Martin Luther and Predestination

The doctrine of predestination or election has confused and separated Christians for hundreds of years. To believe in predestination is to believe that we are "saved," born-again, or brought to faith in Jesus Christ because God has chosen us for salvation. Both Luther and Calvin believed in predestination. But if the doctrine of predestination is logically "pushed," many difficult questions arise: Does God choose people for damnation? Can the grace of God be resisted? Did Jesus die for all sinners or only for the elect? Can a Christian fall away from the faith?

These questions have caused a major debate within Protestant Christianity. Let us consider the participants and the particulars.

 John Calvin:

John Calvin (1509-1564), a French theologian living in Geneva, was, after Martin Luther, the key figure in the Protestant Reformation. "Reformed" churches follow Calvin’s interpretation of Scripture. His massive Institutes of the Christian Religion set forth his systematic theology.  Calvin’s understanding of predestination is summarized by five points. The first letter of each definition comprises the famous TULIP of the Calvinist five-point theology:

1.Total Depravity: Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is deaf, blind, and dead to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not—indeed he cannot—choose good over evil in the spiritual realm.

2. Unconditional Election: God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom he selected.

3 Limited Atonement: Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation.

4.Irresistible Grace: In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the Gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ.

5, Perseverance of the Saints: All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end (once saved, always saved).

John Calvin’s logical system of theology built upon the doctrine of election or predestination has resulted in two primary reactions: Universalism and Arminianism..

Universalism:

The major criticism of Calvin’s understanding of predestination was: "It is not fair!" Would God simply choose to send people to hell without offering them any opportunity for salvation? Some reacted against Calvin by the extreme teaching of "universal salvation".

John Murray (1741-1815) believed that every individual shall in due time be separated from sin. Of Calvinist background, he was influenced by the Methodism of John Wesley but was converted to Universalism, the doctrine of universal redemption. He organized the first American Universalist Church in 1779 at Gloucester, Mass.

Hosea Ballou (1771-1852), a New England theologian and clergyman, formulated the basic tenets of Universalism. Upon reacting against the Calvinist position on salvation of the elect only, he began teaching that all people are saved (universal salvation) and that there is no eternal punishment.

The Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association merged in 1961 to form a single denomination—the Unitarian Universalist Association—which currently has about 173,000 members. Unitarian Universalists, because of their rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity and distortion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are not regarded as a Christian denomination.

Arminianism:

Arminianism, which takes its name from Jacobus Arminius (Jakob Harmensen), is a theological revision of Calvinism that limits the significance of the doctrine of predestination. Arminius (1560 - 1609) was a Dutch Reformed theologian who taught that God’s sovereign will and human free will are compatible. The name Remonstrants was given to his followers who in 1610 drew up a document known as the Remonstrance. This document set forth a revision of Calvinism: Christ died for all, not only for the elect; divine grace is not irresistible; Christians can fall from grace through free will, and be lost. These affirmations constituted a rejection of the most extreme Calvinist interpretation of predestination. The Remonstrants were condemned by the Dutch Reformed Church at the Synod of Dort (1618 - 1619).

Modern Protestant Arminianism counters the five points of Calvinism by declaring:

1.Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it.

2. God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the Gospel.

3. Christ’s redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone.

4. The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the Gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. but inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit’s call, The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man’s contribution) precedes and makes possible the new birth.

5. Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith, etc. 

All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ, that once a sinner is regenerated, he can never be lost.

What does the Bible teach?

The Scriptures clearly teach that fallen man is not capable of cooperating with God in spiritual matters. He is spiritually dead and an enemy of God. For example:

Ephesians 2:1: And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Ephesians 4:18: Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. because of the blindness of their heart:

To say that man is not dead in trespasses and sin and is capable of making a decision, or cooperating with God is an example of the heresy of Pelagianism. Charles Finney, the father of modern Evangelical Revivalism, taught that faith is a decision based on persuasive argumentation and emotionalism, Man decides to be born-again. Finney rejected the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the believer, claiming that such imputation hindered moral reform. Essentially, Finney returned to the theology of Rome.

There is clear biblical evidence to support a doctrine of predestination or election. For example, in Romans 8: 28-30 we read:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Of course, this biblical teaching raises many questions which confound human reason. If a person is saved because he is chosen for salvation, what about those who are not saved? Do they wind up in hell because they have been chosen for damnation or, to put it another way, not chosen for salvation? Has God limited His great salvation only to the elect? Alternatively, if a person by free will can reject the Gospel, why could he not also by free will accept the Gospel?

While in the Old Testament God specifically chose the nation of Israel from whom the Messiah would appear, when it comes to the application of the great salvation won for us by the promised Messiah, the biblical witness is clear. It is God’s desire for everyone, not simply a certain chosen people, to be saved. God’s grace is universal. The entire message of the New Testament is inclusive. To limit the scope of God grace to merely a select group of people is a major distortion of the divine intention. The following verses, together with many other verses in the New Testament, speak of God’s universal grace.

I Timothy 2:3-4: For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2 Corinthians 5:15: And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

I John 2: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

Those who believe that God’s grace is limited to the elect and that the atonement was only for the elect interpret the words "all men," or "all," or "the world" to mean the Christians or the elect. In so doing they are imposing their preconceptions on Scripture and not allowing Scripture to simply speak. It is what is called eisegesis (reading a meaning into the text) rather than exegesis (pulling the meaning out of the text).

Through the preaching of the Gospel, declaring the universal grace and love of God, the sinner is brought to faith and reaps the benefits of God's great salvation, namely, the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Those same gifts and benefits are imparted through infant Baptism.

The Bible clearly teaches that sinful man is able to resist the Holy Spirit and reject the grace of God. A person who ends up in hell is not there because he has been consigned to hell by God’s sovereign choice, but rather because he has rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For example:

Matthew 23:37: 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [you] that kill the prophets, and stones them which are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under [her] wings, and you would not!

