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Page 34
CHAPTER XVII.
THE WORD AS A MEANS OF GRACE
In the last chapter we learned that the Word of God is the key of
the kingdom, which key Christ has given to His Church, and that this
Word, declared by the pastor, does really convey and apply the
forgiveness of sins to the penitent and believing. Following out this
idea, we wish now to show that God's Word is the power and effective
means through which the Holy Spirit operates on the minds and hearts
of the children of men.
The popular idea in regard to the use of the Word, seems to be
that it is intended merely as a book of instruction and a guide--that
its purpose is merely to tell us about sin and salvation; that like a
guide-post it points out the way of salvation, and shows the necessity
of repentance, faith, and holiness. That it tells about the need of
the Holy Spirit to effect a change of heart, and that further than
this it affords no help for fallen man. A poor sinner goes to that
Word. He reads it, or hears it preached. He learns indeed that he is a
sinner, but he has no deliverance from sin. He learns of Christ's
redemption, but its benefits are not applied to him. He sees that he
must repent and believe, but by his own reason and strength he cannot.
He learns further, that he needs the Holy Spirit to enable him to
repent and believe, but, according to the current opinion, that Spirit
is not in the Word, nor effective through it, but operates
independently of it. The using of the divine Word is at best an
_occasion_ that the Spirit may use for independent operation. He might
go from his Bible and from many a sermon and say: "I know I need
religion--I need the Spirit of God, and I hope at some time the Spirit
may come to me and bless me with pardon and peace, but I cannot tell
when or how this may be." According to this popular conception, the
Holy Spirit might be compared to a dove flying about, and alighting at
hap-hazard on this one and on that one.
The Lutheran Church does not so understand the teaching and
claims of the Word concerning itself. According to her faith the Word
of God is more than a book of information. It not only tells about sin
and salvation, but _delivers_ from sin and _confers_ salvation. It not
only points out the way of life, but it leads, nay more, we might say,
it carries us into and along that way. It not only instructs
concerning the need of the Holy Spirit, but it _conveys_ that Spirit
to the very mind and heart. It is indeed a precious truth, that this
Word not only tells me what I must do to be saved, but it also
_enables me to do it_. It is indeed the principal of the means of
Grace. It is the vehicle and instrument of the Holy Spirit. Through it
the Holy Spirit works repentance and faith. Through it He regenerates,
converts, and sanctifies.
This is the doctrine of the Lutheran Church, concerning the use
and efficacy of the divine Word. Thus, Luther's Small Catechism,
Apostles' Creed, Art. III. explanation: "I believe that I cannot by my
own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to
Him; but the Holy Spirit hath called me _through the Gospel_,
enlightened me by His gifts," etc. Thus also Augsburg Confession, Art.
V.: "For by the Word and Sacraments, as by instruments, the Holy
Spirit is given; who worketh faith, where and when it pleaseth God,
_in those that hear the Gospel_," etc.
Is this the teaching of the Word itself? Let us see. In John vi.
63, Jesus says: _"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and
they are life."_ In Romans i. 16, Paul says of the Gospel: _"It is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."_ Heb. iv.
12: _"For the word of God is quick_ (living) _and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged sword."_ 1 Peter i. 23: _"Born again not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which
liveth and abideth forever."_ James i. 21: _"Receive with meekness the
engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls."_ It is clear,
therefore, that the Word does claim for itself virtue, life, power,
and effectiveness.
But does it claim to be the Spirit's means and instrument, by and
through which He operates? In 2 Cor. iii. 8, it is called a
"_ministration of the Spirit_." In Eph. vi. 17, Paul calls it the
"_sword of the Spirit_."
We learn the same truth from the fact that the same effects are
ascribed indiscriminately to the Spirit and the Word, showing clearly
that where one is, there the other is also, and that one acts through
the other.
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