In the Lutheran law-gospel preaching
paradigm, there is an alleged “impasse”
between affirming Christ as the end of the law and the law (in its “third use”) as a
guide for Christian life. This dilemma is manifested in the difficulties in preaching
“paraenesis”, which includes exhortation, rebuke and instruction, etc..
In this study, we approach the
controversial issues from the perspective of Martin
Luther’s theological insights and distinctives found in his 1520 Treatise “The Freedom of a Christian”. The paradox that a Christian is both a completely free lord of all and a completely dutiful servant of all corresponds exactly to the alleged impasse in question.Luther tackles the issues of freedom in the context of the simul.
According to the biblical imagery that a perfect new man and an irreparable old man
co-exist dynamically in a Christian, the new man prevails over the old whenever faith is awakened by the preaching of the gospel. When faith operates, the Christian does not only receive the righteousness of Christ passively; he also does righteous works actively to serve his neighbor in love. This “faith active through love” results in good works according to biblical paraeneses done in complete freedom.
It is argued in this study that preaching paraenesis is essentially preaching the
gospel freedom. People need to hear the gospel every day, because they forget it everyday.
When people need spiritual counsels, including rebukes, instructions and
guidance, we preach the gospel in sensible ways that is readily applicable to their real life. This is paraenesis preaching. There is no “impasse” because what is preached and done is always in complete freedom.
A “sermonic” Epistle in the New Testament, the Philippians, is analyzed to
check the validity of the concepts established. They are all found to be compatible with the biblical ways of preaching paraenesis in this Epistle.
在路德神學的律法與福音講道模式中，存在著一種所謂的「僵局」：即同時要肯定「律法的總結(end)就是基督」及「律法(第三種功用)是基督徒生活的指導」。這種困境體現在傳講勸勉(paraenesis)的困難上。
本文從馬丁·路德的《基督徒的自由》中神學特色的洞見角度，探討這方面的爭議：基督徒是全然自由的眾人之主；又是全然服從的眾人之僕。這弔詭的主張，恰與此處所謂的「僵局」相對應。路德在「同為義人和罪人」的處境中處理這自由的議題：根據聖經描述，一個基督徒裡面，同時動態性地存在著一個完美的新人和一個無可救藥的舊人。每當福音的傳揚激發信心，新人就會勝過舊人。
當信心運作時，基督徒不僅被動地領受基督的義，他還主動的行義，在愛中服事鄰舍。這種「信心透過愛而有的動力」，使人可以完全自由地行出聖經所勸勉的善行。
本文認為，傳講勸勉本質上就是宣講福音的自由。人們經常需要聽福音，因為他們經常忘記福音。當人們需要靈性上的關顧時，我們就以合宜的方式向他們傳講，使福音自然的應用在他們實際的生活中。這就是傳講勸勉之道，其中並無「僵局」，因為從傳講到行出來，始終是在完全的自由之中。
我們分析了新約中的一卷講章性的書信《腓立比書》，以檢驗以上的概念，結果發現它們的確都與該書傳講勸勉的方式相符。