Mark 7:9: And he said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.

Acts 7:51: You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers [did], so [do] you.

2 Timothy 3:8: Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Hebrews 4:7: Again, he limits a certain day saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts

Finally, while God promises to keep us from falling (Jude 1:24) and to complete the work of redemption in us (Philippians 1:6), because of the reality of our sinful nature, the Bible teaches that we can reject and turn away from the truth of the Gospel. If falling away was not possible, there would be no reason for all the New Testament admonitions and warnings. Jesus himself, in the parable of the sower, speaks of those who believe but later fall away.

 Luke 8: 6-8 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear

Jesus explains this parable by saying:

Luke 8: 11-14 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

To say that man is saved because he is elect and damned because he rejects the Gospel is obviously illogical. Our task is not to make Scripture logical but to accept what is revealed and leave the mystery to God. The Formula of Concord rejects the following positions:

1. The doctrine that God does not want all men to come to repentance and to believe the Gospel.
2. Furthermore, the doctrine that God is not serious about wanting all men to come to him when he calls us to him.
3. Furthermore, that God does not want everybody to be saved, but that merely by an arbitrary counsel, purpose, and will, without regard for their sin, God has predestined certain people to damnation so that they cannot be saved.

Martin Luther and Predestination:

 If you should initiate an Internet search of “Luther and Double Predestination” you will come across numerous articles written by Reformed theologians attempting to demonstrate that Luther embraced the Calvinist understanding of predestination. (Oddly, you will find no articles by Lutheran theologian attempting to prove that Calvin was a Lutheran.) Most, of the evidence, is taken from Luther’s Bondage of the Will (1525) in which he responded to the noted Humanist scholar Desiderius Erasmus regarding the subject of free will. Luther regarded this as his most important work, not because it presented a full-blown treatment of the doctrine of predestination, but because he successfully refuted the Erasmian notion that man by his own free will can follow the "philosophy of Jesus" and perform meritorious works worthy of salvation. This was the primary controverted issue of the Reformation. There is no doubt that Luther in his treatise emphasized the sovereignty of God who elects those who would be saved and chooses to leave the reprobate, especially Judas, Pharaoh, and Esau in their sin.

The most difficult Luther quote comes from his 1516 notes from his Lectures on Romans. He seems to be embracing a double predestination and limited atonement. This quote is often used to demonstrate that Luther was actually a Calvinist. Regarding Romans 8:28, Luther writes:

The second argument is that “God desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4), and He gave His Son for us men and created man for eternal life. Likewise: All things exist for man, and he himself exists for God that he may enjoy Him, etc.These points and others like them can be refuted as easily as the first one. For these verses must always be understood as pertaining to the elect only, as the apostle says in 2 Tim. 2:10 “everything for the sake of the elect.” For in an absolute sense Christ did not die for all, because He says: “This is My blood which is poured out for you” and “for many”—He does not say: for all—“for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 14:24, Matt. 26:28).Luther, M. (1999, c1972). Vol. 25:  Lectures on Romans , Romans 8:28,(J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 

In this section, Luther provides no comfort for those who fear the wrath of God. He simply says that they should "resign themselves to hell if God so wills." In his notes on Romans, he also accepts the notion of purgatory. Written in 1516, this is Martin Luther as an Augustinian Roman Catholic Monk before the posting of the Theses and before his converting Tower Experience of 1519 when the concept of the righteousness of God, defining God as being an angry, just and righteous Judge, became the very righteousness that God gave as a gift in Christ Jesus. Luther's theology grew beyond these notions of an angry God who predestines people to hell. At this time in his life, Luther was conflicted regarding predestination. It was the primary cause of his Anfechtung. He often deals with the subject of predestination in his Lectures on Genesis (1535-1536), written twenty years after his notes on Romans and ten years after The Bondage of the Will. 

Observe how pleasantly and kindly God delivers you from this horrible trial with which Satan besets people today in strange ways in order to make them doubtful and uncertain, and eventually even to alienate them from the Word. “For why should you hear the Gospel,” they say, “since everything depends on predestination?” In this way he robs us of the predestination guaranteed through the Son of God and the sacraments. He makes us uncertain where we are completely certain. And if he attacks timid consciences with this trial, they die in despair, as would almost have happened to me if Staupitz had not delivered me from the same trial when I was troubled...Staupitz used to comfort me with these words: “Why do you torture yourself with these speculations? Look at the wounds of Christ and at the blood that was shed for you. From these predestination will shine. Consequently, one must listen to the Son of God, who was sent into the flesh and appeared to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8) and to make you sure about predestination. And for this reason He says to you: ‘You are My sheep because you hear My voice’ (John 10:27). ‘No one shall snatch you out of My hands’ Lther, M. (1999, c1968). Vol. 5: Luther's Works,: Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 26-30 (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (Ge 26:10). Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 

If one takes the time to peruse the writing of Martin Luther they will discover his position regarding the difficult doctrine of predestination..Discussion of it should be avoided. Satan uses this doctrine to either produce a false sense of security or doubt and uncertainty. In fact, Luther would probably consign this blog to the dung heap. He wrote:

Accordingly, you who are listening to me now should remember that I have taught that one should not inquire into the predestination of the hidden God but should be satisfied with what is revealed through the calling and through the ministry of the Word. For then you can be sure about your faith and salvation and say: “I believe in the Son of God, who said (John 3:36): ‘He who believes in the Son has eternal life.’ Lectures on Genesis

A dispute about predestination should be avoided entirely... I forget everything about Christ and God when I come upon these thoughts and actually get to the point to imagining that God is a rogue. We must stay in the word, in which God is revealed to us and salvation is offered, if we believe him. But in thinking about predestination, we forget God . . However, in Christ are hid all the treasures (Col. 2:3); outside him all are locked up. Therefore, we should simply refuse to argue about election.Plass, "What Luther Says," under "Election." 

