Concerning Monastic Vows – part 14
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 14:1–12
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
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From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Second, obedience, poverty, and celibacy, provided the latter is not impure, as disciplines, are adiaphora. Therefore, the saints may use these without sinning, just as Bernard, Francis, and other holy men used them. They were used for bodily advantage, so that they might have more leisure to teach and to perform other godly offices, not because the works themselves are services that justify or merit eternal life. Finally, they belong to the class of which Paul says, “Bodily training is of some value” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Pulling It Together: Adiaphora are matters in which we should look for neither sin nor righteousness. They are non-essentials, things that have nothing to do with one’s standing before God. These non-essentials are typically traditions or customs. As a result, they are often considered quite essential by those who practice a particular tradition. On the silly end of the spectrum, just try to change the color of the carpet — or in a Lutheran church, the color of the front doors. Traditions can be intractable. Nonetheless, they are not essential, no matter how much weight people give them — because they are adiaphora.
So, one person may decide to fast a day each week in order to allow more time for prayer. Does that mean it should become a mandatory, church-wide affair? Someone else may resolve to skip television viewing in the evenings, making time to read the Bible. Are other people lesser Christians if they do not do the same? Others may quit their jobs and go to seminary to become a pastor, sell all they have to go into a mission field, or remain unmarried so they may focus on the Lord’s interests (1 Corinthians 7:32–35). Do such people have a better shot at heaven because they have done these things? No. These are adiaphora. They are non-essentials that have nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins, justification, and eternal life.
Prayer: Thank you for making me yours, Lord. Amen
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Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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