The Hebraic Perspective and Gospel, part 8.
Updated: Nov 3, 2021
The Hebraic Perspective, and the Gospel, part 8. I had said in part 2 this of Lutheran theology: There was in other words, no especial wanting or asking God what would please Him, in prayer or attitude. SINCE works and faith had for the Lutheran…a wall built between, and…the UNconditional love of God for all men as presupposition. Consider this as a common theological principle: God does not consider ANY of your works righteous, since Jesus’ CROSS itself has propitiated all things for you. ************************************ And this turns out to be kinda sort right, but not spot-on. Lutherans are not exactly…antinomians. Antinomianism, wiki: Antinomianism (Ancient Greek: ἀντί, "against" and νόμος, "law") is any view which rejects laws or legalism and argues against moral, religious or social norms (Latin: mores), or is at least considered to do so.[1] The term has both religious and secular meanings. In relation to Lutheranism: In the Lutheran church and Methodist church, antinomianism is a heresy. …Antinomianism has been a point of doctrinal contention in the history of Christianity, especially in Protestantism, given the Protestant belief in justification through faith alone versus justification on the basis of merit or good works or works of mercy. Most Protestants consider themselves saved without having to keep the commandments of the Mosaic law as a whole; that is, their salvation does not depend upon keeping the Mosaic law. However, salvific faith is generally seen as one that produces obedience, consistent with the reformed formula, "We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone," in contrast to rejecting moral constraint. So then…in the future I will affirm a slightly different set of terms. That “obedience” is affirmed, but that this is not EMPHASIZED or considered THE THING God wants from anyone, most of all. And, yes, this is the general attitude, overall, among us all, mainstream. That GENERALLY we are to be law-abiding, and “good.” And that most of us, for the most part…ARE. So now the Mega-Church concept and ideal I find rampant in my own neck of the woods, i.e. Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. You ARE saved by your affirmation of Jesus mentally, and this cannot be undone, since it IS DONE. Be generally good, as your pew neighbor is, and his pew neighbor is. TOGETHER, we affirm and confess this, blah de blah etc. Now, pat each other on the back, and...bask in your own eventual happy end. Lutheranism doesn’t go this far necessarily, but the presupposition is there. Justification by faith alone will in fact as concept, get you to the same place…inevitably. I think that the negation in both churches, of Law and works of faith as emphasis leads believers to a place whereby UNrighteousness is more easily had and enacted. Certainly German Lutheranism was not a minority religion in Germany as Naziism was taking hold of the majority people. The forces and impetuses then for them were great. Hyperinflation for instance for people on the edge even of…EATING RIGHT will cause all sorts of deviant perspectives. But my eventual bad dream, of the German soldier ordered to commit violence against Jewish innocents (men not fighting directly against the government or party, women and children), had and did occur. Shema as Covenant Outline puts all of this to rest. Love God with ALL of your heart soul and might. Did God RELEASE us from the Jewish First Command after all? Please regard my Deut 30 verse once again. 6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
What else is the apex fulfillment, or EPITOME of this verse and promise, the FAR-view, but New Covenant in the ideal sense? God has NEVER released a believer from his own first command.
Shema is not only enacted by us…but in a new inspired way…which FULFILLS all righteousness. And the key is...the operative Holy Spirit which inspires, motivates, gives us our new desires, and points out that path more clearly, and finally empowers. Instead of one anointed here, and there, over centuries and generations, the 3000 and 5000 first receiving this Circumcision of Heart...JUMP STARTED the Christian faith. And...as far as not being LIKE this first generation, the Text still shows...what we, and I include me...are missing.