_14_The Means by Which Theology Accomplishes Its Purpose

Ever mindful of the purpose of theology, which is to bring men to faith and thus lead them to heaven, the theologian must concern himself with the means by which this purpose is accomplished. He must not be beguiled into employing the means suggested by carnal wisdom, such as worldly might, external compulsion, state support, “social affairs,” and the like. Men are strongly tempted to employ these unchurchly means.153 But the only thing that achieves the purpose of theology and builds the Church is the Gospel, and only he is fitted for the ministry ( — “our sufficiency is of God,” 2 Cor. 3:5) of the Church who firmly relies, for his success, on the divinely ordained means and knows that the “Gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), though mean and contemptible in the eyes of the world and his flesh, is the power of God unto salvation. That is what Christ has commanded His Church to teach and to preach. That is how Paul achieved his success. Bidding farewell to the pastors and churches of Ephesus, he said: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). That is the lesson which all of us, pastors and professors, must ever learn anew in faith.

A word on church government in this connection. Schleiermacher states that one of the purposes, the final purpose of theology, is “the government and rule of the Church.” 154 We could subscribe to that with the understanding that it is God’s Word alone that rules and governs the Church. The regulations made by smaller or larger church bodies, which concern the externals of their common work, ought not to be called “means of governing the Church.” Luther: “Christians cannot be ruled by any other means than the Word of God. For Christians must be ruled in faith, not by outward works. Faith, however, can come through no word of man, but only through the Word of God, as Paul says Romans 10: ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ ” (St. L. X:406.)