In discussing Luther’s theology of good works and discipleship Bayer comes to a really interesting point. People are always having trouble trying to decide what discipleship and following Jesus is supposed to look like. Is radical discipleship about abandoning everything in the world for more “spiritual” things. Giving away all possessions, leaving family behind, etc. This seems to be the call in Luke 14:26-27- “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
But what about what Jesus said in Mk 7:9-13, specifically, “Honor your father and mother, and anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death.”
So which is the best form of good works? Where is true discipleship to be found?
Luther admits that there is a tension in these passages and in the discipleship of a Christian. One must walk the “mountain ridge” as Bayer describes Luther’s handling of this issue. What Luther does well to help guide us, however, is in the way he drives us to view it all through the lens of the 10 Commandments. The commandments are all God’s will. They are given to us and thus should govern normal life. As you explore the second table of the commandments, we see God’s will involves honoring family, taking care of possessions, our bodies, spouses, etc, not abandoning them. Yet there may be places in life where second table and first table come into conflict. If there is someone calling us to violate the first table, our duty to honor God above all things, then that person or thing must be cast aside. That’s what he means by “hating father and mother”. As much as you should love your family. As much as you should treasure those things God has called you to steward in this world, if they are getting in the way of faith in God, they are to be set aside.
But Luther insists this is not the normal way of things. In fact, he states that the first table flows into the second table of the commandments. You can see this in the way he explains every commandment. How do they all start?
“We should fear, love, and trust in God, so that we. . . “.
Isn’t that beautiful? Christians aren’t called to either be real disciples who abandom earthly stuff so we can be true spiritual heroes, or just regular folks who have trouble hanging onto God. That’s a false dichotomy. Instread we are called to love God so much that we are then moved into doing the good works called for in normal daily life. Our praise of God on Sunday and on a daily basis should move us into love of spouse, children, coworker, etc.
Such are the good works and discipleship of a Christian.