Some years ago I spoke at a joint Lutheran and Reformed gathering at Wheaton College. The subject matter was the three solas of the Reformation: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone. My subject was "Faith Alone." A very well-known Reformed theologian began the conference with a presentation on "Grace Alone." From my perspective as a Lutheran, "Grace Alone" defined the redemptive work of God through the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross. "Faith Alone" spoke of the Means of Grace, the preaching of the Gospel, whereby faith is worked by the Holy Spirit so that the benefits of God's great salvation are received.

I was shocked to hear this man define "Grace Alone," not by the cross of Jesus Christ; not by His precious blood shed for us; not by His perfect righteousness whereby we are declared righteous; not by His glorious Resurrection whereby we have the assurance of eternal life, but by the doctrine of predestination or election. I could not believe what I was hearing. As far as I was concerned, it was a different Gospel. Martin Luther would respond to this presentation by saying:

Here, now, for once we must put a stop to those wicked and high flying spirits who first apply their own reason to this matter. They begin at the top to search the abyss of divine predestination, and worry in vain about whether they are predestinated. They are bound to plunge to their own destruction, either through despair, or through throwing caution to the winds. But you had better follow the order of this epistle. (Romans) Worry first about Christ and the gospel, that you may recognize your sin and his grace. Then fight your sin, as the first eight chapters here have taught. Then, when you have reached the eighth chapter, and are under the cross and suffering, this will teach you correctly of predestination in chapters 9, 10, and 11, and how comforting it is. For in the absence of suffering and the cross and the perils of death, one cannot deal with predestination without harm and without secret anger against God. The old Adam must first die before he can tolerate this thing and drink the strong wine. Therefore beware that you do not drink wine while you are still a suckling. There is a limit, a time, and an age for every doctrine. Luther, M. (1999, c1960). Vol. 35: Luther's works, vol. 35 : Word and Sacrament I (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works ( Page 378). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

Martin Luther did not know of the confusion and contentions that would later exist among Christians and the major heresies such as Universalism and the rebirth of Pelagianism that would arise as the result of the debates over the doctrine of predestination. If he had known, he most certainly would have reminded us of his words: "For this you should know: All such suggestions and disputes about predestination are surely of the devil."

Perhaps the great Reformer John Calvin, if he had been able to see all the contentions that would arise in reaction to his position on predestination, might have stopped where Luther stopped and allowed a mystery to be just that - a mystery!

Some Thoughts About Contemporary Church Music

Historically, I have not been an advocate of so-called contemporary church music.  Anyone who listened to me on KFUO years ago would affirm that fact. When I retired in 2000 and moved back to St, Louis from Pittsburgh we joined a traditional, liturgical church, but my two daughters and their families attended a church that featured contemporary music. They kept begging Dianne and I to attend. We did, and I was impressed, not so much by the music but by the Christ-centered preaching., After speaking with the pastor he offered me the opportunity to preach monthly and do Sunday Bible Class. So, I became a part time pastor at a church featuring contemporary, band-led, music, which, as time went by, I began to somewhat enjoy and appreciate. So, I do have a platform for perhaps honestly evaluating the place of contemporary Christian music in the life of the Lutheran congregation. (I do say "Lutheran" for a specific reason that will become evident.)

First of all, I really do not care what instruments are used to lead Sunday morning worship. Psalm 150 makes it quite clear that any instrument can be used to praise and worship God. With that being said, in my opinion, it is difficult to beat organ-led worship if the organist knows how to play the instrument and is playing the hymn, not merely the same notes four or five times in a row. I might have some difficulty worshipping to music led by bagpipes or whatever they use to accompany their music in the Islamic world. Traditionalism is not the issue, nor should it be.

I do think we need to be careful of a couple distortions. One of the notions of the 1943 "Latter Rain Movement," which was a precursor to the later Charismatic Movement, was that "praise and worship will usher God into our presence." Or, if you will, "sing 'til the Spirit comes" (or you drop, whichever comes first). The fact is, God is already present. Let us worship Him. Also, the repetition of words or phrases can have a "mantra" effect leading to a "brainless" response. One of the popular choruses of the past was the singing of the word "alleluia" eight times over to an enchanting melody. It was a rather emotional experience. Speaking at a pastor's conference some years ago I made the comment in passing that using the word "pepperoni" rather than "alleluia" would produce the same effect. I got a rather angry letter from the District President of that region telling me that I had ruined his favorite chorus. Poor fellow, now every time he sang the chorus he thought of pizza. There is a place in the historic liturgy for the repetitive use of singing the word "alleluia" but in response to the Word of God that came before, not merely to stir emotions.

Music and singing is an excellent medium for the communication of truth, or, as was the case of the fourth century heretic Arius, the communication of error. Arius, a prelate in Alexandria, taught that Jesus was inferior to the Father, and he disseminated his views, not merely by proposition, but by writing little choruses and jingles containing his heresy and setting them to simple popular melodies. The church father Athanasius defined the songs of Arius as being “depraved and effeminate,” yet his jingles became very popular. It has been suggested that since Alexandria was a major seaport, some of his jingles containing his false doctrine were sung by sailors and in this way the heresy spread from port to port. While the Council of Nicea in 325 settled the Arian issue theologically, the tunes of Arius remained popular among the common folk.

Martin Luther was responsible for introducing congregational singing. Music was always a part of sixteenth century worship but featured a choir, usually a boys’ choir. It was a performance. Luther believed that for the Reformation to be successful among the common people, theology had to be expressed in song. Contrary to Calvin, who gave little import to music and Zwingli who rejected it, Luther believed that music was second in importance to theology and said, "Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise." In 1524, working together with George Speratus, Luther published the first hymnal which contained eight songs. In subsequent years working with Johann Walther and Justin Jonas, the hymnal was frequently enlarged as Luther wrote more hymns.

