Rightly Dividing the Word

"The Law is to be preached to secure sinners and the Gospel to alarmed sinners" (Walther, 17). The secure sinner is the person who glories in his own self righteousness. In the words of Lutheran theologian Gerhard Forde, the secure sinner is 'addicted either to what is base or to what is high, either to lawlessness or to lawfulness. Theologically there is not any difference since both break the relationship to God, the giver.' "

"To those who have been crushed by the hammer blows of the Law, no longer secure in their lawlessness or self-righteousness, there is only one word that will do. That is the word of the Gospel....It is that word of God that declares sins to be forgiven for the sake of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. It is all about Christ and what He has done for us."

- John T. Pless