Luther on turning the Scriptures into a lawbook.

Posted on February 2, 2012 by theoldadam

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“It has become a deplorable custom that the Gospels and the Epistles are treated like law books, in which one is to learn what we are to do, and in which the works of Christ are presented as nothing but an example held before one’s eyes.  Wherever this errant opinion remains within the heart, there neither gospel nor epistle can be read usefully and in a Christian way;  such readers remain nothing but heathen,  as before.”

                                                                                                                              

>>>>> – Martin Luther                                                                                                    

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From a work by Lutheran theologian Oswald Bayer, titled ‘Martin Luther’s Theology’, 2003

Here’s a link to Chapter 4 of that work, ‘What Makes the Bible Become Holy Scripture’:

http://crossalone.us/2006/bayeronscripture.pdf

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Thanks to CrossAlone Lutheran District for making this available on their site.

And thanks also to flickr and armas_de, for the photo.

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Filed under: Luther, Use of the law | 7 Comments »