Why did Martin Luther believe that congregational singing was vitally important for the spread of the Reformation? After perusing everything Luther said about music on my Luther’s Works DVD, I believe there were three primary reasons.

First, in agreement with Arius, Luther believed that doctrine could be effectively communicated in song. Music produces an earworm. If the common folk could be motivated to sing popular melodies containing doctrinal truth, that truth would infect the heart and mind. Many of Luther’s hymns were written to teach truth. For example, “We All Believe in One True God” teaches the doctrine of the Trinity. “Our Father, who from Heaven Above” teaches the Lord’s Prayer. “These are the Holy Ten Commandments” obviously in ten stanzas teaches the Ten Commandments, “Dear Christians One and All Rejoice” teaches the entire plan of salvation also in ten stanzas. This is just to name a few.

Secondly, while there are some today who fear emotions as if they were a plague, this was most certainly not the view of Martin Luther. He wrote: “We can mention only one point (which experience confirms), namely, that next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. She is a mistress and governess of those human emotions which as masters govern men or more often overwhelm them. No greater commendation than this can be found—at least not by us.” He said, “There is no doubt that there are many seeds of good qualities in the minds of those who are moved by music. Those, however, who are not moved [by music] I believe are definitely like stumps [of wood] and blocks of stone.”

It is one thing to propositionally understand that our sins are forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus and that we are righteous before God because of the righteousness of Christ, it is another thing to sing with gusto and emotion, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.” If the emotions of the one singing those words are not affected, they are either ignorant of the truth or are, as Luther put it, “blocks of stone.” Luther believed that the truth of the Gospel must infect the total man: intellect, will and emotions. For this reason, theology is king, but music is queen.

Thirdly, theology must lead to doxology. When the Holy Spirit brings a person to faith through the Gospel and they realize that their sins are forgiven, they are righteous before God, and going to heaven, how can they not praise and worship God? So, Luther wrote numerous songs of praise including “O Lord, We Praise Thee, Bless Thee and Adore Thee,” “All Glory be to God Alone,” and of course, “A Mighty Fortress is our God.”

If the purpose of congregational singing is to present truth, stir the heart and emotions, and to respond to theology with doxology, my major criticism of Contemporary Christian Music is that it often does not produce congregational singing, especially if the song is so contemporary that no one but the so-called praise team is familiar with it. Similar to the music sung in the pre-Reformation church, it becomes a performance, not by a boys’ choir, but by a praise team. There is a marked difference in so-called contemporary churches between the usual Sunday morning worship and the worship at Christmas and Easter when the traditional hymns and carols, known to the congregation, are sung. I am quite certain the pastor would receive numerous complaints from the people if all new contemporary Christmas songs were sung on Christmas Eve, unknown to the congregation, in place of the traditional carols.

The Sunday morning exception to this is when songs are sung that have been around for a number of years. The very popular "In Christ Alone" (Getty/Townend) was written in 2001. “Christ Cornerstone,” a beautiful rendition of the hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” was released by Hillsong in 2012 and most Lutherans already know the hymn. The beautiful song by Matt Redman, “Jesus, Only Jesus” was released in 2013 as was Glen Packiam’s “The Mystery of the Faith.” I really enjoy singing these songs because I am familiar with them. My all-time favorite is “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective which came out in 2012. Anyone who is not stirred by this song would qualify for Martin’s Luther’s description as a “block of stone.”

This raises the question, when is contemporary Christian music no longer contemporary? If a song has been sung for ten to twenty years, is it contemporary or traditional? Perhaps contemporary worship leaders should establish a benchmark: at the point where the congregation knows the song and participates in the singing marks the song as traditional and should be replaced by something “really” contemporary. If that is the case, perhaps we need to replace praise teams with boys’ choirs.

There are so many great hymns of the Church that deserve to be sung. Many of them can easily be converted to chords and accompanied by a praise band.  Why not? Our people are being robbed of a great heritage. “Well,” the complaint goes, “they are traditional, not contemporary.” But why are they old and traditional? For the simple reason that they have endured the test of time and have been aiding Christians in expressing their faith for generations. Having endured the test of time is an apologetic for the truth of the Word of God. If a hymn has endured the test of time and has been joyfully sung by Christians for many generations, why does that make it bad and worthy of the trash heap to be replaced by a contemporary song no one in the congregation knows?  That is absolute foolishness.

This raises the additional question: how many of the contemporary Christian songs popular today will stand the test of time and be sung by Christians in generations to come. I would say few if any. There is no doubt that one of the banner Christian songs of our time is “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me. The development of this song was turned into a popular movie. I think it is a great song and depicts the joy of being in heaven and seeing Jesus face-to-face. In 1830, Thomas Rawson Taylor wrote the song “I’m but a Stranger Here, Heaven is my Home.” The song reflects the same sentiments as “I Can Only Imagine.”  Since “I’m But a Stranger Here” is published in 600 hymnals it will continue to be sung for generations to come while “I Can Only Imagine” will be all but forgotten.


If the music being sung in the church today was meeting the expectations of Martin Luther, I honestly believe he would strap on his lute (a form of guitar which Luther played very well) and join a praise band.     

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:1-8

1.There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, (who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.) 2.For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3.For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4.that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5.For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6.For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7.Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8.So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (NKJV)

In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul defined the human dilemma by saying "the good I want to do, I don't do, but the evil I don't want to do, I find myself doing." While many claim that Paul in Romans 7:13-25 is describing his condition before becoming a Christian, this is highly unlikely. Paul is presenting a systematic treatment of the Christian faith and life, To revert back to his pre-Christian experience disrupts his chain of thought. In his Commentary on Romans Martin Luther wrote regarding this section from Romans:

This entire passage clearly indicates a complaint and a hatred of the flesh and a love for the good and for the Law. But this attitude is in no way characteristic of carnal man, who prefers to hate the Law and laughs at it and follows the desires of his flesh. For the spiritual man fights with his flesh and groans because he cannot do as he wants to. But the carnal man does not fight against his flesh, but yields to it and consents to it. Hence the well-known statement of St. Augustine: “The will to be righteous is a large part of righteousness.” (Luther's Works, Lectures on Romans, Saint Louis: CPH.)

