The Sixth Evening Lecture (Pages 41-50)

He started off by discussing how theologians basically learn how much they don’t know when they attend a university. Everything depends, not on how much we know, but how well we know it. Then he got into the third thesis. He talked about how, if the doctrine of Law and Gospel wasn’t so difficult it couldn’t be learned, then even children would be cable of understanding it. So, the main point was that the doctrines exceed the grasp of children and can not be comprehended by them. Also, he was talking about how people were going how to apply and use the doctrine of the distinction between Law and Gospel. But It appears that the thesis was mainly talking about how distinguishing the Law and Gospel correctly is the most difficult and highest art of the Christians in general and of theologians in particular. It is only taught by the Holy Spirit in the school of experience. Then he discussed how the word of God is always regarded as true by Christians. Then he talked about David’s experiences with sin. Then he talked about Peter and what was basically him confessing his sins and how he was a sinful man. Peter was expecting just the Law to occur, in fact, he was expecting to be slain by the Lord. It is because of this, and him not being aware that his sins had been forgiven, he begged Jesus for forgiveness later in his life, after falling into sin again. Then he quotes John, about if our hearts condemns us; God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Also, when our heart doesn’t condemn us, it’s easy to distinguish Law and Gospel. That’s the state of a Christian, but he may get into a condition where his heart condemns him. Here, he is basically referring to your conscience. A good point he made is that we will always be no more than beginners in this art. And we should remember that when the Law Condemns us, then immediately lay hold upon the Gospel. Then he referred to Luther’s Table Talk, and how in passing we are always more likely to listen to the Law over the Gospel. Then he touched on more stuff by Luther, continuing on that point. Like when people are on their death bed, Law is usually on their mind, because they are not able to distinguish the difference between Law and Gospel. Also, another cited point by Luther was that the forma of a Christian is that he knows how to seek his salvation in Christ and thus escape the Law. Then he cites Luther one final time. Luther talked about how Gospel is a rarely in a man’s conscience, while Law is always there. When there is a time to live, and a time to Die. A time to hear Law, and a time to be unconcerned about it. A time to hear Gospel, and also a time to be unconcerned about it. When your relation to God isn’t under review, you must act in accordance with the law, yet not like a slave, but like a child.