HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Scriptures Alone

Lat. Scripture alone). Term referring to the formal principle of the Luth. Church. FC SD Rule and Norm 3: We pledge ourselves to the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments as the pure and clear fountain of Israel, which is the only true norm according to which all teachers and. teachings are to be judged and evaluated. See also Grace, Means of; Holy Scripture; Inspiration, Doctrine of; Norma normans.

J. T. Mueller, The Sola Scriptura and Its Modern Antithesis, CTM, XVI (1945), 524.  Adopted

The theology of Lutheranism is first a theology of the Word. Its principle of sola Scriptura affirms the Bible as the only norm of Christian doctrine. The Scripture is the causa media by which man learns to know God and his will; the Word is the one and the only source of theology. Lutheranism pledges itself "to the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments as the pure and clear fountain of Israel, which is the only norm according to which all teachers and teachings are to be judged and evaluated" (Formula of Concord, Epitome).To be sure, the authority of Scripture had been emphasized prior to Luther and the Reformation. However, when Lutheranism referred to the Bible as the divine Word, brought to man through the apostles and prophets, it spoke with a new conviction regarding the primacy of the Word. Luther recognized that the authority of Scripture was valid even where it was opposed by pope, council, or tradition.

The Lutheran understanding of this principle should be distinguished from bibliolatry. Historic Lutheranism viewed Scripture as the organic foundation of faith. It is the source of theology in an instrumental sense. It is not the cause of the being of theology; that would truly be a deification or worship of a book. Rather, God is the first cause of theology; he is the principium essendi, its foundation, its beginning, and its end. The Scripture is the principium cognoscendi, for from Scripture theology is known and understood. Furthermore, the Lutheran view of the Bible is to be distinguished from a legalistic orientation. Christ is at the center of the Bible. Essential to understanding the Word of God is accepting the promises of the gospel by faith. If this faith is lacking, the Scriptures cannot be correctly understood.

Faith Alone

(Lat. by faith alone). Term referring to the Scriptural doctrine that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law? (Ro 3:28; cf. Ph 3:9). AC IV 1?2: Men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works but are freely justified for Christ's sake through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by His death made satisfaction for our sins.

The article of justification by grace through faith challenged the Roman Catholic tradition, which asserted that faith was pleasing to God only if it were accompanied by good works and perfected by love. At the Council of Trent in 1545 the Lutheran view was condemned and the medieval Roman Church reiterated its doctrine that justification is a state of grace in which human good works have merit. For Lutheranism, faith and works certainly cannot be separated; however, they must be distinguished. The righteousness of faith refers to man in his relation to God (coram Deo). The righteousness of good works refers to man in relation to his neighbor (coram hominibus).

These must not be confused so as to intimate that man will seek to become just in the sight of God on the strength of his good deeds, nor in such a way that he will attempt to conceal sin with grace. Thus, with respect to justification strictly speaking, good works must be clearly distinguished. But faith cannot be apart from works. Where there is faith in Christ, love and good works also follow.

Grace Alone

(Lat. by grace alone). Term referring to the Scriptural doctrine that man is saved by grace alone without the deeds of the Law (Eph 2:8?9).

In one way or another the three fundamental doctrines of Lutheranism, sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, determine the shape of other distinctive teachings. For example, the position of Lutheranism on man's free will is understood in the light of the doctrine of justification. Man is completely without a free will with respect to the "spiritual sphere" (that which concerns salvation). Salvation depends exclusively on the omnipotent divine will of grace. Man does not have freedom to do the good in the spiritual sense. Similarly, the Lutheran understanding of the Lord's Supper must be viewed in light of the principle of sola Scriptura. Lutheranism has consistently battled against every denial of the real and essential presence of Christ's body and blood in the Supper.

An important element of Lutheran biblical interpretation is that one takes words of command and promise literally unless there is some compelling reason for not doing so. If the words of institution at the Supper were to be taken figuratively, simply because they appear to conflict with reason or common sense (e.g., the Reformed axiom of the finite being incapable of the infinite), one could do so with any command or promise of God. Thus, Lutheranism has insisted on the doctrine of the "real presence" on the basis of Christ's plain words. Also, the Lutheran view of grace contributed to the retention of infant baptism. Baptism expresses the participation of the Christian in the death and resurrection of Christ. Baptism, like the gospel, is powerful to confer the very faith it calls for with its promises, and in each case the Holy Spirit works faith through the instruments of his choosing, namely baptism and the gospel. In Lutheran understanding it is no more difficult for him to work faith in infants through the gospel promise attached to the water of baptism than in adults alienated from God through the proclamation of the gospel in preaching.