Romans 7 defines the plight of the baptized Christian who, knowing that he is made right with God and in Christ Jesus is dead to sin and alive to God, now sets out to live the Christian life. He wants to do what is good and right and follow the teachings of Jesus but as soon as he sets out to do so, he discovers that he is powerless. Paul declares, "for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find (18)."  The problem is not with the "what" of God's Law but with the "how." It is one thing to tell people "what" to do, but it is another thing to inform them "how" to do it. 

For many preachers, Romans 7 defines the present state of the Christian and the plight of the Apostle Paul is used as an example, causing us to accept as normal Christian experience our propensity to sin. "After all," they say, "the Apostle Paul was in the same boat." Yet, they do not realize that Romans 8 is the answer to the Romans 7 dilemma. We cannot use Romans 7 as an excuse for our sin.

As soon as we enter into Romans 8 we are immediately faced with a textual disparity. As you can see from the NKJV text above, I have placed the words "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" in parenthesis. Without going into a lengthy textual discussion, the "Textus Receptus" or "the received text" upon which the King James Version was written is the 1522 edition of Erasmus translation. Later textual evidence indicated that this phrase is an interpolation or the addition of a scribe who probably borrowed it from verse four and added it to verse one. If we accept the validity of the phrase we add a condition to no longer being under the condemnation or judgment of God. There are no conditions since, according to verse three, sin has already been judged or condemned through the work of Christ so those who are in Christ are no longer condemned. There are no conditions. So we must reject that phrase as a later addition to the text. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Period! End of sentence. God is no longer condemning you since his condemnation was placed upon Jesus who went to the Cross because of your sins. Therefore, stop condemning yourself!  

Verse two must be unpacked. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." What does that mean?

First of all, the word "law" in this verse does not refer to the do's and don't's of the law but rather is defining a principle.  It is similar to speaking of the "law of gravity." If we happen to jump off a roof, we are not obeying the "law of gravity." We are not doing the law, the law is doing us. In this sense, the "law of sin and death" and the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is something that does us, so to speak.

Paul defines the "law of sin and death' in Romans 7 when he writes: "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (vs. 23)." The problem is, our life is wrong. There is a built-in principle or law in every human life born out of the root of Adam. It is the "law of sin and death." The wages of sin is death! This principle is a part of every human life regardless of status or appearance. Whether you are the Pope in Rome or the homeless recluse living under the highway overpass, you are subject to the law of sin and death.

So while we are born in Adam and the old Adam is in us, as baptized believers in Jesus Christ we are born-again in Christ, and Christ is in us. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:45: "And so it is written, 'The first man Adam became a living being.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." In John 15, Jesus instructed us to abide in Him as a branch is connected to the vine. The life is in the vine, and Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. By remaining joined to Him we bear much fruit. This is a law of life. The fruit produced is not the result of observing the Law but the spontaneous results of abiding in Christ. The Apostle wrote in Colossians 2:6, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him." He states in Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirements of the Law are fulfilled in them who walk in the Spirit (or abide in Christ or live in Christ). The Formula of Concord puts it this way:    

Fruits of the Spirit, however, are those works which the Spirit of God, who dwells in the believers, works through the regenerated, and which the regenerated perform in so far as they are reborn and do them as spontaneously as if they knew of no command, threat, or reward. In this sense the children of God live in the law and walk according to the law of God. In his epistles St. Paul calls it the law of Christ and the law of the mind. Thus God’s children are “not under the law, but under grace".(Romans. 7:23; 8:1,14) (Tappert, T. G. The Book of Concord [The Formula of Concord: 1, VI, 6], Philadelphia: Fortress Press.)

So it is obvious. We live the Christian life by abiding in Christ, walking according to the Spirit, or living in Christ. As a result, the law or principle of the life that is in Christ Jesus sets us free from the principle of sin and death which is a part of our natural human condition. The question is, how do we live in Christ or walk in the Spirit?

The Apostle continues in Romans 8: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." "Set their minds!" Are we talking about the late Dr. Robert Schuller's "Possibility Thinking," or Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking?" Absolutely not!! The Apostle is talking about getting our minds off ourselves and the things of this world and the sinful nature and directing our minds to those things pertaining to our new life in Christ: the Word of God and praise and thanksgiving. In so doing, we are abiding in Christ and the "law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus is setting us free from the law of sin and death." Changing the way we think and what we think about is well within our capability unless, of course, one is demon possessed which I am certain, if you happen to be reading this, is not the case.

This is not something to be taken lightly or regarded as optional. The Apostle Paul adds the thought: "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." If I live from day to day with my mind set upon the things pertaining to my sinful nature: focusing on myself, the temptation of the devil, the allure of the world I am experiencing "death," that is separation from the life that is in Christ Jesus. Jesus said, "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned" But, the mind set upon the things of the Spirit: the truths of God's Word, praise, worship and thanksgiving, results in life and peace. This same thought is often reiterated in the Epistles of Paul:

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." ( Colossians 3:1-2).

