Sanctification

New obedience comes slowly

November 29, 2009

Martin Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, p555: In the case of our justification, which is the full and perfect acceptance of the believer unto eternal life, certain effects in our life, such as the new obedience, follow rather slowly because of the weakness of our flesh.

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Sanctification is an effect of justification

November 28, 2009

Martin Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, p555: This distinction between causes and effects is also useful for showing that sanctification or renewal is to be distinguished from justification, and that the new obedience is not a cause or an essential part of our justification, because it is an effect or a result.

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Lent 5 midweek sermon: Romans 7.1–8.1

April 1, 2009

This sermon concludes our Lenten midweek services, wherein we read and meditated upon Romans 4:1–8:1. When President Bush landed on USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003 to announce the end of major combat operations in Iraq, there was a banner displaying the words “Mission Accomplished.” That phrase would later come to haunt Bush’s presidency, [...]

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The ruin of the first man

January 17, 2009

[Christ] helps to effect what He commands…. Just as we are lost through loving ourselves, so we are found by denying ourselves. Love of self was the ruin of the first man. If he had not loved himself in the wrong order, he would have been willing to be subject to God, preferring God to [...]

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Post-Palin/Biden Debate Diversions

October 3, 2008

Mark Hemingway, in Socialism in the Treasury Chest, observes that if you think the bailout is a good idea, “you may well be an idiot.” R.R. Reno is no idiot, even if he does support the bailout. He’s wrong, but nevertheless has some good things to say about greed over at First Things. Matthew Harrison [...]

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Enabled by God to live

July 10, 2008

One thing I need to look into–and sooner rather than later–is this idea that I hear among some Lutherans that Christians don’t do good works, it is only Christ working in the believer. I’ve written before that I consider this the modern antinomianism, and what I want to do is find out the source of [...]

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Rewards and Merits

April 24, 2008

From time to time I come across people who think they are Lutherans but in fact have embraced the modern antinomianism. In their eyes, it is wrong to encourage Christians to do good works; particularly egregious is the mention of rewards for good works. All that is “legalism” and “works-righteousness.” The fact that the New [...]

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Our Combat and Struggle

February 13, 2008

I think this passage from the Formula of Concord is good for consideration during Lent, and could give shape to our prayers: We receive in this life only the firstfruits of the Spirit. The new birth is not complete, but only begun in us. The combat and struggle of the flesh against the spirit remains [...]

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Everyday Household Works

December 6, 2007

There is a place for organized social ministry, although perhaps we should call that what it really is – not ministry (in the narrow sense) or missions, but good works, works of mercy. What a church does cannot necessarily be seen by its programs or coordinated activities. As Luther points out in the Large Catechism, [...]

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Works Prompted by the Spirit

October 24, 2007

It is striking to me–and undoubtedly would horrify the modern antinomians–to see how clearly Luther upholds both salvation by grace alone and the life of good works done by the saved. Your ways are not My ways.… Here He is speaking of ways by which we are justified. There are two ways. The one, by [...]

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