Concerning Monastic Vows – part 11
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:2–4
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
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From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Of course, the monks live more closely in accordance with the gospel in their pretend life. But Christ does not follow Moses by forgiving sins because of our works, but by setting his own merits and his own propitiation against God’s wrath on our behalf so that we may be freely forgiven. Whoever places his own merits, apart from Christ’s satisfaction, against God’s wrath, who on account of his own merits endeavors to obtain the forgiveness of sins, whether through the works of the Mosaic Law, or of the Decalogue, or of the rule of Benedict, or of the rule of Augustine, or of other rules, cancels the promise of Christ, has rejected Christ, and has fallen from grace. This is Paul’s verdict.
Pulling It Together: Scripture is clear: those who try to justify their sin by their works have fallen from grace. We cannot balance the scales by placing good works against bad works. It is not a matter of weights and measures. The concern is holiness and righteousness. So, of course, people try to be righteous by doing good and being good. The problem is, they are not good. They are sinners. They may sin less than before, but in their essence, they are sinners. They were born to the condition.
God has solved this problem by replacing our unrighteousness with his own perfect righteousness. He has done this by the work of Christ alone. He did not require our assistance. Our help is still unnecessary since Christ’s work was wholly sufficient to the task. Anyone who believes otherwise has spurned Christ. We enjoy his grace and have the hope of eternal life only because of Christ (Romans 5:2).
Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to love your law, but put my faith in you. 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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