Martin Luther

MARTIN LUTHER: THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY
PROF. M. M. NINAN
But His will is made manifest to us in both Law and Gospel.
Article 4 of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531):
"All Scripture ought to be distributed into these two principal topics, the Law and the promises. For in some places it
presents the Law, and in others the promise concerning Christ, namely, either when [in the Old Testament] it promises
that Christ will come, and offers, for His sake, the remission of sins, justification, and life eternal, or when, in the Gospel
[in the New Testament], Christ Himself, since He has appeared, promises the remission of sins, justification, and life
eternal.". The Formula of Concord likewise affirmed this distinction in Article V, where it states: "We believe, teach, and
confess that the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is to be maintained in the Church with great diligence..."
Martin Luther wrote: "Hence, whoever knows well this art of distinguishing between Law and Gospel, him place at the
head and call him a doctor of Holy Scripture."
The two kingdoms exist side by side,
both instituted directly by God for two different reasons.
His purpose
In the spiritual realm is to make men Christian and to hallow them in Christ,
and the instrument He uses to this end is only and always the Word, and the
preaching thereof, and the sacraments.
In the temporal realm His purpose is to sustain justice and peace in the world,
and His characteristic instrument here is power, the use of the sword.
Law and Grace, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, a Lutheran.
The left side of the tree illustrates law, while the right side illustrates grace
Both are ordained by God
Schleitheim Confession of 1527 declared: “The sword is an ordering of God outside the perfection
of Christ. It punishes and kills the wicked and guards and protects the good. In the law the sword is
established over the wicked for punishment and for death and the secular rulers are established to
wield the same.”
It also affirm that:
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