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)

"That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24)

The Psalmist wrote:

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." (Psalm 1:1-3) 

The Prophet Isaiah wrote (26:3)

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

Regarding the use of God's Word, Martin Luther wrote:

"Hear God's Word often; do not go to bed, do not get up without speaking a beautiful passage - two, three or four of them - to your heart." (Plass, What Luther Says, St. Louis, CPH, pg. 1485)

"On the other hand, such is the power of the Word if it is seriously contemplated, heard and used that it is never without fruit. It always awakens new understanding, pleasure and devotion and purifies the heart and thoughts." (Plass, pg. 1467) 

"I still constantly find that when I am without the Word, Christ is gone, yes and so are joy and the Spirit. But as soon as I look at a Psalm or a passage of Scripture, it so shines and burns into my heart that I gain a different Spirit and mind, Moreover, I know that everybody may experience this in his own life." (Plass, pg. 691))

Regarding the place of music in the life of the Christian, Martin Luther wrote in a 1534 letter to one Mathias Weller who was given to brooding,

"When sadness comes to you and threatens to gain the upper hand, then say, Come, I must play my Lord Christ a song on the organ for Scripture teaches me that he loves to hear joyful song and stringed instruments. And strike the keys with a will and sing out until the thoughts disappear...If the devil returns and suggests cares or sad thoughts, then defend yourself with a will and say: Get out devil, I must now sing and play to my Lord Christ." (Plass, pg. 983) 

Before applying the solution, we must first identify the problem. It is vital to recognize in your own life what are the actions, reactions, attitudes, and emotions in your daily experience of life that emanate from your sinful nature and keep you in bondage to the law of sin and death so that you might deal with them. This is not easy to do. You must be honest and not make excuses! Remember, you are not dealing with justification but sanctification. You are a justified, redeemed, forgiven member of the family of God. Sanctification deals with the question of how you live in that family.

In Galatians 5:19-21, the Apostle Paul lists the so-called works of the sinful nature, the works of Adam:

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like."

The phrase "and the like" leaves the whole list open-ended. We can add self-pity, bitterness, worry, fear, depression, anxiety, etc. All temptations to sin, all negative feeling and emotion begin between the ears. They are products of the mind, of our way of thinking. St. Augustine said, "You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." What are the "birds" that have built a nest in your hair?

It is not possible to teach anything pertaining to the subject of living the Christian life without first experiencing what you are teaching. Without going into the gory details, there was a time when I was filled with self-pity, bitterness and resentment. I was reacting against those who were critical of me. I was miserable, The teaching of the Apostle Paul about setting your mind on the things of the Spirit was a life-saver. I found a way out and continue to apply the practice on a daily basis when the "birds begin to fly over my head," There are many daily encounters that stir up the old sinful nature whether anger over missing a three-foot putt, lack of patience in a traffic jam, frustration over the debilitation of old age, feelings of guilt etc. etc. While perhaps the change in my thinking is not immediate, but eventually, rather than being pulled down I have learned to quote Bible passages, confess sin and receive forgiveness, sing hymns or choruses of praise and express my gratitude to my gracious God for his great and many blessings that I have received. This does not identify me as some spiritual giant but one who is not stupid enough to allow the issues of life to pull me down when God has given me an alternative.

In Colossians 3:15-17, the Apostle defines the nature of living in Christ:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

In Philippians 4:4-7, the Apostle writes:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

The final phrase is a hina result clause. The Greek word hina indicates either purpose or result. In this case, it is a result clause. If you choose to do what the first two verses say, the result will be that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through (better translation:"in") Christ Jesus." Living "in Christ Jesus" as opposed to living "in Adam" is what you want to do.

I realize, of course, that many of you are set in your ways. Perhaps you have been holding feelings of resentment for many years toward those who have hurt you in the past and feel justified in doing so. Perhaps you enjoy wallowing in your own self-pity. Perhaps you think that by continually complaining about your plight in life you cause other people to feel sorry for you. Perhaps by always expressing your anger over one thing or another you can control other people. Perhaps you want to win the award for having the worst plight in life. Perhaps you feel justified in your bitterness because other people "made you" that way. I get "a kick" out of people who say, "He gets me so upset." The fact of the matter is, you get yourself upset over him, regardless of what he has done.

The battlefield is the mind, and our God has done so many gracious and wonderful things for you, that by remembering them and being thankful for them you can win the battle. This does not mean that you won't from time to time stumble and fall and get pulled down by the cares and concerns of life. What it does mean is you know how to deal with them. You confess your "carnal mind" as sin against God and acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins and receive your forgiveness. You pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and go on your way filled with praise and thanksgiving. To put it very simply, if you claim to be a Christian, live like one!    

God's New Creation

For as in Adam all die,  even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

 1 Corinthians 15:22-23

The purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God into this world was to reverse the results of the Fall of Adam and produce a new creation. No other earthly man could accomplish this purpose but "a Man from heaven" - the very Son of God in whom the Godhead was pleased to dwell. This was not a divine after thought but God's eternal purpose as the Apostle Paul writes: "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10)

In Romans 5:12, the Apostle Paul describes the human dilemma. He writes that by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin. Since that fateful Fall, everyone thereafter would be born "in Adam." All of humanity are the products of Adam's seed. Because we are born "in Adam," we are designated sinners. Because we are designated sinners, we sin. I am not a sinner because I sin; I sin because I am a sinner.

What does it mean to be born "in Adam?"

Think of it in this way. If your great-great grandfather was run over by a horse and buggy and killed at the age of ten, what would have happened to you.  Obviously you would not be here. You would have died "in him." In Back to the Future, Marty McFly looked with horror of his picture being erased from a photograph because he was unable, in the past, to make a connection between his father and mother. What happened in the past, effects the future. The sixteenth century German hymn writer Lazarus Spengler wrote, "All mankind fell in Adam's fall, one common sin infects them all."

This objective reality becomes subjectively true at birth since everyone born into this world is not only born in Adam but the "old Adam," has infected their human nature. I believe the so-called "terrible two's" are a good example of the effect of original or inherited sin. Parents look on with dismay and wonder where their former "bundle of joy" learned to stomp his little foot and shout "No!" This objective and subjective reality is an important distinction since as in Adam so also in Christ. As Adam is the head of the old creation, so Christ is the head of the new creation as the Apostle Paul expresses in Romans 5:

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

In order to reverse the results of the Fall, God included the entire world of sinners in Christ Jesus.  Paul writes in ! Corinthians 1:30:

"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption."

