Basic logic is in short supply today. I was amazed by the number of times people rose to speak against resolutions on the floor of our LCMS convention this summer by invoking a false either/or. For example, if a resolution honored our pastors and thanked God for their ministry, someone inevitably rose to oppose this, saying that we are obviously demeaning lay people and their lives of service in the church when we commend pastors and their ministry. This is akin to saying that because I love my wife, I hate my children. Wouldn't it be more likely that loving my wife is also truly loving my children? Loving the shepherds of the church is also loving the sheep for whom they care, and vice versa. Just because you love one thing, does not imply that you hate another. In our common speech this is called "throwing the baby out with the bathwater."

Careful distinctions are essential to clear thinking, speaking, and, of course, theology. For example, just because some external things do not justify in the sight of God, does not mean that we must get rid of all external things. Food and shelter do not justify in the sight of God, however, we may not ignore working for our daily bread so that we can eat, be clothed, and have a place to live. Having adequate shelter does not assure of salvation; in fact, those who, like our Lord, lack it may be among the most blessed persons. Each kingdom must be kept to its own area of life. One thing can be important in the kingdom of the right (God's kingdom) and the other in the kingdom of the left (the kingdom of the world). For example, demanding hard academic study from students in Lutheran schools and rewarding their efforts when they work hard is not a rejection of the grace of God or the gift of righteousness in the sight of God. Forgiveness of sins should not lead to moral laxity. God requires that you work for success in the world for the sake of community and family. Such success, no matter how great, can never be taken as a sign of God's grace toward us. Grace is just that: gratuitous. It can never be earned or merited. Merited grace is an oxymoron. When we encourage people to embrace hard work to succeed in the world, we are not thereby rejecting God's gift of grace in Christ.

Such careful distinctions also apply when we consider what Jesus Himself says about external things. Jesus says, "The flesh is of no help at all" ( Jn 6:63). Here our Lord is warning us against confidence in our own fleshly power and ability. By our own human capacity, we are unable to be pleasing to God. That's why we live by grace. However, some people understand this to mean that all external things, all fleshly things are of no benefit for salvation. This idea is quite hard on the basic truths of the Christian religion, including the incarnation of our Lord. Holy Scripture teaches, "The Word became flesh" ( Jn 1:14). If the flesh is of no help at all, then why did Jesus come in the flesh ( Heb 5:7; 1Jn 4:2)? When God's word says that fleshly things are of a benefit for our salvation, then they are. This would be especially true of the Bible's teaching about the real presence in the sacrament of the altar. God has taken up and used the earthly elements of bread and wine and placed them under his word and command so that they themselves are the body and blood of Christ, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins. If we are unable to make such distinctions, we will find ourselves bereft of the real presence, the incarnation, and other essential teachings of the Christian faith. Some external things are beneficial to our salvation, because God has commanded them for our use, while other things are not, simply because he has not commanded them for our use unto salvation.