Lutheran Theology

If one should speak about God’s law in a proper way, it is important to consult at first point the Book of Concord. Therefore, the researcher dealt with law and gospel by opening it from the Book of Concord.
Both the Law and the Gospel are God’s Word, with complete divine truth and authority. “Everything that rebukes sin is, and belongs to, the preaching of the Law.” (Formula of Concord, Epitome, V.4). “But the Gospel is properly the kind of teaching that shows what a person who has not kept the Law (and is therefore condemned by it) is to believe. It teaches that Christ has paid for and made satisfaction for all sins.” (Formula of Concord, Epitome, V.5).
The word “gospel” can be used in more than one way. In the specific and narrow sense, the Gospel is the promise of full forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and the gift of eternal life for Christ’s sake, even though we do not deserve such grace. In a broader, more general sense, the “Gospel” is the whole message of Christ, including the call to repentance and the judgment against sin. As both law and gospel are God’s divine word, people should hear both.
In another Lutheran teaching of law and gospel, Dobberstein explains that, both law and gospel are opposite to each other and both are universal in application. Both law and gospel deal with work, but the work of human and the work of God. The law speaks of human work, for instance; do this, do not do that. But the gospel speaks of God’s work for all people. Koehler states that the law is originally written in our hearts, yet partially known to us by nature (Rom. 2:14-15). The gospel is totally unknown to natural man (1 Cor. 2:6-12). The law tells us “You shall…You shall not.” The law gives us promise for everlasting life on the basis of absolute obedience. The law reveals the wrath of God. The law tells us we are sinners. But the gospel promises us salvation through faith in Christ. The gospel leads to Christ. The gospel has power to change the life. Lutherans believe that both law and gospel are to be used in the life of Christians. This is because believers have double nature. The law and gospel have laid concrete bases for many other Lutheran doctrines to be articulated.
The law always shows us that we are sinners and we deserve punishment for our sins and transgression. At the same time the Good News of God, the Gospel is centered around the message of salvation through the forgiveness of sins that comes to us because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross in our place. On the process of distinguishing law and gospel, Kinnaman states in the following way, “As Lutherans, we believe that properly distinguishing between Law and Gospel is vitally important for properly understanding Scripture. It expresses our worldview, gives us the means to study and interpret Scripture, and protects the use, study, and application of God’s Word from being hijacked by our own interests and demands.”
The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is to be kept in the Church with great diligence as a particularly brilliant light. According to Engelbrecht, the Lutherans believe, teach, and confess that the law is an appropriate divine doctrine (Rom. 7:12). It encourages and teaches what is right and pleasing to God, and it rebukes what is sin and contradicts with God’s word. So, according Lutheran belief everything that rebukes sin belongs to the preaching of the law. This reminds us that Lutheran teaching for Lutheran believers is very much helpful in order to encourage them abide to the right teachings that are based on scriptures. It also helps believers get ready to know God through scriptural teachings. In another word, law and gospel are inseparable. Distinguishing law and gospel does not mean that we detach them apart very much by removing them from each other. Rather they work together in a proper way and order: law first and then the gospel. In Lutheran teaching this is the principle by which the law and gospel are handled and treated in the church among believers. Eventually, Quill stated, “as preachers we prepare a

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If one should speak about God’s law in a proper way, it is important to consult at first point the Book of Concord. Therefore, the researcher dealt with law and gospel by opening it from the Book of Concord.
Both the Law and the Gospel are God’s Word, with complete divine truth and authority. “Everything that rebukes sin is, and belongs to, the preaching of the Law.” (Formula of Concord, Epitome, V.4). “But the Gospel is properly the kind of teaching that shows what a person who has not kept the Law (and is therefore condemned by it) is to believe. It teaches that Christ has paid for and made satisfaction for all sins.” (Formula of Concord, Epitome, V.5).
The word “gospel” can be used in more than one way. In the specific and narrow sense, the Gospel is the promise of full forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and the gift of eternal life for Christ’s sake, even though we do not deserve such grace. In a broader, more general sense, the “Gospel” is the whole message of Christ, including the call to repentance and the judgment against sin. As both law and gospel are God’s divine word, people should hear both.
In another Lutheran teaching of law and gospel, Dobberstein explains that, both law and gospel are opposite to each other and both are universal in application. Both law and gospel deal with work, but the work of human and the work of God. The law speaks of human work, for instance; do this, do not do that. But the gospel speaks of God’s work for all people. Koehler states that the law is originally written in our hearts, yet partially known to us by nature (Rom. 2:14-15). The gospel is totally unknown to natural man (1 Cor. 2:6-12). The law tells us “You shall…You shall not.” The law gives us promise for everlasting life on the basis of absolute obedience. The law reveals the wrath of God. The law tells us we are sinners. But the gospel promises us salvation through faith in Christ. The gospel leads to Christ. The gospel has power to change the life. Lutherans believe that both law and gospel are to be used in the life of Christians. This is because believers have double nature. The law and gospel have laid concrete bases for many other Lutheran doctrines to be articulated.
The law always shows us that we are sinners and we deserve punishment for our sins and transgression. At the same time the Good News of God, the Gospel is centered around the message of salvation through the forgiveness of sins that comes to us because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross in our place. On the process of distinguishing law and gospel, Kinnaman states in the following way, “As Lutherans, we believe that properly distinguishing between Law and Gospel is vitally important for properly understanding Scripture. It expresses our worldview, gives us the means to study and interpret Scripture, and protects the use, study, and application of God’s Word from being hijacked by our own interests and demands.”
The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is to be kept in the Church with great diligence as a particularly brilliant light. According to Engelbrecht, the Lutherans believe, teach, and confess that the law is an appropriate divine doctrine (Rom. 7:12). It encourages and teaches what is right and pleasing to God, and it rebukes what is sin and contradicts with God’s word. So, according Lutheran belief everything that rebukes sin belongs to the preaching of the law. This reminds us that Lutheran teaching for Lutheran believers is very much helpful in order to encourage them abide to the right teachings that are based on scriptures. It also helps believers get ready to know God through scriptural teachings. In another word, law and gospel are inseparable. Distinguishing law and gospel does not mean that we detach them apart very much by removing them from each other. Rather they work together in a proper way and order: law first and then the gospel. In Lutheran teaching this is the principle by which the law and gospel are handled and treated in the church among believers. Eventually, Quill stated, “as preachers we prepare a

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