In 2 Corinthians 5:17:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

As we participated in the sin of Adam, we also participated in the redemptive work of Christ. Because God included us "in Christ Jesus," we died with Him to sin and the Law and were raised with Him to a new life. Paul writes, "I am crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22:

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 

As the sin of Adam in which we participated was an historical event taking place outside of us, so it is with Christ. Our participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in which we were declared forgiven, redeemed and justified occurred outside of us, at the Cross and the open tomb, or as it said in Latin extra nos.. This not only applies to us, but to the entire world of sinners. This is called "objective justification." As judgment came to all men through the sin of Adam, so all men are declared righteous because of the obedience and faithfulness of the one Man, Jesus Christ.

While these redemptive acts occurred nearly two thousand years ago, the application of the benefits of God's grace and mercy are delivered to us through the means of grace that God has graciously provided, primarily the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Paul refers to the Gospel as "the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)." He declares in 1 Corinthians 1:21:

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

The truth of our being joined to Christ in His death and resurrection is applied and confirmed in Baptism. In my personal experience, this truth of my participation in the death and resurrection of Christ was delivered and applied to me in my Baptism, often referred to as the "visible Gospel." But for one who comes to faith through the preaching of the Gospel, this truth is personally affirmed, confirmed and faith is strengthened in Baptism. Therefore, Paul writes in Romans 6:3:

"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.":

So while we were all born in Adam and the old Adam resides in us, God in His grace included us in Christ Jesus and by faith Christ now dwells within us.. We died with Him to sin and the Law and raised with Him to a new life. As we were in Adam and Adam is in us, so we are now in Christ, and Christ is in us. We are a part of a new creation. Therefore Paul writes in Romans 6:11-14:

"Likewise you also, reckon (consider) yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." 

So we proclaim this glorious Gospel of a new creation in Christ Jesus to unbelievers still living under the old dominion of Adam, destined for death, both temporal and eternal. We proclaim God's immutable Law and His judgment upon the children of Adam and His grace, mercy, forgiveness and righteousness found in Christ so that they might become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus..

But how we proclaim this glorious Gospel is vitally important. The objective and subjective reality of being in Adam and Adam in us is also true in Christ Jesus. We do not tell unbelievers they have to "get saved" or give the impression that faith causes salvation to occur. The Scripture is abundantly clear that God included the entire world of sinners, not merely the elect or chosen, in Christ Jesus. The entire old creation participated in the death and resurrection of Christ. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19:

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

So we declare the objective truth of what God accomplished for the world of sinners in Christ Jesus so that as the Holy Spirit creates faith, the unbeliever enters subjectively into this new creation. Christ, the head of this new creation, now dwells within them.The children of Adam are born anew in Christ and receive the benefits of the forgiveness of sins, life and eternal salvation, confirming and personally affirming the same in their Baptism..

Of course, according to the practice of the first century church and the witness of the early church fathers, we apply this death and resurrection of Jesus to infants through Baptism since it is the only means we know of whereby infants are included in God's new creation. But this is not a "one and done" experience since the baptism of an infant assumes instruction so that child begins to grasp the greater significance of having participated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Martin Luther put it so well when he defined the significance of Baptism: "The old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts and a new man daily come forth and arise." Such a significance of Baptism is only applicable to those who have been taught that God included them in Christ; that they died with Christ to sin and the Law; and have been raised with Christ to a new life. They are a part of a new creation. So Christian parents can admonish their children with the words, "How can you behave like that? Don't you know that you are baptized?"

One of the wonderful mysteries of our being in Christ Jesus is not only that we participated in His death and resurrection, but we were also joined to Him in His ascension.The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-7:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  

And in Colossians 3:1-5:

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

What a glorious truth! While our feet still walk upon this earth, our real identity is found in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We get a taste of this reality as we gather around the Lord's Table and receive our Lord Jesus in, with and under the physical elements of bread and wine. Our fellowship at the Lord's Table is not only with our fellow saints on earth, but with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. For it is there that we find our true identity and rejoice in the culmination of God's new creation. 

Old Self / New Self?

The New Testament was written in Greek. The many English Bibles are translations offered by a variety of individuals or groups of Bible scholars. Some, perhaps, have their own agenda, but to be fair, the primary intention is to present a more readable and understandable translation, but sometimes the zeal and ingenious originality of the translators only succeeds in distorting the text.

I recall in 1995 interviewing on the radio program Issues etc. one of the members of God's Word to the Nations Bible Society. The purpose was to promote their new translation of the Bible they called God's Word. The translation team was composed of members of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Their objective was to create a "natural equivalent translation." For their purpose, the interview didn't go very well. I discovered that they had changed the concept of being justified by faith to having God's approval by faith. Were they assuming that the level of intelligence of the average reader could not handle the word justification?  In addition, all of the nuances of the cardinal doctrine of justification by faith went beyond the mere notion of being approved by God. So much to the chagrin of my guest, whose intention it was to promote the new translation, I voiced my objection. I thought they had minimized the chief doctrine of our faith. 

Being born in 1940, I grew up with the King James Version of the Bible. I memorized all my catechism Bible verses according to the King James. For my confirmation, my God-mother gifted me the 1948 Revised Standard Version. The primary issue with this RSV was the translation of almah in Isaiah 7:14 as "young woman" as opposed to the King James "virgin." There was some linguistic support for the change. Since that time a veritable plethora of new English translations have appeared on the scene. The two most popular being the New International Version (NIV) and the English Standard Version (ESV).

