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The Three Uses of the Law
Rev. Wesley Menke
Grace Lutheran Church
29 August 2021
14th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 22, Proper 17, Complementary Series, Year B
Lutherans Christians highly value the law. We respect the rule of law, and we talk about not just one, but Three uses of the law.
Social Order and Well Being
The first use of the law is to create structure and order out of chaos. When God’s people left Egypt in the Exodus they found themselves in the wilderness with no overlords and total freedom. God gave Moses the law to be a guide for the people. In Deuteronomy 4 Moses encourages the people to follow the law especially when they enter into the promised land. If the people would follow the law, then they would be very successful among the Canaanites and be a witness to the power and wisdom of God. In short, they will live a good life in the promised land.
When I was living in Orange County California I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Christ Cathedral as it was being remodeled. Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller had died, and the Crystal Cathedral had fallen on hard times. They sold their world class architectural buildings and land to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County. The catholic bishop invited the lutheran bishop to get a private tour. I got to go along with other Lutheran clergy and laity.
As we walked through a courtyard there was a giant statue of Moses holding up two stone tablets; the 10 Commandments. Below the statue was a placard that talked about the “Good Life.” Following God’s laws, especially the 10 commandments is the way to experience and enjoy the “Good Life.” The logic is simple and unassailable: just complete the law. Don’t change it. Don’t add or subtract. Just do it. And you too can live the “Good Life.” The words on the plaque were reinforced by the towering glass cathedral behind it.
One pastor who was in our group joked that she wished she had a can of spray paint to deface the plaque and say, “Wrong!” I thought that was a bit harsh, but I understood her criticism. As human beings we constantly fail at doing what we are supposed to do. We are sinners who break God’s law constantly. Which brings us to the second use of the law.
Total Depravity and the Need of Salvation
The second use of the law is that it helps us understand our hopeless condition and the need of salvation from our sin. God’s law shows us that we are sinners! Legend has it that a young Lutheran pastor became friends with the esteemed Dr. Schuller. One day Schuller invited this pastor up to his office at the top of the administration building at Crystal Cathedral. As they visited the young pastor saw a cancelled check framed and posted on the wall behind Dr. Schuller. The check was for One Million Dollars. And the person who had written the check was a name that was familiar to the Lutheran Pastor. It was a member of his own church in Garden Grove!
When the young pastor saw this and put the name together he could not hold back from sharing this fact to Robert Schuller. Schuller was not surprised in the least. Many of the donors to that church were members of other churches. Dr. Schuller said to the young pastor that the Lutherans have the best theology. Your problem is that it doesn’t sell. You can’t market it or commodify it. That is why your members send me their million dollar checks! The irony is that that young pastor was now the bishop, and he told us this story as now the Catholic Bishop sat in the old office of Dr. Schuller. None of the clever marketing lasted the test of time.
This is a similar criticism Jesus makes of some of the Pharisees. Some of the Pharisees made a big show of washing their hands, washing after th
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By Rev. Wesley MenkeRev. Wesley Menke
Grace Lutheran Church
29 August 2021
14th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 22, Proper 17, Complementary Series, Year B
Lutherans Christians highly value the law. We respect the rule of law, and we talk about not just one, but Three uses of the law.
Social Order and Well Being
The first use of the law is to create structure and order out of chaos. When God’s people left Egypt in the Exodus they found themselves in the wilderness with no overlords and total freedom. God gave Moses the law to be a guide for the people. In Deuteronomy 4 Moses encourages the people to follow the law especially when they enter into the promised land. If the people would follow the law, then they would be very successful among the Canaanites and be a witness to the power and wisdom of God. In short, they will live a good life in the promised land.
When I was living in Orange County California I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Christ Cathedral as it was being remodeled. Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller had died, and the Crystal Cathedral had fallen on hard times. They sold their world class architectural buildings and land to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County. The catholic bishop invited the lutheran bishop to get a private tour. I got to go along with other Lutheran clergy and laity.
As we walked through a courtyard there was a giant statue of Moses holding up two stone tablets; the 10 Commandments. Below the statue was a placard that talked about the “Good Life.” Following God’s laws, especially the 10 commandments is the way to experience and enjoy the “Good Life.” The logic is simple and unassailable: just complete the law. Don’t change it. Don’t add or subtract. Just do it. And you too can live the “Good Life.” The words on the plaque were reinforced by the towering glass cathedral behind it.
One pastor who was in our group joked that she wished she had a can of spray paint to deface the plaque and say, “Wrong!” I thought that was a bit harsh, but I understood her criticism. As human beings we constantly fail at doing what we are supposed to do. We are sinners who break God’s law constantly. Which brings us to the second use of the law.
Total Depravity and the Need of Salvation
The second use of the law is that it helps us understand our hopeless condition and the need of salvation from our sin. God’s law shows us that we are sinners! Legend has it that a young Lutheran pastor became friends with the esteemed Dr. Schuller. One day Schuller invited this pastor up to his office at the top of the administration building at Crystal Cathedral. As they visited the young pastor saw a cancelled check framed and posted on the wall behind Dr. Schuller. The check was for One Million Dollars. And the person who had written the check was a name that was familiar to the Lutheran Pastor. It was a member of his own church in Garden Grove!
When the young pastor saw this and put the name together he could not hold back from sharing this fact to Robert Schuller. Schuller was not surprised in the least. Many of the donors to that church were members of other churches. Dr. Schuller said to the young pastor that the Lutherans have the best theology. Your problem is that it doesn’t sell. You can’t market it or commodify it. That is why your members send me their million dollar checks! The irony is that that young pastor was now the bishop, and he told us this story as now the Catholic Bishop sat in the old office of Dr. Schuller. None of the clever marketing lasted the test of time.
This is a similar criticism Jesus makes of some of the Pharisees. Some of the Pharisees made a big show of washing their hands, washing after th