", Lutherans understand how that gift gets to us, that is, the means of the gift, that is, the means of grace, that is, Word and Sacrament. It is on the basis of his Word whether we have life or death, that is, how we answer the devil's question: "Is it true true that God has said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). Do we cling to this Word or do we despise it? It is a question asked at the beginning of time and it is a question that will be asked at the end of time: "Who do you say that I am?" (Mat. 6:15).

That is the question, what is the answer? The answer is faith in the Word itself, and this is wrought by God alone. In reply to Peter's proclamation of faith, Jesus says: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." (Mat. 16:17). We see therefore that it is God's revelation from heaven through which the Holy Spirit produces (and sustains and enlivens) faith, which in turn clings to that revelation itself.

It will be remembered that I said Article II was concerned with the questions of 1) What the capability of our will is before conversion, and 2) What the capability of our will is after conversion. And, I likewise said that I would focus on the second question. The answer to the first question is simple enough for anyone who has any familiarity with Confessional Lutheran teaching: Fallen man has a "free will" (though it is bound to sin) as to horizontal, earthly concerns, but has no free will as to spiritual concerns to which it is hostile. It is the second question, and its answer, though, that may not be as clear. While the Formulators may have been able to answer it a little more clearly, when studied carefully, one realizes that they are dealing with the issues deeply and impressively. It is concerning the relation and understanding of, what I have come to call, the indicative and imperative.

Indicative:

"Holy Scripture ascribes conversion, faith in Christ, rebirth, renewal, and everything that belongs to the actual beginning and completion of these things, not to the human powers of the natural free will-- neither totally, halfway, somewhat, nor in the slightest and smallest bit-- but rather ascribes all this in solidum (that is, completely and totally) to divine activity and to the Holy Spirit alone, as the Apology says [XVIII, 7, 8]." (Par. 25)

"From this it is clear to see that the Apology ascribes to the human will no capacity; either to initiate the good or to cooperate with God in and of itself" (Par. 32)

"These words say nothing about our will, nor do they say that it effects something, even in the newborn human being, of itself, but they ascribe that to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which cleanses human beings and daily makes them more upright and holier. Our own powers are completely excluded from this process." (Par. 35)

"Although those born anew come even in this life to the point that they desire good and delight in it and even do good deeds and grow in practicing them, this is not (as was mentioned above) a product of our own will or power; but the Holy Spirit." (Par. 39)

On the other hand we see, what would seem to be contradictory statements:

Imperative:

"It follows from this, as has been said, that as soon as the Holy Spirit has begun his work of rebirth and renewal in us through the Word and the holy sacraments, it is certain that on the basis of his power we can and should be cooperating with him." (Par. 65)

"After this conversion of the human being the reborn will is not idle in the daily practice of repentance but cooperates in all the good works of the Holy Spirit that he accomplishes through us." (Par. 88)

On the one hand we hear that sanctification is completely the work of the Holy Spirit, "not a product of our own will or power." This is what I call the indicative depiction of sanctification, where sanctification is indicative of the work of the Holy Spirit alone.

On the other hand we are told that the reborn should be cooperating with the Holy Spirit, and that our "will is not idle." This, then, is what I call the imperative depiction of sanctification, where sanctification is called for and desired of us.

This seeming contradiction is not only to be found in the Book of Concord, but also right in Scripture. Throughout Scripture we see both the depiction of sanctification as the unique work of God, and then as a call on the reborn. We may come to ask ourselves, well which one is it? The answer is: both.

The answer to this conundrum reveals not only the correct understanding of sanctification, but actually the very structure in which we are created in relation to God. Sanctification is, at the same time, the fruit of God's Word, and our response to God's Word. Faith is, at the same time, the fruit of God's Word, and our response to God's Word. Peter's response to Jesus' question, "who do you say that I am?", we learn, is the fruit of the Father's revelation, and it is also a response to that Word, that is, Peter makes clear how he lives in relation to that Word; he says "Yes Lord, I believe what you have said." It is a communicatory activity that reflects how we live in communion with God.

We find in Article II that our ability to respond is, at the same time, the fruit of the Spirit's work and also, still, truly our response. This capability is given us through a new "arbitrium liberatum [a freed will or freed choice]." (Par. 67) Article II tells us that it is this freed will that gives us the ability to respond to God's Word, we read:

"For this reason [the reborn] not only hear the Word but are also able to assent to it and accept it." (Par. 67)

We hear from Article II a quote from Luther's Large Catechism that we are incorporated into the family of God on the basis that we hear and assent to God's Word:

"I was brought into it by the Holy Spirit and incorporated into it through the fact that I have heard and still hear God's Word, which is the beginning point for entering it...[Through the Church's attentiveness to God's Word which draws it together, God] creates and increases holiness, causing it daily to grow and become strong in the faith and in the fruits which the Spirit produces." (Pars. 36-37)

It is interesting to note that Luther saw the tree in the Garden of Eden as the way in which Adam and Eve were to worship God. This helps us in understanding the structure of the relationship that God desires to draw us into. After their creation Adam and Eve stood face to face with the fruit (no pun intended) of God's Word, their very existence and everything around them stood on the fact that God speaks. They also stood in relation to God's Word about the tree. This is God's part of the communication, he says: "Look around you, do you see what I am saying?" And he asks them "Do you want to place your whole lives in my Word or are you going to despise my Word, relying on "your own" will and abilities?" The answer to that question determines whether Adam and Eve were to worship God or reject him.

This same question is likewise asked of us: How are we going to live in relation to God's Word? The question is based on God's Word, our ability to respond is based on God's Word, and our response is based on God's Word.