I am not one of the "King James only" advocates who claims that the "Textus Receptus" is the only inspired Greek text. I do prefer the "Majority Text" and believe that earlier manuscript evidence should be given the greater weight. Much has been discovered since the time of Erasmus resulting in some major changes to the King James Version, especially John 7:53-8:11; the ending of the Gospel of Mark: and the famous Johannine Comma of 1 John 5:7-8: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one." Erasmus, in his Greek text, did not include this verse in his first two editions, but succumbing to pressure from the Church authorities who believed that the Latin Vulgate should not be changed, included it in his 1522 third edition with a footnote. In his 1545 German Bible, Martin Luther used the first two editions of Erasmus Greek text and did not include the verse. The verse was included in the 1611 King James Version. While it is true that some of the early church fathers seemed to be aware of the text, the early Greek manuscripts did not include it.

I believe modern English translations of the Bible are necessary since we no longer speak the Elizabethan tongue of the 1611 King James Version. The exception being "don't mess with the Lord's Prayer," and for some, "read the Christmas Story according to the King James Version." But there is a difference between modernizing the language and distorting the truths the language is intended to communicate. New Testament translations should be true to the Greek text from which they are derived. In my opinion, the "biggest sin" of Bible translators is changing a concept by using words and definitions which have absolutely no basis in the Greek text and are apparently employed for the purpose of achieving cultural relevance. For example:

The New King James Version translates Romans 6:6 in this manner. I have underlined the controverted phrase:

"...knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

The Greek for "our old man" is παλαιος ημων ανθρωπος. The word palaios comes from the root palai which means "long ago" or "old." Of course, anthropos means "man." So Paul is speaking of "our man from long ago" or the "old man." Who is "our man from long ago?"

In order to understand this phrase, you must consider the context. Context is everything. In Romans 5, the apostle is speaking about two men. Note what Paul is saying in verses 17-19:

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Obviously, the one man, the "man from long ago" is Adam and the new man is Christ.  Here is how Martin Luther defined the significance of Baptism: 

It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

This is how the New International Version translates Romans 6:6:

 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

And here is the English Standard Version:

We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin 

The ESV adds a footnote indicating that the word "self" is actually "man" in the Greek..

On two other occasions, the Apostle speaks of both the "old man" and the "new man." Here are the references. The first text is from the New King James Version (NKJV), the second from the New International Version (NIV) and the third from the English Standard Version (ESV). Note that in each case the ESV does add the footnote.

Colossians 3:9-10:

NKJV: Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

NIV:  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

ESV: Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Ephesians 4:22-24:

NKJV: Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

NIV: Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

ESV: Put off your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

First of all, it is not possible for the words "old man" (τον παλαιον ανθρωπον) and "new man" (τον καινον ανθρωπον) to be translated from the Greek text to mean "old self" and "new self." The theology of the Apostle Paul is consistent. The "old man" is Adam, and the "new man" is Christ. In Romans 13:14, the Apostle tells us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." 

So the question is, why would the translators of the NIV and ESV use concepts that define the nature of sanctification for which there is absolutely no warrant in the original Greek text? Allow me to hazard a guess:

Beginning somewhere in the 1960's a new school of psychology called Humanistic Psychology, championed primarily by Carl Rogers, was rapidly replacing the worn-out notions of Freud and the dehumanizing of Behaviorism. After all, no one wants to be seen as a repressed sexual pervert or compared with Pavlov's drooling dogs. Rogers proposed the notion that a person’s self-concept determines his behavior. Legitimate therapeutic improvement occurs only when the individual changes his own self-concept. Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs culminating in what he called self-actualization. In around 1970, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California opened their School of Psychology. The stated purpose of the school was the integration of humanistic psychology and Christian theology. Everything revolved around the concept of "the self." The New Testament of the New International Version was first copyrighted in 1973. So, in answer to the question, I can only conclude that the translators of both the NIV and ESV exchanged an accurate rendering of the Greek text for the pursuit of cultural relevance. 

Is it fair for me to accuse the biblical scholars and linguists, who spent years preparing the English text, of borrowing concepts from secular psychology instead of presenting the clear Greek text in their translation of the Word of God? I do believe this is a very serious accusation. It is a distortion of the Word of God or "adding to" the Word of God." If anyone can show me, apart from the concepts of psychology, that the "old self" and "new self" are legitimate translations for the old man Adam and the new man Christ I will gladly recant my accusation and stand corrected.

I question whether there is any place within the Christian discourse for a positive view of "the self" concept. Is it not "the self" that drives the human dilemma and underlines the root sin of human pride?  When Jesus told his disciples in Luke 9:23: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me," what was he referring to? Self-denial is not merely giving up ice cream for Lent but is the very denial of self itself.  Martin Luther spoke of “coming out of yourself and away from yourself” by passing judgment on self by viewing self through the eyes of God leading to self-accusation. He referred to the lovers of self who had a high view of themselves as the "philauti." In his classic volume Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes:

The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object.... But there must be a giving up of the self.  You must throw it away blindly so to speak.  Christ will indeed give you a real personality; but you must not go to him for the sake of that.  As long as your own personality is what you are bothering about, you are not going to Him at all.  The very first step is to try to forget about the self altogether. (Lewis, C.S., Mere Christianity, [New York: Harper Collins, 1982] pp. 125, 190.)

When the Apostle Paul teaches us to put off the "old man" and put on the "new Man" he is defining the sanctification process. Living each day we should be mindful of what actions, attitudes, thoughts, words and deeds are products of the old self-centered sinful nature, the old Adam that dwells within us, and, as Luther says, by daily contrition and repentance, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. So that we might clearly identify the difference, the Apostle lists for us the works of the old man, the sinful flesh, and the fruit of the Spirit, that which is a part of the new Man, our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:19-23). There are terms the Apostle Paul uses that are synonymous: old man, old Adam, flesh and new man, Christ, and Spirit. There is no place for "old self" and "new self.."