No idea why the laughing emoticon. Definitely need coffee.

Quote:

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When the mantra of lex semper accusat is taken out of its context in the
Apology, it takes on the status of a theological trump card, denying any function
to the law but accusation. Seeing law as only accusation disqualifies it as a guide
of Christian behavior. Hence, no third use of the law is left. Christians will never be
perfect in this life, and the law reminds them that even their good works are impure
(FC SD VI 21), but in Christ they are already free from the law's accusations. This is
what simul iustus et peccator is all about. The law's third use is nothing other than
the Ten Commandments christologically fulfilled, informed, and defined. Believers
do Christ's works, which God through his Spirit works in them (Phil 2:13). Works
of the law's third use are trinitarian through and through. Believers' good works are
not only patterned after what Christ did, but are also what Christ does in them. Good
works are those of the third use and have their origin in God's trinitarian existence,
in which each divine person loves the other with a perfect love (John 5:20). This love
manifests perfectly in God offering up Christ as a sacrifice to satisfy the law's
demands and suffer its accusations (John 3:16). Trinitarian love that expresses itself
in Christ's life and atoning deathhis active and passive obediencecomes to
further expression in believers who live and die for others (John 15:1213, 17; 1 John
4:7). That's the third use in a nutshell.

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PacifistAg said:

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Quote:

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Wasn't Satan part of the creation too? What caused his fall then?

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That's a good question. Did the angels exist prior to the creation of the universe? It's something I haven't really looked into. I would say, as a believer in free will, that the ability to "fall" is in all things God creates. Love is not possible if His created agents lack the ability to freely choose to reject Him.

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From the Lord's point of view:

IF they choose to obey me
THEN they will have abundant life
ELSE they will not have abundant life (my grace is sufficient)

It's incredibly logical!

swimmerbabe11 said:

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For you Lutheran kids, some really interesting stuff from Pastor Scaer.

This tweet thread highlights some stuff. Lots of 3rd use of the law stuff

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It's interesting to see how the LCMS is going to handle this.

Not sure if you follow the Thinking Fellows Podcast, but they are out of Concordia Irving and they are huge fans of Forde.

They've recommended Forde's book "Theology of the Cross" multiple times.

On the flip side, they are very clear about the importance of the third usage of the Law.

btw...I saw that your Pastor got a shout out for his Thesis.

No, I haven't but... I have trouble understanding how we are still battling Forde's theology.

Tbh, I think Higher Things was a Bad Thing for the synod as a whole. My church goes and I'm pretty outspoken on it