1. Survey of Teachings of the New Church Meant by the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation

[Author’s Preface]

AFTER publishing, within the span of a few years, several larger and smaller works on the New Jerusalem (which means the new church that the Lord is going to establish), and after unveiling the Book of Revelation, I resolved to publish and bring to light the teachings of the [new] church in their fullness, and thus to present a body of teaching that was whole. But because this work was going to take several years, I developed a plan to publish an outline of it, to give people an initial, general picture of this church and its teachings. When a general overview precedes, all the details that follow, of however wide a range, stand forth in a clear light, because they each have their own place within the overall structure alongside things of the same type.

This briefing does not include detailed argumentation; it is shared as advance notice, because the points it contains will be fully demonstrated in the work itself.

First, however, I must present the teachings concerning justification as they exist today, in order to highlight the differences between the tenets of today’s church and those of the new church.

59. Brief Analysis

The statement that the intellect has to be held under obedience to faith serves as a kind of standard opening disclaimer for the tenets of the church of today. (See §54 above for an indication that what lies within them are mysteries or secrets so “transcendent” that they are incapable of flowing into the higher regions of the intellect and making sense.)

When still in school, ambitious ministers in the church who long to have a reputation as outstandingly wise and to be considered oracles in spiritual matters give special attention to teachings that are beyond the grasp of others. Although these teachings are very difficult for them to learn, they pursue them avidly. When, as a result, they gain a reputation for being wise, and become rich and famous because they possess these hidden treasures, they are granted the caps of distinguished professors or the robes of bishops.

In their thinking and in their teaching from the pulpit they focus almost exclusively on the mysteries concerning justification by faith alone and the good works that serve as faith’s lowly servants. Drawing on all they know about faith and good works, they have an amazing way of separating the two at one moment and bringing them together at another.

It is as if they were holding naked faith in one hand and works of goodwill in the other. At one moment they extend their arms wide to separate them; at another, they bring their hands together and combine the two.

Let some examples serve as illustrations. They teach that good works are not necessary for our salvation, because if we ourselves are doing them, we are doing them for some reward. Yet at the same time, they teach that good works do necessarily follow the faith that, for them, is the same as salvation itself.

They teach that faith without good works is alive and justifies us. Yet at the same time they teach that faith without good works is dead and does not justify us.

They teach that faith is not preserved or maintained by good works. Yet at the same time they teach that good works flow forth from faith like fruit from a tree, light from the sun, and heat from a fire.

They teach that good works, when appended to faith, bring it to fulfillment. Yet at the same time they teach that when good works are united as in a marriage or constitute a single form, they deprive faith of its essential ability to save us.

They teach that Christians are not under the law, and yet at the same time they teach that Christians must have a daily practice of following the law.

They teach that our good works are harmful if they become entangled in our being saved by faith — for example, if they become involved in our being forgiven our sins, justified, regenerated, brought to life, or saved. Yet they teach that our good works are profitable to us as long as they do not become entangled in our faith.

They teach that God gives us good works and crowns them with rewards, including spiritual rewards, but not with salvation or eternal life, because these are the rewards with which he crowns a faith that is separate from good works.

They teach that this faith of theirs is like a queen, who parades in magnificence because she is attended by good works as servants following along behind; but if these good works embrace her face-to-face and give her a kiss, she will be dethroned and called a whore.

Especially when they teach about the interaction between faith and good works, they suggest that from one point of view the interaction is beneficial and from another point of view it is not. They carefully choose particular words and skillfully weave them together in such a way that what they say has two meanings. There is one meaning for lay people and another for clergy. The meaning aimed at lay people covers up what they are really saying, but the meaning aimed at clergy reveals it.

Consider, if you will, whether any of the people who hear messages like these will be able to extract any teaching that will lead them to salvation? Will they not instead be blinded by the apparent contradictions in what is taught? And once blinded, will they not grope around for the means of salvation as if they were walking in total darkness? Based on the evidence of our own actions, which of us can tell whether we have any faith or not? Who knows whether it is better for us to do good works, because we fear missing out on the reward if we do not; or not to do good works, because we fear losing our faith if we do?

My friend, disentangle yourself from teachings like these. Abstain from what is evil because it is sinful, do what is good, and believe in the Lord. If you do these things, you will experience a process of being justified that will actually save you.

12. Particular teachings from the Formula of Concord concerning our being justified by faith apart from the works of the law:

(a) Faith is attributed to us as righteousness apart from the works of the law, because of the merit of Christ that faith brings us (pages 78, 79, 80, 584, 689).

(b) Goodwill comes along only after we have the faith that makes us just. Faith actually does not make us just if it has been formed through acts of goodwill, although Catholics say it does (pages 81, 89, 94, 117, 688, 691; appendix, page 169).

(c) The contrition that precedes, and the renewal, sanctification, and good works that follow, have no part to play in the business of being justified by faith (pages 688, 689).

(d) It is foolish to dream that the works enjoined by the second tablet of the Ten Commandments make us just before God. We follow them in our dealings with other human beings, but not with God. In the process of being justified we must deal with God and placate his wrath (page 102).

(e) Any who believe their sins are forgiven because they do acts of goodwill are insulting Christ; their confidence in their own righteousness is wicked and futile (pages 87, 89).

(f) Good works must be completely excluded from any discussion of our justification and eternal life (page 589).

(g) Good works are not necessary to make us deserving of salvation; they play no part in activating the process of being justified (pages 589, 590, 702, 704; appendix, page 173).

(h) We must reject the proposition that good works are necessary for our salvation. This position takes away the consolation of the gospel, gives us a reason to doubt God’s grace, and strengthens the presumption that we ourselves are righteous. Papists adopted these views in support of a bad cause (page 704).

(i) We reject and condemn the expression that good works are necessary for salvation (page 591).

(j) Statements that good works are necessary for salvation are not to be taught or defended, but should be excluded and rejected by our churches as false (page 705).

(k) Works that do not proceed from true faith are actually sins in God’s sight. That is, such works are tarnished with sin, since a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (page 700).

(l) Our good works do not preserve or maintain faith or salvation in us; they are just a testimony that the Holy Spirit is present and dwelling within us (pages 590, 705; appendix, page 174).

(m) People ought to reject the decree of the Council of Trent [and whatever else is used to support the opinion] that our good works preserve salvation or that our works either completely or only in part preserve and maintain the righteousness received by faith or even faith itself (page 707).