That the Gospel is properly the message of the free forgiveness of sins because of Christ.
That the Gospel is properly the message of the free forgiveness of sins because of Christ.
§ 15. But because the integrity and orthodoxy of the article of justification cannot stand unless the doctrine of the Gospel is properly and exactly distinguished from the Law, it must all the more fully be demonstrated and confirmed that the Gospel, in the proper sense of the word, is the joyful message of the free forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal life promised to those who believe in Christ.
** We prove this: (1) From its etymology. Εὐαγγέλιον is “good and joyful news,” from εὖ [“well”] and ἄγγελος [“messenger”] or ἀγγελία [“message”]. The Septuagint translators render ּבְׂשָרַה as εὐαγγέλιον. (2) From the various names for “Gospel,” for it is called the “good word of God,” “the promise,” “the knowledge of salvation,” “the message of grace,” “the promise of life,” etc. (3) From the first Gospel message of the New Testament, Luke 2:10, where the “great joy” is not a message of wrath or repentance. Rather, the Gospel is a declaration of great joy. (4) From the message of John (Mark 1:15) in which, first, repentance or contrition is separated from the Gospel, and, second, the proper object of faith is called “the Gospel.” (5) From the prophecy in Isa. 61:1 which is repeated in Luke 4:18. (6) From the promise in Rom. 1:1[–2], where the Gospel is said to have been promised beforehand through the prophets. Fulgentius (Ad Mon., bk. 1, p. 53): “The bounty of something promised always brings joy.” Page 54: “For it must not be said that a promise threatened by the severity of one’s iniquity should be inferred from the bounty of goodness.” And again: “He foretold and promised a reward which the righteous would enjoy, but He did not promise and foretell a punishment by which the unrighteous would be punished.” (7) From the revelation of divine righteousness without the Law (Rom. 1:17; 3:21). (See Dr. Garthius’s Disput. de discr. legis et evangelii held at Tübingen in 1602 and inserted in vol. 2 of Gerlachius’s Disputationes. See also Meisner, part 2, Sobr. phil., sect. 1, ch. 2, q. 18). **
The Gospel is this sort of message whether it is set forth in the New or in the Old Testament. But, on the other hand, we say that it is an error to limit the Law to the books of the Old Testament and the Gospel to those of the New, which can be seen clearly from the following reasons. (1) The blessed apostle declares that “the righteousness of God is revealed through the Gospel from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17) and that “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, though it is approved by the testimony of the Law and the prophets; I say, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Rom. 3:21–22). The apostle clearly teaches that the righteousness of faith which is of God—that is, the righteousness which avails before God—is revealed in the Gospel apart from the Law. Now, imagine that “Gospel” is taken to mean the books of the New Testament and “Law” the books of the Old Testament. The consequence would be that the righteousness of faith is not taught in the books of the Old Testament, the contrary of which is taught clearly by the apostle in this very passage. The consequence would also be that the devout under the old covenant were saved in a way other than through faith in Christ, the opposite of which is declared in Acts 15:11.
(2) The proper3 and exactly suited object of saving faith is Christ in His office of redemption, for faith relies on Him and applies His benefits to itself. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:16, 36). This is repeated in Holy Scripture very frequently. And yet that same saving faith properly looks to the doctrine of the Gospel. “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:[15]). Here the word “repentance” is taken properly as contrition, as the first part of repentance which springs from the preaching of the Law, as the latter part teaches. The word “Gospel” is taken properly to mean the message of the free forgiveness of sins promised to believers for Christ’s sake, as the first part teaches. Therefore the proper doctrine, subject, and material, so to speak, of the Gospel is Christ in His office of redemption.
(3) Whenever the Gospel is described, it is defined as a joyful message, as all the statements cited earlier show [§§ 4, 9–10], especially this: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach good news [ad evangelizandum] to the poor, to bind up the contrite in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of Jehovah’s favor” (Isa. 61:1–2), which Christ applied to Himself when He taught in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:21). The angel’s words are similar: “Behold, I bring you news of great joy, for to you is born a Savior” (Luke 2:10[–11]). But the doctrine of the Law which is repeated in the New Testament no less than that of the Gospel does not bring joy, but rather terrifies. “The Law works wrath” (Rom. 4:15). Therefore not all things which are set forth in the New Testament pertain to the doctrine of the Gospel in the proper sense of the word.
(4) Paul says that he is declaring the Gospel “about His Son which God promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures” (Rom. 1:2[–3]). From this passage it is quite clear that the proper doctrine of the Gospel is the message regarding Christ and His benefits. If you want to take “Gospel” to mean the entire system of heavenly doctrine which the apostles preached and put into writing in the New Testament, the consequence will be that the Law also was promised beforehand, which is inconsistent. The proper content of the Gospel is the joyful promise regarding the Messiah which is taught in the Old Testament but is not part of the Law, as this contrast [between them] teaches (Gal. 3:18).
(5) The Gospel is called “the word of faith” (Rom. 10:8; 1 Tim. 4:6); “the hearing” or “preaching of faith” (Gal. 3:2); “the law [of faith]” or “the doctrine of faith” (Rom. 3:27)—and those names are clearly given because the promise offered in the Gospel is apprehended only by faith. But now, “the Law is not of faith, for he who does them shall live by them” (Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12). Therefore the Law, which requires works, does not pertain to the Gospel in the proper sense of the word. On the other hand, faith looks to the Gospel. Faith looks to the promise of grace, not to the Law of deeds. “Boasting is excluded, not by the law of works but of faith” (Rom. 3:27). Therefore it is not the Law of works but the promise of grace which properly pertains to the Gospel.
(6) Believing and doing works are contrasted to each other. “To one who works, his wages are not reckoned according to grace but according to debt. And to one who does not work but trusts Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness” (Rom. 4:4–5). But the Gospel is the word of faith. Therefore it is not the doctrine of works.
(7) Grace and works are contrasted to each other. “But if it is by grace, it is no longer from works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace”; but if it is from works, it is not from grace, otherwise work would not be work (Rom. 11:6). Yet the Gospel is “the preaching of grace” (Acts 10:24) and “the word of grace” (Luke 4:22). Therefore properly speaking it is not the doctrine of works.
(8) The proper doctrine of Christ is also the proper doctrine of the Gospel, to which pertain all the statements which bear witness that Christ was sent to bring glad tidings. But the joyful and comforting doctrine regarding the free forgiveness of sins is this doctrine for which especially Christ came into the world and which He brought forth from the hidden bosom of His Father in heaven. “He has sent Me to preach the good news [ad evangelizandum], that I might proclaim release to the captives,” etc. (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18). “Grace is poured upon Your lips” (Ps. 45:2). “The Lord has given Me an educated tongue, that I may know how to speak a word in a thirsty time” (Isa. 50:4). Therefore the doctrine of the Gospel properly is a joyful and comforting doctrine.
(9) The Gospel is the “promise of the life that is in Christ” (2 Tim. 1:1), “the promise of eternal life” (1 John 2:25), “the promise from which the inheritance comes” (Gal. 3:18). But “the promise did not come through the Law” (Rom. 4:13). Therefore the Law or the doctrine of works does not properly pertain to the Gospel. Also the Gospel is the promise of the blessing which comes from faith in the Seed of Abraham, which is Christ (Gal. 3:8). But the blessing does not come from the Law; rather, the Law declares a curse on “everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law” (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10). The Gospel is the word of life; the Law cannot give life. The Gospel is the promise of an inheritance; there is no inheritance from the Law. We are justified from the Gospel, but no flesh is justified from the works of the Law. Therefore the Law or the doctrine of works does not properly pertain to the Gospel.