The Importance of Applying the Gospel and Assurance of Grace in the Christian Life
Walther uses examples from the New Testament to emphasize the immediate application of the Gospel to alarmed sinners. He asserts that the Lutheran Church is the Bible Church and warns against relying on feelings for assurance of grace. Doubt in salvation undermines the Christian life and diminishes the significance of Christ and redemption.
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~ The Fifteenth ~ ~ The Fifteenth ~ Evening Lecture Evening Lecture
what three examples from the New Testament does Walther used to illustrate the fact that the Gospel should immediately be applied to alarmed sinners? Why does Walther say that the Lutheran Church is the Bible Church ? Feelings and emotions are always unreliable. But at what point in one s life is it especially dangerous to rely on feelings? 2
that no person, not even a sincere Christian, can be assured in the present life that he is in a state of grace with God This is the doctrine of the Antichrist absolutely without comfort. 3
No. The great majority of nominal Lutherans, while cherishing a kind of human hope that they are accepted with God, that they have obtained forgiveness of sin, and will be saved, nevertheless have no assurance of these matters. 4
The evangel or good news How could the Christian doctrine be called the evangel, that is, glad tidings, if those who accept it must be in constant doubt whether their sins are covered, whether God looks upon them as righteous people, and whether they will go to heaven? 5
The hardship, struggle, and cross bearing of the Christian life. If the aforementioned doctrine of doubt were right, who would desire to come to Christ, side with Him, and fight all the great and dreadful battles of this life, following His crimson banner? Who could muster the strength to follow after holiness if he had to doubt whether he will ever reach the heavenly goal? 6
First. Unquestionably, this doctrine of doubt is the most horrible error into which a Christian can fall. For it puts Christ, His redemption, and the entire Gospel to shame. 7
Where are we to look for the root of this error? Nowhere else than in the commingling of Law and Gospel. 8
It is a false method to prescribe to an alarmed sinner all manner of rules for his conduct, telling him what he has to do, how earnestly and how long he must pray, and wrestle and struggle until he hears a mysterious voice whispering in his heart: Your sins are forgiven. 9
The Pietists. Would that this method of conversion were not found in the Lutheran Church! But, alas! such is the case. At first the Pietists tried to convert people by this method. instead of going back to the purity of teaching of the Church of the Reformation and learning from that age how to quicken the spiritually dead, they adopted the method of the Reformed. 10
John Fresenius (1705-1761) Senior pastor of the Ministerium at Frankfort am Main. 11
Book on Confession and Communion Published in 1745, in a short time it went through eight editions. There were no believers in those days who did not own this book. 12
I did not know the Ten Commandments by heart and could not recite the list of the books in the Bible. My knowledge of the Bible was pitiful, and I had not an inkling of faith. 13
His older brother, who invited him to join a Bible study group at the University. 14
In a short time I had really become a child of God, a believer, who trusted in His grace. The Word. 15
Then an old candidate of theology, a genuine Pietist, entered our circle. This candidate who came to us said: You imagine you are converted Christians, don t you? But you are not. You have not yet passed through any real penitential agony. He prescribed a number of things that I was to do and gave me several books to read, among them Fresenius s Book on Confession and Communion. 16
who are immediately given the blessed and comforting doctrine of the Gospel! However, experience teaches that the very abundance of the pure doctrine of the divine Word is treated with growing contempt. 17
Pray for grace. Be watchful lest you lose grace. Meditate on the word of God in a proper manner. 18
The false distinction between being converted and being quickened. As a matter of fact, anyone who has been quickened, that is raised from spiritual death, is converted. 20
Prevenient, or quickening, grace. This is (supposedly) the kind of grace that allows an unconverted sinner to strive after God, seek God and pray to God. While a person is still unconverted, he is spiritually dead, hence without any strength. Even if strength were breathed into him, he could not use it as long as he is dead. Try and breathe strength into a statue and see whether it will move. 21
nothing else than the first spark of faith. There is not a word of all these directions in Scripture. After we have become believers, we are told to wrestle. 22
is already is converted. While still an unbeliever, a person is dead in sins, takes serious matters lightly, and is unconcerned about whether he will go to heaven or hell if he should die the next night. Unconverted persons have no such concern as true Christians have, who are always concerned about their soul s salvation. 23
He describes the complete work of sanctification and expects all these things of an unconverted person. It is almost inconceivable that so learned and experienced a minister should have failed to see this point. A desperate sinner will be led to say, if all these struggles are to precede conversion, then I must still be an unbeliever! a horrible teaching. 24
When listening to a preacher, we must imagine that God stands behind him. I must say to myself: By these words God Himself imparts forgiveness of sin to me. 25
